News that Baltimore may have a benefactor willing to finance $500 million of construction ("Proposed downtown arena gets private financing commitment," May 25) invites one to dream of a history-making school construction campaign.

Imagine Baltimore preparing to open 20 brand new, state-of-the-art public schools. Or 15, or 10, or however many schools can be built with the resources needed to construct an arena.

I don't dream of a big, new arena and its touted benefits. I dream of a city school system so pumped up, so modern, so enticing that families move here to give their children a great public education.

For now it's just a fantasy, but so is a $500 million arena. For now.

Joan Floyd, Baltimore