Board Votes to Create Equity Task Force

Schools to take closer look at equity
Task force could lead to budget war

By Matt Pommer, The Capital Times
November 1, 2005

The Madison School Board created an "equity" task force Monday, setting the stage for a possible budget war over programs like elementary school strings and foreign language instruction in middle schools.

President Carol Carstensen said the board had been "skirting difficult issues" in budget preparations.

The board has been in favor of equality and directing resources to the neediest population, but "we have not used our power to allocate resources to our neediest children," she said.

The citizens task force was given a March 31 target date for a report, time enough to influence the development of the School Board's 2006-07 budget. Twelve people - three from each high school attendance area - will be named to the task force.

In light of state budget controls, it becomes more difficult to fund program like strings and foreign language in middle school, Carstensen said.

Board member Juan Lopez said the School Board has been "responsive" to organized groups rather than focused on equity. For example, the strings program is important, but he asked, "Is it equitable? No."

Groups may come to the board with a plea for an additional charter school, Lopez noted. That may not be equitable, but the board responds to a political push, he suggested.

Abha Thakkar, a member of the Northside Planning Council and the East Attendance Area PTO Coalition, urged the board to appoint the task force. She said in a "time of prosperity" it is easy to continue programs that help just some of the students in the district.

Helping the pupils from poor families is not just an east side or north side issue, she indicated. "It's a districtwide issue," she said, in urging adoption of the task force.

After the meeting, she told The Capital Times she was pleased by the creation of the task force. But she was most pleased at the lengthy board discussion before the vote.

"They finally fessed up to the issue," she said.

Board member Lawrie Kobza said the equity issue was the reason she ran for the board. "Maybe it's difficult to define equity," she said.

Posted by Lucy Mathiak at November 1, 2005 10:16 AM
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