The Cardinal Envelope
Dr. Haley discussed during the August 27, 2020 Board Meeting why they lacked a plan to get students back on campus. It was not for want, but because there is no point in having a plan that is meaningless when local control has been stripped away from the School Districts. Emphasizing the fact that schools, along with the rest of us, are at the mercy of the Governor and his health officials.
This discussion triggered questions in other aspects of the district, why the ability to be honest about the vulnerabilities in your planning and decision making as a School Leader, yet still no transparency over the Privatized Business running on the Torrey Pines High School Campus. This too can't be the fault of the Governor. Surely, you still have some control in your District as Superintendent?
He showed control, when recently deciding to spend over $5M on Chromebooks, for what amounts to one for every student in the District. There was no real rationale to this expenditure mind you.
If the District does not need to leverage the School Foundations for such a technology investment to Support ALL Students, then why all the secrecy when questions about the flow of funds between the District and the TPHSF; an entity making millions of dollars off the backs of families in the name of the public high school.
Even today, when students are not allowed to attend high school, enjoy personal social engagements, meet teachers and friends, the FOUNDATION IS THERE.
Even when families, may not have the financial means they once had the FOUNDATION IS THERE.
Even as Students (new and returning) glimpse a closed campus, entering a drive-thru to pick up their books and new schedules for what no doubt will be one of the worst semesters in high school history, the FOUNDATION IS THERE with their hand out for their obligatory tithe.
What are they doing with the money?
We would like to remind our readers that the intent of the Torrey Pines High School Foundation is to serve the STUDENTS of Torrey Pines High School.
TPHSF is not charted to provide jobs to adults, run expensive travel club teams, buy expensive, fancy coaches' uniforms or so adults can pay to be part of an exclusive "club" to exert and leverage influence in the public school setting.
FACT
School employees are paid directly by the Foundation.
Teachers and Coaches are being paid directly by the Foundation - it took 536 days to answer if coaches are being paid by the Foundation - now where is all the data?
Equity is lacking between district schools
No Certificated Teachers in the Classroom
Fundraising goes to paying adults over students being able to participate. Public Records Show Behavior
FACT Coaches bought expensive gear with donated funds. Kids can't be on campus and adults get gear? Charge kids $450 to use their Public High School Weight-room over the summer, really could not have used Travis Mathew gear money from raised funds to provide workout access at a substantially reduced fee? Only 54% of football families contribute funds; clearly they either don't value the program or honestly can't afford to pay for the public school programs they are already guaranteed through taxes and excessive Mello-Roos Fees Levied in SDUHSD.
FACT
Parents are donating and/or paying for sports, music, camps, clinics, etc. on average more than $2,000,000 per year to the TPHSF. On average less than $205,000 is used to directly benefit all Students of the Public High School.
YES, you are reading correctly -- $2M raised in the name of the school $200,000 given to the school on average year over year.
FACT
TPHSF only donated $285,531 last year for Student Programs but raised $1.9M.
FACT
The Foundation won an award for transparency...
yet they are not transparent and the school District enforces nothing.
What are the SDUHSD and TPHSF hiding? Why won't they show how they spend the money they solicit from families in the SDUHSD? Here are some facts we were able to get through public records, why not just be open, why all the secrets?
FACT
The TPHSF is a closed society. To volunteer to be on the “Foundation Board” you have to demonstrate commitment by making a substantial personal financial annual gift to the Education Fund. (Pay to Play?)
Foundation Meetings are not open to the public.
Principal Coppo participates in the closed Foundation Meetings.
Which Club Level is considered "Substantial"? Which amount gives "special" access to public school officials?
FACT
The Foundation Board has full access to the Torrey Pines High School principal, school administration and school board as they all "party" at private donor residences.
FACT
Running athletics through a private foundation is discriminatory, violates CIF rules and has created Title IX Violations.
No equality in LAX for sure -- with lack of transparency there is lack of accountability.
District Finance and ASB Public Records
FACT
Foundation will not share any information about who they pay for services.
According to District records the Foundation only provided support totaling $421,241.83 FY2019. But the Foundation spent $626,552 in personnel costs and $1,599,677 on vendors.
In this current time, why does the Torrey Pines High School and the San Dieguito Union High School District continue to allow these discriminatory practices?
Where is the Cardinal Envelope Money going?
ACT NOW:
Encourage all to learn the true story of Roslyn School District. If you like, based on true event movies, “Bad Education” is a good place to start. Please remember public schools are for Students not Adults.
Reflect on our behavior. We do at WD, this is why we continue to seek Facts from our Public Institutions.
Vote in November, we need a board that cares about Students not special interests.
AND
SDUHSD Leadership needs to hold the Foundations accountable and publish where all donated funds are spent including the “vendors” who are supposedly supplying the goods and services to benefit the students.
OR
Shut down this shameless excuse for supporting ALL students.
Additional References:
Booster clubs and parent organizations are formed by parents, community members, and staff members to support school activities (e.g. music groups, athletic teams, debate teams).
A booster club or parent organization may never discriminate against students on the basis of a family’s membership in, contributions to, or fundraising for the booster club or parent organization, or the family’s time spent on booster club or parent organization activities.
When a booster club or parent organization donates or raises funds for a school site, ASB or the district, it should state the specific purpose for which the funds are being donated on all applicable literature. • Once funds are donated and accepted by the district, the funds are the property of the district and may not be returned to the parent organization or booster club.
Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972.
This federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender for institutions receiving federal funding. The extent to which this piece of legislation is used in regard to fundraisers and fundraising activities is looking at the disparate benefits that may result in gender inequity and discrimination. Title IX requires that schools must ensure that equivalent benefits and services be provided to members of both sexes: Where booster clubs provide benefits and services that assist only teams of one sex, the school shall ensure that teams of the other sex receive equivalent benefits and services. If booster clubs provide benefits and services to athletes of one sex that are greater than what the institution is capable of providing to athletes of the other sex, then the school shall take action to ensure that benefits and services are equivalent for both sexes. (Office of Civil Rights)