Education and the CA Budget: A $50 Cream Puff

On Saturday evening, I attended our school's fundraising auction. Amidst the festive and sparkling environment, school parents dropped big bucks. Tables bid on desserts for exorbitant amounts and individuals took away luxury vacations for the true cost of their child's education and then some. In the middle of it all, the principal gregariously worked the crowd in his ivory leisure suit and Panama hat.

I won at "wine toss," but rather than taking home bottles of Silver Oak, like some folks, I ended up with a Gallo. I bought an amazing portrait of the Cat (pictured sample-size at left) and bid on a bunch of things that I didn't win. I enjoyed free booze and fun conversation. But the real entertainment was seeing how much money people were willing to spend for our kids.

California is in a budget crisis, and school districts are taking a huge cut. In our old district, P.E., counselors, psychologists, art and music have been cut. (Wow, cutting out mental and physical health, plus creativity?) In our new district, there will be some belt-tightening, but the aspects of the district that led us there in the first place will remain.

I can't put my relief into words. And yet I feel sick.

If we had still been in our old district, the Cat would be in an uncomfortable situation. As it stood last year, they used loopholes to qualify him for services that they could provide, rather than the services that he needs. Imagine what would happen in an environment of drastic cuts!

Magically, in the new district, he participates in a social skills group, but because the environment overall is healthful, I am not so worried that he is even receiving the group. With an "excellent" in playground behavior on his latest report card, we've come to a place where I am less concerned about "services," and suddenly participating in the very "normal" stress of waiting to see if the Cat made one of the soccer teams. (No, we haven't heard yet; they sent an email saying it was taking longer than expected to sort out the teams.)

Saturday evening was over-the-top, but I am glad there are parents who have deep pockets to bridge the gap between what the state provides and what the kids need. It is unfair, certainly, because the rich kids continue to have their science, art, music, and small class size, while there are a bunch of kids in other districts who desperately need the physical education and creative outlets that are being cut in favor of those subjects which teach to the "No child Left Behind" standardized tests. That oversight is leaving children behind.

Original Silicon Valley Moms Blog post, crossposted on The Karianna Spectrum