SMMUSD School Board is refusing to protect historic resources, including iconic Samohi History Building. Instead they are using remaining bond funds for vanity projects.

Over 5,500 SM residents and alumni are outraged over plans to tear down the iconic History Building this summer. The Santa Monica Conservancy has been asking SMMUSD to study adaptive reuse of the History Building since September. All classrooms on Samohi are being replaced with the $93 million Innovation Building and the $185 million Discovery Building and we have declining enrollment. But the self-proclaimed "sustainable" school district is refusing to consider renovating and repurposing the History Building and insists that an extra $70+ million new building is required for "21st Century Learning" to occur.
At the same time, the District is pushing more vanity projects on other campuses like makerspaces and preschools. They will be out of bond money and unable to do what was promised in the bond campaigns - add bathrooms and the replace portables with 2-story buildings to create more open space. Please write the school board to tell them residents won't stand for this waste.

SAMPLE EMAIL:
To: brd@smmusd.org, bdrati@smmusd.org, samohialumni@gmail.com, advocacy@smconservancy.org, fixsmmusd@gmail.com, council@smgov.net, senator.allen@senate.ca.gov, cupton@smmusd.org, info@laconservancy.org, hlrc@bos.lacounty.gov, commserv@bos.lacounty.gov, info@livingnewdeal.org, cmorris@savingplaces.org, info@savingplaces.org, preservation@planning.lacounty.gov

Re: February 4, 2021 School Board Meeting - Items K.5 and L.1 (Adopt BP and AR 1173 Historic Resources) - Support with Changes

Dear School Board and Superintendent Drati,

The historic resources policy proposed by the district is insufficient as written because it excludes local considerations, does not involve appropriate experts, and would not apply to the Samohi Buildings.

I am asking the board to:

1. Halt Samohi Phase 3 and all further construction plans until historic inventories have been completed at all campuses by a historic resources expert. The historic resources policy must include local criteria 1-6, and the requirement that a historic resources expert performs assessments for adaptive reuse.

2. Conduct an external audit of all $1.138 billion in bond funds spent so far, and present new plans and budgets that align with community priorities.

3. Use remaining bond funds for basic needs promised in the bond campaigns, including additional bathrooms required by law, installation of air conditioning with proper filtration systems on all campuses, and performance of deferred maintenance, and for adaptive reuse of historic Samohi buildings.

All SMMUSD resources should be focused on getting students, teachers, and staff back to school safely instead of fast-tracking new development and using public funds to demolish historic resources. Stop wasting our bond money on vanity projects.

Thanks,
[Your Name]
[Santa Monica Resident/Voter and SMMUSD Parent]