Friday, April 23, 2010

Introducing Plus One for Schools

During my “radical youth” teenage years in Chapel Hill, NC, I remember a popular bumper sticker that read “It will be a great day when schools have all the money they need and the Air Force needs to hold a bake sale to buy a bomber.” Fast-forward some 30 years, and as the proud parent of a kindergartner at a San Francisco public school, I find it incredibly disturbing that our social priorities are still so misguided. Things have only gotten worse in the last few years. Depending on how you take into account cost-of-living differences, California now finds itself hovering at, or near last in the nation with respect to per-pupil spending for its public schools. Is anyone proud that we're winning the race to the bottom?!

Over the next two years, the San Francisco Unified School District is facing a $113 million deficit. At SF Community School which my son attends, we're looking at a reduction of over $100,000 for next year alone. Given the super lean budgets of the last few years, when faced with such a drastic year-over-year reduction, there simply are no good options, merely the choice of which limbs to amputate.

The way in which budgets are passed in California, and how school funds are apportioned is a complex and contentious subject, but suffice to say, what we're currently spending is not enough.

Not even close.

Raising money for schools is nothing new: parents and students have been doing it for decades, but it's usually been for things one could reasonably call “extras” such as band trips, or after-school club activities. These days, public school parents regularly have to raise tens of thousands each year in order to fund Physical Education programs, teachers assistants, classroom supplies, etc.

Meaningful changes to the budgeting process will take years, but in the meantime, we've got a crisis on our hands, and I'm not willing to just sit back while our kids' education is at stake.

A few months ago, I had an idea which I call “Plus One For Schools.” The premise is simple: while we can't earmark how we want our tax dollars spent (if only!), we could chose to donate to schools on a regular basis through everyday purchases. What if when you went to buy a meal, or a drink in bar, or attend a concert, you could opt to add a dollar (i.e. the "plus one") to help close the budget gap for a school you care about? If your favorite food cart vendor, bar or theater would match your dollar would you be more inclined to patronize them? I know I sure would, and I bet a ton of other folks, particularly parents, feel the same way.

Ideas are a dime a dozen: it's execution that counts, so with the most generous assistance of Roger Feely, of Soul Cocina fame we're going to put this idea to the test on Sunday May 9th at Precita Park from 12-3 PM. Mark the date in your calendar. When you buy a meal from any of the assembled food cart vendors, you'll have the opportunity to add 1$ per plate to support our school. Participating vendors will throw in $1 as well.

We'll have a table there with information about our school, some herbs from the school garden to give away, and if possible some acoustic music and games for everyone to enjoy. Come chat with parents about our school in particular and the state of public schools in SF in general. If you're already a school parent you know about the challenges we face. If you're not a parent, but think you will be one day, and would like to live in San Francisco, the state of schools will be immensely important to you. Good schools come from good communities, and good communities come from good schools.

We're taking a tiny first step here, let's see where it goes. My fondest hope is that we can turn this into a regular activity so that the question “Hey, are you doing Plus One For Schools today?” will become a common question with “We sure are!” being the common response.

I'll be posting more on this blog with updates about our first event. If you want to get in touch by email, by all means please write to plusoneforschools at gmail dot com. On Twitter I'll be posting updates @plusone4schools.



4 comments:

  1. Just brilliant. I look forward to hearing about what a smashing success this is. I'd love to put our school in the queue to be your next candidate for assembly...Daniel Webster Elementary. Thank you for working to make a difference.

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  2. Hi Stacey:

    Thanks for the kind words. The idea is actually picking up steam: people have been getting in touch to offer to help and to help grow the idea.

    Stay tuned!

    John

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  3. John,
    I'd like to put in a good word. You should run for State Assembly. I'm not kidding. May creative solutions and follow through continue to lead the way. I just wish I'd seen this before the 9th.
    It would be great if we could manage to hold our leaders accountable for their devastating assault on humanity and the global environment it thrives in, and for the total collapse of priorities that is digging us into a deepening abyss of debt. But we can't. Simply put, we have to lead where they will not.
    Over in the East Bay, Kaela's school was faced with spending cuts in the same ballpark figure, so the parents and larger community took it on. A chef at Chez Panisse held a fundraiser dinner at Pizza Aioli, and a small auction was held for services and goods donated by generous members of the Canyon community. In one night, we raised about $20,000 for our daughter's public school. A month ago, the kids held a walk-a-thon, and by walking around the grove as many times as they could, they raised several thousands more. At noon, a taco truck pulled up and served homemade food to everyone there, donating proceeds of the sale to the school.

    Imagine plus one for every stock market trade that realizes a gain? We know Wall Street is greedy, but I'm not sure if they'd like to be seen as that greedy. We can't even imagine how many profitable trades are made each day. A dollar per transaction for our kids' futures seems fair, non? Guess I'll be writing to Barbara Boxer, Diane Feinstein and Barbara Lee tonight.

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  4. Hey Paulie:

    Thanks for the kind words, and for the info about what you guys at Canyon. A few years ago Mark Leno tried to pass a bill where a ticket surcharge would be used to fund arts:

    http://articles.latimes.com/2005/apr/29/entertainment/et-artsplates29

    I think we're going to see a lot of changes in the next few years that will allow people to "vote with their dollars." I've been whispering in the ears of some people I know at Square with the hopes of hooking into their new payment system which a number of food cart vendors are starting to use.

    Best,

    John

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