With three seats up for election in February on the five member School Board, BTA believes this election represents our best hope for meaningful change in the philosophy and management of the Burbank Unified School District. We will soon be calling on all BTA members to mobilize for action to elect a new Board majority to begin the process of constructive change.
What is BTA’s Position? A BTA position of ìno confidenceî is still in place for the current board from last May, a result of this Board’s continued obfuscation of the process it followed in removing Dr. Aponik as Superintendent, as well as its failure to deliver on a promise to constituents to conduct a national search for his successor. Further evidence of this Board’s arrogant disregard for the opinions of parents, teachers, and educational support staff is reflected in its refusal to take its share of responsibility for the fiscal chaos of the District’s $3 million, self inflicted budget deficit. This deficit is now being cited as the main reason that teachers and staff cannot have a salary increase for last year’s 2001-2002 contract year, even though Burbank teachers are now in the bottom quartile in the salary scale of 27 comparable districts in L.A. County. In several categories we are dead last.
What does BTA see as the main goals for a new Board majority? First and foremost, the School Board must see itself as a force for building and facilitating communication and partnerships between the various District stake holders: students, parents, teachers, and support staff. This must include a genuine process of shared decision making for budget priorities, construction and maintenance, education curricula and testing, instructional methods, student discipline, and recruitment and retention of highly qualified teachers.
In the broader scope of education issues, a new Board majority must recognize that without unity of purpose and a unified voice from District education professionals, Burbank will forfeit its ability to influence the fight to preserve public education. The growing movement to create ìteacher proof curriculaî (de-professionalize teaching) and privatize education (vouchers and charter schools) are all part of a concerted effort to discredit public education by groups and individuals who will profit by vouchers and corporate control of education. Through unrealistic standards and excessive standardized testing (including the high school exit exam), public education is being ìset upî for failure, an open invitation for the ìprivatization solution.î This so-called solution will only move us away from the democratic ideal of quality education for all, and start us down the path of vastly differing education systems, one fully funded system for the "haves," another financially starved system for the "have nots."
Teachers Must Mobilize Now. By the time you read this article your BTA leadership will have interviewed every school board candidate who wished to be considered for BTA recommendation in the February 25th election. In a process involving the interview team, the BTA Board of Directors, and the Representative Council, BTA will recommend up to three candidates to fill the three seats which are up for election. As soon as the recommendation process is complete, we will be notifying members in a special bulletin and asking everyone to make a commitment to be involved in this election campaign.
Your Association leadership believes this school board race is one of the most important in which we have ever been involved. It is undoubtedly the most important since our strike in 1980. But BTA leadership cannot do this by themselves. Your leaders are not the BTA — you are the BTA. Without your unity of action and purpose our power is blunted. With your unified action we can accomplish anything. Consequently, your BTA Faculty Representatives will be asking for your help with phone banks, door-to-door precinct work, yard signs, and election day transportation for voters. As Co-Presidents, we are frequently asked, ìWhat is BTA doing?î Our answer is always the same. We are actively problem solving every day, but WE are not BTA, YOU are BTA. When members get actively involved we are much more effective. Every BTA member needs to understand that this is our best chance to make a difference in this District. No one can afford to sit on the sidelines in this election campaign. There is too much at stake. Burbank voters need to hear from you, from the teachers who teach their kids every day. You are respected and trusted — and we must elect a School Board that is respected and trusted as well.