By Sandy Thacker PTA Co-President, Webster School
Most parents in the Santa Monica-Malibu School District feel strongly one way or the other about the superintendent’s proposed equity fund. As we await the outcome of this issue, I hope the school board members seriously consider the following questions: ■What is the goal of this policy? Is it to increase fundraising across the district? Somehow reshuffling the current funds in the district, lopping off 3 to 5 percent to pay a third party to manage the fund, and, in the process, alienating a large group of generous donors seems to me a backward process. Is it to increase equity across the district, something our taxes — legal ones, that is — and Title I funds already do? Is it to band together the schools to work toward a higher standard? The old saying “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar” comes to mind. I believe parents are more than willing to volunteer their time and resources where there is a need, but having a “tax” shoved down their throats invokes a belligerent response that will only harm the giving at the schools and by extension to the district. ■What is the need? I think we all agree there are schools in the district that need some help. If I am going to voluntarily give my time and money to make that happen I would like to know what the needs are. There has been a lot of talk about some schools not having the time to fundraise because the parents are spending their time rallying the City Council for district funding. It’s hard to believe that the two are mutually exclusive. For example, the school which stands to receive a whopping 26.75 percent of the entire proposed equity fund is sending 95 orchestra students to the Czech Republic at a cost of $2,000 per student. Whether the money for the trip is being fundraised or is being paid for by the parents seems irrelevant — the capacity to raise money undeniably exists. Again, what is the need?
While parents are divided regarding the district’s entitlement to private funds, I do believe a silver lining has emerged. The process has forced conversations about need and has elicited commitments to enact change. I hope the school board will not underestimate the power of volunteers working together, as well as the proposed policy’s negative impact on future fundraising in the district.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 3, 2004. Read the original PDF.