"Now more people will choose to place their children in private schools, thus further defunding the entire district."

Not exactly. Schools are funded by property taxes. I sent my brood to Catholic private schools so I paid for that in addition to the public school funding.

This is not a business. This is a public institution.
The "poor" do not "chase down achievement" for anyone.
The wealthy do not set the bar for acheivement either. They simply have more privileges which some confuse with rights and more opportunities which some mistake for being more deserving.

I'm with you, Justine.

You nailed it Justine - this has been a national trend the past 3 years: seeking the LOWEST possible common denominator.

You are aware that evening out the playing field involves the process of actual evening, yes?

What are these "dreadful real-world consequences?" please elaborate. And can you explain how "the children of both Santa Monica and Malibu will suffer"? I would also like more information about how this school board decision confirmed your suspicions that the "needs of children come second to their politicking"? Your post seems to be lacking important factual content needed to support your assertions, sir. I look forward to reading the updated informative version soon, because this one had a lot of headlines but no story.

Hey, "Just Saying," unless you come out with your real identity I think you should stop your divisive bloviating on our Malibu Patch. Your name has not appeared here before as far as I can tell except for commenting on this absurd BOE decision. Put up (your REAL name) OR SHUT THE HECK UP, YOU TROLL. Your comments behind a mask completely lack any credibility.

Marshall - Yes, I'm SURE that "Malibu Dad" is the original poster's real name, right? Where are the complaints from people who have read the policy or taken the time to fact-find, rather than reading blog posts for their information? The comments from those who speak only based on rumor and fear of a lack of control, are the ones who lack credibility.

Dear Mr. Marshall Thompson, I am not a troll. I hold different views than you. I am responding in earnest to many of of the misinformed and reactionary comments here. For clarification: I am a home-owner, a tax-payer, and a parent in the SMMUSD. . My elementary-school aged child is not underprivileged in any way and his performance scores place him in the group that raises the overall achievement averages. I was raised and attended public (and parent-funded) schools in a very wealthy CA community. I pay extraordinarily high property taxes, additional parcel taxes, and now local retail taxes for the privilege of living here and educating my child in the SMMUSD school district. I donate to our school, individual classrooms as well as to the Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation. I am a stake-holder in this system. I do not comment on any public forum using my REAL name because I wish to protect my privacy and keep the dialogue about this and other issues appropriately confined to a space designed to leave comments and thoughts on a community issue. So far, " Malibu Dad", "Malibu Girl", and R Y A N, are also aware of the privacy and sometimes personal safety issues involved when you provide personal information to strangers on the internet. You may yell at me online. But, I use common sense and take the necessary (and almost universally recommended) precautions to ensure that no one with a loose grip on appropriate boundaries ever shows up on my doorstep to do the same.

First, you will have to locate someone in touch with reality to spearhead this mission.

I don't have an opinion on the separate school issue but this comment "Some people work harder, some people are smarter" leaves me extremely disheartened and shocked. I can't even image typing it.

Some children get to have food on their tables, some children are not abused, some children have two parents, some children have educated parents who help educate them, some children live in safe neighborhoods, some children have parents who don't work 2-3 jobs and can spend time with them, some children have easy access to great schools, some children grow up speaking English, some children have a family who can afford them tutors, books, computers, videos, trips overseas, museums, some children have parents who can afford them a college education. If anyones think the playing field is even in life - my God, they need to get out of Malibu and walk into reality.

I get it - "Let them eat cake." If this is the mentality here, makes me want to move.

And obviously have zero comprehension on what "Occupy Wall Street" is about.

You are aware that you can still open your checkbook and provide your children with any educational support and enrichment activities you like, right? Through any private-sector institution or individual provider. That would be entirely legal.

Dear Just Sayin, or Karl, or Josef, or whatever your real name is. Thanks for enlightening me as to how I can spend my own money, just as your BOE enlightened me on how I'm NOT allowed to DONATE my own money. Yes, telling people how they can donate their money is the American way, and taking opportunities away from some and making sure no one gets them is what makes American great. People like you ignore reality and dismiss legitimate points made by others by claiming they are opinion and not fact. Get real. Here are some facts: If I know that my donation is not going to my child's school and is going instead to many other schools to which I have no interest in donating money, I will no longer donate that way. Therefore, you and your BOE will have succeeded only in making my child's school lose. Though I have not conducted the CNN poll you will likely demand, I know from numerous discussions about this that many other parents (dare I say a large majority?) will not donate the same way either under these new rules. Therefore, the REAL, ACTUAL effect of the BOE's decision is that total donations to SMMUSD schools will plummet. Schools that used to get large donations will get much less and their students will lose opportunities, and schools that didn't get large donations before won't get more money. The REAL, ACTUAL effect will be, "I can't have it, you can't have it." You and your BOE must be tickled pink (or should I say, "RED") to slap down those pesky, spoiled Malibu kids.

http://www.edison.smmusd.org/duringSchool.html
http://www.grant.smmusd.org/AboutGrant.html
http://www.muir.smmusd.org/art.html
http://www.mckinley.smmusd.org/music.html
http://www.rogers.smmusd.org/programs.html
here are a few links to get you started so that you may learn about the wonderful
music education and visual and performing arts programs offered at Santa Monica schools. Children in Santa Monica are developing music skills as I type this. If you visit your school district's website you can access more information about all the wonderful athletic and enrichment opportunities available to all students, and you can browse individual elementary school websites to find out how each PTA operates and what they have been paying for, including Teaching Assisitants and supplementary program.
It's good to be informed.

I'm glad that your child and other Santa Monica students are developing music skills and participating in athletics. Also, I'm not jealous of those Santa Monica students and don't want them to lose those opportunities. If your child's school had a drama program that we did not have in Malibu, I wouldn't demand either that (a) you should donate to fund a drama program in all Malibu schools, or (b) my child's school should get some of the donations made by you for your child's school's drama program, or (c) your child's school's drama program should be shut down because we do not have such a program at my child's school and my child is somehow being discriminated against by these "great inequities across the district." The point is that the Board's decision will have the practical effect of (1) significantly reducing the donations that are being made to local public schools, and (2) thereby reducing the amount of funding our Malibu schools will get, and (3) limiting or eliminating the opportunities local parents are willing to pay for out of their own pockets to enrich their own children. You can put on all the spin you want to try and pretend that this is good for everyone, but that is not reality. The people who lose will be the kids at schools that raise funds and provide opportunities, as those will dry up. You may not like it, but as I said before, the basic principle the Board and people like you are operating under here is, "I can't have it, you can't have it."

The state of California has ruled several times over that students served by public schools should be afforded equal access to resources despite any disparities between communities.

That may be so for district resources (something I agree with) but it is unrealistic to apply this to PRIVATE donations people choose to make to their child's school. Those are voluntary contributions that people can choose not to make, if they do not feel their money is being spent in the way they wish. It's all very well you coming here and going after every point people are making.... You are as deluded as the school board members if you think Malibu parents are going to continue donating at the rate they have been if their money is simply going to be taken from one community and given to another. It won't happen. The issues of inequality in the district cannot simply be solved by throwing money at the problem.

To Malibu Girl, thank you for replying respectfully to my comment. I would like to clarify for the record, though, that my personal concerns about the issue at hand are not in any way related to hoping that Malibu parents continue to donate money at the same rate as they historically have. I am not after your money. I support a district that offers equitable educational opportunities to all and takes measures to ensure that private money cannot be used to buy certain schools extra resources and staff not available to other schools in our very small district. I believe it goes against the spirit and vision of a free and equitable public education for all. By all means, pull your donations. I fully support your right to spend your money however you wish in the private-sector, but do not support a school district that allows parents to create a few privileged schools for their children and neighbors only, hiring extra staff and providing more opportunities than are available on other campuses. Private schools are a viable option. I cannot support anyone's vision for creating one great well-funded and staffed school for their local community only over the greater good of having all the school in the community have access to more equitable resources. Lastly, if the problems at schools can't be solved by throwing money at the schools, then why are so many Malibu parents throwing money at their schools?

We completely disagree on this. I also put my time and money into supporting my child's school and see nothing wrong with parents fundraising to supplement what the district should and does not provide. I cannot change the fact some schools are more supported than others. I can only work my hardest to influence the school my child attends. I do not begrudge other schools the money they raise or how they choose to spend it. Frankly, the district should fund the things that our PTA funds but they don't. As for Malibu parents throwing money at their children's schools.... That is EXACTLY the issue... the parents.... We do donate to our schools, although not at the rate you would think. I think you would be surprised if you knew how hard we worked to get families to contribute, or how hard it is for some families to do so. BUT... Most parents do something, and if they can't give money, they give time. We have a huge number of parent volunteers, who log hundreds of hours per month, working at their children's schools... It goes far beyond simply writing a check and this is where the SMMUSD is incredibly misguided in thinking that money alone can level the playing field. Many parents hire tutors if their kids are struggling, they help with homework, they work with the teachers to find a solution, they are actively involved in their children's education.

Part 2.... Wouldn't fit...

I highly doubt many parents in the underperforming/underfunded schools do this, probably because they are working full time and don't have either the time OR the money to give to the schools. Is that fair? No.. But that is the way the world is and there is enormous inequality out there. Striping PTA funds from the Malibu schools simply means the parents will work harder to plug the gaps at their own school, but it won't make them continue to donate at the same rate they did before. Should we send our volunteers to these underfunded, underperforming schools as well to level the playing field there as well?

I don't understand why you are here... you're clearly fired up over this because of the way you've been responding to so many posts, determined to prove your point, but I don't get why you feel the need to do so. The Board passed the fundraising initiative, you're going to get everything you say you want to happen, so why are you getting involved in this now? Why not just agree to disagree... We see this issue very differently and it is a further sign of division between the two communities that isn't going to be bridged anytime soon. The SMMUSD needs to take some responsibility for that but the cracks have always been there and won't go away.

Just Sayin' - Wow. I'm surprised you actually spelled out your position. I must say it is shocking to read. You actually wrote, "I support a district that...takes measures to ensure that private money cannot be used to buy certain schools extra resources and staff not available to other schools in our very small district." I cannot comprehend how one could take this position. How does it affect you or your child in Santa Monica if Malibu parents donate their money to help pay for a music program or a marine science lab? How and why would you possibly be against that? From what you wrote, your answer is, "I believe it goes against the spirit and vision of a free and equitable public education for all." That attitude is sad and pathetic. What does it even mean? You want to take away enriching, educational opportunities from kids you do not know and have nothing to do with just based on some Marxist theory that everyone needs to get exactly the same thing? I was sort of kidding before, but now you've confirmed that your position and the BOE's position is indeed, "I can't have it, you can't have it." And the reason is...because in your OPINION it's not fair. Amazing.

Hey, "Just Saying," unless you come out with your real identity I think you should stop your divisive bloviating on our Malibu Patch. Your name has not appeared here before as far as I can tell except for commenting on this absurd BOE decision. Put up (your REAL name) OR SHUT THE HECK UP, YOU TROLL. Your comments behind a mask completely lack any credibility.

Just Sayin' isn't the only one here not using a "real name".

Is this a SNL skit?