Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/15938
er at the Science and Technology School. “You can plan cross-curricular lessons and projects and teachers talk to each oth- er about the kids. It does cost a little bit more; I know all of our small schools have not been successful.” Ramon Orozco, a math teacher at LEADS, says a small school environment al- lows him to offer students individual atten- tion. “I’ve seen it make a difference,” he says. “If we revert back to the way it was before, we will lose the progress we have made.” Waller, whose school has the most challenging population, disagrees. “I would have used the money differ- ently,” he says. “I would have spent it on kids’ health and things like glasses or fix- ing their teeth. I would have used it to em- ploy kids for jobs that would give them skills — or at least a work ethic. I would have used it for more vocational training for the 75 percent of our students not get- ting a college degree. And if I did spend it on small schools, I would have set up an ongoing revenue stream.” “Foundations are trying to coerce behavior because they want to see change. And schools are desperate and see it as a life preserver thrown at them. But it might be a life preserver with smallpox all over it.” Tom Waller, San Diego Education Association SEPTEMBER 2010 | www.cta.org 17