12-year board veteran seeking another term
Brophy says unification local district decision
Auburn resident Don Brophy, 76, was set to finally retire from education this year. But after more than 40 years within the scholastic community, Brophy decided another four wouldn’t hurt. A retired Sierra College Dean, Brophy is one of eight candidates running for four spots on the Placer County Office of Education Board of Trustees. He and challenger Pam Robie Hart will compete to represent Area 4, which includes Auburn and upper Placer County. “I guess my personality is to do my very best to make a difference in our community,” Brophy said. “I believe through education we’re going to better the lives of people.” Brophy listed several reasons as to why he is seeking another term including being an ear and voice for the public concerning education budget issues. He said he also wants to further promote vocational education. One of the main issues of this year’s board campaign is the discussion of unifying the county’s school districts. Brophy said he believes it is not the county board’s place to take a stance. Instead, he said he believes local school districts should make that decision. “If the issue is important enough to be pursued, take it up with local boards,” Brophy said. “Don’t go to the county office and use it like a big club.” He added that if local districts want to unify, the county board would help in whatever way it can. However, he objected to the county office paying a consultant $30,000 to do a revenue study in July. He said local districts should pay for that instead. He acknowledged that the idea had some positive aspects including a possible $6.9 million in new monies and coordinating schedules and curriculum countywide. On the other side, Brophy said boards giving up local control and the idea that all schools would have to assume the financial debt for other schools were arguments against reorganizing nine districts into one. “That loss of local control is a very emotional one with districts,” Brophy said. “They want to have a say in their own local schools.” He added that monitoring more than 12,000 students in one administrative office was another challenge. “I’m not an advocate of the concept bigger is necessarily better,” Brophy said. During his 12-year service as a county office board member, Brophy said the board’s fiscal conservatism is one accomplishment. He said he has been a strong supporter of regional occupation programs and helped develop scholarships for vocational students through his Rotary Club. Brophy said his combined 46 years of experience in education, which includes holding a board position, being a teacher, counselor, administrator and special education therapist, has provided him with “realistic and rational insights” to take on the board role again. “I believe in promoting higher standards of responsibility and accountability at all levels in all of our schools,” Brophy said. “This will lead to better performance, improved tests and broader public support.” The Journal's Jenifer Gee can be reached at jeniferg@goldcountrymedia.com or post a comment.
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Name: Don Brophy Age: 76 City: Auburn Profession: Retired executive dean emeritus from Sierra College History: 12-year Placer County Office of Education board trustee Education: Ph.D. higher education research and planning with psychology emphasis, University of San Francisco. Master’s in psychology and counseling and bachelor’s in history from California State University, Chico
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Don is one of the finest public servants in our community. Great article.
Don, how can you expect to meet the challenges of school reform if you are inflexible. The small districts like Bowman have only one school. Of course they're not going to vote for reorganization. It would cost them their jobs. The money saved from consolidating districts would be useful in this time of economic uncertainty and prove a boon for meeting the educational needs of the students. Your decision is a non-decision and is obviously politically motivated. Remember the "Greater Good".
P.S. Aaron, You may want to wipe that stuff off your nose.
I attended some presentations about this issue a few years ago and have been following it ever since. If memory serves me regarding the legal requirements surrounding school district consolidation, Dr. Brophy is right. The county office really does not have the power or authority to force any district to consolidate if it does not want to.
As I understand it, there are two courses of action: 1) It takes approval from each individual district's board of trustees (with all of the corresponding research, public hearings, legal costs, due diligence, etc.), or 2) a certain majority percentage of the voters within a district have to approve it through either a general or special election. This would mean that someone or group would have to incur the expense of election and campaign costs for every single district, which can be expensive depending on the number of voters in each district. Plus, even if the county board wanted to push the issue, I'm not sure if a County Office of Education has the legal authority, nor do they have the financial capability to support/pay for election costs in every single district where the local board has declined consolidation. So...
It really does need to start with each individual district, which is what is happening right now with the preliminary report that was provided to each district by the county in either late spring or early summer. If you really want to see consolidation happen (or not happen), then make your voice heard to the elected officials of your elementary and/or high school district. That is where this discussion needs to take place before the county can or should step in.
How is making my voice heard with my local school district going to sway small self interest school districts to see the benefit of consolidation? Your comments are as short sighted as Brophy's.
Hi "chunga",
You may want to remove the stuff from your ears. :) Both AuburnFan and Don Brophy are correct -- this is a legal issue and a decision that rests with the individual local boards. It can't be forced by the county board of education.
Now, I've never met Pam Hart, but I have met with Margie Spaulding and I applaud the efforts of CUBE for a local community-based unification of our schools. It creates stronger local control of education, and gives my area of Colfax the ability to run its schools differently from places like Loomis or Auburn, if our community so chooses. And it puts more funding into the classroom, and less into administration.
All that being said, when you say "how will making my voice heard sway small school districts", that's a little bit like saying "how will voting for President make a difference in who sits in the White House?" Well, it just does, because that's how we create change in our community: write a letter, run for school board, get involved.
Aaron Klein
ak@aaronklein.com
530-323-2607
Aaron, you make no sense and repeat the lies Brophy proffers. The County Board of Education can indeed reorganize the school districts with or without their consent. I'm not saying to consolidate all the districts in Placer just the ones that are located in the same community
Bowman District has what one school? It is in the immediate area of Auburn school district and the funds are wasted in administrative redundancy. And what about Meadow Vista?
I'm not an all or nothing person. It helps to be flexible and Brophy is not. We need leaders that aren't afraid of thinking outside the box even if it means they lose the election. He is a panderer afraid of any opposition and serves only himself.
As for my remarks: I have no voice or influence in the many small school districts. I do know that the status quo is to protect themselves from change, and that is not a good thing. I also know that my vote counts and I am voting for someone that can get the job of reforming an archaic system that no longer works.
Just remember that Don Brophy has blown this all out of proportion to get political leverage - Pam Robie Hart never suggested that the County Office tell the school boards what to do - only that they provide information necessary to make an intelligent decision. It is ultimately up to the voters of the affected districts - such as it was for Ophir and Penryn - who merged with Loomis when they saw the unification handwriting on the wall. They have now placed themselves in line for the Loomis Basin Unified School District.
The smaller districts in the area should follow suit and as Ophir and Penryn. Feeder schools should align themselves with their high school. Meadow Vista is losing ground and needs help. What they don't need is the administative staff for their one school district. Bowman and Meadow Vista districts are depleting the reserves and resources that are meant for the childrens education by duplicating staff. A one school district may have been fine in the last century but it is a waste of taxpayer dollars in todays economy.
Brophy is doing no one any favors by not doing the job he is paid to do. His exagerations have only served to consildate himself in office and make some people indebted to him.
I completely agree that these smaller districts need to unify, and like I said before, I really believe in the unification plan proposed by CUBE. I think it makes a lot of sense.
That being said, while I'm not the world's expert on educational district organization law, I am very confident that a county board of education cannot vote 4-3 and force another governmental agency to dissolve or merge. The voters could possibly take that on with an initiative, and the County Board does have a role in approving a unification.
But in any case, Chunga's statement that "The County Board of Education can indeed reorganize the school districts with or without their consent" doesn't appear to be true. Can you provide some evidence to the contrary?
Aaron Klein
ak@aaronklein.com
530-323-2607