After School Issues
By: Morsal Azimi
When I first started working as an after-school teacher assistant at Loma Vista Elementary School, I came face-to-face with a reality that starkly contrasted with the image of California as a land of prosperity and opportunity. Coming from outside the United States, I had always heard about the greatness of the American education system, especially its world-renowned universities. I expected the foundation, the public school system, to reflect that same excellence. However, during my college years, as I spent my afternoons assisting in an elementary classroom, I began to see the cracks in that foundation. The schools were underfunded, resources were limited, and students weren’t receiving the kind of education that a state as wealthy as California should be providing.
One of the most basic yet deeply impactful barriers to student learning was the old infrastructure. Half of the classrooms were aging portable cabins. On rainy days, the ceilings would leak so badly that it became routine for students to pack up and move to the auditorium. However, the auditorium wasn’t designed for daily classes. Teachers had to set up makeshift desks and chairs, losing precious class time in the process. It was frustrating to watch students lose learning time simply because their school didn’t have the basic infrastructure to shelter them from the rain.
The students at Loma Vista Elementary were bright, eager, and full of curiosity. Each one had questions bubbling in their minds, but overcrowding was one of the biggest obstacles to learning. With so many students packed into a single room, there wasn’t enough time to give each child the one-on-one attention they needed. The effects of this were clear, as many students struggled with math and reading. Even the simplest math problems required lengthy explanations, not because the students weren’t capable but because they had never been given the space to ask questions and resolve their confusion in the first place. The overcrowded classrooms were actively holding students back.
The lack of school funding in Ventura County wasn’t just a temporary inconvenience, it was shaping the futures of countless young learners, the students who would one day become the workforce and leaders of this country. Underfunded schools weren’t just failing them in the present; they were limiting their opportunities for years to come.
This experience has inspired me to take action in advocating for increased funding for public education. As I have learned more about the impact of tax loopholes and the effects of Prop 13 on California’s education system, I’ve become even more committed to addressing these challenges. I am determined to work toward holding corporations accountable and ensuring they pay their fair share to support the well-being of society.