Exodus From Sausaltio Schools - Coastal Post - Letter by CHARLOTTE BERTRAM -May 1997

The Coastal Post - May, 1997
Letters May 97

Exodus From Sausalito Schools

"The time has come," the Walrus said, "to talk of many things..."

I am a proud member of Sausalito's Project Homecoming. The name refers to the fact that every day more than 200 of our students, both black and white, go elsewhere, anywhere, to get away from our public school system. We want them here in our community.

We have the worst schools in Marin County, and we spend the most money: $13,000 per child. Our test scores are lower than the Oakland school district, where they spend approximately $3,000 per child and have over 50,000 children.

What does Oakland have that we don't? They have a school board that listens. Their meetings reflect the diversity of their members, who have opinions on issues (i.e., they heat up!). They take responsibility for the job they were hired to do. It's democratic, and it can be cumbersome.

By contrast, our school board is autocratic. In visual terms, imagine a fortress. There are thick and high walls with people on top pouring hot oil down onto anyone with the temerity to differ or add input.

No one comes to the meetings anymore. These lines from The Walrus and the Carpenter comes to mind: "But answer came there none/And this was scarcely odd, because/they'd eaten every one."

In actual terms, there is no discussion. The vote goes like this: aye, aye, aye, aye, aye. Bang! Down comes the gavel. Next item. It's quick. As the records from the superintendent's office demonstrate, it is not working for the good of the school.

We have no other recourse than to remove these five board members from power. Some people say, "Oh, no, you can't do that. You'll hurt their feelings. You might embarrass them."

I say, "Since when are five people more important than the current 200 enrolled students? And all the students of the last 24 years, when the quality of education there began its decline? What about the city's reputation?"

What about the conspiracy of silence? We need to be out in front of Mollie Stone's collecting signatures. We need to be in the same spot where the nurses stood with their petitions to recall Marin General's hospital board.

Why aren't we there? Because of intimidation, as when there successfully gathering signatures for the recall, we were asked to leave by the owner of the store because two women complained. The owner told us the issue is too controversial.

Our rights of free speech are suppressed! Is that legal? Who will stand up for the children in this town?

I believe Richard Riley, the U.S. Secretary of Education, when he says: "We cannot and must not tolerate failing schools... If ever there was a time to come together for the good of our children, it is now."

CHARLOTTE BERTRAM

Sausalito

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