On September 8, all Capo Unified schools, including all Ladera schools, opened without any incident.
The school start and dismissal hours are apparent as one can see cars lined up in schools, students walking or riding bikes to and from schools.
San Juan High School has posted the college entrance examination schedule. The schools have also posted the athletic schedules.
All Ladera schools have new teachers, and I understand the most new teachers are in Oso Grande.
As the teachers with low seniority are gone due to budget cuts, senior teachers from other CUSD schools are here in Ladera schools to fill the positions. The classes are also bigger in size.
Unfortunately, I could not attend the September Board meeting due to my personal business commitment!! Sorry folks.
However, here are my findings from the recorded audio and feed back from those who attended the meeting.
This was another Board meeting where public attendance was scarce! Only two persons spoke during the public comments part of the meeting. Maybe the interested parents are disgusted and are not attending.
District Voting
The Board had a public hearing on the filing for an waver to the state for having the Trustees elected by district rather than at large, i.e. all 214,000 voters select all seven trustees to be elected.
It is a tall task to run district-wide. I was interested in running under the banner of reform as I have extensive experience as a former elected trustee, and as a Director and Past-President of LARMAC, as well as teaching at the university level.
Why I am saying this now, especially since I will no longer pursue public office because of my age?
Because running district-wide requires a huge sum of money, which I do not have as a retiree even though I have more experience than all the current siting members!
With the advice of my trusted advisors and supporters, including my family, I decided against running for the office because I didn’t have enough money to win!
All seven current Board members are elected district-wide on the deep pockets of the CUSD recall group!
Electing trustees by district is far less expensive and more personal. But I suspected the incumbents would not want to give up their wide spread "at-large" power, and I was right.
With the next election around the corner, in a move by Erin Kutnick, the majority Board squashed the waver by a 5 to 2 votes. There were six speakers, five in favor of waver!
Shame on the members who voted against the waver to the state for the money for a special election. I find all of them are trying their best to show that have the best interest of students but it’s obvious they are not interested in changing the good old boy voting system.
The existing system is failing because qualified individuals have no chance of winning district-wide against these deep pockets!
Carter Lawsuit
The lawsuit by filed by ex-Superintendent Woodrow Carter is scheduled for a settlement conference on May 21, 2010, and jury trial June 21. Let’s hope for the best as this is another one which merits discussion.