PTA, students protest education budget cuts
With Poway Unified facing a potential $15.5 million shortfall in its 2008-2009 budget, the Palomar PTA Council, parents, students and others are turning to a letter-writing campaign to let legislators know how upset they are about pending education cuts.
The statewide $4.8 billion slash in education spending is affecting school districts throughout the state, including Poway Unified, according to several reports.
Garrett Buddingh, communications director for Senator Dennis Hollingsworth, said that the senator is receiving letters, e-mails and phone calls from constituents living in the Poway Unified region and other districts as well.
“We want everyone to know that he’s listening,” Buddingh said.
A similar response came from State Assemblyman George Plescia’s office this week.
Both the senator and the assemblyman were not available for comment.
Their staff said that letters and other objections about how the state’s shortfall is affecting Poway Unified, as well as other districts, is probably one of the top discussions of the day.
Lorene Joosten, who serves as a legislative representative with the PTA Council, said that a letter composed by the parent-teacher group — now posted on the group’s Web site — is getting a positive reaction, not only from PTA members, but from the community.
“It makes people feel like they are doing something about the situation,” Joosten said. “We’re encouraging parents, teachers and the community at large to sign the letter and send it in.”
Having community members respond to the proposed $15.5 million shortfall for Poway Unified could have an impact, if coupled with letters from parents and educators, she added.
To read the Ninth District’s PTA letter, go to www.ninthdistrictpta.org or use the letter printed in this week’s issue of all three newspapers in the Pomerado Newspaper Group, which can be sent to Hollingsworth, and or, Plescia.
Meanwhile Poway Unified students are taking their own stance.
Rancho Bernardo High School students initiated a walk-out from their classes on Friday, March 14 to protest notices that went out to about 17 teachers.
“We don’t really encourage walk-outs, but we can appreciate students supporting their teachers,” Joosten said.
This past weekend, about 80 of the Ninth District’s PTA-generated letters and similar ones directed to Hollingsworth and Plescia were turned in by Jacob Ruiz.
Ruiz, a Westview High School sophomore, heard that some of his coaches are at risk of losing their jobs at Westview.
Some Poway Unified parents helped set up a table with those letters near a Little League game in Rancho Penasquitos. While the league did not sponsor the signing, it did allow a table for petitioners to be set up near one of the fields, said Joosten.
Ruiz got involved because he said that he loves sports, especially baseball and football at Westview.
“I don’t know what I’d do without those sports,” he said. “I don’t want to see my coaches, who also teach physical education, leave.”
Bill Chiment, Poway Unified’s associate superintendent, said that 106 lay off notices have gone out to teachers, counselors, adminstrators, nurses and program specialists.
Much depends on the May revision of the state budget and how it will affect Poway Unified, he said.
PUSD Trustees will vote on a budget in June.