Madera community members have long asked why the MUSD “We Believe” magazine is being printed and mailed, and what does it cost the school district? Others wanted to know why it gets mailed out to everyone in the area, rather than to just student households.
In August, a Public Records Act request (PRA) was made to Todd Lile, MUSD Superintendent.
The PRA requested how much the glossy color magazine cost and who received it. Lile said that the magazine is printed and mailed out three times a school year — November, March and June each year, with printing costs of approximately $77,983.00, and mailing costs of $11,587.00 for the year, bringing the total to $89,570.00, annually, for about 81,000 copies of the magazine. Not including staff time or expenses.
With MUSD funds reportedly now tight and deficits rumored, Madera residents have questioned the wisdom and necessity of the “We Believe” quarterly magazine.
Lile stated that the magazine was created when a lot of the students’ parents came forward and requested more information on what their students are up to during the school year. Community members said they were very confused about why they have to wait a quarter of a semester, just to know what the students have been up to.
Many other community members state they believe MUSD’s slogan should be “We Believe in Spending your MONEY,” while others expressed they shouldn’t receive the magazine, especially those without students in MUSD. People said that they don’t even read the magazine, and instead, they toss it in the recycling bin with the rest of the junk mail they receive.
Other residents say the top-heavy administration for the school district could do so much more with the funds that are allocated to the magazine and could lower this cost by mailing or handing out the magazine just to students or at school events.
— Donald Brown,
Madera