New York state residents cannot have it both ways. School districts that have existed for far too many years and are deteriorating in regard to curriculums and programming continue to maintain survival while offering a bare-bones and substandard education.

Staffing continues to be slashed as enrollment numbers maintain a decline. Countywide, over 10 years, the number of students who attend our 18 school districts is down more than 15 percent.

New technology will not fix those woes – and Proposition Three is a money grab of sorts that voters need to refuse.

Known as the Smart Schools Bond Act, the proposal would authorize the sale of state bonds of up to $2 billion to provide access to classroom technology and high-speed Internet. In other words, small schools – such as Brocton, Clymer, Forestville and Panama – would be eligible for some of this money.

That makes no sense at all. Why would we want to invest in schools that are barely surviving and need to be consolidated or merged?

Ripley school students have seen tremendous benefits from working with the Chautauqua Lake district. Those are the financial incentives the state needs to push at the voting booths.

Instead, however, we get the status quo in Proposition Three that essentially throws money at low-achieving and struggling districts.

Larger districts, even some in this county, have access to many of these items the proposition allows for purchase, such as whiteboards, laptop computers, tablets and Internet access.

Most students today know more about technology than their parents. Their lack of access to these items in the schools will not hurt their future educations.

Poor decisions by the adults, which fail to see the benefits of consolidation and improved educational opportunities, have proven to be the biggest hindrance by far.