Dear Editor,
The Culver City School Board is wasting money on things like iPads for K-2 students instead of repairing the ceiling tiles at the high school.
At the school board meeting on October 25, the board approved $685,573 for iPads for K-2 students. This item did not even come up for public discussion. It was buried in the middle of the purchase orders and passed as a consent item.
In a 2019 assessment of the high school, consultants said that falling ceiling tiles at the high school posed a safety hazard that was the highest priority of all recommended repairs. It was estimated to cost around $600,000 to replace all of the tiles.
And yet, at the October 25 meeting, there was no discussion as to why K-2 students need iPads. There was no discussion as to why iPads took precedence over a safety issue at the high school. Ceiling tiles fall down regularly and sometimes cause injuries.
There was no discussion as to why iPads were being purchased instead of cheaper Android tablets that cost a fraction of the price. The purchase order included charging carts that cost roughly $1000 instead of cheaper carts that go for around $500. There was absolutely no justification made for this large expenditure.
And the ceiling tiles just keep falling down.
The CCUSD school board is not being transparent with its expenditure decisions. The board needs to be accountable to the community. Large purchases such as this should be an action item not a consent item. More transparency and accountability should be a priority of the incoming school board.
Carolyn B. Libuser
