Members Of Facebook Group 'Repairs Not iPads' Hold Rally Challenging LAUSD
CHATSWORTH (CBSLA.com) — The founders of the Facebook group "Repairs Not iPads" Tuesday held a rally to express their outrage at the Los Angeles Unified School District's controversial plan to spend more than a billion dollars on iPads for students.
Community members voiced their frustration towards Superintendent John Deasy at the press conference prior to the 4 p.m. rally at Chatsworth High School
They argued Deasy is ignoring the basic needs of the students while misusing school bond money.
"If a roof a leaking, that's got to be the priority, not buying a new iPad for everyone," educator Matthew Kogan said.
Assembly Bill 1754 was introduced by Assemblyman Curt Hagman, which aims to "protect taxpayer dollars by prohibiting school construction bond funds from being used to purchase non-facility related items with a short usable life, such as iPads."
The "Repairs Not iPads" Facebook page, which was reportedly created by an unidentified LAUSD employee, is a place where community members can post photos and/or share stories about overdue repairs that are being neglected in the school "while Deasy spends billions of construction dollars on iPads," according to the group's "About" section.
Also discussed was what to do with funding provided through the passage of Prop 30.
The state reportedly wants the funding, which is estimated at about $330 million, for the LAUSD alone, to be earmarked for low-income students, English language learners, and foster youth.
"Low income students are the most likely to drop out, least likely to graduate and go on to college," United Way director of education Brian Smith said. "Foster care youth, on average, go to eight different schools before they graduate, if they graduate. These are the students that are most in need, and we have the opportunity to close the achievement gap here in Los Angeles."
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