• The Publisher’s Notebook
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Malibu Schools and Transparency
This week’s arrest of an alleged
child molester at one of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified public
schools has diverted critical attention away
from the issues that took center stage following the dismissal
of the district’s top administrator for special education
services last week. I am still exploring the morass of
information related to this complex and emotionally charged set
of circumstances. It comes replete with its own festering rumor
mill, alleging everything from conflicts of interest, political
power plays, and financial trade-offs to inappropriate personal
relationships. What is most puzzling is the seemingly virtual
dichotomy of perspective between Malibu parents who spoke
up for the special ed program and the Santa Monica parents who
felt short-changed and abused by being required to sign
confidentiality agreements. The apparent rigidness of the
geographical demarcation mitigates against random causality.
What is at work here? Did Malibuites not
have to sign confidentiality agreements? If they did,
didn’t that concern them? Were there no Malibu families
dissatisfied with special education services? Did Malibuites
get disproportionate special ed benefits? Was a reason for
confidentiality agreements in the first place so Santa Monicans
wouldn’t find out about possible favoritism? If
there was favoritism, some people might counter that why should
Malibuites care if they were reaping program benefits?
That’s not only unethical, it’s short-sighted. The
use of deceit and manipulation is double-edged. Santa Monica
children might lose out in one area, but Malibu
children—perhaps the high achievers?—might be
shortchanged in some other area. If everything is kept secret,
who knows?
The superintendent said she accepts
responsibility for the special education blowup, but her
“oodles of work” comment for not wanting to hear
from more parents at the Santa Monica City Council meeting two
weeks ago belies appreciation of the need to publicly talk this
school system crisis through. Parents were asked to sign gag
orders in order to secure services for their children, and they
now want everything about this to be brought out in the open.
If Malibu acquiescence was bought with favoritism, this is a
local issue of importance. Secrecy has no place in a public
policy process. Would the then school board president who
argued on behalf of secret transactions do the same for the
details of homeowner group negotiations, development
agreements, or the provision of municipal services?
Transparency and accountability are critical components of
fairness and equity in government and in life. After the school
district deals with the case of the teacher under arrest, it
has to get back to the special education debacle and make it
right.
