By Laura Rosenbaum, President, Santa Monica-Malibu Council of PTAs Lisa Balfus, PTA President Mario Romero,PTA President, Edison Elementary School Pattie Fitzgerald,PTA President, Franklin Elementary School Becky Turk, PTA President, Grant Elementary School Sheila Forsander,PTSA President, John Adams Middle School Julena Lind, PTSA President, Lincoln Middle School Heather Anderson, PTSA President, Malibu High School Maria Espino, PTA Co-President Karen Miller, PTA Co-President, McKinley Elementary School Marie Robinson, PTA President, John Muir Elementary School Dana Weinberg, PTA President, Point Dume Elementary School Tom Belin, PTA President, Roosevelt Elementary School Judith Meister, PTSA President, Santa Monica High School Ofer M. Grossman, Esq., PTA President, SMASH Middle/Elementary School Lori Whitesell, PTA President,Will Rogers Elementary School Mary Jacobson, PTA President Leslie Frost,PTA President,Webster Elementary School
We, like many others who choose to live in Santa Monica and Malibu, do so because our quality of life is enhanced by a strong community that values and supports our common interests — including high quality public education. We believe that all kids deserve a great education. And we also understand that great schools contribute to the vitality,safety and property values of our community.Our community financially supports public education because we know that California has dropped to one of the lowest per-student funding levels of all the states nationwide, and that state funding, sadly, does not pay for high quality programming or facilities. This is why our community needs to vote “yes’ on Measure BB, which is the only funding mechanism available for critical repair and updating of our local public schools, some of which are over 60 years old.
The Santa Monica-Malibu School Board’s decision to place a local school bond, Measure BB, on the Nov. 7 ballot followed an extensive Master Facilities Planning project that assessed the specific needs of each of our district schools. Measure BB will fund such urgently needed repairs as replacing temporary classrooms with seismically safe, productive learning environments; removal of asbestos and mold from classrooms; and repair of leaky roofs, plumbing and structural deficiencies. We are proud to be part of a community that makes education a top priority. As PTA presidents, parents, and concerned community members, we call on voters in Santa Monica and Malibu to vote “yes.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 30, 2006. Read the original PDF.