Pasadena Measure O: Save or Squander?

OPINION

PUSD and Measure O (Photo – Graphics Dept.)

Pasadena Unified School District marketed the Measure O bond to voters in 2020 suggesting that it was needed for utility upgrades, to make campuses ADA accessible, and to provide better technology in classrooms.

By Lisa Kroese

Specifically PUSD’s promotion to voters stated:

The District Board believes the state does not provide sufficient funding for repairing facilities and updating technology. …our schools must be equipped to educate our students in a safe and secure learning environment.”

Since then PUSD hired outside consultants that assessed Don Benito and San Rafael as having the highest needs for repairs. After the findings were presented to the public, the board re-grouped and decided to reject those objective reports. Instead, the board allocated a substantial portion of the bond on 3 “priority” schools based on a new set of “weighted” metrics. They opted for giving “exemplary” projects to Longfellow, Madison and John Muir. These are schools that have been improved already by the two previous bonds. In a concession to concerns about schools that lack HVACs or safety mandates, the board planned to allocate $40 million for critical repairs at other schools. But the bulk of the funding was to be to be poured into their hand-chosen priority schools.

Don’t bank on being granted endless bonds when voters see funds not being spent as promised

At the August 17 special meeting one board member indicated explicitly that the reason he ran for his seat was that he had disagreed with how Measure TT’s bond funds were allocated. Not only has he managed to direct TT funding away from Don Benito, but he has also steered the board towards prioritizing two schools in his own neighborhood yet again. It is thus a current reality that Measure O will not fund all that the board hopes. The last meeting presented the board with safety critical needs exceeding $350 million – far beyond the $40 million first budgeted. This trustee’s response has been to shrug and indicate that some schools just wait for another bond or two to be similarly updated.

The big problem is that Don Benito and San Rafael have already waited for the next bond – it is this one, Measure O. Additionally, the board can’t bank on being granted endless bonds when voters see funds are not being spent as promised. If you tour these campuses you will see for yourself which schools are a priority to be updated. Don Benito and San Rafael are in greatest need of repair now since they have been shoved to the back of the funding line for over a decade.

Delay repairs, then close

Some on the board seem to be hoping that they can delay repairs for certain schools that they previously targeted to close. It doesn’t take a lot of creativity to realize that they will spend Measure O elsewhere, then justify closures of deprived schools on the grounds that repairs would be too expensive after decades of neglect and deprioritization.

Trustee Tina Fredericks suggested recently that instead of repairing schools, Measure O should be seen as an opportunity to close more schools. This is in stark contrast to her campaign platform which opposed further closures. Trustee Kimberly Kenne hinted that the board had “long term plans” of closure down the road for Don Benito families. These comments imply that board members are making decisions outside of the public eye. It seems some are targeting Don Benito and San Rafael for “consolidation” by neglecting basic needs – like HVACs, reliable and safe electrical service, windows, fire egress, and fire sprinklers.

Raising kids takes 18 years

At the last board meeting, Ms. Kenne proposed informing the public that the board will not be closing any schools for at least the next five years. It seems that she thinks this would be a reassurance. To the contrary, it just informs families that she believes schools have to close in 6-10 years. Raising kids takes 18 years. How are parents supposed to commit to the district when a highly vocal minority on the board won’t stop threatening closures? Repeated comments like these hurt the district and drive down enrollment. Ms. Fredericks said she doesn’t mind upsetting parents if that is what is best for students. I am going to put forth that is not best for students to take away school choice from parents. We parents know best which schools are right for our own kids.

Lisa Kroese is a PUSD parent, she serves on the Don Benito PTA, and PUSD PTA Council. Prior to relocation to the west coast, she worked in the Pennsylvania State Senate as Operations Director covering education for State Senator Andrew Dinniman, and as Congresswoman Gillibrand’s District Director. She is a Pasadena-Foothills Association of Realtors PUSD Certified Real Estate Agent.