L.A. Schools--Tough Lesson in Economics

Summer came and went in relatively short order for all of us who are employed by the Los Angeles Unified School District. Somehow, though, despite all of the rhetoric and predictions of low teacher morale, increased enrollment, more work for lower pay for teachers and administrators, and all of the hype that seems to have subsided about rebuilding L.A., I returned to a school in South-Central, ready to meet the challenges ahead.

Why? It was just like the start of any other school year for me as well as for my staff. It’s about the kids, the students, the children, the young adults--you know, the people who we are here to serve. They were there on Day 1, anxious for the hot summer to end, waiting for the end to the frustration of no jobs, no money and no school.

You see, we, the school, are the one stable thing in some of their lives.

They didn’t seem to be affected by the budget constraints at all. Likewise, my staff returned, ready to go about the business of educating our young adults, realizing the difficulties of the year ahead, knowing that our budget is likely to be frozen again, knowing that their salaries probably will be cut. Yet they were still willing to be here dedicated to the cause.

But how long can educators go on not knowing whether they will be able to pay their bills? A 17% pay cut (now being considered by the district) will definitely hurt!

I believe that the district has made an honest effort to balance the budget and that they have cut to the bone. What’s happening, or shall we say not happening, in Sacramento is the key. Where are the priorities of Gov. Wilson? How can the governor justify cutting education by as much as he proposes and still expect us to function?

These kids are our present! These kids are our future! If we don’t invest in them, who will? Somebody had better take a real close look at where our priorities need to be right now, or when the next clouds of smoke disappear, there may not be an L.A. to rebuild.