Learning the Truth About California’s Public Schools

By Keva Rale

I grew up in a family of educators and have always been taught to value my teachers. Good educators not only encourage students to expand their minds, they also provide an essential safe space for the children they serve. Despite attending a well resourced public school system, I often witnessed my mother purchase her own school supplies and spend countless hours of her personal time searching for new ways to help her students. There is no question in my mind that educators deserve to be rewarded for their hard work with more funding and more resources. Additionally, I noticed early on that the best financed public schools in my state (Connecticut) were majority white and that school districts in communities of color were often grossly underfunded in comparison. This never sat well with me and I have always wanted to do something to address it. I staunchly believe that public education should be fully funded and accessible to all students, regardless of zip code and especially regardless of skin color. 

As an out of state student, I always pictured California as the state with the best schools and the best public resources. I was shocked to discover that California schools are more underfunded than those in my own home state, and that resources which could be allocated to providing an excellent public education are instead tied up in the hands of wealthy corporations. I spoke extensively with my in-state friends about teacher’s strikes and vast educational inequalities between private and public schools, and became impassioned by their frustration. I believe that California has a responsibility to provide teachers with more resources, especially those teaching in low-income communities and those working in special education. Additionally, it is really important to fund public education in the aftermath of a pandemic. Many students have suffered personally and academically and deserve access to quality mental health resources and academic support.