It’s been quite interesting and amusing to read recent letters from parents and advocacy groups complaining about “old schools” and “class overcrowding.” It’s as if only brand new schools and spacious classrooms are conducive to student learning and their future success. On top of this, there was an initial $755 million bond measure to “address our urgent growth crisis.”

I cannot speak for others but I went to a high school outside the United States where the average class consisted of 60 students. To top it off, the students were the “janitors.” We had to take turns daily to clean our own classrooms after school, wash the boards and shine the windows, including upstairs classrooms. With all this “burden” on top of our academic pressures, college enrollment was at least 90 percent and about 60 percent or more went on to graduate school.

Needless to say, I chuckle when I read about “excited” parents defending and fighting for their children’s educational environment and funding. It’s as if newness and money were the criteria to a successful education.

All I can say, from my own first-hand experience, is when quality education is championed and instilled the school building, whether old, new or technology-filled, will not make or break a student’s success.

Anchi Miller, Kirkland