The past few weeks have been marked by unprecedented impacts to the students, families and teachers in the Del Mar Union School District. As with many districts around the state, we are struggling to close a dramatic budget shortfall. While the specific reasons for the shortfall in Del Mar differ from other districts, the effect is the same: there is not enough money to go around. Unfortunately, the most visible actions the board has taken recently to address the budget situation have been to dramatically alter the enrichment program for the students, and generate 75 layoff or non reelection notices for teachers. We are truly grateful for the Del Mar Schools Education Foundation’s latest efforts to fundraise to sustain these programs as well as preserve many teaching positions. As teachers, we have no desire to see our district in financial ruin, and continue our pledge to help find effective solutions.
During the past few months and weeks, the board has made several subtle and some not so subtle hints that they would like to seek further cost savings by negotiating changes to the contract with the Del Mar California Teachers Association (DMCTA). The “Interest Based Bargaining Model” embodied in our current contract has served both sides well for many years, and we trust it will continue to do so. We have always bargained in good faith under the rules both sides have agreed to and by which both sides are legally bound.
Having said that, we would also like to place another issue squarely on the table for the community at large to consider. We would like the board to cut expenses as far away from the classroom as possible. Currently we have too many schools and they are costing us money that could be spent on other things - like enrichment in technology, science art, pe, music and yes, even teachers. In our district this year (and for the next several years) we have more building capacity than we need for the students that we have or will have. Some might say that school facilities are not a part of the teacher contract and therefore none of our business. Perhaps. However, given that we now have about 75 of our colleagues (nearly 25% of our teachers!) and their families facing uncertainty regarding their future in the career they have chosen and among the students they love, we’ve “got skin in this game” (to borrow a phrase currently being used by our President). We believe this gives us the right to comment on this issue.
But before anyone living west of I-5 gets too upset here, we’re not suggesting closing any particular school. However, we are saying, “Let’s figure out which schools would make the most sense to consolidate, close, or reconfigure for another purpose. Carmel Del Mar, Ashley Falls, Sycamore Ridge...Let’s put them all on the table. But let’s get on with it!”
We trust this discussion has already begun, but we are also saying, “Let’s find a way to speed up the decision making process.” It would be unfortunate and aggravating if the main outward results of the recent painful cuts to the extended studies programs and layoff notices to teachers were our parents scrambling to raise money, district office personnel scrambling to put together proposals and seniority lists under various scenarios and principals and teachers trying to figure out schedules. Meanwhile the board decides to delay action on school closures for another year or two while waiting for “more information.”
Of course the “process and discussions” are probably underway, but let’s face it, many of us have been attending board meetings for years where the Extended Studies (ESC) program was on the agenda. An actual decision about the program has been a long time coming. Even then, the final decision apparently disregarded many of the opinions of the community members, principals, staff, and teachers who will need to make the program meet the high standards that our students deserve.
Hopefully the board will not follow a similarly sluggish timeline for school reconfiguration. If however in future years our property tax revenues remain nearly flat, please do not use cuts to classroom programs and teacher layoffs first to address budget shortfalls. People and quality programs matter so much more than buildings.
DMCTA Executive Board
David Skinner
Leslie Johnson
Cinda Peck
Carol Sharpe
Debbie Hanna
Jennifer Oliveira
Abby Farricker
Erik Bienke
Amy Tan-Zamora
Jennifer Kamka
Amy Graham
Fred Bettig
Scott Wilkin
Carol Faulkner
Danielle Roche
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