POSTCARDS URGE YES ON CAPE BOND ISSUE

Parents of Cape Girardeau school children received a personal reason to support the $18 million bond issue proposal in the mail this week.

Postcards featuring nearly every child in kindergarten through ninth grades were sent individually to families by the Continue the Commitment Committee which is soliciting support for the bond issue voters will consider Tuesday.

The issue does not require a tax increase and will be used to fund construction of a new high school adjacent to the Area Career and Technology Center being built west of Kingshighway and east of Interstate 55.

A 57.14 percent majority is needed to pass the measure.

"The whole reasoning behind that is we want to encourage the yes vote," said committee member Kim McDowell. "Our strongest yes vote we expect to come from the parents and the grandparents of students in the district."

The committee received the idea for the picture postcards from a bond issue consultant who had seen it used successfully by another school district. In Cape Girardeau, the campaign committee bought copies of school pictures and solicited volunteers to glue photos to the postcards. Each post card was enclosed in an envelope for privacy.

Superintendent Dan Steska said he hoped when parents considered the bond issue, they would think about how it affects their family rather than as a general school funding measure.

"It's one thing to think about voting yes or no about children in general, but it's another thing when you see the child you personally love," he said. "The issue becomes much more individualized and personal when you decide what the future holds for that child or grandchild."

Steska said support for the unique campaign strategy appears to be positive. Only two parents have contacted Steska to express concerns about their children being included on the postcards, and reactions were positive during a meeting with parents at Jefferson Elementary School Thursday night.

"I think many parents thought it was a cute and unique idea," Steska said. "The parents at Jefferson all were smiling and seemed to enjoy getting the pictures."

Delia Campbell was among parents who liked the picture postcard idea. "It was very persuasive and made you want to go and support your child," she said.

Major Joyce Gauthier, who received pictures for two of her four children, also appreciated the campaign strategy. "I think that when you saw that card with your child's picture on it, it made the issue more real," she said.

Other parents were less enthusiastic about receiving the postcards, although they said the idea was creative. Diane Liggins said she felt the card implied something negative about her children.

"It was asking for my vote, but it was like my kids were in need of dire help or something," said Liggins.

The cards were paid for out of private donations collected by the campaign committee to promote the bond issue. Schools and other entities are prohibited by law from using public funds to influence the vote in a political campaign.

"Those donations are coming from individuals, civic groups, banks, community organizations," Steska said. In all, some $9,000 has been collected to pay for advertising, mailings, printing costs, T-shirts, stickers and other informational or promotional items.

McDowell said she hopes the latest effort will persuade undecided parents to vote yes for the bond issue. "We hope this will be a reminder to put on the refrigerator or whatever to get out and vote," she said.