As my term on the Board of Education draws to a close and the election fast approaches, many have been sharing their fears about Malibu’s lack of representation on the school board. I want to express my views on the two solutions that I hear most often.
The first and least desirable of these options is to lobby for a permanent “Malibu seat” on the current SMMUSD board. While it is tempting to believe that this provides a safeguard, I do not believe that this is the best or correct answer. Currently, the Board has both a moral and a legal obligation to consider the needs of all students when examining policy and implementing educational programs. At least some of the current board members really do try to take Malibu students into account when making decisions. Designating one seat on the board does not create the representation that we deserve when deciding educational priorities. In fact, I think it may have the unintended effect of further diminishing Malibu’s importance in the decision-making of the remaining six “Santa Monica” Board members.
The second and best solution is to push forward with the creation of our own Malibu school district. We must support the efforts of the Malibu Unified School Team (MUST) and sign the petitions that will allow us to examine the feasibility of this reorganization effort. We’ve come a long way as a city and it makes sense for us to forge ahead and allow Malibu residents to make decisions for our students.
Since the creation of our own Malibu school district will take several years, it is in our best interest to hold current board members accountable to Malibu. In Tuesday’s election there are several seats open on the Board of Education. I strongly endorse Jose Escarce and Ben Allen. I’ve worked closely with Jose and I appreciate his intelligence, experience and thoughtfulness. Ben has quickly grasped Malibu issues and has a good understanding of our complex budget. Both candidates will work hard to preserve and improve the quality of education at our schools.
Kathy Wisnicki