Tuesday, June 16, 2009 | The growth of this area will be dependent on the availability of elementary schools. That is why the school board (on which I sit) originally placed a planning and architectural funding placeholder of $20 million in the Proposition S Bond issue.
It was irresponsible for the proponents of the central library to claim “dibbs” on that money to solve their financing problems.
I’d like to have a school in the central library, but not at the cost of doing away with the long range planning for land acquisition and schools within the East Village. We were ahead of the growth curve, and got one dealt to us by eager beavers who are pushing the library costs over to the school district. Good things can happen with adequate long range planning. We do get redevelopment money, but that doesn’t mean the school board should squander it.
John de Beck is a member of the board of education of the San Diego Unified School District.