SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) - The San Diego Unified Board of Education members are making a move for big improvements at local campuses, but they say it will take billions in tax dollars.
The Board voted unanimously Tuesday night to place the “School Safety & Repair” measure on the November ballot. The measure would provide $3.5 billion in funding to repair the district’s aging schools and to make critical safety improvements.
Some of the major school safety concerns include lead in the school drinking water. This marks the first time the district has asked voters to approve a bond since the Flint, Michigan water crisis.
The board also wants to create job-oriented classrooms to prepare young minds for the future.
Another key repair the measure calls for is upgrades to safety systems, including intruder alarms. That would not be the only security upgrade, however. There would also be safety technology implemented that would allow classroom teachers to communicate quickly and securely with others in an active shooter situation.
School police were deeply involved in the planning. One officer noted this is the first new measure introduced by the district since the school shooting in Parkland, Florida.
The average age of school buildings in San Diego is 48 years old with the oldest being founded in 1882.