Back to School Thoughts and Bond Comments

School starts one week from today! I just spent $437 on school supplies for my three children. This is not including new backpacks or clothes—just basic items from their classroom supply list. To my knowledge, the supply lists haven’t changed much since previous years, but the prices seem to have tripled. Inflation is real and unsustainable.

Before school gets rolling I want to share:

(1) My comments regarding the bond measure and

(2) My suggestions for keeping yourself informed and aware of what’s happening in your child’s school

Bond Comments

Absolutely no one, including myself, wants to pay more taxes. As I have stated at several public meetings, taxpayers in Palos Verdes are supporting a system that redistributes our dollars to lower income communities and siphons resources from our children. This is not my opinion, it is a verifiable fact. Until we change the political makeup of the supermajority legislature and elect fiscally responsible, competent leaders instead of ideologues who promote “feel good” policies that cause tangible harm to high achieving students in our district, this will not change.

We must sue the State of California to challenge the “equity-based” funding structure for both LCFF dollars (our main source of funding) and for the statewide facilities bond funds if that measure passes in November. That will be a multi-year process with no guarantee of victory. In the meantime, facilities are failing. In other districts, when this happens and the district cannot afford repairs, the buildings are abandoned and/or the district has to dispose of its assets.

I am unaware of any resident who wants high density housing—or any other non-school or park use—built on school sites. The State has set up a scheme that makes high density housing development a by-right use in these locations. You might be wondering, why is the State focused on housing development in school districts instead of educating children? Well, if you research how the CTA and developer lobby operate, you will understand. We have the two most powerful special interest groups in the State working arm in arm to get what they both want. The kids are left behind, per usual. Imagine if the two most powerful special interest groups worked together to actually focus on educating children!

My point is this: the proposed local bond is explicitly restricted from use for housing development and the dollars stay in our district under local control. Look at page A-3.

If this bond does not pass, the District will be forced to evaluate disposition of assets. There is a much greater likelihood of undesirable development without the bond than with the bond. The bond is restricted to school facilities. No bond means likely disposition of assets, and the state has created conditions to incentivize high density development on school property. It’s possible that the State did this intentionally, and it is possible that the State starves Palos Verdes of resources to accomplish their objectives. I am not trying to scare you into supporting a bond, but I am trying to give you my prediction of likely scenarios if we don’t get local funding for our facilities.

Many have expressed concern that this bond will be mismanaged, as previous bonds have been. This was my concern with the previous failed Measure PV. Measure PV did not include the accountability measures and restrictions that are written in to the proposed local bond on the November ballot (see p. A-5). In addition to these accountability measures, we need to elect candidates with demonstrated experience and knowledge regarding prudent fiscal management. A typical voter tends to believe that a school board member should be nothing more than a “nice lady,” but the reality is we are dealing with a $150 million dollar annual budget and a very serious facilities crisis. Competence is much more important than “nice.”

I will continue to urge the District to STOP all unnecessary spending, as I have in the past. We should not be adding any new unnecessary expenditures to our budget. “Necessary” means teacher salaries, teacher benefits, required curriculum materials, and facilities repairs. Anything that is not within the core mission of a school district (educating children to be proficient in and excel in core subjects) should be axed from our spending. I urge you to make this same recommendation to our Board.

There are very legitimate reasons to oppose this bond, and I understand them. That being said, it is important to think through the ramifications of not having locally-restricted funds for necessary repairs, in a system that is set up to take our local land and develop high density housing. We have no one advocating for us at the State level.

I am setting up a town hall for discussion of the bond and other pressing issues, tentatively set for September 26 at 6:30. I will also set up a page here for questions and answers to which I will add as I receive community questions. The names of community members will remain anonymous.

To review my full comments made at the June 26, 2024 board meeting regarding the bond, click here.

Empowering and Informing Parents

I’ve written frequently about the incessant efforts by the State to eliminate parental involvement in their children’s education. As the school year kicks off, it is important for you to understand your rights as a parent.

Many of your rights are outlined in Education Code section 51101, and include the right to observe your child’s class, volunteer, meet with your child’s teacher and principal, and review curriculum materials, among other things. You also have federal rights to inspect and review your child’s files under the Family Educational Right to Privacy Act (FERPA), and review your child’s curriculum and prevent your school from asking personal questions about your child’s sex life, drug usage, and matters of that nature without parental consent under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA). There are additional rights guaranteed to you under the state and federal constitutions and statutes. Please educate yourself on these rights and stay informed as much as you can while the State continues its push to eliminate parents from the classroom. If you have any questions, please contact me.

Subscribe to my newsletter to stay informed. As always, this is just one lady’s opinion. I don’t speak for the board, and no one else speaks for me.