CommentsVOICES-Most of the opposition I see to Measure EE seems to come from Republicans, including many Republicans who are authors of articles against the measure. I am a Democrat. And I’m writing to explain why I believe that Democrats should be voting against Measure EE on June 4.
First and foremost, I support teachers. I also support the things that Measure EE promises: smaller classroom size, school nurses, school psychologists, librarians, counselors, and other resources that would help to improve our schools. I support Magnet programs (which I do not see mentioned in the ballot anywhere) for LAUSD Charter Schools, and Special Needs programs whether it be for the disabled, students who are ill, students who cannot attend school daily, gifted and highly-gifted programs, STEM education, and schools geared to the arts including performing arts.
Some Personal Background of Why I Feel as I do about Measure EE
My husband is a product of the LAUSD; he graduated from Hamilton High School in the 1960s. He is a UCLA graduate who had to live at home and work part time while going to school full time. He became an educator for the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) in 1969 where he taught full time until 2012. As an Emeritus Professor, he has continued to teach part time to supplement his pension which is through the CAL STRS system.
In 1985, we bought our two-story 2850 square foot home. We had two young children at the time. My husband had a home office where he was able to write and grade papers, communicate with students by email, and where he authored textbooks, which he’s been doing since 1971.
It was not his income as an educator in the LACCD that allowed him to buy his first home – it was his royalty income and teaching overtime classes that enabled us to live a comfortable middle-class lifestyle.
Most people probably don’t remember that in 1986 – a year after we moved into our larger home -- there was a major layoff in the LACCD.
“Teachers View Layoffs as Bitter Budget Cure”: (LA Times, March 3, 1986)
“The anthropology department at Pierce is in just such a predicament,” said Bruce Rowe, who has been an anthropology instructor for 16 1/2 years.
At Pierce, anthropology is popular, with more students seeking to take the courses than can be accommodated. Throughout the district, however, anthropology enrollment has declined. The district has decided to reduce the number of instructors in that subject, so Pierce will lose three of its five anthropology teachers.
"I think they're killing a very good program," said Rowe, who is being transferred to the sociology department. "I'm disappointed about being forced to make a change, but I'm even more disappointed that no one in the administration evaluated the quality of the program and the local demand for that program before they instituted their cuts."
Unlike the LAUSD, the LACCD staff couldn’t strike. They had no real bargaining power. Instead, I saw my normally non-politically engaged husband become active in the AFT. And these educators – some with PhDs, helped to choose and endorse the future Board of the LACCD.
Both of my sons attended local LAUSD schools. My older son went to Hamlin Street Elementary and attended the Gifted Magnet at Welby Way Elementary School starting in the 2nd grade. He would go on to attend the Portola Highly Gifted Magnet, and to the Reseda High Math / Science Magnet.
My younger child also started at Hamlin Street School and transferred to the home school at Welby Way. He entered the Gifted Magnet at Welby Way in the 5th grade. In the 6th Grade, my younger son also transferred to the Portola Highly Gifted Magnet. When we bought our home, we were told that we were in the El Camino Real High School district. By the time our younger son was ready for high school, the LAUSD said our home school was Canoga Park High. But most of my younger son’s friends from elementary school had moved on to Hale Middle School and on to El Camino. He wanted to be with his friends.
We had to get him into El Camino with a medical accommodation. But he soon had an assessment, and was told that if he did not go to school full time, he would never graduate from high school. He was challenged by the Administration of El Camino Real to take the High School Proficiency Exam at 15. He did this and passed!
Why is my son’s story important to today’s discussion?
El Camino Real Charter High School has a new campus on Shoup Avenue in West Hills. It was advertised when it was conceived as a school where students would only attend school a few hours a week. These students would study at home, go for one on one meetings with teachers, and take their tests at the school. It’s this kind of program that may have enabled my son to finish his high school degree within the LAUSD system.
Where are we today?
In December 2018, I attended a meeting of the Woodland Hills Homeowners Organization (the WHHO). At that standing room only meeting, LAUSD Board member Scott Schmerelson discussed classroom sizes. This was before the teacher’s strike. Schmerelson explained the way the State of California determines classroom size. He stated that, to the best of his understanding, all of the smaller classes like GATE classes, classes for the disabled, etc., would be averaged with the regular classroom sizes, and therefore the LAUSD would look to the State as if we have smaller classroom sizes than the rest of the State’s school districts.
There were a lot of vocal teachers at that meeting commenting on their classroom sizes, and on other issues.
According to an article in the Daily News (Jan. 17, 2019):
Scott Schmerelson said this week he thinks the district has enough money to end this week's massive strike.
Schmerelson said the superintendent can find more money in the budget and can use more of the reserve fund to pay for some of the union’s demands.
“I believe that there are resources available to end this strike,” he wrote.
On the district’s fiscal health, Schmerelson said the district has often projected budget deficits that have never materialized.
He was hopeful about Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal saying more money was coming into the district.
ALTERNATIVE POINTS OF VIEW FROM TEACHER
In stories related to the teacher’s strike, two things concerned me in addition to the needs of the teachers for smaller class sizes, pension reform, and the need for nurses, librarians, etc.
In one article from NBC News Los Angeles, teachers appear to be in opposition to the LAUSD funded charter schools. Yet, from my understanding, these Charter Schools perform better than many other schools.
More problematic than the publicly funded charter school issue is the Magnet School issue:
“LA Unified kicked off the school year this week by more than doubling the number of new magnet schools and programs. But the mostly high-achieving school choice options have a new opponent: the teachers union….
“LA Unified is locked in a contract dispute with United Teachers Los Angeles, which is calling for changes that would effectively halt magnets’ growth….”
“And magnets are expanding quickly as the district responds to parent and community demands for more of the themed schools and programs, which focus on specialized curriculum such as science and technology, medicine, or business. Some magnets, such as in performing or visual arts or for gifted students, have selective admission requirements.”
As the mother of two Magnet School children, and as the aunt of a student that attended a performing arts school magnet downtown, I cannot support limiting the Magnet School program.
WHY I AM NO ON MEASURE EE
As the wife of an Emeritus Professor now in his 50th year of teaching, I understand the needs of teachers. I understand that when teachers first enter the workforce, they must live on a limited income. They deserve the pensions and health benefits they earn because the work they do is often compensated at a lower level than if they had worked in the private sector. Today more than ever, a teacher is unlikely to be able to afford to buy a home in Los Angeles County, especially on an entry level salary.
As a parent, I understand other costs – the cost of higher education that both our children and we have had to bear.
In 2009, when I was a member of the West Hills Neighborhood Council (WHNC), a representative of the West Valley Food Pantry came to the WHNC for a funding request. That person explained to us that, at that time, the people who were served by the West Valley Food Pantry were often seniors in Woodland Hills, West Hills, and Canoga Park who were “house rich and cash poor.” We were told that these seniors had to choose between buying their medications and buying food.
In the sample ballot, the language states: “An exemption from payment of the parcel tax may be granted on any parcel owned by one or more persons 65 years of age or over who occupies the parcel as a principal residence, upon application for exemption (Senior Citizen Exemption).” A similar “Disability Benefits Recipient Exemption” is also referenced. This measure places the burden of filing the application for exemption on the seniors and the disabled. The key word here is may be exempted.
WHY ARE WE RECEIVING A SENIOR EXEMPTION NOTICE THAT MUST BE RETURNED BY JULY 1, 2019 TO QUALIFY?
Why has a letter from Austin Buetner, the Los Angeles Unified School Superintendent, already been sent out containing the Senior Exemption form before the ballot measure has been approved? Why are they asking for documentation including: A valid driver’s license, California ID Card, a Passport, a Utility Bill, a Social Security Check, or an Insurance Policy? Why is the LAUSD asking for such sensitive information that contains Social Security numbers when we have problems with major institutions’ computers’ being hacked?
Why is the LAUSD implementing control over this parcel tax instead of the Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector? Why is the LA Unified collecting this data and providing the report rather than having the exemption requests go directly to the County Tax Collector? Doesn’t this add yet one more level of bureaucrats to the LAUSD Administration…tax collectors?
Today, we are seeing more and more homelessness. We are seeing people who’ve been forced out of rent-controlled properties.
Why are we adding an additional property tax to our already high property taxes? This could make it more difficult for entry level teachers and others who serve the public to buy a home; it also contributes to housing problems for many other people.
For 2018, we paid higher State taxes than in any previous year that I can remember. A lot of home office expenses and other expenses that should have offset my husband’s textbook royalty income were no longer deductible.
THE STATE SHOULD CREATE NEW FORMULAS FOR PUPIL FUNDING
Our Governor has said that education is one of his priorities. We need to ask our State Elected Officials to look at how funding is allocated throughout the State. There should be separate formulas for various types of school classes. Smaller programs that are necessary for special needs, whether for the disabled, the gifted, or other types of programs such as technical programs, should be averaged differently than regular K- 12 classrooms.
Also, systemic problems which lead to large losses of school district money must be addressed. One example of this was the failed 1.3 billion-dollar iPad fiasco.
There is no excuse for large class sizes in California schools. We have one of the largest economies in the United States, and we have the need to educate our students so they can be productive members of society.
I call on each of you to VOTE NO on Measure EE on June 4, 2019
And please – contact your State Elected officials and ask them to prioritize how the school districts are funded. They need to consider salaries for teachers, nurses, librarians, counselors, cafeteria personnel, maintenance staff, and classroom aides that provide compensation equivalent to the essential services these people provide. They should also earmark funding for school maintenance and new schools where a district shows a need for them. What is the optimal size for each type of class?
As a final thought – could our State Representatives author legislation that would encourage good teachers to teach in schools that may be in less desirable communities? Could they offer tuition forgiveness or extra pay to encourage some of our more experienced teachers to work in these areas? Could students who would normally not be able to attend college due to lack of funds be given grants to go to college if they agree to come back to teach in their communities?
(Chris Rowe has been a 41-year resident of West Hills, was a former West Hills Neighborhood Council Board Member, and has a B.S. in health education. She can be reached at [email protected].) Prepped for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.
