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# Policy blocking donations to schools sent back for revisions
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/policy-blocking-donations-to-schools-sent-back-for-revisions/
- Published: 2002-11-23T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T00:59:13.000Z
- Author: Andrew Fixmer
- Tags: Education, Malibu, #archive-import

*But school board members say they support the concept*

The concept of ensuring wealthy students don’t fare better than poor ones during budget cuts was approved by the school board on Thursday.

However, the policy was sent back to school district administrators for revisions. Board members want to allow schools greater financial flexibility when it comes to fundraising.

“We can’t have one school with a 15-to-1 class size ratio and another with a 32-to-1 ratio,” said board member Michael Jordan, who lives in Malibu. “That would not be fair, just or equitable to anyone and we can’t allow it to happen.”

Jordan also said the school district doesn’t want to institute a policy that would deter residents from contributing to schools.

“There are many areas outside of core curriculum programs where we need to allow parents to make donations to their schools,” he said.

More than 150 residents at the meeting praised the school district for being brave enough to address issues of wealth and poverty in education. Others accused administrators of being “communists” and attempting “social engineering.”

School board members defended the policy, which would not allow schools to replace programs cut from the district’s budget with money from private donations.

If that were allowed, many board members said they believe the disparity in the quality of programs and services at schools throughout the district would continue to deepen.

“We cannot go to a place where we have full-service schools and basic service schools,” said school board president Julia Brownley. “That just can’t happen in my opinion.”

> “We cannot go to a place where we have full-service schools and basic service schools.” — — JULIA BROWNLEY SMMUSD school board president

However, one parent said he has regularly donated directly to schools his children attend in an attempt to bypass what he sees as a “bureaucratic mess” in the administration.

716,“You’re social engineering ideas are wrong,” said Mort Zambus. “You need to support us and encourage us — not tell us we’re wrong.”

Other parents said being able to donate to a specific school allows them to make sure the money or materials were used as they intended.

“I want to give my money to my principal,” said Stephen Gianetti. “But I don’t want to give it to a faceless school district I don’t trust.”

However, other parents said the school district’s gift policy as a whole needs to be rewritten to ensure greater equity between schools.

“I believe we can raise all children so they have the same access to quality education,” said Ralph Metcher, president of the Santa Monica Malibu Education Foundation, the school district’s fundraising arm.

> “I believe we can raise all children so they have the same access to quality education.” — — RALPH METCHER Santa Monica Malibu Education Foundation president

“Do that, and watch as all the doors open for our children,” he added.

Others suggested eliminating donations to specific schools all together.

“I think its fair,” said Steve Armstrong, parent of an child attending Edison Elementary School. “There’s nothing preventing us from making our donations to the district as a whole.”

Louise Jaffe, a Santa Monica resident long-involved in school district affairs, said schools have different needs and there needs to be a way to differentiate between those in the policy.

“I urge you to have Superintendent (John) Deasy return this policy with site specific recommendations as the need arises,” she said. “Because there needs to be a mechanism to evaluate every site’s programs and needs.”

The board informally endorsed the idea of the policy, but asked Deasy to bring back a revised copy at its next meeting on Dec. 12.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 23, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/112302.pdf?ref=smdp.com)