Accountability First: Why I Am Voting NO on Measure H
As a parent of multiple children who started at Havens Elementary and are now attending Piedmont Middle and Piedmont High, I am voting a firm NO on Measure H.
If you read the letters of support in the Piedmont Exedra and Piedmont Post, you will notice a glaring trend: all the praise is heaped on the elementary level. Where are the specific academic success stories from PMS or PHS families? They are non-existent. Instead, voters are being fed warm-and-fuzzy fluff pieces designed to bypass critical thinking.
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Fluff Pieces With No Personal Examples How The Funds Help:
Piedmont Exedra: Supports the Measure because “our own children have benefited from an exceptional education in Piedmont”.
Rebuttal: No support to the statement
Hazel Schaeffer (PHS): “Our move to Piedmont wasn’t just about finding friends and a sense of community; it was also about the exceptional education offered by the public schools. I have had amazing teachers every year, and I feel fortunate for the classes and resources available to us.”
Rebuttal: No examples of personal educational based support to the statement
Jai Ramakrishnan (PHS): “To the Piedmont community, whether you have a child in PUSD or you don’t, losing funding would be tragic. It would hinder the incredible community I was raised in, our resources, and our educators. Without Measure H, we’d lose about 20% of our funding. Without that integral funding, kids may not experience the magic of book fairs, the number of school sports we offer, and those little things that tie our community together.”
Rebuttal: Funding does not pay for the book fairs and school sports programs
Olivia Stevens (PHS): “In my 10 years as a student in the district, Piedmont schools have provided a challenging academic environment, coupled with a strong support system surrounding students with many resources and opportunities. Outside of the classroom, the schools reflect pride and spirit in the community through Friday night football games, musicals, concerts, and other events that bring students, families, and residents together. Combined, these experiences help build a lasting sense of connection that defines Piedmont. The passing of measure H is crucial to the continuation of academic challenges and community experiences that students have come to appreciate. These opportunities not only support student learning, but also help foster the sense of connection and pride that defines Piedmont schools. To continue supporting positive student experiences like mine, please consider voting yes on Measure H.”
Rebuttal: No examples of personal educational based support to the statement. In addition, not passing Measure H does not cause the cancellation of football games, musicals, etc .
Laura Maestrelli and Dustin Frazier (Parents): “The remarkable thing about this school district is that wonderful teachers like Mrs. Thomas are the norm, not the exception. But that doesn’t happen by chance. Piedmont attracts excellent teachers because they know that their class sizes will be smaller and their students will have access to enriching “specials” like art and drama and library. They know that their students will be supported not just academically but also socially and emotionally by school counselors. They know that their classrooms will be well-supplied with up-to-date educational materials and supplies. In short, they know that this community truly values public education – and that we are willing to step up and pay for it.”
Rebuttal: Support based on elementary school experience. A teacher’s number one priority is pay and benefits — how do I pay the bills mentality — and after that class sizes and material resources.
Andson Zhou (PHS): “When we invest in our schools and allow them to become true community spaces—which requires adequate funding—students in Piedmont will continue to find elevated educational opportunities and facilities. By paying a parcel tax, we make our schools stronger and with that the property values also increase. Please vote yes on Measure H.”
Rebuttal: No examples of personal educational based support to the statement
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On the ground, the reality at the secondary level is vastly different. Middle and high school parents are constantly grumbling about ineffective teachers and a systemic lack of accountability from administrators and the School Board. Passing Measure H signals to the District that this poor performance is acceptable.
I urge elementary parents to be proactive: vote NO now. Your children will be at PMS and PHS soon enough, and you will inherit the exact same frustrations we are dealing with today.
If our children’s academic needs are not being met, we must stop funneling money into a broken system. Voting NO is the only lever we have left to force a reckoning and demand real accountability.