The School District is buzzing with news. The Orange County Superior court judge Steven Perk has dismissed the $5.5 million lawsuit filed by the previous superintendent Carter.

The judge affirmed an earlier ruling that the superintendent serves the Board as an at-will employee of the District. This was his second suit against the District. All District administrative employees are at-will employees with no union representation.

Another litigation news: the OC Superior Court judge William Froeburg has dismissed two of three charges against the retired Superintendent James Flemming.

The only charge remaining against Mr. Flemming is misappropriation of District funds. I believe this will aid the prosecutors to focus strongly into the core issue of the case.

The shortfall of the 2010-11 budget continues to be about $34 million. By now we know that the school district budget is a moving target and depends on how much money is appropriated by the State.

By the March 15 deadline 322 educators received termination notices indicating they may not have a position in the next school year. What a shame.

The educator's union has threatened with a strike while the Board has passed an emergency resolution authorizing the Superintendent to hire temporary staff at whatever cost necessary if strike occurs. Where is the money coming from?

Phone calls by the Ladera Times to the educator's union President and the School Board President for clarifications were not returned.

The Educator's Union and the School Board reached an impasse in negotiation as to salary reduction.

The Board wanted a 10% salary reduction and the Union did not agree. Both the parties retained an independent State mediator who recommended that the teachers take furlough days (2.7%), class size increase (4%), and other temporary pay concessions (1%) percent, and a pay-cut (1%) totaling 8.7 percent.

This will lead to class size increase of two students in grade 4-12. At the press time of this article, we do not know whether the Board has accepted these recommendations. It appears the Union is in agreement. The next step is for both parties to return to the bargaining table.

The recall of Trustees Michael Winsten and Ken Lopez-Maddox is underway. This is the third recall in last five years.

A group that calls itself "The Parents for Local Control" has started collecting signatures, appointed group leaders, etc. For details visit www.caporecall2010.org.

On March 16, Orange County Superior Court Judge David McEachen found that the CUSD Board has violated the Brown Act (open meeting law) on November 3, 2008.

The suit was filed by the educator's union. For details go to www.cuea.org. Here is the new Board ran on a campaign for honesty and integrity, and the Board consists of an ex-State Assemblyman, and an attorney. Why are not they going by law???

Laderians, we are being short changed by CUSD.

In the March 9 CUSD Board meeting, the completion of San Juan High School sports facilities, including the swimming pool, was tabled with Trustee Sue Palazzo opposing the completion.

The Ladera Ranch Mello Roos funds are supposed to be used for infrastructures needed for the Ladera community, but the School Trustees responsible for managing the fund is appropriating the funds for other CUSD facilities.

Sue Palazzo, the Trustee representing Ladera Ranch, is not assisting Laderians to have the funds used properly for the residents. Two third of San Juan students are from Ladera and are attending a school without proper infrastructures.

Two things come in my mind: Laderians need representation at the CUSD Board, and we need the passage of "voting by trustee district" which will bring local control and accountability of the trustees to the area they are elected from.

Laderians need to be active in the November 2010 election so that we achieve these two objectives.