No on Measure U

I love politics, ok, not really but there are a couple of issues that will affect me so I’ve been watching them carefully. It makes me wonder what lies they are trying to tell me when I don’t know the reality of the situation…

Luckily with Measure U I am pretty well informed by the opposition. If my husband didn’t work in the OUHSD I wouldn’t see all the lies and partial truths that I received today in the mail. Here are some of them.

What will measure U do?

Unify the schools here and those who are currently going to Rio Mesa would “be able to attend high school in the new unified district.” TRUE but they don’t even know where they would put them yet. One place is a very small middle school (which is now being used by Collin’s charter school for their school, so they would be homeless.) But it really isn't big enough or suitable for a high school - even a small one)

Why is U on the ballot now?

They say they have talked about this for the last 40 years… probably but it’s only been since they got a principal at ACHS that didn’t listen to the parents. They also didn’t tell you that before the big election come up they had already spent $14 Million dollars just to get it on the ballot – imagine what that money would do if it was actually used in our classrooms instead of the pipe dreams of some very prideful leaders…

How will it improve children’s education?

They talk about more money (but instead of the running of the high schools spread over 150,000 citizens it will be dependent on only about 65,000… you do the math) They also talk about that our students “will finally get first priority for improved facilities.” Did they get 2 new schools? Yes, one was paid for solely by the government as a replacement school so the people only bought one… Ironically they bought land here years ago and had plans to build another high school behind the new library – but they stopped when PV started to talk about unification, why should they spend all the money to build a school then just hand it over. So unification has already cost our students by postponing new facilities. By the way, OUHSD still owns the land and they (at least the last superintendent) said they would be happy to sell it to PV – at fair market value…

Will creating a new district harm other schools or districts?

“Absolutely not.” Absolute lie! Already dozens of teachers have received their “pink slips” telling them that if unification goes through that they will not have a job next year. Here’s the true deal. Up until about 6 years ago the teachers of OUHSD had life time benefits (the newer teachers don’t have lifetime benefits but they’re still better than what PV offers) So all the teachers that have been there for more than 6 years will want to stall with OUHSD to keep their benefits. That means that the newer teachers, with less seniority throughout the rest of the district will be replaced by the teachers leaving ACHS (again, if you do the math – that means that ACHS will leave its most experienced teachers) Luckily my husband should be safe, but my sister – a single mother of 3 – will lose her job (she’s already been given notice) One of the PV board members - not an educator, obviously, has said on several occasions that he thought teachers were paid too much - he has obviously never faced down a room full of teenagers!

Will it raise my taxes?

“Not one penny.” That’s true – it won’t be a penny – it will be hundreds. Last time, it cost about $7/household to build the school – over 400,000 people in the district. This time, to build a new school, it will be divided up among only about 65,000 people – you do the math. I know some of you don’t like math so I’ll just tell you that it will be a lot more than we pay now.

Who is supporting Measure U?

It names most of the leadership of the city - of course - more power. But nearly all of the high school teachers - those who know what it takes to run a high school - are against.

What can I do to help?

I'm doing it. I'm telling you all the truth - not just what they want you to believe.

Basically PV doesn’t have the money, the facilities, or the experience to unify – vote no on U!

(incidentally - you should drive down my old street, where one of the biggest supporters of U lives - there are vote no signs all over the place - except at his mom's and brother's house :)