[CALIBK12] Closing SRCS Libraries

[Judie Ehret]

The plan to close all school libraries in the Santa Rosa City Schools
district was for year two (2009-10) of a two-year proposal. Due to Governor
Schwarzenegger¹s announcement yesterday, they decided to hold off any voting
on year two items until the Fall, when they have a better grasp of the
budget situation.

I do believe that all the comments to the School Board from students,
teachers, parents, the local public library community, and calibk12 members
had an impact. 40% of the comments for 170 items supported keeping the
libraries open, and most of those upheld having certificated teacher
librarians. Privately, some of the Board members have been distancing
themselves from the proposal, clarifying that closing school libraries is an
idea presented to them by the district administrators and did not come from
them. Publicly, they got testy whenever someone spoke at this and the last
school board meeting regarding school libraries. After a supporter spoke, a
board member would say : ³I want you to know we are not voting on closing
school libraries today.² Then they would proceed to listen without comment
to other people speak about items not up for action that night.

Once again, I thank everyone who acted to support us. All the e-mail kept my
spirits up. Calib became my refuge.


Judie Ehret Straesser
Library Media Teacher
Elsie Allen High School
599 Bellevue Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA 95407
707-528-5749


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