Where are the absent children?

To the editor:

The population of Jay County has dropped from 23,500 in 1970, before school consolidation in 1975, to 21,200 in 2014.

This drop of 2,300 is almost all represented by the loss of 2,000 in the 5 to 17 age group. From 1990 through 2014 this school age population has stabilized at about 4,200, down from 6,000 in 1970. However, attendance at Jay Schools has continually dropped from 4,100 in 1990 to 3,300 in 2014, leaving 800 unaccounted.

In 1970, 5,900 of the 6,000 school age attended a Jay County public school, leaving only 100 not accounted. Since 1975, the Jay school boards have treated education as a business and not as an entity of the local communities.

Parents want their children educated in the local community. If not, they will go elsewhere if they can

If this 42-year pattern of consolidating continues, it is likely the flight from Jay Schools will continue.

It may be time to consider closing schools is a counterproductive strategy.

Finally, where are the 800 children in the county that are not in Jay Schools?

Mike Bishop

Dunkirk and Madison Township