No Pay to Play: A Resolution of the Los Angeles Tenth District PTSA, California Congress of Parents, Teachers and Students, Inc.
WHEREAS the LAUSD Budget Office proposes that Community, Youth, After School and Weekend Community Groups – including but not limited to Girl and Boy Scouts, PTA and other parent and community associations, nonprofit after school supplemental education, recreation and sports programs that have traditionally used LAUSD facilities for free – be charged a fee in the future for such use, and
WHEREAS these groups and programs provide incalculable value to the children of Los Angeles, providing safe and supervised programs that enhance and compliment the educational mission of the school district, and
WHEREAS District staff has demonstrated preference for adult recreation and sports programs that pay a fee over youth programs that traditionally do not because adult programs generate revenue, and
WHEREAS Schools are by statute and by district policy Centers of the Community they serve, all School District property is public property, and the public is entitled to the use of its property whenever possible, now
THEREFORE THE LOS ANGELES TENTH DISTRICT PTSA RESOLVES
1. That we are OPPOSED to charging any bona-fide nonprofit community, parent or youth group that serves the public good for use of School District property where such use has been free in the past.
2. That the Board of Education direct that Youth After School and Recreation Programs be given precedence over adult groups in scheduling and access to LAUSD property without consideration to whether the adult programs generate revenue — the value of these programs to the schoolchildren served and the greater community far exceeds any revenue generated or lost.
3. That the School District actively partner with other public agencies and philanthropic organizations to find and secure funding streams to defray its costs in providing after school educational and recreational access and use of the public property it holds in trust.
4. That this resolution be delivered to the LAUSD Board of Education, circulated to the units and councils of Los Angeles Tenth District PTSA and forwarded to Thirty-first District PTSA for their consideration
Motion made by Scott Folsom, Vice President for Education, as a recommendation of the Education Committee/No second required
Voted upon and adopted by the Executive Board at a regular meeting April 20, 2005
/s/ Marta Lear, President and Chair of the Executive Board
/s/ Martha Wenkel. Secretary
