Statement: “In late 2008, Library Director Deborah Barrow began discussions with San Diego Unified about the concept of building a high school at the new Central Library using $20 million in Prop S funds designated for a new downtown high school,” the San Diego Public Library Foundation, which supports the proposed schoobrary, says on its website.
Determination: Misleading
Analysis: In 2008 voters approved Proposition S, a $2.1 billion bond for renovating, repairing and building San Diego Unified schools. The ballot statement said the district would provide “matching funds to construct classrooms and schools in the downtown area to meet educational needs of the district.”
But the bond didn’t specifically call for a high school, as the library foundation claimed.
Why is this important? Some parents and developers envisioned an elementary school downtown, rather than a high school. Critics of the schoobrary plan have called the change a “bait and switch.”
So claiming that the bond designated money for a downtown high school — as opposed to just a downtown school — is misleading. Charlie Goldberg, the marketing director for the foundation, recognized the problem when we called.
“I probably should change that,” he said. “It’s for downtown schools, but if it specifies a high school or not, I’m not sure. … It should be more general.”
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— EMILY ALPERT