By Skip Hellewell

Two columns ago , we remembered Annaliese Schimmelpfennig , who , with her husband Paul , founded the noted three-campus Anneliese Schools , beloved by thousands of Laguna students and parents . The column noted the benefits of competition in education as institutions , especially those with a monopoly , tend to lose their way over time . Judging by your responses , I touched a raw nerve .

Readers focused on a school district proposal that would mainly expand the aquatics center and district offices , with very little for the

classrooms . One option of this plan was said to cost $ 150 million , which got this taxpayer ’ s attention . Another reader noted the district was holding a workshop on the topic , termed “ Facilities Master Plan Study Session & Workshop .” Having stuck my nose into the subject , I felt a duty to attend .

The meeting followed the formality of local governance : A board of directors on a raised dais in control of the meeting , flanked by staff and consultants to back them up , with the audience limited in their ability to participate . You need this formality to maintain order , one supposes , but it also works to muzzle public input . So while the board was free to interject with questions , some of which seemed designed to show they were on top of the details , the audience was limited to submitting questions that might be answered later but without the backand-forth real-time dialog that can lead to a better answer .

The architect ’ s presentation started with the project ’ s core — options to expand the aquatics center with a bigger pool or even two pools by flipping the six tennis courts to new locations or replacing lost parking with a new parking structure , all in

a residential neighborhood . It might be because I attended high schools without swimming pools in a hot climate ( without a nearby beach and ocean ), but I ’ ve always thought our current aquatic center was quite nice . But some , it seems , think it ’ s not grand enough , and the tail appears to be wagging the dog .

Focusing on the real purpose of our schools , another reader noted the recent decline in district test scores , suggesting this should be the real concern . Unaware of this , I took a look ( you can see test scores for school districts online at California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress ). Imagine my shock to find that over the last three years ( comparing 2018-19 to 2021-22 ), all grades averaged 20 % more Laguna students failed the minimal English standards . Even worse , 32 % more students failed the minimal math standards . Laguna students do well when compared to poorer districts like Santa Ana Unified , as they should , and the questionable decision to close schools during Covid was undoubtedly an issue . Still , this worsening failure to meet minimal standards has yet to get the attention

it deserves .

The notes for the meeting provided information on school bonds . In 2001 , Laguna voters generously approved a $ 39 million bond measure for school improvements . It seemed justified at the time , but who imagined it would create an appetite for greater spending ? The notes suggested higher tax rates that could justify new bonds ranging from $ 80 million to $ 240 million ! In a district with declining enrollment , the school board seems to have lost its way .

After the meeting , some expressed the opinion that perhaps the district had listened and the cheaper of the options would be selected . A better response was those more expensive options were an old ploy , a ‘ red herring ’ to make outrageous spending seem almost reasonable . The real solution and at least one school board director agrees , is to find our way back to a focus on learning , not spending . There ’ s meaning in that .

Skip fell in love with Laguna on a ‘ 50s surfing trip . He ’ s a student of Laguna history and the author of “ Loving Laguna : A Local ’ s Guide to Laguna Beach .” Email : skip @ lovinglaguna . com .