8/18/06

 
 Dear Friends of San Diego City School Children,

Helping the most innocent and vulnerable of societychildrenis a thankless and ongoing challenge.  For the past 10 years and beyond, the mis-education of children of color and those from disadvantaged households has been the dirty little secret the public school establishment has been sweeping under the rug, especially here in the City of San Diego. 

Consider these facts provided by city schools:

  • Of the 186 school sites, 136 (73%) are now Title I schools, which means at least 40 percent of the students at each Title I school site are under-performing; through SDCS 56% of all students are underperforming;  
  • After spending approximately $350 million to underwrite The Blueprint for Student Success,test scores for disadvantaged students in reading closed the achievement gap by 1%; and in Math, the achievement gap remained approximately the same as in 2000;
  • Twenty-five thousand (25,000) children have been identified by City Schools as in need of academic enhancement, yet this service is provided to less than 10% (2,400) students.
  • Black and Latino children in the City Schools are disproportionately suspended and expelled;
  • Since the 1999-00 school year, the four-year dropout rate in SDCS has grown 23 percent; the single-year dropout rate has increased nearly 24 percent.
The unpleasant truth is that city schools with the willing assistance of the pressespecially the Union-Tribunehas managed to hide these truths from the electorate.  Why?  Because SDCS enjoys virtually unlimited access to lawyers and PR people, not to mention the huge financial leverage they exercise over individuals, businesses, and other government agencies throughout the county.

San Diego City Schools (per its website) currently employees around 16,000 people (6th largest employer in the County) and has a $2.2 billion budget (including Prop MM).  During the 2006-2007 school year, SDCS will have a payroll of approximately $1 billion.  Only the Federal Government, Sacramento, the County, and City have more employees and a larger checkbook.  Clearly, fighting against such financial and political power is a David and Goliath struggle, but to my mind well-worth the effortno matter the odds.

That is why Ive personally decided to join forces with The Peoples Tribunal (TPT); Im one of their Prosecutors.  The Tribunal has concluded that it is imperative that they organize as a springboard for a movement to improve education as delivered by San Diego City Schools.  TPT wants to be a place where the community can discover the truth about the mis-education of their children and apply that truth to changing City Schools.  TPT will hear testimony on specific charges and render judgment on the performance of City Schools, particularly in terms of African-American and Latino students.  The INDICTMENTS and the CHARGES they represent have already been served on the city board of education and will be prosecuted by the community before The Peoples Tribunal on September 8 (6-8 PM) and 9 (8AM-5 PM), 2006, at Gompers Middle School.  It is open to the public and admission is free.

The goal of The Peoples Tribunal is not personal against any one individual or group of individuals involved in the education of children; rather TPT is about a system that is not and has not been working in the best interest of the children and all the people of San Diego.  TPT wishes to show the way, to provide a reason and basis for change, and to reinforce the positive notion that continuous failure is not acceptable. 

This letter is not asking for money.  I am asking for your time and talentnothing after 9/9; so Im only asking for a short-lived commitment.  If youre interested in helping, please drop me a line with your contact information by email, and Ill get back to you ASAP.  We need all the willing hands we can find.

Many thanks & God bless for all you already do for the children of San Diego.


Mike MacCarthy
President
Voters For Truth in Education (VOTE)
San Diego, CA 92111