Stars Stairway Snub Triggers Email Volley Exposing Differences

• Parents’ Letter Answered by Officials

BY SUZANNE GULDIMANN

Tension between the Malibu and Santa Monica halves of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, never far beneath the surface, flared up after a presentation delivered by Linda Gross, the executive director of the SMMUSD’s Education Foundation at the annual Stairway of the Stars concert angered several Malibu parents. Patricia and Eric Gruendemann, parents of two Malibu students, expressed disappointment that the speech and a video presentation did not include references to any Malibu schools.
“We have also been significant financial donors to our schools, although we are by no means wealthy by Malibu standards. But we believe in our schools and our children. And we try to put our time and money where our mouths are when we can,” Patricia Gruendemann wrote in a letter to the Malibu Surfside News. “However, given the speech and video presented by Linda Gross and the Education Foundation, I would never give money or time to SMMUSD or the Education Foundation based on their total disregard of the Malibu community. There was not a single shot of a Malibu show or Malibu student in the Education Foundation presentation, yet again treating us as nonexistent.”
“This was the cherry on top of the other difficulties surrounding Malibu students’ participation in [Stairway of the Stars] (mandatory and grade-dependent for Malibu students, optional for SM students; all rehearsals in SM; Malibu receiving the wrong music for “Joy,” but SM mysteriously having the correct music; SM students hazing Malibu students, etc.)” Gruendemann’s letter continued. “None of these issues alone is a real problem, and believe me when I say I understand the resentments underlying them, but in combination and occurring year after year indicates institutional disregard.
“It angers and saddens me that all our schools are in the same sinking financial boat, and yet Malibu is not only ignored, but, I can only imagine, despised. Why else would SMMUSD and the Education Foundation be so dismissive of people who might help? Gruendemann said.
“I have received emails from three Malibu parents expressing frustration in regards to the Education Foundation and I believe that some of it comes from a lack of information,” Gross responded in an email.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to share how the Education Foundation has benefited our children in Malibu over the years,” Gross wrote. “Over the past 10 years, we have given $130,500 to support our four Malibu libraries. Over the past three years, we have given $16,500 to bring a dance specialist to MHS. Over the past two years, we have given $15,000 to support the drama program at MHS. Over the past two years, we have provided recorders for 3rd graders in all Malibu elementary schools to support their general music program. Over the past 25 years, we have enriched our Malibu classrooms by funding approximately $85,000 in Academic Enrichment Grants to Malibu teachers.”
In her response, Gross explained, “Our ‘For The Arts’ DVD shown at Stairway is a fundraising tool created with the intent to inspire donors. The students’ expressions as they watched it were enthusiastic and engaged. We truly hope that our video encouraged Malibu High School students to be part of the concert this year. Last year, when we asked Malibu High School students to participate in the annual For The Arts Benefit Concert, they turned us down. The musical director for the concert personally called each recommended student to invite him/her to perform. Not one Malibu choral or orchestra student was interested. We wanted Malibu’s involvement and were disappointed that Malibu students chose not to participate. The Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation has always supported all children in our district.” Gross wrote.
Board of Education president Ralph Mechur also signed up to counter the Gruendemann concerns. “I am delighted you have enjoyed the wonderful music program that our district provides but I do find it unfortunate that you have such a visceral response to the Education Foundation video highlighting the For the Arts concerts and programs. While the video certainly could have included Malibu students that it does not does [sic] is not a reflection of the incredible the [sic] Education Foundation does.”
Mechur wrote in his email “prior to being on the Board of Education, I was president of the Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation for five years and can tell you that its mission is to provide additional educational services to all district students. And it does.”
“The Education Foundation also funds teacher grants in all schools in the district and provides through its Bells and Books of Knowledge endowment annual grants to all the school libraries. It is the only fundraising group in the District that funds programs for all of our students,” Mechur continued. “I would hope you would learn more about the Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation and help us all work to provide a superb education for all our students. Neither the district, nor the Foundation favor one school or one student over another. It will take all of us working together in these difficult times to understand the options and make hard decisions that will affect us all. Please work with us in a partner believing in all our children, as does the District and the Education Foundation.”
Malibu High School principal Mark Kelly had criticism not for the foundation but for the students from his own school. “I actually believe that Malibu High has received wonderful support from the Foundation, even when we have not done our part. One way the Foundation funds teacher grants is by having all schools raffle tickets in advance of Stairway. Regrettably, this year Malibu High’s efforts were woeful. Frankly, we did not do our part, and we should have done more. So it saddens me to see the Foundation so negatively targeted.”
“Perception is reality where persuasion is concerned,” Gruendemann responded to Kelly. “Stairway of the Stars is a fundraiser, a persuasive act to part parents from their money. And in regards to some Malibu parents, it failed. Miserably. If we didn’t make our anger known, nothing would change for the next time.
“The letters I have received from [Kelly], Ralph Mechur and Linda Gross are the first time I have seen evidence of Malibu’s directly benefiting from the Education Foundation. Why did it take my and other’s anger to make this known?” Gruendemann wrote.
“So it’s a failure of communication and persuasion. And that’s something that can be rectified. This is an opportunity for Malibu High School, SMMUSD and EF to get the message right next time,” Gruendemann concluded.
The Education Foundation concerns raised by the Gruendemanns and several other Malibu parents appear to some district observers to be the latest sign that conflict between the two parts of the district is once again on the rise. Officers of Santa Monica High School Associated Students spoke out at a recent board of education meeting, demanding that more budget cuts should be made at Malibu High School rather than at Samohi, and unresolved Measure BB improvement plan issues have left some in the Malibu community feeling disenfranchised by a school district that many see as focused primarily on the larger, more populous and centrally located Santa Monica campuses.