Inglewood teachers push back against $396M bond measure to upgrade district properties

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Teachers in Inglewood are not happy with a new bond measure that will allocate hundreds of millions of dollars to improve school campuses, if approved. 

In November, Inglewood voters will decide if they want to approve Measure MM, a $396 million bond to modernize and upgrade campus facilities throughout the district. 

The bonds would be paid for by a property tax on Inglewood property owners of $60 for every $100,000 of assessed property value. The measure would require 55% of votes to pass. 

“They have to show accountability before asking the voters for another bond,” said John Hughes, president of the Inglewood Teachers Association. “It’s just responsible stewardship.”

In an Aug. 12 email to James Morris, Inglewood county administrator, Hughes wrote that he did not support “requesting another $396 million without first providing a full accounting of prior bond expenditures, addressing steep enrollment decline, and resolving ongoing accountability concerns.”

Hughes pointed out that the district already received $330 million from two bond measures —  $90 million in 2012 and another $240 million in 2020. 

The new bond measure comes as the Inglewood Unified School District moves closer to exiting receivership after being under state control for 14 years. Inglewood officials have expressed their desire to rebuild the district’s foundation on academic excellence, financial sustainability and upgraded facilities. 

“We know firsthand that students and teachers perform better in safe, modern school facilities,” Morris told The LA Local. “The fact is we need to maintain and modernize all schools across the district.”   

Morris added that the new Inglewood High School campus currently under construction is an example of what students will need for future success. 

The LA Local reached out to all six Inglewood Board of Education candidates vying for seats in Trustee Areas 1, 2 and 3. Only Brandon Myers, who is the incumbent running for the Area 3 Trustee seat, responded.  

 “Unfortunately, due to the lack of accountability and expert construction experience, Inglewood taxpayers have had to foot the bill for delayed projects,” Myers said in reference to the previously approved bond measures. 

“As a result of the school board’s continuous status of being in county receivership, I cannot support an additional tax burden on our Inglewood residents,” he said. 

Hughes also noted that bond funds cannot be used for teacher salaries or operating expenses.

He said the district has not maintained a strategy for increasing teachers’ pay, he said, adding that Inglewood teachers are currently the lowest paid in the region.

“We cannot rely on long-term debt for facilities while leaving teacher pay structurally underfunded,” Hughes said. “A credible reform strategy must address both infrastructure and the workforce that delivers instruction.”  

With the bond measure on the ballot, Morris believes it’ll be in the best interest of Inglewood, if approved. 

“IUSD teachers and students deserve nothing less than safe, modernized schools that support high quality teaching and learning,” Morris said. “Measure MM is on the ballot this November to deliver on that promise.”