School Board Borrows Money From Itself, Blasts State

When School Board Member Chris Rich finished upbraiding the state legislature for deferring funding obligations and forcing the district to borrow millions of dollars to stay solvent, the frustrated board vice president called for a revolution.

"It should be criminal that our legislature does this to our schools," Rich said. "Until we create a revolution, it's not going to change. I'm ready for a revolution. Give me a sword."

The other three members in attendance at Monday's school board meeting joined Rich in expressing their disdain for the state's handling of education.

Because the California leglislature deferred money it promised to local school districts, the Monrovia Unified School District had to pool with other local school districts to borrow $8 million in short term loans to cover its funding obligations.

The interest on the loans will cost the district about $30,000 to $40,000, according to School Board President Bryan Wong. School Board Member Ed Gililland called the state's deferral of funds a "de facto cut in education funding."

"We in fact are going to be borrowing our own money from ourselves and pay interest on it and I think that is the most deplorable thing I can think of," said Board Member Rob Hammond. "We have to go spend money to go borrow money that was already ours to begin with."

The riled board members agreed to work with staff to craft an op/ed piece to distribute to local media to call attention to the consequences of the state's deferral. Rich hoped a concerted response would "generate enough animosity" to force legislators to make reforms.