Democratic Party's senatorial candidate Meilou Tenorio Milligan, a retired public high school science teacher and civic leader, issued the following statement calling for the rebuilding of Simon Sanchez High School.
“It was revealed in a recent budget hearing for the Department of Education that DOE was not given the resources necessary to start the process of rebuilding Simon Sanchez High School.
"This saga has gone on for far too long and has been filled with nothing but excuses and poor planning. The students again will be made to wait and play the pawn in the middle of this fight for money, contracts, and political egos. The students, teachers, and staff of Simon Sanchez High School will continue to have to deal with facility conditions that have at times been deemed a health hazard. Our children deserve better than this neglect.
"I know firsthand of these conditions because I was a science teacher at Simon Sanchez High School for nearly a decade. My husband then was also a long time English teacher at Simon Sanchez High School. All my children have graduated from Simon Sanchez High School. I have had to wade through the water because of the flooding that goes on during heavy rains. I have witnessed the abhorrent state of the bathrooms and I know full well of the state of disrepair of many of the classrooms.
"Despite all these obstacles, I know that the Shark spirit remains strong. The teachers there were still able to provide an excellent education for our students in spite of the crumbling facilities around them. That is the strength of a public school teacher - managing miracles in the face of woefully inadequate resources. Our teachers deserve better than the indifference they have experienced in the last few years of this rebuilding saga.
"The time is now to rebuild Simon Sanchez High School. No more waiting, no more excuses, no more political games. An investment in education is an investment in our children and their futures. Are they not worth it?
"The leadership of our island must once and for all prioritize the education and well-bei ng of our students and provide the adequate education that they are entitled to. Our leaders must support our teachers and finally provide them with the resources they need to do their jobs. If they are unable to then maybe it is time for a public school teacher to show them how to work with less and still get the job done."