UPDATED: A CALL-TO-ACTION FOR YOU FROM BOARDMEMBER KAYSER ABOUT THE IMPENDING ELIMINATION OF BEYOND-THE-BELL YOUTH SERVICES FOR 42,000+ STUDENTS

June 26, 2012

Dear 4LAKids Reader:

I write to express alarm and concern for the safety and well-being of our children. The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is proposing to eliminate the Youth Services program (a $6.9 million cut) that provides after-school direct services to over 42,000 students daily, across the district’s 26 cities and portions of the County. Additionally, thousands more will lose access to their campus at 2:10pm, ending non-profit and private enrichment programs, tutoring, arts education, evening nutrition, and sports and recreation opportunities. Worse, there is not private capacity to take on 50,000 children by the start of school in six weeks even if their parents had the money to pay for after-school care.

Fifty-thousand latchkey children, ranging from 5 years of age to teenagers will soon be populating our parks, libraries, and streets. As a school police officer noted, the gangs have an afterschool program too and they are not making budget cutbacks. We simply have no choice, local governments and foundations must come together to solve this crisis as it impacts all of us through increased rates of bullying, obesity, poverty, teen pregnancy, crime and dropout rates, never-mind the adverse affect on the local economy and family budgets.

Through wars, depressions and recessions, since 1915, the LAUSD has provided some form of free, after school programming to millions of students and families, but on June 28^th, 2012 the LAUSD Superintendent, proposes to end that commitment. As a Board Member, teacher for 14 years, and parent of two LAUSD graduates, I cannot stand by and allow our students, parents, and communities to be put at risk. Frankly, I cannot think of one standardized test, curriculum overhaul or evaluation metric that could be worth more than the safety of a child, nor one pot-hole for that matter.

I need your help to ensure that the Superintendent and my colleagues at the Board of Education understand the gravity of this situation and the potential catastrophic impact eliminating after school programming will have on all of us. I would like to close by thanking you for your time and consideration on this most important of issues. We are all servants of communities and together we can guarantee that our children will remain safe with an eye towards their future.

Sincerely,

Bennett Kayser

Board Member, District 5

 

LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT • BOARD OF EDUCATION

333 South Beaudry Avenue, 24^th Floor, Los Angeles, California 90017 •TEL. (213) 241-5555 •FAX (213) 241-8467

E-MAIL: BoardDistrict5@lausd.net

SARAH BRADSHAW, BENNETT KAYSER’S CIEF OF STAFF ADDS:

UPDATES

Mr. Kayser has alerted every elected official that overlaps with the LAUSD to this impending crisis. Both labor (Maria Elena Durazo) and business (LA Chamber’s Gary Toebben) were alerted to this issue this morning. LA City Council unanimously voted to tell us to fund after-school  …though they did not restore one cut to LA’s Best ($25 mil) or re-fund the $3.5 million it used to give LAUSD for after school until 1999.

We met with budget people today, the money is there, we simply must demand that the district stickto its #1 priority, safety! Cahuenga Elementary and Frank del Olmo Elementary schools in Board District #2 (Monica’s) will start school July 2^nd without Youth Services!

MARCHING ORDERS BY PRIORITY

1. Please do all possible to attend the LAUSD Board Meeting on Thursday 6/28 when the budget will be finalized (and a after-school cut by $6.9 million) at 1pm @ 333 S. Beaudry. BRING YOUR LATCHKEY KIDS!!!
2. Email this information to absolutely everyone! (blogs, relatives, your kid’s classmates, neighborhood councils, the Girl Scouts/the Boy Scouts, non-profits, churches, elected offices, etc.)
3. Call and email all board members (but for Bennett Kayser) immediately
   1. District 1: Marguerite LaMotte (213) 241-6382
      1. Email: marguerite.lamotte@lausd.net
   2. District 2: Monica Garcia (213) 241-6180
      1. Email: monica.garcia@lausd.net
   3. District 3: Tamar Galatzan (213) 241-6386
      1. Email: tamar.galatzan@lausd.net
   4. District 4: Steven Zimmer (213) 241-6387
      1. Email: szimmer@lausd.net
   5. District 6: Nury Martinez (213) 241-6388
      1. Email: nury.martinez@lausd.net
   6. District 7: Dr. Richard Vladovic (213) 241-6385
      1. Email: Richard.vladovic@lausd.net

HERE ARE LINKS to

1. an online website from Jose Sigala that instantly emails LAUSD board members as well as
2. a link to today’s Daily News article about after school cuts and
3. the local Patch’s coverage of Friday’s press conference.

FOLLOWING is  a survey of other cities and what they contribute to their school district’s after school programs, talking points by John Kim of the Advancement Project, and a press release just issued by the district, again confirming that the Superintendent’s plan is to de-fund Youth Services.

Thanks all for your effort. We are in the home stretch. Demand that we find the $6.9 million dollars to fund Youth Services

THIS JUST IN:

LAUSD News Statement For Immediate Release                                                                 June 26, 2012 Contact: Alvaro Cortes                                                                                (213) 241-7900                                                                                #11/12-238                            STATEMENT ON ELIMINATION OF THE “YOUTH SERVICES” AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM Since 1915, the LAUSD has been committed to the welfare and care of children after school. During the 2011-12 school year, approximately 42,000 school children in grades one through eight participated in Youth Services from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.  “Unfortunately, due to California’s dire economic downward spiral, approximately 42,000 school children will be left without an afterschool program,” said Alvaro Cortes, executive director, Beyond the Bell. “Effective next school year, the Youth Services afterschool program at all 564 elementary and middle schools will be eliminated.” In addition, other beloved programs will be closed such as the Clear Creek and Point Fermin Outdoor Education Program, the Thelonious Monk Jazz Program, Beyond the Bell’s Youth Orchestra as well as the Band and Drill Team Competition. Only the All-District Honor Marching Band was saved, as students will continue marching in The Rose Parade® for their 41st consecutive year. “These cuts have been extremely painful,” said Cortes. “I would like to recognize and give my profound appreciation to the supporters and employees of the LAUSD’s after school Youth Services program. On behalf of the 42,000 students who play on the playgrounds in LAUSD, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts during these very trying and difficult economic times.” ###

Afterschool Handout 062512 Adv Proj