HomeMy WebLinkAbout79-08 - Declaring Opposition to Desegration Plans in SchoolsRESOLUTION NO. 79-8
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA, DECLARING ITS OPPOSITION
TO METROPOLITAN -TYPE DESEGREGATION PLANS IN
GENERAL AND TO THE PROPOSED METROPOLITAN PLAN
SUBMITTED TO JUDGE PAUL EGLY IN PARTICULAR.
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Costa Mesa has
consistently maintained a position supporting local control and ac-
countability in the government of schools, municipalities, and other
public agencies; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has consistently maintained strong
working relationships between the several school districts serving Costa
Mesa to promote positive educational programs; and
WHEREAS, the City Council believes that local control and ac-
countability in the governing of public education is absolutely
essential to maintain the highest level of service to our children,
their parents, and the taxpayers; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Costa Mesa supports the
philosophy that effective educational programs require the involvement
of local neighborhood parents; and
WHEREAS, the City Council believes that local community involve-
ment has been fostered and encouraged through the neighborhood school
concept, and that such involvement encourages local school boards to be
sensitive and responsive to local needs and concerns; and
WHEREAS, a threat now exists that by judicial ruling, a Metropol-
itan Plan for school district organization will be formed for purposes
of accomplishing desegregation through forced busing encompassing parts
of Orange and Ventura Counties and all of Los Angeles County; and
WHEREAS, such a plan seeks to achieve desegregation of the Los
Angeles Unified School District by imposing mandatory busing of children
in the school districts of Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura Counties,
and could thereby involve the school district serving the residents of
the City of Costa Mesa; and
WHEREAS, the cost of implementing such a Plan would be so
dramatically increased, as to place an intolerable burden upon the
taxpayers of this State, County, and City; and
WHEREAS, the implementation of such a Metropolitan Plan requiring
the children from this community to be bused long distances from their
homes, could involve serious health and safety hazards; and
WHEREAS, the implementation of this externally developed plan
would deprive children of many hours per day which could be better
devoted to academic assignments, extracurricular pursuits, and family
activities; and
WHEREAS, the busing of local children many miles into other
cities would thwart parental participation in their children's activ-
ities at the distant schools and would be severely detrimental to both
children, the school, and to the parent-child relationship; and
WHEREAS, any interdistrict desegregation plan would infringe upon
the constitutional rights of local taxpayers to have a voice in the
operation and programs of the neighborhood schools serving their chil-
dren; and
WHEREAS, the implementation of a metropolitan -type school district
would remove any vestige or local control left to the school districts
involved, and would effectively destroy public education as it has
existed for many, many years; and
WHEREAS, the destruction of parent -taxpayer control over local
schools may be regarded as a first step in the deterioration of all
forms of local self-government which may ultimately include cities large
and small;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COSTA MESA DOES
HEREBY RESOLVE, FIND, AND DETERMINE AS FOLLOWS:
1. That the recitals set forth above are true and correct, and
are incorporated herein as though set forth at length.
2. That it opposes intervention in matters of local control of
neighborhood schools, cities, and counties, and reaffirms its
beliefs that a quality school program, as presently exists in
the school district serving residents in the City of Costa
Mesa, are the result of strong, local affiliation with the
community and an understanding of the particular needs of
local residents and their children.
3. That it unalterably opposes the concept of the Metropolitan
Plan presented to Judge Paul Egly or any similar plan that
would require forced busing of the children outside of the
boundaries of the school district in which the children are
presently enrolled.
4. That the residents of the local community, including those
residing in the City of Costa Mesa, should continue to make
the final determination as to the size, shape, and conduct of
the school district, and should continue to directly elect the
board members that make the educational decisions for that
local school district from among the qualified residents of
said school district.
5. That this Resolution shall be forwarded to Superintendent of
Public Instruction Wilson Riles; the State Board of Education;
State Senators John Schmitz, John Briggs, and Paul Carpenter;
and to Orange County Assemblymen Marian Bergeson and Dennis
Mangers.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 5th day of February, 1979.
o
ayor of the C4ty ofy Costa Mesa
ATTEST:
Ci"Ty- Clerk of the City of Costa M a
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE } SS
CITY OF COSTA MESA )
I, EILEEN P. PHINNEY, City Clerk and ex -officio Clerk of the City
Council of the City of Costa Mesa, hereby certify that the above and
foregoing Resolution No. 79-8 was duly and regularly passed and adopted
by the said City Council at a regular meeting thereof, held on the 5th
day of February, 1979.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the
Seal of the City of Costa Mesa this 6th day of February, 1979.
City Clerk and ex -officio Clerk of e
City Council of the City of Costa sa