Why one parent plans to picket

Erin Shachory, a parent at Riverside Elementary School in Sherman Oaks, writes:

I write an e-mail blast each week to our parent community (our principal, vice principal and some teachers are on my e-mail distribution list as well).  In it, I list reminders for events that week, things to remember or do (e.g.,"Don't forget to wear your school shirts on Friday," and "Early dismissal on Tuesday").

Lately, it has also become a forum for me to let parents know what to expect from the budget cuts, how to contact legislators, etc.  On Sunday, I wrote that we would have the picketing on Friday (I had been asked by our UTLA rep to inform parents) -- mostly, I was trying to warn working parents that kids may not be well-supervised if they arrive at school on time and that it might be better to keep the kids out of class until 8:30 a.m., when teachers would be leaving the picket lines. 

On Monday, our principal called to tell me it was illegal for me to "advocate" parents keeping their kids out of school.  Although I will be keeping my own kids with me while I picket, and they will be tardy to school that day, I wrote a second e-mail with our principal's assurance that kids should go to school and that they will have "adequate, safe" supervision until teachers resume their positions. 

I truly appreciate our principal.  She is fair and has the students' safety in mind at all times.  But I am disappointed that our administration will not be supporting our teachers in giving up an hour's salary to let Sacramento know that the budget cuts are unfair to everyone. Honestly, at our school, a "poor school in a rich neighborhood," the parents are sick of having to pull from their own pocketbooks to make up the difference between our school's budget and what we want for our students (like a computer lab, PE and music programs). 

My concern is that we may be picketing for a more reasonable education budget at the state level when it may well be that our school district is inadequately distributing the funds.  Like the $6 million for laundering gym towels. 

But I digress.

Having spent time and money at school fundraisers all year, having paid my property taxes and sales tax on each and every thing I've bought this year in this Great State of California, I'm also a bit disappointed that I now have to picket on Friday morning to protest budget cuts.  But, if I want my kids to get the best public education that they can, I'll try anything.

Now, where's that poster board and Sharpie?

Comments

[elementary counselor]

Thank you for weighing in, sounding unbiased and realistic. I think we are all pretty much in the mind-set... it isn't the perfect action but it's all we have! Thank you for supporting us, and we'll see you on the picket line!

[Harry Fisher]

I decided to join the teachers' demonstration when I received Brewer's canned phone message yesterday evening. Brewer is a disgraceful fellow who, instead of leading the LAUSD, is a willing yes-man and water-carrier for those who want to cut education funding.

Brewer should be out on the street with the teachers fighting for funds, and when that is done he should travel to Sacramento and buttonhole every Assembly member he can get hold of. But instead, the incompetent Brewer tries to distort the issue into a labor relations problem in order to stoke the reactionaries' anger against unions and squelch the teachers', students', and parents' rightful demands.

The LAUSD needs to get rid of Brewer, the useless drone that he is. The job of superintendent is too important to be given as a sinecure to former armchair warriors and professional seat-warmers. Brewer's disgraceful and cowardly phone message has convinced me that we need someone in the position of superintendent who is on the side of the teachers and students, and not someone like Brewer who stabs them in the back in order to please those who installed him in his amply paid position.