By Chris Thornton Santa Monica
As a parent and community member in the city of Santa Monica, I want to express my gratitude for the support that has been given to the Santa Monica-Malibu Schools. Thanks to the passage of Measure S and the Santa Monica City Council’s grant, we will make it through the school year without severe cuts to school services.
I am also grateful to have the time to volunteer at Santa Monica schools where I see daily the necessity for a strong school infra-structure. Teachers and programs have high visibility, but without the support staff — the custodial and maintenance, security, nurses, the computer technicians, the librarians and textbook staff, and office workers, the teachers can’t do their jobs, and the quality of education suffers. Many of these support positions are only being funded on a year to year basis through the generosity of the city.
Since the State of California is unable or unwilling to make education funding a priority, we must step up as a community to ensure that our students have a high quality public education. Next year will be upon us sooner than we think.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 6, 2003. Read the original PDF.