Getting Involved In Education Isn't Just a Task for the Parents
Last week I went to my first Neighborhood Council meeting. In a surprise to me, no one bit my head off, cursed me, or drove me away.
I have heard countless horror stories about Neighborhood Councils, not just in Downtown but also throughout the city of Los Angeles. Yet last week's Education Committee meeting injected me with a jolt of energy in my quest to find a school solution for my growing kids.
In the past couple of weeks I have noticed that I am no longer a mom to “Babies.” I am now: Susana – mother of two “Kids”. Isabella just turned four and Eliza is three. I feel the pressure mounting to find a school for them to attend while remaining residents of downtown. The never ending tick-tock in my head and ringing in my ears drove me to find the courage and attend last week's meeting.
Danielle Duran, the Chairperson of the DLANC Education Committee, announced that this was an outreach meeting to residents with children in downtown L.A. I was the only parent there, which was good for me because I’m a talker and I didn’t have to share the floor but unfortunate for parents because the meeting was very productive. We all know that there has always been an population of children in downtown but do we really know the hardships that they are forced to face?
The resonant message last night was how do you balance the growing population of middle class parents and the educational needs of their children with the existing demographic of children that live in temporary housing and the missions, and are classified as Homeless.
I have posted information about the current school options for downtown residents and it is clear that they are overwhelmingly under-performing schools. That does not mean that they cannot be improved with the early involvement of parents -- that includes those of you that have children as young as 18 months old -- but how do we solve the problems that 9th Street Elementary has to endure? The school serves serve temporary students that are relocated to low-income housing, families that are homeless “temporarily”, families that only speak Spanish and survive at the federal poverty level -- these are real issues that need to be addressed and tackled with tenacity and influence.
My children are growing older every day and part of the reason I decided to join blogdowntown is selfish: I want my kids to have a better education than I did.
There’s no sugar coating my motives for a better school in downtown L.A. The amazing thing is that I have met members of the “invisible” population in our neighborhood: the children of parents that don’t speak English and cannot communicate with local politicos or even be informed of DLANC meetings. They have reminded me of my childhood. My parents only spoke Spanish, were too poor to send me to after-school activities, were too paranoid or uninformed to allow me to go to the library- and yet I still yearned for a better school, for more books and greater opportunities.
Not everyone is a parent or wants to be a parent- it is a choice and a luxury. The undeniable is that the demographic of downtown L.A. is changing drastically and it needs the support of local residents, council members, school board members, and anyone willing to volunteer to help another child better their educational possibilities.
This column is an outreach effort. We need people to come forward and be informed, to help others understand the needs of residents and attain the goal of improving a human being's life. Cut it any way you want, my child or the child living at the Union Rescue Mission, they both need to stop being the “invisible” residents of downtown L.A. and be considered in the future plans of the city.
Join the next DLANC education meeting on March 1st (location TBA, but keep your eye on the committee's web page). Whether you are a parent, volunteer or someone rich in resource and/or influence- we need your help.
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The Dude on February 20, 2009, at 04:12PM – #1
Keep up the great work and please continue to post your adventures! Your passion is admirable, and your tenacity is inspiring. These children need a voice, and I am so glad you are there for them to make sure they are heard at the table!
George Saunders on February 20, 2009, at 06:22PM – #2
Don't let test scores be the only gauge of how school's perform. Yes, 9th Street Elementary is low performing, but before you rule it out, go visit the school. Visit the classrooms and see what's happening. Try the school out, enroll your kids there and see how it goes. Your commitment is obviously there and these schools need more parents like you. If it doesn't work out enroll them somewhere else....
nanorich on February 20, 2009, at 08:38PM – #3
Susan,
Excuse me, but shouldn't you have researched how good the schools were down here before you moved into your expensive trendy loft?
You might have a cause of action against your broker for not disclosing the situation down here....or else you could have done the due diligence the rest of us did when we had small children by buying in areas which were family friendly and had decent schools.
nanorich on February 20, 2009, at 09:02PM – #4
And another thing, lest I be accused of piling it on,
let me remind people that we are on the verge of the worst financial crisis since the depression. In case you might have missed it, both our state and cities are in a huge financial trouble, and there is no money to spare going into the schools. As a matter of fact, budgets are cut beyond the bone to our schools. This is a huge tragedy. The State budget crisis last week seems have been missed by this columnist.
If one were to LISTEN to the teachers who actually are spending time in the trenches tending to the most challenging underfunded schools in the inner city, these people already spend money for class room supplies....and could use a hand from helpful volunteers, as well as donations.
They do not need to be told they are not tending to the needs of middle class children by someone who who has already said her agenda is totally selfish. And for all your claims to support homeless kids, I am not convinced you have any understanding of what is going on down here.
I am astonished at the sense of entitlement expressed in these columns, especially when there are children and people facing real survival issues...in an era of diminishing public resources.
I am really sorry you didn't think of your children before you moved down here, but do we all have to suffer from this endless whining straight out of Marie Antoinette?
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on February 20, 2009, at 11:10PM – #5
Nanorich: Is your argument that if Downtown's schools are bad, we should simply leave them be and say that this neighborhood is always to be the exclusive domain of those without children? I think that would be a terrible fate for Downtown.
This is our neighborhood. Let's work to make all aspects of it better.
Bert Green on February 21, 2009, at 01:44AM – #6
The worst thing all of have had to face when we involve ourselves in downtown's various issues are the attitudes of people like "nanorich." While attacking others for being "selfish," all they have to offer is abandonment and disdain for people who are trying to better their communities. All while using phony names to say things they would not have the guts to say to our faces.
I've been battling this type of defeatism for years. I was originally told that I was crazy to move to 5th & Main, that the neighborhood would never improve, that drugs and crime were in the DNA of downtown LA. Wrong.
Then I was told that we would never be able to attract anyone downtown for any reason other than to buy drugs to to go slumming. Wrong.
Now we are being told that the weakness in the housing market is proof that downtown is doomed, and that only the poor need inhabit our center city. That it is only a matter of time before Skid Row restores itself throughout the Historic Core. Wrong.
Susana, good for you for trying to make a difference in your community. Keep it up, you will prevail. The selfish one here is "nanorich." Saying things like: "Expensive trendy loft?" — what the hell does that mean? or: "...you could have done the due diligence the rest of us did when we had small children by buying in areas which were family friendly and had decent schools." Sounds like a fearful individual to me, someone with no real knowledge of what goes on here. Someone who needs to blend in with a crowd of like-minded people. Terrified of people different than themselves.
Not everyone is cut out to be on the forefront of creating something new out of the discards of a past society that abandoned downtown because of a fear of urban life. And that's OK. But in doing so it makes us a target of an extreme form of hatred from people like this "nanorich", who while accusing you of entitlement, are just examples of the entitled suburbanite, living in fear.
Karin Liljegren on February 21, 2009, at 08:47PM – #7
Go Susana Go!
Li on February 24, 2009, at 11:46AM – #8
Susana, fantastic column! And Bert, your comment was amazing too.
Susana grew up in Boyle Heights, people. She has lived it on the ground. She knows from a personal perspective what it's like to go to bad schools. She is the farthest thing from entitled. That's just a tired epithet hurled by someone with a narrow mind and no imagination.
Jasmijn on February 25, 2009, at 05:17PM – #9
Go, Susana! Hear ye, Bert! I absolutely agree with both of you: this is our home, as well as the home of others, and let's improve it so we all benefit. I don't see anything wrong with that.
The truly selfish response to the situation is "it's not good enough for me so I'm not going to even get involved." There is nothing selfish about trying to make things better for everyone's children. And just because someone lives downtown, with or without children, does that automatically mean they live in an "expensive trendy loft"? Surely not. And even if they do: so what?
Those who chose to move downtown and improve it, rather than "practicing due diligence" and self-righteously avoiding it, are to be lauded and supported, not sneered at. Let us not be mean of heart.
Ashley Zarella on February 25, 2009, at 06:09PM – #10
Let's not forget that the Outreach Meeting hosted by the Education Committee was a great beginning to engaging the community, to learn more about our opinions, concerns and benefits about downtown schools and other educational opportunities. No matter how you feel about the quality of schools downtown, the Neighborhood Council seeks to engage the community it represents - whether you live, work or own a business downtown - and will advocate on the behalf of our community. Please continue to participate and reach out to those students, parents, teachers, people looking for more job training, etc. and encourage them to do so as well. The greater the participation, the greater the potential for improvement and success. Thank you for covering this noteworthy event!
David Coffin on February 26, 2009, at 10:03PM – #11
>> The resonant message last night was how do you balance the growing population of middle class parents and the educational needs of their children with the existing demographic of children that live in temporary housing and the missions, and are classified as Homeless.
Worse yet... how do you meet the educational needs of your child in a district of 700,000 children spread out over 400 square miles?
The LAUSD is an incredibly dysfunctional school district and much of that is due to the unique needs of the various geographical areas and the inability of the district to meet those needs AS WELL as the self-centered interests of the districts employee unions that take precedence over your child's needs.
It matters not where you live in Los Angeles in my opinion. Living in downtown however adds another layer of hurdles to achieving the academic needs of your child. Try teaching them to ride a bike up South Broadway when they are 6 years old in a district that is filled daily with office workers, indigents and few other kids.
One problem with city government (mayor, city councilmembers, city staff, etc.) is that few of them live the life of parents themselves so you won't find any solace in any of their solutions. They are simply detached from your needs and expections.
Bert Green on February 27, 2009, at 12:25AM – #12
LAUSD is dysfunctional not because of bureaucracy or size, but as a result of parent non-involvement. Government responds to pressure. Go to the school meetings. Demand accountability. Demand improvement. As it is now, parents are not doing this in large enough numbers to make a difference. In district that perform, the parents are heavily involved.
Sounds like that's what Susana wants to do. Good for her.
David Kennedy on February 27, 2009, at 02:29PM – #13
Blaming the dysfunction of LA Unified upon the non-involvement of parents strikes me as unfair; akin to blaming the victims. What exactly constitutes adequate parental involvement? A case could be made that vocal minorities drive dysfunctional policies. Indeed, the educational establishment has been enthralled by the latest policy paneceas for decades. Moreover, laying the blame for the failings of LA Unified is the basis for good public policy. ("We'd do a good job, but the parents don't care. So it doesn't matter if we don't do a good job.")
Citizens and taxpayers would like to think their tax dollars are being used effectively. I take it for granted various other infrastructure of the city runs effectively, like water and power, without a significant investment of my personal time to make sure they are getting it right. Decent educational opportunities are a wise investment for a democratic society.
Yes, parental involvement is very important. But, it is only part of the puzzle in getting public education right.
Pearl Garcia on March 26, 2009, at 03:00PM – #14
Keep up the good work Susana.... Your girls will thank you when they get older, for having a mom who cared for their education...