The EdVocate West

Educational Malpratice II – The Summer School Crisis

July 21, 2010 at 9:33 pm arunramanathan Leave a comment

One of the facts about the summer school crisis that doesn’t get a lot of attention is the choices that districts made before deciding to eliminate or downsize summer school and cut the length of the school year. In most cases, districts chose the path of least resistance. The parents of students of color and students in poverty typically aren’t the ones that show up at board meetings to argue on behalf of summer school and a full school year. I’m sure it happened in some places. But when you look at the programs and the costs that attract the attention of the typical folks that show up at board meetings, it’s the unions first and then the advocates for special programs like band or athletics second and third. There just aren’t defenders of the educational programs that students need the most. This points out two things. First, cuts that impact services for kids should not be made in a public forum where the political capital is heavily weighted towards adult constituencies representing adult needs. Second, the governing bodies of many school districts in this state do not prioritize the services directed towards their highest need students over adult interests and special programs. Third, there is no accountability in California for those who make these types of appalling decisions. Indeed, we have removed any pretense that our education system should be placing the interests of kids and their families first. We rate systems based on their financial stability and state that those who cannot  meet their obligations can be taken over by the state. We do not have a similar level of accountability for the districts based on student performance and the decisions they make while they continue to have appalling achievement and opportunity gaps. I believe the time has come for that type of accountability.

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