On June 18, the Santa Clara County Board of Education voted unanimously to overturn the decision of the Alum Rock School Board and approve Rocketship #9. I’m sure the individuals and corporations behind the movement to privatize public education will rejoice in this misguided decision. Under the guise of parental choice, county trustees have further endorsed and supported what amounts to a hostile takeover of a local school district. Ignoring the valid concerns of ARUSD, they have succeeded in undermining local control – a key element in the state’s new funding system. While condescendingly praising Alum Rock’s significant improvement over the past several years in raising achievement, they’ve actually crippled its ability to continue this promising trend by ensuring a steady reduction in funding for years to come.
On October 15 another public hearing was held, this time regarding Morgan Hill’s decision to deny two new charter schools – Navigator & Voices. Despite a well-reasoned and detailed explanation by Superintendent Betando and his staff, it was clear from the statements by Board President Beauchman, Trustee Hover-Smoot and others that numerous county board members believe it is their duty to ignore a local education agency’s wisdom in favor of their own erroneous views
The November election will be our next opportunity to influence this alarming pattern of behavior. Here in wealthy Silicon Valley, the real causes of the achievement gap are poverty and inequality. The narrative of Charter school advocates is public education is failing. In reality, we are all guilty of failing to adequately fund our local public schools. Together we must work to educate the community and government officials about the truth, and not allow the message to be twisted by those interested in personal gain and corporate profits.
It’s time to begin changing the membership of the county Board of Education and send a message to all trustees that the public will not stand for pandering to the corporate charter school movement at the detriment of our local neighborhood schools. The first step in correcting this dysfunctional process and helping to restore normalcy and transparency at this important level of government is to vote for Claudia Rossi for Santa Clara County Board of Education, Area 7. An experienced board member from the Morgan Hill School District, Rossi has seen first-hand the effects of privatizing public education and she will be a strong voice to help get the County Board of Education back on the right track to support all students.
The following educators signed on to support this post.:
Gemma Abels, Vice-President, Morgan Hill Federation of Teachers; Mario Banuelos, Parent, Morgan Hill Unified School District; Marisa Hanson, President, East Side Teachers Association; Brian LoBue, President, Gilroy Teachers Association, Lynne Martinez, President, Oak Grove Education Association; Jocelyn Merz, President, Alum Rock Education Association; Scott Shulimson, President, Franklin McKinley Education Association; Jen Thomas, President, San Jose Teachers Association
Brian Wheatley is President of the Evergreen Teachers Association
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