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Riverside County, CA November 7, 2006 Election
Smart Voter

Three Important Questions: Labor Issues, Public Image and Cut Programs

By Vincent O'Neal

Candidate for Board Member; Temecula Valley Unified School District

This information is provided by the candidate
Labor issues, public image and art programs are addressed.
1. Labor issues have dominated the district's time the past several years. Do you think TVUSD's teachers have been treated fairly? The teachers received a ten percent increase in pay for the current year as a result of contract negotiations after receiving nothing last year. While recieving this pay increase, the school site budgets have been cut, requiring teachers to pay more out of pocket for luxuries such as paper and other classroom supplies. During the year, the Board of Trustees received an 87.5% increase in their stipend. This increased the stipend from $400 per month to $750. Is this Fair? The District has reduced the number of Literacy aides in title one programs over the years; therefore, Literacy program teachers have less staff and more students to instruct. This reduces the amount of time and attention each student needing help will receive. Is this fair to the students and teachers? The PTA is required to pay to use their own school sites while sponsoring events to benefit the school. They also must pay nearly three times the overtime rate for a custodian during the events. PTAs throughout this District are working overtime to pay for the PE equipment, disaster supplies, art programs and the increasing costs of field trips. Is it Fair that they should have to spend a large portion of the money they raise to pay to use the facilities? It seems to me that the District has fairly spread around the unfairness.

2. The district's public image has taken a battering in recent years. How would you work to improve it? Honesty goes along way in improving public image. Everyone realizes that mistakes will be made. The integrity lies in admitting them and not hiding them. Public image improvement comes when the same mistakes are not made over and over. It also comes when the lines of communication are open. Silence is, fairly or unfairly, equated to guilt. It looks as if something is being covered up when public explanations are not given by elected officials for their actions. Here are a ways I would work to improve public image:

  • I suggest sending a survey to parents who have moved their children from TVUSD to other districts, home schools or faith based schools. I would ask what we could do to bring them back.
  • The District needs to be committed to opening the lines of communication. Complaints and concerns need to be taken seriously. There is a wide-felt belief that the District is not open and honest.
  • Parents, teachers and staff need to be shown the respect they deserve by the Board. Without the respect there is little cooperation. Without cooperation the District fails to accomplish its mission: To successfully educate all students of this district.

3. A number of academic programs have been cut over the years. Which, if any, of those would you like to see restored, and where would you get the money to do so? Over the past five years, the Temecula Unified School District has cut programs like elementary school band, music and art. I would like to restore elementary school art, music, and band programs. My plan for funding would begin with utilizing the one time mid-year funds being allotted from this current state budget for art education programs. Secondly, I would support the proposed District foundation similar to the one currently at Chaparral High School, supporting fine arts. The next portion of my plan would include seeking assistance from local, state and national art foundations like the National Endowment of the Arts and John Simon Guggenheim Memorial fund. Additionally, I would seek assistance from music foundations like the National Association Music Education and grants from the music industry and instrument manufactures. I would look to an organization like Pathway to School Improvement or the Hammond organization. I would contact art galleries and the college communities for assistance and advice. I would like to see art and music taught on the modified Wednesdays. This could possibly be accomplished by bringing in special teachers during that time so that the regular teachers could have their prep time.

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