The most outspoken member of the School Board on budget cuts said this morning he will oppose any cuts to the campus security staff at tonight’s 7 o’clock Board meeting at School District headquarters on Irving Place.
“I don’t know what anyone else is going to do,” said Scott Zeidman, “but I am going for no cutting. I know of no one in favor of making security reductions except for the criminals themselves.”
Confronted with a list of dozens of recommended possibilities, the School Board will wade into the first round of dreaded budget cuts this evening, en route to an eventual total of about $3.5 million.
With new School Board member Steve Gourley, an attorney, traveling out of town, only four members will be present. But Board veteran Saundra Davis does not believe the increased possibility of tie voting will slow down the Board’s review of 68 potential cuts.
Since last November’s election brought in Mr. Gourley and Mr. Zeidman, “it has been easier to work with this Board,” Ms. Davis said.
“A lot of the change had to do with Steve Gourley.” Beginning to smile about Mr. Gourley’s well-known aggressive style, Ms. Davis said that “he was pretty boisterous when he came in.”
Both Ms. Davis and Mr. Zeidman indicated they expect many more “yesses” and “no’s” than extended arguments from fellow Board members.
Eliminating the Inanimate
A priority for Ms. Davis is to avoid eliminating personnel, instead “reducing but hopefully not cutting” programs and services.
At the top of Mr. Zeidman’s preservation list is school security.
The school security staff has 11 personnel slots, and three positions have been placed on the recommended list.
To help him make up his mind, Mr. Zeidman, in the last hours, has conferred with Culver City Police Chief Don Pedersen, Sgt. Curtis Massey, Culver City High School Principal Pam Magee and Middle School Principal Jerry Kosch.
Chief Pedersen said: “In today’s environment, the Police Dept. does not support any decrease in the number of security guards.”
The Seat of Violence
Sgt. Massey told Mr. Zeidman that California is the No. 1 state in the nation in school violence.
The Board member said Mr. Kosch informed him that violence around the Middle School is reasonably under control.
These observations solidified Mr. Zeidman’s view that the present security staff must remain intact.
Question for Governor
“What we really need to do,” said Ms. Davis, “is send the latest recommended funding cuts back to the governor. We should find out why education is so high on his list.”
