MEASURE 99 (Outdoor Education Fund): Yes
If you grew up in Oregon, thereâs a good chance you attended one of the week-long âOutdoor Schoolsâ offered to kids in fifth or sixth grade. Itâs a great way for children to shut off their goddamn infernal techno devices and spend time out in the wild, studying natural science, gaining leadership skills, and learning how to protect our valuable resources.
But naturally, moneyâs tight, which means that nowadays, only about half of Oregonâs students are able to attend. A âyesâ vote on Measure 99 would change that by creating an Outdoor Education Fund that would come from the state lotteryâ4 percent to be exact, or roughly $5.5 million. (It wonât take lottery money from parks, beaches, watersheds, or fish and wildlife.) And after shipping every Oregon kid off to camp for a week? Any leftover money would go toward funding other outdoor programs at Oregon public schools.
Whoâs against it? Those who feel Outdoor School will drain money from economic development. But hereâs the thing: You can teach kids all the natural science you want inside the classroom, but itâs no substitute for getting the firsthand knowledge that only being out in nature can provide. And smarter, more environmentally astute kids equal a more informed, better equipped workforce of the future. Vote âyes.â
Read the rest of our endorsements here.