Community Corner
An Odd Way to Start a Fundraising Campaign
The closed-minded Board of Education approves Districtwide Fundraising without the support of most Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District stakeholders and on a fast pace, despite being asked to slow down.
The following is the text of the speech made by education activist Craig Foster on Tuesday at :
Woodrow Wilson said, "The ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people."
By contrast, when first surfaced just 26 days ago, there was a meme going around that the decision had already been made and it was pointless to oppose it. As an influential insider wrote in an email weeks ago, "The policy aspect of this is a done deal. The board has the votes to pass a philosophical policy. If the focus is to stop the policy from moving forward, I think there is no chance of that. That horse is out of the barn."
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I speak tonight not to the policy, but to the process.
You have heard from many, many voices in the last few meetings. Some are in favor of the proposal. Many are not.
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Eight out of the 12 elementary schools have not endorsed either the timing of the vote or the policy.
Two out of the three middle schools have not endorsed either the timing of the vote or the policy.
Two out of the two high schools have not endorsed either the timing of the vote or the policy.
None of the fundraising chairs at the non-Title I schools have been consulted or have publicly endorsed the timing of the vote or the policy.
Even the insiders at PTA Council failed to endorse your plan.
You have been told to slow down by such usually supportive voices as the district's own and the Los Angeles Times editorial board.
And yet, the juggernaut rolls on.
Mine will be one of very few Malibu voices you will hear tonight.
This is not because Malibu does not support raising up all the schools of the district. It is not because Malibu doesn't care. It's just that we know the "serenity prayer."
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Malibu has learned its voice will not be heard and its contributions will not make a difference. Your closed minds have silenced the voices of your supporters in Malibu.
It is an odd way to start a fundraising campaign ...
