Los Angeles Schools to Seek Sponsors

New York Times ^ | December 15, 2010 | Jennifer Medina

[La Lydia]

LOS ANGELES...Facing another potential round of huge budget cuts, the Los Angeles school board unanimously approved a plan on Tuesday night to allow the district to seek corporate sponsorships as a way to get money to the schools. The district is not the first to look for private dollars...but the Los Angeles school district is by far the largest to do so...The District has cut $1.5 billion from its operating budget, now down to $5.4 billion. As recently as last month, 1,000 more employees lost their jobs in layoffs. ...

“This is really our way to be responsive to that reality; we need to look for other sources of revenue,” said Melissa Infusino, the director of partnerships for the district. “As uncomfortable as it may be for folks, it’s less comfortable to get rid of programs or go through more layoffs.”..

While the district will soon begin enthusiastically pitching the sponsorships, no alcohol, tobacco or firearms can be promoted. No companies that promote high-calorie or high-fat foods will get play, either.

“You’ll never see any Coca-Cola signs sponsoring anything here,” Ms. Infusino said. ...

Josh Golin, the associate director for the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, said that districts had been turning to corporate sponsorships for years with limited success.

“They really have an unrealistic idea of the amount of money they can raise with the kind of restrictions they are talking about,” he said....

[La Lydia]

Politically correct to the last, on the slide to the bottom. These people have never been told that beggars can't be choosers, apparently. California has finally reached the tipping point where the remaining few who are supporting the rest can no longer do so.

[A_Former_Democrat]

And they seek those evil, white male led corporations

LOL . .can’t help it.

[BookmanTheJanitor]

hey...at least they got their $579 million dollar school (rolling eyes/barf/puke/gag)

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

There is some indirect possibilities here. That is, if those corporations sponsoring public schools get a say in the curricula of those schools.

If that is the case, corporations will want to train students to become employees, not politically correct social workers. This means an emphasis on not just the 3 Rs, but on understanding how the business world works.

The very thought of this would make the teachers’ union scream in pain.

[Psycho_Bunny]

The sheer incompetence is utterly stunning.

If news outlets were only allowed to report on government entities that are working correct and well, they'd all go out of business.

[americanophile]

[PrincessB]

You know what? This would be a great opportunity for the AFT or the NEA to “give back” to the community. They could sponsor a school.

[blackdog]

By law, every dollar taken in outside of tax revenues has to be dollar matched in reduced federal funding. So when a district charges student fees or a person or company donate to a public school, it's a direct reduction from their federal funding. A zero sum gain..........

The only exception is if the monies are specificly for something, like a new baketball court floor, or a new saw in the wood shop. It can't be used as general operating revenues or to maintain a facility.

[Navy Patriot]

Eventually, corporations will set up their own private schools, charge an affordable tuition and guarantee a job at a predetermined salary upon graduation.

They certainly won't pay LA schools and union teachers to train proles to sabotage and destroy their business.

[T Minus Four]

[ScottinVA]

Shouldn’t LA County, now essentially a Mexican vassal region, look to their government for help? Why are they asking for American assistance?

[Buckeye McFrog]

LOL! I’m picturing the future Mountain Dew Junior High-School where no Mountain Dew or any other sugared product is allowed to be sold on the property.

[Yaelle]

Stop ALL taxes for schools — get schools completely away from public funds. Have each school run privately and give HUGE tax benefits to school sponsors. You’d save a fortune in gov’t spending, get rid of the teachers’ unions, and have higher quality education in one fell swoop.

[La Lydia]

Mexico is like a cuckoo that lays it eggs in the American nest and our government forces us to provide for and nurture these eggs, to the disadvantage of our own children.

[kittymyrib]

As a TX school teacher of 20 years before retiring, I never received a CA transfer student who was reading on grade level. It’s a mystery what they have been doing with all those billions of dollars, except for providing free breakfasts, lunches and dinners.

[pogo101]

Imagine the possibilities!

Playtex Elementary

Dodgers Middle School

Barely Legal High School

[La Lydia]

How much of the California teachers’ paycheck goes to the union every month?

[ridesthemiles]

Throw all of the illegals out of the state & the budget problems will magically fix themselves!!!!!!

You have so many millions of illegals in Calif that there is no way the none of them are somehow collecting/using taxpayer money while they send their ‘earnings’ back to mexico thru Western Union.

Suspend Western Union & bank transfers & see how fast they all howl!!!!

[Vaduz]

Andu Gump prot-a-potty

[Vaduz]

Wait i take that back the Mexicans would turn them into a condo.