[Editor’s Note: The third-year School Board member responded to questions about last night’s bombastic meeting.]
Your impressions?
I was pleased to see so many concerned parents, community members, and teachers come out to support the parent volunteers and the parent-funded programs at our school sites. I hope they continue to pay attention; there’s still a lot more work to be done.
Did Leslie Lockhart, the District’s Human Resources director, say anything that altered your wait-and-see notion?
First of all, don’t assume I had/have a “wait-and-see notion.” I think Ms. Lockhart’s statement was spot-on. It distilled exactly what is going on from the District’s perspective; no one but ACE (Assn. of Classified Employees, which has issued a demand-to-bargain to the District) knows what ACE is up to here.
Understand this: The Board first has to hear what it is that ACE is wanting to negotiate about before we either agree to bargain or say “have a nice day.” I personally still don’t have the foggiest idea what it is that ACE intends to say it wants to bargain about regarding the El Marino adjuncts (language specialist aides). I can’t even fathom what that would be! The adjunct program has been in existence for over 20 years, two decades, a score; call it what you like, but actually, for an entire quarter of a century.
How then, just how, can a union leader say with a straight face that she just found out about the program a few months ago? Wow. Really? Really!
There are only two possibilities: 1) the union leader has no idea what’s been going on for a very long time less than a mile outside the walls of the school site she works at, in which case, if I was in that union, I’d certainly want someone else who knew a bit more about what was happening at the other schools, to be my leader, or 2) someone is fibbing…
What did you make of your colleague Laura Chardiet's four-point proposal?
I think it needs some work, but I certainly like the idea of strengthening and clarifying our volunteer policy.
Where does the Board go from here?
I think there are Board members who need to make a greater effort to grasp the big picture; to understand what is going on at ALL of our school sites, and not just listen in isolation to their old buddies or certain union allies. Don’t just SAY “we’re here for all the children”; actually BE there for ALL the children.
Finding Room for K Classes
They also need to understand that El Marino has six kindergarten classes in three classrooms. That’s 132 children! That’s also over $65K we’re losing out on in state funds for running only a half-day program — and THAT is someone’s salary we’re missing. Once Culver Park High School is moved, El Marino will have six kindergarten classes in six classrooms. Doesn’t that just make sense? Doesn’t that just seem like that’s the way it should ALREADY be, as in, why the heck is this even an issue?
El Marino has classrooms in bungalows, the Office of Child Development has a beautiful bungalow right by Ballona Creek, the high school also has bungalows; (Teachers Union President) Mr. (David) Mielke’s own classroom is – wait for the punch line – yes, you guessed it, indeed it is, in a bungalow.
Just as the athletic director, coaches and community members have envisioned what the sports fields could be while looking squarely at what they are; just as AVPA directors, community members, and our friends at Sony have envisioned what the Robert Frost Auditorium could be while looking squarely at what it now is, Board members, union leaders, involved teachers, parents and community members should take a look at what the proposed new home for Culver Park is, and what it easily could be with some paint, a few windows punched out, a basketball hoop installed, some additional picnic tables, a few raised garden beds and some other amenities installed. Just imagine it, then, as a Board, direct staff to proceed, and it will actually happen. Simple. And eminently do-able between March 14 (after we hopefully approve it on March 13) and the start of the new school year in September.
Ms. Paspalis may be contacted at paspalis@earthlink.net
