San Jose schools scale back summer classes in contrast to wealthier neighbors
Remember when summer was a time for kids to hang out and do nothing?
For many children and teens, summer is reverting to that idle time, as state budget woes force classes, camps and recreation programs to scale back or shut down.
But the budget scalpel doesn't cut equally. More than any other time, summer highlights the disparity in both academic and enrichment opportunities for children, a have-vs.-have-not gap separating families by income, work status and school district.
Palo Alto middle school students may choose Clarinet Choir, "The Science of Hollywood" or public speaking, all offered at district schools. In Los Altos, schools lease space to teachers offering everything from Decathlon Sports Camp to fashion design.
But most San Jose schools are closed for the summer.
"In the summer right now, the landscape is bare," said Tim Nguyen, who coordinates summer offerings for the East Side Union High School District, where only five of 11 campuses have limited classes, most funded by grants targeting particular students, such as
