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H.R. 53, The Virgin Islands National Park School Lease Act (7 comments ↓ | 6 wiki edits)
H.R. 53 would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into a long-term lease with the Government of the United States Virgin Islands to provide land on the island of Saint John, Virgin Islands, for the establishment of a school.
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Visitor Comments
GreatDanes
You Got to be Kidding Me!!!
Get a Grip ....these guy and Gals down in DC now want a school in the Virgin Islands....give me a break. We owe China so much money and they still Haven't got the Message yet!!
STOP STOP SPENDING MONEY!!!!Got it Fools.
National Park Supporter
This bill is an assault on the National Park System, and its passage would set a bad precedent. The U.S. Virgin Islands is a tourist economy and why do visitors come there? For the park.35J This legislation threatens to sell off a chunk of their greatest asset for a short term solution to a chronic problem, the failure of the local government to provide sufficient funding for their schools. The Virgin Islands Daily News editorializes against this legislation, the local group, Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park has publicly opposed the bill. The Department of Interior is on record opposing this legislation, because it is "inconsistent with the purpose for which the park was created," and it would set "a dangerous precedent for other units of the National Park System."
Why did this bill sail through the House of Representatives with no discussion? Because those legislators didn't bother to look at it. Our Senators should behave more responsibly.
Donald J Willey
We must not let our National Parks or part of our NATIONAL pARKS BE GIVE TO ANYONE. THEY BELONG TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE USA.
Matt T
I take the other side of this. I don't know that the Feds are going to actually pay for the school. They are going to allow the people in the US Virgin Islands to purchase and build the school with their own money.
In addition, what a create use of resources for the betterment of education. Approaching this through the eyes of education, we have forced education into a box that is completely inflexible, shows little to no creativity except on fund raising, and told them to work miracles. So here comes a group of professional educators that are clearly thinking outside the box and we want to shut them down?!
Not only do I like the concept, I would like to hear of the curriculum they plan to use at this school. I bet it has some pretty neat twists. And I bet this school is a charter school. Regular schools are so limited, sadly.
JessVI
People have become so selfish. Likewise, it seems as though some people who are reviewing this bill are missing the POINT. St. John is a very small island. On top of that the National Park owns 2/3 of the island.The conditions in which these children attend the ONLY Public K through Junior High School on the island(excluding a High School) is ridiculous. It is located in the midst of town where traffic is ALWAYS congested and the proximity of drinking establishments to the school is ILLEGAL! For so long children have been forced to commute to St. Thomas, because St. John does not have a proper Educational Complex of its own. We deserve proper education and opportunities.It's not as though we're asking to build ANOTHER Condominium from the National Park land, all we want is a BETTER school. Where the Air Conditioning and Bathrooms arent out of service. A school where the wiring isnt visible and The building isnt deteriorating.
JessVI
It amazes me how we have more than enough of the funds for such a venture and yet passing this bill is an issue. I beseech those who review, understand that it is for our Youth, we have been made promises umpteen times only to be disappointed promise after the other. Support a beneficial cause.
Paul Devine VI
The dept of Interior has never developed this land and its use would be in keeping with the previous owners who wanted the land used for a public purpose. The National park service has the opportunity to respect those wishes. I fully support the lease process