How Much Should A Free Book Cost LAUSD??

Spoken word artist (and CalTech alum) Sandra Tsing Loh has been spending a lot of time battling with Los Angeles Unified School District administrators and has lot to say about the experience. Recently, the Los Angeles Times published an op-ed by her entitled "LAUSD needs a pit bull PTA mom"

My L.A. public school mom friend -- and Oprah Angel Award winner -- Rebecca Constantino is the founder of Access Books, a 10-year-old non-profit that brings 10,000 new and almost new books to each of the many needy LAUSD elementaries requesting them. Thanks to a web of volunteers and private donations, the books come absolutely free.

The only obstacle? LAUSD Central Library Services. It has capped Access Books donations to a maximum of 300 books a school (some with more than 1,000 students) because of an LAUSD cataloging cost of $18 a book!

Call me hormonal (what I actually call myself is a "Burning Mom"), but I believe the district's director of Instructional Media Services should be fired -- today! That would save taxpayers $119,724.84 a year, according to an L.A. Daily news website that allows you to check the salary of any LAUSD employee.

While we're at it, let's also right-size the budget by firing any LAUSD front office worker who is rude (do you, like me, suddenly see huge, huge savings?).

Call me crazy, but I don't think it is reasonable that it should cost $18 to catalogue a free book!