Principals Turn to Parents to Help Gov. Brown Get Money for Schools

Some of the local principals are being asked to hold special meetings urging activist parents to get involved in writing letters to their state legislators to allow for a vote to support Gov. Jerry Brown’s Revenue Initiative.

“We were asked to have an emergency meeting with parents to explain how the budget next year will impact classes,” said new Principal , who gathered more than 40 parents late last week. “We have some very activist parents in our school who know how to lobby the government officials.”

 The t supplied a suggested letter to the principals to hand out to public schools in the district, including affiliated charter schools such as and . (A full copy of the letter is in the PDF file under the photo to the right.)

The suggested letter, in part, says parents should write:

“I am writing to notify you of the ‘doomsday’ budget of LAUSD . . . because my child’s school is really feeling the impacts at our campus. . . The Governor’s balanced budget proposal is one that really prioritizes education and it acknowledges the disproportionate cuts education has taken during the economic downturn. It is now time to reverse that trend.” 

Some of the schools are depending more on parent fundraising groups or outside grants this year to help the schools make up for the projected $408 million deficit in the LAUSD budget. Some, like Principal Donna Tobin are facing potentially drastic cuts, especially when it looks like money for the whole library may be completely cut. Most schools are waiting for final budget amounts that are yet to come from the district this week before they scare the parents of their schools.

All the LAUSD schools, including affiliate charter schools like Carpenter and Colfax, face 12 furlough days taken over two years, cutting back on the required 180 days of school.

Class sizes—which can be determined individually at charter schools like Carpenter and Colfax—are most likely going up to 29 per class from 24 in Kindergarten through third grades, and up to 38 per teacher from 36 now in fourth through six grades.

"We don't have classrooms that will fit that many students," said Kim, whose school already suffered cuts in and  this year. "This is a situation that affects all of us, it is the future of our children."

At Valley View, for example, which has 250 students, there is talk that the new principal could be changed to a half-time position with the principal to be shared with another school. Also, the position will be cut completely and potentially two teachers will lose their jobs.

“Out of a school with 11 teachers total, cutting two is a drastic change,” Kim said. “We hope that parents will fight to keep the money in the schools.”

Gov. Brown wants to take a tax increase to the voters, but needs four more votes, and the Republican members of the state legislature do not want to allow the vote to go to the public. Brown wants to get enough votes to get the tax increase proposal on the June ballot.

Kim suggested that parents write their local representatives—state Sen. Fran Pavley, Sen. Curren Price and state Assemblyman Mike Feuer—but spokespeople from each of those Democratic representatives said that they are on the record for supporting Brown’s plan. Letters to those offices will merely support their own positions.

The word needs to get to the legislators who don't want the vote, said a mother from the “Let Us Vote” campaign, Crystal Brown, who continues to get parent organizations help Brown put this to a vote. She helped collect 30,000 parent votes and said, “It’s silly if we don’t have the right to at least one vote. Our children are caught in this political crossfire and that’s unfair.”

Politicians opposed to the vote include:

Connie Conway, R-Visalia (click on name for direct email)
State Capitol, P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 319-2034  
(916) 319-2134 fax

Sen. Bob Dutton, R-Rancho Cucamonga
State Capitol, Room 305, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4031

Bob Huff, R-Diamond Barr
State Capitol, Room 5097, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone:(916) 651-4029
  Fax: (916) 324-0922

Bill Emmerson, R-Rancho Cucamonga
State Capitol, Room 4082, Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: (916) 651-4037
 Fax: (916) 327-2187

Tom Harman, R-Huntington Beach
 State Capitol, Room 5094 Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4035 
Fax: (916) 445-9263