[CALIBK12] Library Advocacy next steps

[Blanche Woolls]

The news this week is horrifying and these cuts seem essential to school 
boards in preparation for that March 15 deadline for pink slipping people. 
Tony is so on target, "Please, let's not go gentle into that good night!" 
Could you not ask at this board meetings what it would take to reinstate 
the positions BEFORE the new school year begins. Let's let them know that 
we are ready to fight!

I am overwhelmed with the fact that elementary teachers quietly accepted 
the "no release time" edict. While having the library the release time 
spot is almost as bad, isn't that a direct blow to the union contract?

Blanche

On Tue, 3 Mar 2009, Doyle_Tony wrote:

> "It's not the local school districts at fault, but the sad bottom-of-the-barrel state funding that has been allowed to serve the children of California."
>
> I have to disagree with Tom and Heidi.  How can some districts maintain library programs and others not.  Merced is a good example.  Merced City Schools was forced to cut library programs but the Merced Union High School District has not (knock on wood).  What's the difference?  I would argue that it is management (or mismanagement). Merced City actually maintained model library programs through the dark days of the early 90s (remember when they state was deficit-funding schools- i.e. not giving all of the money owed) but now they can't.
>
> It is not impossible for districts to maintain professionally-staffed library programs under current funding.  If it is a priority for the district the funds will be found.  Don't accept that libraries have to be cut to make up for deficits.  We are already operating at a minimum level and cutting library staff results in miniscule savings for districts but has a devastating effect on learning.  The local school districts ARE at fault.  And so is the state and WASC and the feds.
>
> Do not go gentle into that good night!
>
> Tony
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> Anthony Doyle, Teacher Librarian
> Livingston High School
> Livingston, CA
> tdoyle at muhsd.k12.ca.us<mailto:tdoyle at muhsd.k12.ca.us>
>
> "When I read about the way in which library funds are being cut and cut, I can only think that American society has found one more way to destroy itself." (Isaac Asimov, from his autobiography I Asimov)
>
> The contents of this message are private and are intended for the recipients named in the To and CC fields.  You may not forward this message without the expressed permission of the author.  The contents of this message are the work of the author and do not represent the opinions or policies of the Merced Union High School District or Livingston High School.
> ________________________________
> From: calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu [calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu] On Behalf Of Thomas Nixon [Thomas.Nixon at fresnounified.org]
> Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 6:25 PM
> To: Heidi Snively; Megan Fuller; calibk12 at listproc.sjsu.edu
> Subject: Re: [CALIBK12] Library Advocacy next steps
>
> I think it is important to understand that there is a great deal of truth in Heidi Snively's statement:
>
>
> "It's not the local school districts at fault, but the sad bottom-of-the-barrel state funding that has been allowed to serve the children of California."
>
>
> Is that true for all school districts? My guess is no. However, that being said, I think we do ourselves a disservice when we decided that the default statement is that all school boards are evil. Sometimes there really is no money and it is up to the board to make tough decisions.
>
> And, of course, it is up to us to make sure that those tough decisions affect other programs. It is up to us to ensure that school boards understand that schools revolve around the library. Even more importantly, it us up to us to make sure that our individual school's programs do indeed revolve around the library.
>
>
>
> Tom Nixon
> --
> Teacher Librarian
> Tehipite Middle School
> 630 N. Augusta Street
> Fresno, CA 93701
> (559) 457-3420, x. 570
> Web: http://www.tehipitelibrary.org<http://www.tehipitelibrary.org/>
> Blog: http://notyourmotherslibrarian.blogspot.com<http://notyourmotherslibrarian.blogspot.com/>
>
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