To the editor,
The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District (PRJUSD) is once again laying the groundwork for another bond measure, this time considering $100 million, $188.9 million, or $288 million. This push comes at a time when the district’s enrollment has dropped by about 600 students since 2020.
With fewer students, most taxpayers would expect the district to need less money, not more. Instead, they’re preparing to ask for hundreds of millions in new debt while continuing to raise developer fees, which only make housing less affordable.
Meanwhile, district administrators are among the highest paid in the region. According to Transparent California:
– Chief Business Officer Brad Pawlowski earns $316,352
– Superintendent Jennifer Loftus earns $297,510
– Assistant Superintendents Erin Haley, Shauna Ames, and Thomas Harrington each earn between $225,000 and $287,000
That’s well over $1.3 million a year in total pay and benefits, yet academic results remain alarmingly low. On recent state testing, only 36% of socioeconomically disadvantaged students met English standards and 23% met math standards. Among English Learners, the number drops to about 5% in both subjects.
For comparison, Frank Sparkes Elementary in Merced County—a school that is 90% Latino and 80% socioeconomically disadvantaged—far outperforms Paso Robles schools. At Frank Sparkes, 57% of English Learners met English standards and 43% met math standards.
The difference isn’t demographics; it’s leadership, accountability, and expectations.
At the same time, the PRJUSD board recently refused (again) to even discuss Trustee Kenney Enney’s proposal to protect girls’ sports and private spaces by keeping biological boys out of girls’ locker rooms and teams. The motion to place the item on a future agenda for discussion failed 4-3, despite letters from female students expressing discomfort with the current situation.
Paso Robles doesn’t need more debt. It needs responsible leadership that puts students before administrators and community values before politics. Until that happens, voters should say no to new bonds and yes to accountability.
Dorian Baker
Retired PRJUSD Teacher
Former Paso Robles Joint Unified School District Trustee
*Editor’s note: Opinion pieces and letters to the editor are the personal opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Paso Robles Daily News or its staff. We welcome letters from local residents regarding relevant local topics.*
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