LETTER: Schools must have needed improvements

First, a big thank-you for reading about the schools in Aiken County that are substandard and are not being put on a fast track to be repaired and/or expanded.

Second, the list of very needed improvements to these schools was put together by the Board of Education, school administration and an advisory company - which I am sure got plenty of taxpayer dollars for its professional input.

Third, since my complaints to local and state level officials have literally been ignored by sending me the usual, "This is not my jurisdiction." As a life-long citizen of South Carolina, I will now ask you and my other U.S. Senators and Congressman, to please ask the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Occupational Safety and Health to get involved before any of our students or faculty are harmed by these on-going problems.

I believe the information, from the Aiken Schools' web site, should explain everything. I truly believe, in order to expedite the funding and these much needed schools' improvements, the financial problem should be attacked from two sides - issuance of another reasonably priced referendum and asking for permission to institute a one cents sales tax. Any intervention from the federal level will be appreciated.

Timothy Monroe Bledsoe

North Augusta