Tracy Press

Schools stretch dollars in tight times.

Money — or the lack of it — seems to be the theme of most local school discussions these days. California’s budget crisis has trickled down to the school districts, which rely on the state for most of their revenues. This week, Tracy Unified’s board of trustees adopted $3.4 million in budget reductions for 2008-09, with fingers crossed that the state won’t ask for another $2.1 million at the end of May.

While the cuts call for no teacher layoffs, they eliminate several nonteaching positions that will be noticed. A few of the other cuts, though, seem reasonable, even without the state requirement, such as the $6,000 for graduation tents (this year, for the first time, both high schools will have morning ceremonies) and $20,000 for eighth-grade promotions (the ceremonies will now be at the individual schools, not at Tracy High, eliminating transportation and setup costs).

Meanwhile, in another money issue, the school district has allocated funds from the 2006 Measure E bond to tear down old buildings and build new ones on the Tracy High School campus. Something missing from the bond’s project list, to the consternation of a group of teachers, students and parents, is renovation of the school’s physical education and sports facilities.

The locker rooms and showers are, indeed, dilapidated. The walls have holes, the showers are rusty, fixtures are missing, paint is peeling, wires are exposed, plaster is crumbling and the lockers are a shambles. If you were to ask almost any THS graduate, you’d hear it’s been this way for years.

Oscar Gutierrez, a volunteer football coach and Tracy High parent, first spoke to the TUSD board about the mess, saying, “This is not a place we should send our kids to,” back in November 2005. After that, he worked to help pass the bond, hoping that would bring in money to make the fixes he’d addressed.

But 2½ years later, he and a dozen others returned with the same message for the board: Where’s the money to make the athletic facilities safe and usable?

The answer appears to be multifaceted. Past bond measures that might have addressed those problems — one that would have torn down Tracy High and rebuilt elsewhere — failed in 2000 and 2002. Budget woes have prevailed over the years, and so has competition for school repair money. Finally, while the district has allocated funds every year on the worn-out athletic facilities, it has deferred most of it while it works out a partnership with the city to use redevelopment money to build a new gymnasium at Tracy High.

But the new gym is the undetermined future, and the holes and rust are the present, complete with unhappy community members. So the district has come up with a proposal to use $1.2 million in district maintenance funds to make repairs in the gyms and locker rooms, starting this month, and the board will likely approve it Tuesday.

We think the district has done a good job in stretching its limited resources, and we’re happy to see the recent response to the severe issues at Tracy High. We want our schools to be healthy and safe places, from the classrooms all the way to the locker rooms. And going forward, we need to stay vigilant so that they remain that way.

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written by Steve Reshakis , May 10, 2008

My friend Just got laid off from the School district with over 20 Years...No Severence...not a cent! but the Administrators will get fat retirement checks and Severence pay.

The school System is Corrupt and Top Heavy.

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written by commentator , May 11, 2008

How many gyms can be remodeled with the money that could be trickled down but is now spent on a war no one wants?

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written by MikeM , May 12, 2008

Firing of teachers, nurses, and librarians are happening in the thousands up and down California State thanks to Governor Schwarzenegger's cutting off funds for schools. In some rural areas they don't eve have a school nurse on site to help any kids who get hurt or have medical conditions! School programs like art and music are being cut and kindergarden class sizes are increasing. The Caifornia Teachers Association has been advertising on CBS news radio to ask the general public to contact Governor Schwarzenegger's office to stop cutting the budget on our schools. If Governor Schwarzenegger is so concerned about the "infrastructure" and "future" of California, he should not take it out or kids. After all the chldren are our "infrastrucure" who grow up to be our "future" investments. If we as concerned citizens such as Mr.Rashikis want reduction in teenage delinquencies, gang activities, and drugs we need our children to have a higher quality education with smaller class sizes and more progams offered at our schools. Furthermore, the teacher's saleries should be higher with full compensation. If we don't we will keep having the same vicious cycle that we've been running on, oversized classes, overwhelmed teachers with fewer resources, discouraged teachers and parents blaming each other while sudents are getting ivolved in criminal and gang activities. In the meantime, the administrators and bureaucrats are being compensated with higher salaries, and the jail system and juvenile detention systems aregetting overcrowded with teens and adults who did not get the resources from the education system. Furthermore, there are not enough jobs in the region that provides employment for people who want to work at a job with a "living wage" that can support individuals! Let's support the California Teachers Association and call Governor Schwarzenegger's office to stop the budget cuts on schools and teachers!

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written by Skinner , May 13, 2008

The parent, not the state, is responsible for a child's education. Privatize. Perhaps privatization might discourage some people who pay little toward education from having 5 or more children. Marx cited state-mandated education as a primary for communism.

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written by MikeM , May 14, 2008

Dear Skinner,

The privatization of schools have already begun if you haven't noticed. School lunches have been privatized and we already have seen that the companies that provide food only have profit in mind and not the health conditions of the kids. They serve frozen junk food to our children and provide lots of junk food, candy and sodas that are hurting the kids. Standardized testing have also been privatized and it's hurting the students abilities to write essays. Privatized college bundled textbooks that have CDS and lots of extras that cost an arm and a leg is also hurting students pay ooutrageous sums of money for books. Privatized college financing and privatized college education is hurting students because they owe tons of money and pay tons of interest fees. I think we have all seen the results of privatization and the only ones benefiting are the companies that are paying their executives and shareholders. Are you also implying that Thomas Jefferson was a "Marxist" because he established the University of Virginia as a "free college for all" because he believed that education should be available to "all". If you studied your history, it wasn't until Ronald Reagan was the governor of California that the univerities started charging fees for education. Does this mean that we have been living in a "Marxist" country all along? What's so Marxist about "life liberty and the pursuit of happiness" and the definition of schools as our "commons" defined by our founding fathers. Before you throw out some ridiculous assertions that we live in a country founded by communism go do some research about "privatization", "US history" and the defitnition of our "commmons" as founded by our founding fathers!

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written by Skinner , May 14, 2008

MikeM, The health (diet) of your child is your responsibility. Why are your children purchasing candy and soda? Also, the right to an education ought to be earned. We have too many people who are having too many children who expect the state (along with Hollywood) to manage every aspect of their lives. So what are you saying about the American character when you accuse our companies of caring about profit only? Also, your history is a reflection of your political ideology.

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written by MikeM , May 14, 2008

Well, let's take a look 1) For profit corporations are businesses that operate on profit in to serve their executives and shareholders to make a profit to run their business. If they were operating on benevolance and kindness we would get their products and services for free! So that's just a fact! 2) I can agree on that parents and school should educate kids, and kids should make good choices not to eat junk food. However, an institution like a school that is payed for by our taxes should not be made into a market for private corporations using our tax money. If we care about our children enough, we will teach our children and also make sure that the insitution that our children is attending with our taxes should be free of junk food. 3) It sounds like you are concerned with overpopulation and abuse of social services by large families. A private corporation will nor be able to control overpopulation and correct abuse of social services. In fact corporations like overpopulation because they will have more consumers consuming their products. 4) History is not a political ideology. Have you ever looked up what "commons" are in US history? Do you know what that is? Do you know about Thomas Jefferson and how he founded the "University of Virginia" to provide free education for all? These are actual historical foundations of this country of "American Character" 5) For profit corporations are not "individuals" they are entities that make "profit" that serve their executives and shareholders if not they would go bankrupt. There is no "Character" in an economic system!

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written by Michelle Micheals , May 14, 2008

If we as concerned citizens such as Mr.Rashikis want reduction in teenage delinquencies, gang activities, and drugs we need our children to have a higher quality education with smaller class sizes and more progams offered at our schools

If you trully believe that it is up to your childs teachers to keep them away from drugs, gangs, bullies, then theres a HUGE possiblity that you and those who think like you are part of that problem. Prevention to having your child get into any of those things starts and ends at home. If you are there for your child, take responsiblity for their actions, and interact with your childs school then those issues have a lower possiblity of occuring. If on the other hand you leave the house at 5am before your child is up and dont return until well after your child has had the chance to meet and hang with the "wrong people" that is NOT the teachers fault. If your childs school notices your child going down the wrong path and contacts you and then you agree an say ohh not my kid and believe only that which your child tells you then your in denial. Take a step into a teachers world, 1-5th graders acting like 6-8th graders who act like they are high schoolers who act like the world should revolve around them from 7am-3pm or later and see how much teaching lessons, and anti drugs gangs etc you get done. SUPPORT THE TEACHERS AND SCHOOL STAFF

insitution that our children is attending with our taxes should be free of junk food.
Oviously you havent been around a school in TUSD lately. While it may not look like the healthist EVERY food served during the school day now has to pass a nutritionist level. if a food has too high a fat/sugar count they are not allowed to serve it. Next year forget about sodas or juice being at school it will be just water. But youd be surprised at how many "concerned" parents daily bring fast food to the schools for their child because they dont like the healthier choices...

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written by Skinner , May 15, 2008

MikeM, I am concerned about an environment that would best assist and nurture a child in the actualization of his intellectual potential; however, I am wary of a monolithic school system which thinks it ought to provide instruction in every conceivable life situation to its students. (I am also wary of a country that tacitly condones criminality.) I think the role of state education ought to re-thought. Who says a state has to assume the education of a child at age five or younger? Why not start the education of a child at the third grade rather than at kindergarten? Obama wants to implement his Zero-to-Five plan, which means our government would need more money for those who are disadvantaged and/or irresponsible. When do we stop the cycle of dereliction rather than keep on assuming a greater responsibility for the education of children who should not be brought into this world to begin with. (Oh, blasphemy!) I guess, as individuals, we are powerless to reconstitute our addictive psycho-pathological minds, because we are sheep to the corporations. Finally, I did not say this country was founded on communism. Perhaps you were just projecting your political (or metaphysical) bias on my statements.

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written by MikeM , May 15, 2008

Sure, we don't have to let the state control everything but at the same token letting for profit corporations take control of our "commons" to take over sevices because the primary objective of a corporation is to make "profit" for it's executives and shareholders and not to provide what is in the best interest of citizens. I know that your main concern is overpopulation and the cost of the burden of overpopulation on the tax payer but this will not be achieved by corporations running our government. As I noted earlier overpopulation is in the corporations best inerest in creating hyperconsumption, cheap labor, and record soaring profits from more consumers which is ironic because it goes against your opinion of overpopulation and the burden of cost that comes with it. Sure we have a population problem but this can be achieved by empowering women in society.sties have shown that in countries and cultures where women are empowered in society have fewer population growth than those cultures where women are not empowered. (Oh blasphemy!) I totally agree that it is useless for Obamas plan as long as we are shipping jobs to China and third world countries and enslaving people while the average American worker is getting screwed with low wages and unemployment. I do agree with you that us the average citizens should bear the tax burden of the poor. But in order for the people to get off of welfare and the system we need the jobs back from the sweatshops from China and thirdworld countries and we need those who are making out like bandits with their "welfares" like "subsidies","government research projects", tax loop holes like "offshore bank accounts", and "15% capital gains tax", Free Trade agreements where they don't have to pay tariffs. Adding all these "welfares" up adds immensely more than the tax money going to the poor with big families.

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written by Steve Reshakis , May 15, 2008

our children to have a higher quality education with smaller class sizes and more progams offered at our schools
A Judge in a Texas Town Ordered the City to fund the Public School with exactly this and every other thing the leftists wanted...the result...High Crime and violence, and failing grades....Nothing Changed.
and for..Michelle Micheals , May 14, 2008
If we as concerned citizens such as Mr.Rashikis want reduction in teenage delinquencies, gang activities, and drugs where did you get that from my above comments? I never said that at the top of this Blog?? MIchelle try to pay attention to what is being said, this just exposes you for the poor attention span you have.

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written by Commentator , May 16, 2008

Dear SteveRashikis,
It is so easy to fall in the trap of thinking that all "Right" is "Good" (like Hitler's Germany) and all "Left" is "Good" (like Stalin's USSR). When in reality in the US, the "Right" and the "Left" have had their successes and failures. Failing to understand this helps one to be brainwashed and manipulated by either the "Right" or "Left". With that being said, it is also important for an individual to learn about how "micro" and "macro" level economic, social, cultural, psychological factors that contribute to "High Crime and violence" and "failing grades". If our social problems and educational problems could be mereley attributed to "political affiliation" and that the "Right" is "Good" and the "Left" is "Bad" then we wouldn't need universities and university professors teaching "economics", "sociology" ,"psychology","cultural anthropology". All we would need is a small book like Hitler's "mein kampf" to explain that "Right" is all we need to know or Marx's "communist manifesto" to explain that "Left" is all we need to know and explain everything. Furthermore, we would need to get rid of all "individuals" in the teaching profession because those "individuals" could destroy our "Right" or "Left" political purpose. This is exactly what Hitler and Stalin accomplished to do during their tyranny!

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written by Skinner , May 16, 2008

MikeM, it seems our approach to education in some areas in America is similar to our approach to graffiti along 99 near Stockton: We come to work on Monday prepared to paint-over the same wall we have been painting-over for years and years and years. I do appreciate your comments and I am in more agreement with you about our corporations than I have suggested. Thank you.

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written by MikeM , May 16, 2008

Dear Skinner,

Likewise, I appreciate your comments! Thank You! Let's go explore the world!