By Editorial

The current SOS (Save Our Staff) campaign in the Los Altos School District shows tremendous commitment and desire by parents to do what Measure A failed to do last month: fund district needs, particularly teachers’ salaries, to maintain the level of educational programs that have made the district one of the strongest in the state.

The goal of $1,300 per child, however, is unrealistic and certainly discouraging to supporters who are falling short of these enormous funding expectations.

District parents alone should not be expected to make up the $4.4 million deficit that seems to be growing by the week.

It’s obvious that the tremendous concern for the immediate future of the school district goes beyond the parent community. For this reason, we call on a communitywide effort to help.

If the 5,318 people who voted yes on Measure A (which came up 1.3 percent short of the needed two-thirds majority) donated the $333 for this year they were willing to pay, the district would be more than $1.7 million richer. If they paid two years’ worth, say $666 upfront, we would pick up more than $3.5 million. Measure A asked for a four-year commitment.

Perhaps it’s wishful thinking and one heck of a big “if,” but if district supporters were willing to put their money where their yes votes are, the district would not have to lay off 38 teachers or close a campus for a year.

Giving the increased parcel tax fees to the district also would present an opportunity for those who planned to vote yes, but never made it to the polls.

Those who voted against Measure A and/or feel the district doesn’t deserve their money will arguably benefit from the largess as well. But not giving to spite them only hurts the kids. Those who simply cannot afford $597 or more should give what they can.

With the school district and its supporters being forced to rip apart the educational program that we supposedly value so much, we don’t think it absurd to ask “yes” voters to do more than stand up and be counted.

Just think - if this community actually made up the deficit, what a story it would be. We don’t mean to imply that we also believe in Santa Claus and the tooth fairy. We’re only asking those who said yes to the parcel tax increase to actually mean it. Time’s a-wasting.

Send checks to the Los Altos School District, 201 Covington Road, Los Altos 94024.