> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Politically correct school district proposed policy hurts all students - URL: https://www.smdp.com/politically-correct-school-district-proposed-policy-hurts-all-students/ - Published: 2002-11-22T16:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T00:59:06.000Z - Author: Bill Bauer - Tags: Opinion, Malibu, #archive-import The latest controversy to hit the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District is a proposal by school superintendent John Deasy that would eliminate “gifts” earmarked for specific schools. Deasy’s proposes changing the district’s policy which allows gifts and donations to benefit a specific school or schools. Deasy’s proposal that gifts or donations would have to be equally distributed among all the schools was on the agenda of last night’s SMMUSD school board meeting. Apparently the superintendent is concerned that schools in more affluent neighborhoods are in a better position to replace programs and services lost due to budget cuts with gifts and donations than schools in less affluent neighborhoods. Deasy was quoted in this paper, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2002, as saying, “There are sections omunity that can replace cuts and those that can’t and I will do everything in my power to prevent further disequity.” Deasy is correct in his analysis. The affluent Malibu schools and two ele-menf the comtary schools north of Montana Avenue have very active PTSA organizations and friends that contribute generously to these neighborhood schools. Supporters of “wealthier” schools are in a better financial position to provide everything from extra school supplies to computers than, say, supporters of the Edison Language Academy in the Pico neighborhood. However, with serious budget cuts looming, can our schools risk any loss of financial support even if it is earmarked for a specific school in a more affluent neighborhood? According to Deasy and school board president Julia Brownley, yes, it can — and should. Brownley told the Daily Press, “We don’t want some schools to be able to reinstate programs that have been cut that another school can’t afford, because that would further increase the divide.” What we have here is a sinking ship with 1,000 passengers and lifeboats for 500\. Do we save 500 passengers or does everyone drown because it wouldn’t be fair to save just half of the passengers? It seems that the oh-so politically correct school administrators would rather see everyone go down with the ship than see anybody survive — especially if they happen to be in a school in a wealthier neighborhood. There are numerous subsidies that benefit low-income students and their families. There are many cases where low-income students or “disadvantaged” schools get gifts, grants and special programs, both governmental and private, that are not available to affluent students and schools. Is the school district going to stop these programs, too? I can see it now. How about those organizations that distribute hundreds of free toys and holiday gifts to needy children, by request, at schools in lower income neighborhoods? Will these groups have to take some of the toys earmarked for disadvantaged children and hand them out at Franklin School or Malibu’s Point Dume or Cabrillo this holiday season? What about proceeds from various school fundraisers? Will they have to be dispersed equally, too? It seems to me the net effect of such an equality policy will further hamper the district in obtaining the desperately needed independent resources needed to maintain and improve the educational process district wide. It appears that school administrators forgot that parents donate to schools because its where their kids go to learn. A wealthy Malibu parent willing to donate a dozen I-macs to his child’s school might not bother if those I-macs are to be dispersed throughout the district. Potential corporate donors will likely not target a specific project such as new audio-visual equipment for a school in need. And parent volunteers will avoid doing anything that might be taken away from their children’s school. This is political correctness for the sake of political correctness and penalizes those who do the most for their neighborhood schools — especially the school PTSAs. This is a no win policy and everyone suffers. It all seems like it’s cutting off your nose to spite your face. Let’s hope our liberal, “politically correct” school board voted “NO” to Deasy’s recommendation last night and didn’t put our schools even further behind the eight-ball. Bill Bauer is a longtime Santa Monica resident and a freelance writer. *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 22, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/112202.pdf?ref=smdp.com)