I have received a lot of e-mails from very passionate parents — and I absolute respect and share their passion — who have been writing the board about making sure that our music programs are not cut. This issue has come to light even more recently because of the realization that potential layoff notices need to be given by March 15th. There is a lot of confusion around what all of that means and how this process works, so I decided to write an Open Letter to the San Carlos School Community (click here) describing in some detail the background and context for all of these decisions. You may or may not agree with what I write, but I hope it gives a bit of clarity.
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Music, pink slips, and budget cuts5 comments to Music, pink slips, and budget cuts |
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Copyright © 2012 Seth Rosenblatt – San Carlos School Board - All Rights Reserved 
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Thank you for your calm and measured explanation of the budget process and potential layoff notices. While I don’t like the process, understanding it helps. Thank you also for all that you and the other board members are doing to try to mitigate the impact on our schools of this statewide and national economic crisis. Yours is no easy job!
Hi Seth,
Thank you so much for writing this letter. The process is so confusing and anxiety provoking and you really answer so many questions in it. I would like to distribute this through the advocacy network if it’s okay with you.
thanks again
Yes, feel free to distribute. Thanks!
Seth
After reading this letter I still do not understand:
why because of budget cut teachers should give up their salaries, but not administration?
Another question is about SCEF money.
As presented to parents in September 2008, SCEF money are used to pay salary to Music teacher(s) and PE teacher(s).
Now we are reading about Music teacher and PE associate being in a line to get layoff notice. And it is not because the SCEF money are not available. Is it because SCEF money are going to be used somewhere else? Many parent have contributed to SCEF because they believe that they support music programm in our schools.
I completely understand that your job is not easy. Espessially during the economical downturn.
At the same time, it would be beneficial for everybody to provide more information about expenditures.
Would it be more sence to contribute to SCEF with restrictive memo: “to be used to fund Music Programm at Arundel”?
To your first question, both teacher salaries and administration salaries are “on the table.” I specifically mentioned teachers in the letter only because there are a lot more of them than administrators, and quite frankly I assumed that most parents would be more concerned about teachers getting pay cuts than administrators. But I have said all along (in Board Meetings and elsewhere), that if there is “pain” to be shared, it should be shared across the board.
To your second question about SCEF money, SCEF money does go to (partially, not fully) to fund a number of things at the schools, including music, P.E. asociates, librarians, counselors, etc. And of course we recognize that parents donate to the SCEF in part to ensure that these programs are saved. (I was on the Board of SCEF for a number of years). However, in a financial crisis as severe as this one, we are faced with a dillemma. We could say that SCEF money is “untouchable” and instead cut even more core programs such as class sizes, math, english, etc. Or, the most prudent course in my opinion would be to work with the SCEF to recognize that now their money is needed for those very core programs to survive themselves. The SCEF would then have to communicate to its donors that the money already donated is essential just for keeping those core things, and hopefully it could then raise even more money to keep what we had last year. In practice, that is what is happening. The SCEF is looking to raise more money just to fund what we had last year, including music, etc.
To your last point about giving restricted gifts, in reality it isn’t very practical. The Board will look to have a fair degree of equity in its programs across the schools, and frankly would probably reject a gift that promoted this inequity. And, this community used to donate the way you’re describing, and it didn’t work. A number of years ago, most gift giving was done to the PTAs for their specific schools. When the SCEF really ramped up and the District promoted a culture of giving to one central place for the promoting programs district-wide, the amount of money raised literally rose four fold (from $300K to $1.2 mil). So, we will maximize the “size of the pie” and give the best possible education to all of our children if everyone continues to give to the SCEF for such District-wide programs. I’m happy to talk about this on the phone if you want more explantion.
I’m not sure what your question about expenditures means. The District has published the cost of all programs on the brainstorming list for possible cuts. I can give you more information if you like. E-mail me at seth@rosenblatt.org.