It's strange that the ACLU left SDUSD out of its lawsuit regarding school fees. I have often wondered if ACLU attorney David Blair-Loy has compromised the ACLU's basic principles in his eagerness to get along with school attorneys. I think Blair-Loy has worked harder to get his "civility" award from the San Diego Bar Association than to defend the Constitution of the United States.
See all posts re David Blair-Loy.
San Diego Unified Not a Defendant in School Fee Suit
September 10, 2010
by Emily Alpert
Voice of San Diego
While schools in San Diego Unified School District have repeatedly gotten in trouble for charging fees for school activities and supplies, the American Civil Liberties Union ultimately decided not to name the district in its lawsuit against the state of California.
The suit, which accuses the state of failing to protect the right to a free public education, mentions school districts across the state that charge for classes. David Blair-Loy, legal director for the local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said unlike others, San Diego Unified has taken significant steps to solve the problem, such as posting information about the law on the school district website.
None of the districts cited in the lawsuit are actually defendants; the ACLU is suing California itself. Blair-Loy said that while schools should not charge illegal fees, the bigger problem is that California has failed to adequately fund schools.
"We know they're getting starved by the state. We sympathize with their dilemma," Blair-Loy said. "The problem would be unlikely to arise if districts were adequately funded to begin with."
Sally Smith, a mother who repeatedly raised the issue of school fees, charging that the practice was illegal, says despite its efforts, San Diego Unified has still failed to explain the law to all parents. Many families lack computer access and need explanations in languages other than English.
School district attorney Mark Bresee said while San Diego Unified is not planning to mail out information about school fees and the law to all parents, the district has provided sample language for schools to use in their own parent newsletters and other communications with families.
"We don't view not being named in the (ACLU) complaint as some sort of vindication," Bresee said. "We had issues in San Diego. We still have issues in San Diego. And we've been working harder than any school district I know of to remedy them."
Here's the letter the ACLU wrote to Bresee explaining why the school district was not named in the lawsuit.
Showing posts with label charging illegal fees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label charging illegal fees. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Sally Smith argues for free public education for all students
"When a student can take a math class without having to tell his teacher that "I can't afford a calculator" because every student is given a calculator, when no student has to draw out graph paper with a wooden ruler because his family doesn't have money to buy a pad of graph paper, when a student does not have to take his clay art piece and lump it back into a ball of clay and give it back while his wealthier peers pay the $25 and get to fire and paint their clay creation then we can talk about "salaries for teachers in San Diego are 32nd out of 37 school districts in the county."
Nov. 13, 2010
Voice of San Diego
Comments on "What is teacher tenure, anyway?"
Posted by Sally Smith:
...Annually, I hear complaints that teachers must buy supplies for their classrooms. That would not be the case if SDUSD budgeted needed teaching supplies first. Is it asking too much for an educational entity to budget for pencils and paper and calculators? It is the law - Hartzell v. Connell...
The burden of providing a steady stream of revenue for school supplies and activities has been shouldered by families - currently, suffering immensely in this poor economy - and no one bothered to inform them that their children were entitled to a free public education. Illegal school fees are still being collected despite staff being informed that they are violating the law. Some parents have paid the equivalent of a year of college tuition in illegal fees.
To be successful members of society, our children must be provided with an equal playing field in our public education system. All adults should insure that no child is labeled as a deadbeat or excluded from any school course or activity. Every child should enter San Diego Unified School District and never have to be the child looking in the window, empty handed, at the other children playing with the toys their wealthy parents could afford. For 26 years, everyone has looked the other way and 'wink,wink' collected "donations" and really, you say "Shame on you" to me?
When a student can take a math class without having to tell his teacher that "I can't afford a calculator" because every student is given a calculator, when no student has to draw out graph paper with a wooden ruler because his family doesn't have money to buy a pad of graph paper, when a student does not have to take his clay art piece and lump it back into a ball of clay and give it back while his wealthier peers pay the $25 and get to fire and paint their clay creation then we can talk about "salaries for teachers in san diego are 32nd out of 37 school districts in the county.
Nov. 13, 2010
Voice of San Diego
Comments on "What is teacher tenure, anyway?"
Posted by Sally Smith:
...Annually, I hear complaints that teachers must buy supplies for their classrooms. That would not be the case if SDUSD budgeted needed teaching supplies first. Is it asking too much for an educational entity to budget for pencils and paper and calculators? It is the law - Hartzell v. Connell...
The burden of providing a steady stream of revenue for school supplies and activities has been shouldered by families - currently, suffering immensely in this poor economy - and no one bothered to inform them that their children were entitled to a free public education. Illegal school fees are still being collected despite staff being informed that they are violating the law. Some parents have paid the equivalent of a year of college tuition in illegal fees.
To be successful members of society, our children must be provided with an equal playing field in our public education system. All adults should insure that no child is labeled as a deadbeat or excluded from any school course or activity. Every child should enter San Diego Unified School District and never have to be the child looking in the window, empty handed, at the other children playing with the toys their wealthy parents could afford. For 26 years, everyone has looked the other way and 'wink,wink' collected "donations" and really, you say "Shame on you" to me?
When a student can take a math class without having to tell his teacher that "I can't afford a calculator" because every student is given a calculator, when no student has to draw out graph paper with a wooden ruler because his family doesn't have money to buy a pad of graph paper, when a student does not have to take his clay art piece and lump it back into a ball of clay and give it back while his wealthier peers pay the $25 and get to fire and paint their clay creation then we can talk about "salaries for teachers in san diego are 32nd out of 37 school districts in the county.
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
2010 Grand Jury report about SDUSD
Click here for a link to the 2010 Grand Jury report about San Diego Unified School District.
County Grand Jury: Schools Misuse Student Money, Charge Illegal Fees
by Emily Alpert
Voice of San Diego
June 2, 2010
A county grand jury report released today criticizes San Diego Unified schools for misusing more than $100,000 meant for student government, instead spending it on school supplies, equipment and things that benefit faculty, such as a Christmas party for employees. The problems were originally uncovered in internal school district audits.
Such money is meant for extra activities, not the basics that schools are supposed to supply. The report states that the problem is widespread: Roughly 75 percent of schools audited by school district investigators had misused the funds, including the School for Creative and Performing Arts, Hoover High, Longfellow Elementary, McKinley Elementary, Mission Bay High and Washington Elementary.
The grand jury, a volunteer citizen group that investigates local governments, recommended San Diego Unified require more training for principals, vice principals, financial clerks and student government advisors to ensure they have checks and balances to track and control how money is spent. It also advised the school district to increase its auditing staff.
The report also noted a number of other problems in the school system: Schools are still charging fees for supplies, equipment and uniforms, violating state law, which prohibits schools for charging students for activities.
It argues for more oversight and auditing of charter schools, which are independently run but overseen by the school district. Oversight is currently limited to a single annual visit, it says. And the report says school district internal investigators aren't allowed to audit charter schools like other public schools.
"I think what we are seeing in San Diego Unified is probably happening in every school district in the county," said foreperson Victoria Stubblefield.
Despite the problems, another recent grand jury report gave San Diego Unified kudos for having the best system to detect and eliminate internal fraud among local government agencies. Those internal audits, in fact, provided many of the grand jury findings. School district spokeswoman Linda Zintz said San Diego Unified is still reviewing the report and will release a formal statement this afternoon.
County Grand Jury: Schools Misuse Student Money, Charge Illegal Fees
by Emily Alpert
Voice of San Diego
June 2, 2010
A county grand jury report released today criticizes San Diego Unified schools for misusing more than $100,000 meant for student government, instead spending it on school supplies, equipment and things that benefit faculty, such as a Christmas party for employees. The problems were originally uncovered in internal school district audits.
Such money is meant for extra activities, not the basics that schools are supposed to supply. The report states that the problem is widespread: Roughly 75 percent of schools audited by school district investigators had misused the funds, including the School for Creative and Performing Arts, Hoover High, Longfellow Elementary, McKinley Elementary, Mission Bay High and Washington Elementary.
The grand jury, a volunteer citizen group that investigates local governments, recommended San Diego Unified require more training for principals, vice principals, financial clerks and student government advisors to ensure they have checks and balances to track and control how money is spent. It also advised the school district to increase its auditing staff.
The report also noted a number of other problems in the school system: Schools are still charging fees for supplies, equipment and uniforms, violating state law, which prohibits schools for charging students for activities.
It argues for more oversight and auditing of charter schools, which are independently run but overseen by the school district. Oversight is currently limited to a single annual visit, it says. And the report says school district internal investigators aren't allowed to audit charter schools like other public schools.
"I think what we are seeing in San Diego Unified is probably happening in every school district in the county," said foreperson Victoria Stubblefield.
Despite the problems, another recent grand jury report gave San Diego Unified kudos for having the best system to detect and eliminate internal fraud among local government agencies. Those internal audits, in fact, provided many of the grand jury findings. School district spokeswoman Linda Zintz said San Diego Unified is still reviewing the report and will release a formal statement this afternoon.
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