Culver City and California Parents: Let’s Unite for More Funds for All Schools

This November, California voters might be presented with two options to fund public schools - one proposed by Governor Brown and another one proposed by the California State PTA.  Rather than risk participating in the splitting of the vote, I plan on voting yes for both, to send a signal that whatever the details, I support increased funding for California public schools. 

Today I write because it is clear to me, that both at the statewide level and in Culver City, we seem to struggle with how we should fund the programs that our students need in our schools. Yet we are united in our desire to put an end to the cuts and bring excellence back to our public schools.  We all know we need more funding.

In Culver City, there's a movement afoot among some parents that suggests we can help offset budget cuts by raising money to pay employees, as one parent put it, one cupcake at a time. Other parents know that while this may be true, some schools can raise more money than others.  This is not because there is less willingness or interest in one school, but because some schools have more families that are struggling in these hard economic times. At El Marino, for example, only 14.9% of the students come from families that must apply for free lunches.  At La Ballona Elementary, there are 75% of students in these circumstances. Both schools have language immersion programs that need 'adjuncts' or aides to support the learning. There is no difference in how much parents care at one school compared to another, just a difference in the funds available to be raised.

I am the parent of a 5th grader at El Marino and of an 8th grader at CCMS. I am grateful for the hard work of so many parents at El Marino, and fortunate that my child has enjoyed the benefits of these funds.  But I also know that when our children graduate from El Marino, they join the rest of the children from the rest of the schools, learning together, growing together, in one school. Does it make sense that some children are advantaged by coming from a school where the parents were able to provide more staffing through fundraising? 

While I have baked my share of cupcakes and put in my time as an active parent (when my 8th grader was in elementary school), I know that all that fundraising cannot possibly be enough.    For school districts to be able to avoid cuts or to hire new employees, schools need significant and reliable funds - state funds.  Rather than fighting amongst one another about our right to go about this - one cupcake at a time - let's gather together and join in for what the California PTA calls the “Biggest Bake Sale yet”!