State cuts leave local school district scrambling for cash
Protesters plan to march on downtown Santa Monica Saturday to show their disappointment in the state for the local school district’s dismal financial situation.
The Santa Monica Malibu Unifed School District recently issued 207 pink slips, which notifies teachers and employees that they will be laid off next year. The lay-offs account for 20 percent of the district’s workforce and 97 classroom teachers.
“No business would be expected to lop off 20 percent of its workforce and still be expected to meet the same performance targets — except schools,” said school superintendent John Deasy. “Even before these cuts, California was in the lowest quarter of the country in terms of per student classroom spending, even though its economy is the richest in the world. But now, it’s immoral for the state of California to try to balance its budget woes on the backs of our youngest and weakest citizens.”
What’s been dubbed the “Pink Slip Parade,” the district’s pink-slipped teachers and employees, as well as parents, students, school board members, state assembly member Fran Pavley, actors and district parents, Marg Helgenberger and Alan Rosenberg, as well as Santa Monica Police Chief James T. Butts Jr. and other concerned citizens, will protest the cuts and urge action to increase funding from the city and the state.
The event begins at 10 a.m. at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Ocean Avenue. Protesters will march through Palisades Park and the Third Street Promenade.
“California’s public education system has been in disrepair for 20 years, since Proposition 13,” Deasy said. “But in the 20 years that I have been an educator, I think this must be our darkest hour.”
Many community members are concerned that the cuts will hurt the quality of education offered through the local school district.
“Santa Monica Malibu students achieve at very high levels,” said Harry Keiley, president of the SMMUSD Classroom Teachers Association. “Test scores are on the rise and the dropout rate has all but been eliminated in our district. These cuts will result in the elimination of programs, larger class sizes and will ultimately compromise the quality of our schools.”
While the westside school district is considered to be in an affluent area, with students coming from posh movie-star beach homes in Malibu or Santa Monica’s most elite North of Montana Avenue neighborhood, the reality is much different. Four of the school district’s 15 schools are “Title One,” meaning that the majority of their students come from low-income families.
321,“Funds lost because of cuts of this magnitude cannot be replaced with bake sale proceeds,” said Cheri Orgel, SMMUSD PTA Council president. “An organized parent-based fundraising effort, even in a community as relatively affluent as ours, could only provide a band-aid. We’ve got an open, gaping wound here.”
In June, residents will be asked to vote on Proposition S, a school funding measure that would replace just under 50 percent of the proposed state budget cuts.
Community members also are being asked to urge both the Santa Monica and Malibu city councils to double their current contribution to the schools, which would replace an additional 25 percent of lost state funds. Residents also are being asked to contact their state Legislators and demand that educational budget cuts be reduced.
544,SMMUSD faces at least $13 million in budget cuts for next year. The cuts include:
• 66 full-time classroom teachers and 25 teachers in specialized programs will be laid off.
• Class sizes will increase to 30 students in every third grade class, at least 35 students in middle school classes and to at least 37 students in high school classes.
• The elementary music program will be eliminated.
• Elementary school library coordinators will be laid off.
• School nurses will be laid off.
• 56 staff, including computer technicians, a textbook coordinator and custodians will be laid off.
• There will be no more physical education aides and specialists.
• Middle and high school athletic support staff positions will be eliminated.
• Pre-school programs for low and moderate income children will be cut.
• 12 administrators, including one principal will be laid off.
“If these cuts go through, parents are going to have to accept a lower level of service and education for their children,” said Richard Bartholomeo, a member of SEIU, the union that represents district transportation, custodial and service workers. “They’re going to have to accept the fact that if the money’s not there, their kids won’t have the education they’ll need to compete for jobs when they grow up.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 4, 2003. Read the original PDF.