Brown v. the Schools

Ever since he took office last January, Edmund G. ("Jerry") Brown has shocked California's education establishment by posing irreverent and hostile--but basic--questions. "Why is it better to have a smaller number of students in each class?" he demanded of the University of California regents. He frequently asks: "Why are administrators paid more than teachers if the business of schools is teaching?"

This attitude does not endear him to administrators of California's schools or colleges. Indeed, a few are wondering if Brown, who they thought was a liberal Democrat, is more anti-education than was his conservative Republican predecessor, Ronald Reagan.

Before his election, Brown blasted Republicans for their stingy education budgets. (California spent $244 per capita on education in the 1973-74 school year, compared, for example, with Delaware's $407 and New Mexico's $338).

He promised smaller classes, bilingual education and better career training.

When the California Teachers Association donated $25,000 to Brown's campaign fund, he rewarded the group with pledges of bigger paychecks, expanded research grants and more state money for poor school districts. Educators looked forward to a new era presided over by a friendly, intellectually oriented Governor.

They were swiftly disenchanted. Not long after his inauguration, Brown began a series of belt-tightening measures. The sprawling University of California system (nine campuses, 128,000 students, 6,000 faculty members) was awarded only $587 million* of the $610 million it requested in 1975. "We're breeding a new class of mandarins at the University of California," Brown said. "Belt tightening should begin with those with the biggest belts."

When local school districts pleaded near bankruptcy, the legislature approved an emergency supplemental appropriation of $115 million; Brown cut it by $27 million. He also drastically reduced the legislature's 1975 appropriations for bilingual education and special reading and math programs. "The halcyon days of rapid and painless growth in this state are over," he said by way of explanation. Actually, his proposed budget for 1976-77, while it does not give educators everything they want, includes a slim 6.3% increase for state colleges and a 5.4% increase for U.C.

In fact, Brown has not singled out education. Faced with declining revenues and determined to make good on his campaign promise to avoid any general tax increase, he has also slashed away at spending for health care, the arts and other programs. California's voters are apparently willing to go along with Brown's economies; recent polls show that only 7% disapprove of his performance in office.

Many educators, however, are still suspicious of Brown's motives. Says Wilson Riles, state superintendent of education: "Jerry's still in the learning process. His prime motivation during this first year has been not to raise taxes. When he begins to realize what the implications are, I hope he comes down on the side of the children."

Macrame and Esalen. That is precisely where Brown feels he is. Convinced that students are badly served by the wide--and expensive--variety of nonacademic courses offered by the state's schools and colleges, he has taken a back-to-the-basics approach. "If people want to do other things, we have Esalen," he says. "Maybe we should all take macrame, but I'm really concerned about the fact that kids can't read."

His philosophy is shared by at least some California educators. Says Michael Kirst, a member of the state board of education: "Perhaps these multiple shocks from Brown will be helpful to public education. If an institution tries to do too much, it may end up doing nothing well."

*Actually $37 million more than U.C. received in 1974.

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