🎭 Arts Apartheid in TUSD: The Battle for Equitable Creative Education
🖥️ The Digital Divide: When Transparency Clouds Clarity 🎻 Harmony or Discord? TUSD's Fine Arts Funding Fiasco 📚 Special Ed Squeeze: The Hidden Cost of School Choice
Based on the October 15th, 2024, TUSD Board meeting.
🙊 Notable quotes from the meeting
"We didn't hire fewer people. We didn't stop paying fewer people. We'd stop buying stuff." - Ricky Hernandez, CFO, explaining the decrease in instructional spending.
"Let's say you have a tata who's 77 years old... technology is not his forte, but budgets may be. What are we doing for those individuals?" - Jennifer Eckstrom, Board Member, raising concerns about the accessibility of the digital budget book.
"We're seeing more and more students with more intensive disabilities in the Group B category come in because charters and privates, let's just say that it's not as an inclusive environment for them as it is with us." - Dr. Gabriel Trujillo, Superintendent, on the disproportionate burden of special education in public schools.
"Sharing is a learned behavior. It does not come naturally in the legislative process. So we anticipate that things will grind fairly slowly if that's the case." - John Kelly, Lobbyist, on potential legislative gridlock.
"You cannot say you are pro-labor if you do not follow your word. Integrity is everything." - Pilar Ruiz, community member, criticizing alleged violations of labor agreements by pro-labor candidates.
⏮️ ICYMI: The Last Meeting
😽 Keepin’ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
👧🏾✊🏾👦🏾
📚🎨💰 The school board talked about money and art classes! They want to make sure all kids get to learn music and art, but it's hard because some schools don't have enough teachers or money. They're trying to use computers to show how they spend money, but some grown-ups find it confusing. The board also talked about helping kids who need extra support in school. They want to make sure every kid gets a fair chance to learn, no matter what school they go to or what help they need. It's like trying to make sure everyone gets a slice of pizza, even if some slices cost more than others! 🍕🏫🎵
🗝️ Takeaways
💰 TUSD's new digital budget book aims for transparency but raises accessibility concerns
🎨 Fine arts education faces funding and staffing challenges, highlighting inequities across schools
📊 Classroom spending ratios show a decrease, potentially impacting educational quality
🏛️ Uncertain political landscape could significantly affect education funding in Arizona
🚌 TUSD bears a disproportionate burden in providing costly special education services
📅 TUSD Board Meeting: October 15, 2024 - A Crossroads of Education and Finance
On October 15, 2024, the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) Governing Board convened for a regular meeting that tackled many critical issues facing the district.
From financial transparency and budgetary challenges to fine arts education and legislative updates, the meeting painted a comprehensive picture of a school district navigating complex educational, fiscal, and political landscapes.
The discussions highlighted the ongoing struggles to balance fiscal responsibility with educational equity while adapting to new technologies and responding to community concerns.
🎙️ Voices from the Community: Call to the Audience
The call to the audience section of the TUSD board meeting provided a platform for community members to express their concerns, critiques, and support for various district initiatives. This democratic exercise in public participation revealed a spectrum of issues that reflect the complex tapestry of educational challenges facing TUSD. Let's examine the voices that rose from the community:
📊 Lillian Fox: The Budget Watchdog
Lillian Fox, a familiar face at these meetings and a self-appointed financial watchdog, came armed with a barrage of statistics and critiques of TUSD's financial management:
"Last year, TUSD budgeted almost a million dollars for out-of-state travel. That is 925,601 dollars and 14 cents. You have no money to fund the libraries. Sixty-seven schools got 40 dollars or less and yet were spending a million dollars on out-of-state travel."
Fox's presentation highlighted concerns about budget priorities, particularly juxtaposing travel expenses against library funding. She also criticized the new digital budget book format:
"This table tells you how long it is actually. Some of the sections, you'd have to use 750 pages, just print it on both sides to print just some sections of the budget book. You would have to have eight of these 500 page packets to print the whole thing. It is a mess."
Her comments underscore the ongoing tension between the district's push for digital transparency and the practical accessibility of financial information for community scrutiny.
🏆 Pilar Ruiz: Praise and Labor Concerns
Pilar Ruiz offered a mixed bag of praise and criticism. She commended TUSD for its fine arts and CTE programs but raised concerns about classroom spending and labor practices:
"If you take a look at this year's budget book and actually understand it, you'll see that we're putting less into schools this year than we did last year. And the two years that we put a lot of money into the schools was when we had ESSER funds."
Notably, Ruiz brought attention to potential violations of labor agreements:
"It's come to my attention that pro-labor endorsed candidates did not follow the pledge we signed with PALF to use local, locally endorsed print shops. So, those unions that are listening, you need to understand that one of your candidates, Dr. Shah, used a location in Phoenix."
This comment highlights the intricate relationship between education politics and labor movements, suggesting that even pro-labor candidates may face scrutiny for their actions.
👶 Jason Blackwood: Advocacy for Parental Leave
Jason Blackwood's comments, read aloud, addressed the sensitive topic of parental leave, particularly in cases of miscarriage:
"I am thoroughly appalled by Val Romero and his so-called comments from constituents. I can buy the fact that perhaps some people go to him because he's the MAGA candidate, but what I can't buy into is his comment. If I had a miscarriage, I'd go back to work within a week."
Blackwood's strong rebuke of Board Member Val Romero's alleged comments underscores the emotional and political tensions surrounding issues of family leave and reproductive health in the educational workplace.
🗳️ Guadalupe Heninger: Support for Board Members and Voting
Guadalupe Heninger voiced support for current board members and emphasized the importance of civic engagement:
"I am very happy Natalie Luna Rose, Dr. Ravi, and Sadie Shaw that they are running for reelection. They have been the wisdom of being on the board for four years. TUSD is heading in the right direction under their leadership."
Heninger's comments serve as a reminder of the political context in which these educational discussions occur, highlighting the upcoming election and its potential impact on TUSD's governance.
💰 Financial Transparency in the Digital Age: TUSD's Budget Book Revolution
The introduction of TUSD's new digital budget book marked a significant shift in how the district presents its financial information to the public. Chief Financial Officer Ricky Hernandez showcased the new system, emphasizing its potential for increased transparency and accessibility. The digital format allows for more detailed breakdowns of expenditures, revenues, and staffing information across all schools and departments.
However, this technological leap forward wasn't without its critics. Board member Jennifer Eckstrom raised crucial questions about accessibility for older community members who might not be as tech-savvy. The discussion highlighted a potential digital divide, with concerns that the new format might inadvertently exclude certain population segments from accessing important financial information.
The debate around the budget book also touched on broader issues of transparency and community engagement. While the digital format offers more comprehensive data and visual representations, some board members and community members expressed nostalgia for the simplicity of the old PDF format. The tension between embracing technological advancements and ensuring universal access to information emerged as a key theme, reflecting broader societal challenges in the digital age.
📊 Annual Financial Report: Decoding TUSD's Fiscal Health
The Annual Financial Report (AFR) presentation provided a deep dive into TUSD's financial status. Key points included:
A budget balance of $32 million in the Maintenance and Operations (M&O) budget, representing about 8% of the total budget.
CFO Hernandez noted a concerning trend in classroom spending: a decrease in instructional spending, primarily due to reduced non-staff expenses.
Discussion of the impact of the end of ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds on the district's finances.
Challenges in special education funding, particularly for students with more severe disabilities (Group B), highlight disparities between traditional public schools and charter/private schools.
The AFR discussion underscored the complex financial juggling act TUSD must perform, balancing various funding sources, mandates, and educational needs. It also highlighted the ongoing struggle to maintain adequate classroom spending due to various fiscal pressures.
🎨 Fine Arts Education: Striving for Equity in Creative Learning
The presentation on fine arts staffing in TUSD schools revealed significant disparities in access to arts education across the district. Key points included:
A complex web of funding sources for fine arts positions, including M&O, DSEG, Title IV, and classroom site funds.
Approximately one-third of fine arts positions are shared among two or more schools.
An estimated $4.2 million would be needed to bring every K-5 and K-8 school to a full-time fine arts position.
Discussions about the challenges of recruiting and retaining qualified fine arts teachers.
The board engaged in a nuanced discussion about measuring and achieving equity in fine arts education. Dr. Shah suggested looking at FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) per student rather than per school, recognizing that larger schools might need more resources. The conversation also discussed the importance of diverse arts offerings, including visual arts, music, and theater.
This meeting segment highlighted TUSD's commitment to arts education while exposing the financial and logistical challenges of providing equitable access to these programs across a diverse district.
🏛️ Legislative Landscape: Navigating Uncertain Political Waters
Lobbyists John Kelly and Roxanna Pitones updated the legislative landscape affecting TUSD and education in Arizona more broadly. Key points included:
There is potential for a divided government following upcoming elections, with the possibility of a "1515 Senate" power-sharing arrangement.
Ongoing fiscal challenges at the state level, with limited funds available for new education initiatives.
Discussion of Prop 123 extension relating to the use of state land trust funds for education.
Potential legislation on issues such as school safety, curriculum mandates, and cell phone bans in schools.
The legislative update showed uncertainty and potential challenges ahead for TUSD and other Arizona school districts. The lobbyists emphasized the importance of staying engaged with the legislative process and being prepared for various scenarios that could impact education funding and policy.
🚌 Special Ed Squeeze: The Hidden Cost of School Choice
Perhaps one of the most revealing discussions centered on the disproportionate burden TUSD bears in providing special education services. Dr. Trujillo's comments exposed a troubling reality:
"We're seeing more and more students with more intensive disabilities in the Group B category come in because charters and privates, let's just say that it's not as an inclusive environment for them as it is with us."
This candid admission bears the hidden costs of school choice policies that allow charter and private schools to cherry-pick students, leaving public schools to shoulder the financial and logistical burdens of providing comprehensive special education services. It's a stark reminder that the promise of school choice often comes at the expense of our most vulnerable students and the public institutions that serve them.
In conclusion, the October 15, 2024, TUSD Governing Board meeting serves as a microcosm of Arizona's public education and nationwide challenges. From digital divides to artistic inequities, from classroom cash crunches to legislative labyrinths, TUSD navigates a complex landscape of fiscal, political, and social challenges. As we move forward, we must continue scrutinizing these issues and fight for a truly equitable education system that serves all students, regardless of their zip code, abilities, or access to technology.
Votes Taken
Approval of Consent Agenda Items 5.2 through 5.7
Moved by Natalie Luna Rose, seconded by Dr. Shah
Passed unanimously
Approval of Tucson Unified School District FY2024 Annual Financial Report (AFR)
Moved by Natalie Luna Rose, seconded by Jennifer Eckstrom
Passed unanimously
Approval of Tucson Unified School District FY2024 School Level Annual Financial Report (AFR)
Moved by Natalie Luna Rose, seconded by Jennifer Eckstrom
Passed unanimously
Approval to reappoint Lauren Shedd to the Employee Benefits Trust for a three-year term
Moved by Dr. Shah, seconded by Sadie Shaw
Passed unanimously
Approval to dismiss a Committee Member from the Bond Oversight Committee due to resignation
Moved by Jennifer Eckstrom, seconded by Dr. Shah
Passed unanimously
Approval of revision to Governing Board Policy ABB Personal Privacy Students, Staff, Volunteers at Schools
Moved by Dr. Shah, seconded by Natalie Luna Rose
Passed unanimously
🦉 Three Sonorans Commentary:
🔥 TUSD Board Meeting Exposes Deep-Rooted Inequities in Arizona's Education System
In the heart of Tucson, a city steeped in rich Chicano history and ongoing struggles for equity, the TUSD Governing Board meeting on October 15, 2024, laid bare the systemic issues plaguing our public education system.
💻 Digital Colonialism: The New Face of Educational Apartheid
The meeting started with a presentation of TUSD's new digital budget book, a move ostensibly aimed at increasing transparency. But let's call it what it really is: digital colonialism. In an era where access to information is power, this technological leap forward threatens to leave behind the very communities that public education is meant to serve.
Board member Jennifer Ekstrom hit the nail on the head when she asked:
"Let's say you have a Tata who's 77 years old... technology is not his forte, but budgets may be. What are we doing for those individuals?"
This question isn't just about budgets; it's about who gets to participate in the democratic process of overseeing our children's education. By digitizing this crucial information, TUSD is effectively building a wall between the community and the decision-makers, which is not unlike the one certain politicians want on our southern border.
🎨 The Arts Apartheid: Creativity as a Privilege, Not a Right
The discussion on fine arts education in TUSD schools painted a bleak picture that could have been a Goya masterpiece.
Dr. Trujillo's admission that "We are looking at a total of 11 schools that I would say are the priority. That you have 11 schools where you have less than half time assigned to that school, which only allows them to maybe work with one grade level if they're lucky a couple of days a week" is nothing short of an indictment of our society's priorities.
This artistic apartheid within TUSD is a microcosm of the broader educational inequities that plague our system. When we deny children access to the arts, we're not just denying them a subject; we're denying them a voice, a means of expression, and a connection to their cultural heritage. In a district serving a significant Latinx population, this denial of arts education is tantamount to cultural erasure.
📊 The Numbers Game: How Capitalism Corrupts Education
The Annual Financial Report revealed a troubling trend in classroom spending.
CFO Ricky Hernandez's explanation that "We didn't hire fewer people. We didn't stop paying fewer people. We'd stop buying stuff" reminds us how capitalism has corrupted our education system.
When schools can't afford to "buy stuff," it's not just about pencils and paper. It's about up-to-date textbooks that accurately represent our history. It's about musical instruments that allow our children to connect with their cultural heritage. It's about art supplies that give voice to the voiceless. By prioritizing the bottom line over educational quality, we're perpetuating a system of oppression that keeps marginalized communities at the margins.
🚌 The Special Education Squeeze: The Hidden Costs of Neoliberal "Choice"
Perhaps the most damning revelation came from Dr. Trujillo's candid admission about special education:
"We're seeing more and more students with more intensive disabilities in the Group B category come in because charters and privates, let's just say that it's not as an inclusive environment for them as it is with us."
This statement lays bare the ugly truth behind the shiny veneer of school choice. Charter and private schools, those darlings of neoliberal education reform, are effectively engaging in a form of educational eugenics. By creating environments that are unwelcoming to students with disabilities, they're forcing public schools to bear a disproportionate burden.
This isn't just about funding; it's about the very soul of our education system. Are we a society that believes in education for all or only for those who are the easiest and cheapest to educate? The answer to this question will define us for generations to come.
🏛️ The Legislative Labyrinth: Education as a Political Football
The legislative update provided by lobbyists John Kelly and Roxanna Pitones painted a picture of uncertainty that should alarm anyone who cares about the future of public education.
Kelly's observation that "Sharing is a learned behavior. It's not come naturally in the legislative process. So we anticipate that things will grind fairly slowly if that's the case" is a damning indictment of our political system.
When education becomes a political football, our children are tackled and bruised. The potential for gridlock and the uncertain fiscal climate for education funding in Arizona are not just administrative challenges; they're threats to the very foundation of our democracy.
🌱 The Path Forward: Resistance, Resilience, and Reimagination
As we face these challenges, we must remember Paulo Freire's words: "Education either functions as an instrument used to facilitate the integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity, or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world."
The issues raised in this TUSD board meeting are not isolated incidents. They are symptoms of a deeper malaise that infects our society—a society that values profits over people, conformity over creativity, and political expediency over educational equity.
But in the face of these challenges, we must not despair. Instead, we must organize, educate, and agitate. We must demand a public education system that:
Is genuinely accessible to all, regardless of technological literacy or ability
Provides rich, culturally relevant arts education to every student
Prioritizes classroom needs over administrative bloat
Welcomes and supports all students, regardless of ability or disability
Is insulated from the whims of political gamesmanship
The struggle for educational equity is not just about school budgets or staffing ratios. It's about the kind of society we want to create. It's about whether we truly believe in democracy's promise and every child's potential.
As we move forward, let us draw inspiration from our communities' resilience, elders' wisdom, and youth's passion. Let us reimagine an education system that doesn't just teach our children about justice but embodies it in every classroom, every budget decision, and every policy.
The battle for the soul of public education is not just fought in board meetings and legislative chambers. It's fought in every classroom, every home, and every heart that dares to dream of a more just and equitable world. ¡La lucha sigue! The struggle continues!
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People Mentioned
Dr. Gabriel Trujillo (Superintendent):
"Really, what happens is they'll go to Charter School A and Charter School A might read a script to the parent. It says, we comply with providing free access to public education, FAPE, as it's known, to students with disabilities through universal accommodations that are available in a general classroom environment." Context: Explaining how charter schools may discourage enrollment of students with severe disabilities.
"We have to recognize that not only do fine arts provide an integral part of the regular curriculum, but it allows schools to establish PLCs at the schools, right?" Context: Discussing the importance of fine arts education in curriculum and professional development.
Natalie Luna Rose (Board President): No direct quotes, but she frequently moved to approve items and moderated the meeting.
Ricky Hernandez (Chief Financial Officer):
"We didn't hire fewer people. We didn't stop paying fewer people. We'd stop buying stuff." Context: Explaining the decrease in instructional spending.
"This is just, I mean, these are the 11 schools. How many FTE, like, in terms of, are there four people that are at, you know, 0.2 E, for example, or whatever, that may be the case." Context: Clarifying the staffing allocations for fine arts positions.
Jennifer Ekstrom (Board Member):
"Let's say you have a tata who's 77 years old... technology is not his forte, but budgets may be. What are we doing for those individuals?" Context: Raising concerns about the accessibility of the digital budget book for older community members.
Sadie Shaw (Board Member, referred to as Dr. Shaw):
"I was under the impression with how we used our ESSER funds to, like, purchase all those recorders that, like, every school in our district had, like, instruction in third grade to learn music through the recorder. Is that still happening?" Context: Inquiring about the state of music education in elementary schools.
Val Romero (Board Member):
"Again, like I said, everything I said last weekend on that, I read from somebody else. This was not me. I got attacked by others saying it was me that said this. I did not say these things. I was reading these that people, constituents, reach out to me." Context: Defending himself against criticism for comments made at a previous meeting.
Michelle Crow (Board Member, inferred):
"I prefer the old way. And so I actually requested from that website like the entire document. And I was sent an email back stating that they would need a few days to compile all of the pages." Context: Expressing concerns about the new digital budget book format.
Robert Ross (General Counsel):
"Thank you. I hate to interrupt, but that's a very good point because we're actually required to have financial literacy in Title 15. So there's a disconnect between our own higher ed and K-12." Context: Commenting on the disconnect between K-12 financial literacy requirements and university admission requirements.
John Kelly (Lobbyist from Triadvocates):
"Sharing is a learned behavior. It's not come naturally in the legislative process. So we anticipate that things will grind fairly slowly if that's the case." Context: Discussing potential legislative gridlock in case of a divided government.
Roxanna Pitones (Lobbyist from Triadvocates): No direct quotes, but she provided legislative updates alongside John Kelly.
Dr. Ashcraft (Fine Arts Department Director):
"We have 45 OMA arts integration specialists now. Two thirds of them are performing arts. Okay. Yes, they're visual arts and they serve, there are a lot more than 11 schools that have full time OMA arts integration specialists in them." Context: Explaining the distribution of fine arts specialists across TUSD schools.