By Sandra Nichols

With the special election behind us, California’s education community can breathe a sigh of relief. Whew! That was a close one. California schools could have gone from 44th to 50th place in the national rankings of per-pupil spending. Instead the state’s voters sent a strong message: “We want good public schools, and we will do our darndest to have them!”

Voters said, “No way, Mr. Schwarzenegger!” You cannot dictate draconian teacher-
tenure requirements, like those called for in Proposition 74. You cannot force upon us, the service workers of California, a mountain of red tape designed to silence our voices, as Proposition 75 would have. And you cannot wreak havoc on public school funding, as planned with your Proposition 76.

As a teacher, a public school advocate and a union member, I say, “Thank you, California.” Thanks for not being asleep at the wheel.

The debate about school funding cannot end with our defeat of Proposition 76. I recently viewed the PBS documentary on California schools, “First to Worst.” The title says it all, exposing the degradation of our schools resulting from a quarter-century of inadequate funding.

The documentary shows broken drinking fountains, filthy restrooms and decrepit buildings. It does not show the trampled dreams of thousands of students whose school careers are diminished by poorly funded schools. It does not show the crime, violence, drug and alcohol addiction, and wasted lives that stem from communities being unwilling or unable to provide quality schools.

Recently, news articles have surfaced about increased school dropouts, suspensions and expulsions. This is not coincidental. Schools must have a “hook,” that special something that students look forward to in their day. Some kids are eager to study trigonometry, U.S. history or poetry, while others need art, music, woodshop, auto shop or special events. It is these nonmandatory offerings that help motivate students, especially struggling ones, and keep them coming to school. When schools are funded inadequately and at the same time required to meet ever-higher achievement targets, as required under No Child Left Behind, these so-called “extras” go away.

The pressure on schools to concentrate all their efforts on making every student proficient in certain academic subjects at arbitrary, federally defined levels is not conducive to continuing to provide the extras.

Will adequate school funding assure us great schools? No. But inadequate funding will assure a failure to meet the needs of all students entering through our public school doors.