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Chula Vista school hurries to get ready for Arne Duncan
Knowthetruth - call us what they may, one thing we commenters are is educated on the facts. Where is 'all' that Ed Brand promised the community and the board when he was rehired? The 'all' has not materialized has it? Perhaps it is due to the fact that Brand spends the majority of his time on other, more important ventures - you know like Grand Canyon - failure, new CIF division - failure, Funds for Education - failure, open Boundaries - failure, IPADS - I here the recent testing caused IT to crash - failure, Alliant - failure, Charter School on L Street - had to vacate, failure ------- please all chime in. Than You for your analysis of the State documentation.— September 6, 2013 7:58 p.m.
Chula Vista school hurries to get ready for Arne Duncan
Stevejanowski - Did someone? have a feeling. It is important Sir to study the subject matter prior to entering into a discussion. Clarification, the issues are - missing ASB funds and wasted taxpayer monies that would have been better spent in the classroom vs. a feeble attempt to promote self by impressing Arne Duncan. The allegation that a certain teacher is being used as a private assistant whose duties include assisting said principal with data for his book. Those Prop O bond monies that are being used to refurbish the west side schools - primarily funded by the east side folks. Obviously you have not been to Bonita Vista in the last, lets say 15 years - it is freakin falling apart.— September 6, 2013 7:47 p.m.
Chula Vista school hurries to get ready for Arne Duncan
MEG - not to worry, you are not frustrating us - to the contrary we appreciate the opportunity to share the facts. In the mix of all of this let us remember we are the stewards for the youth in our community. I believe you would be surprised to know just how many people follow Ms. Luzzaro, ask Ed. He goes into a tizzy every time he hears - "GET YOUR PAPER, GET YOUR READER HERE!!!!!"— September 6, 2013 12:08 p.m.
Chula Vista school hurries to get ready for Arne Duncan
MEG - anniej here. Your arrogance and ignorance is showing. No where in my post did I elude to east side being more deserving, AND if you knew what you were talking about you would know that I have for 4 years been fighting for the schools on the west side. I guess Ed Brand forgot to educate you on that. I am west side, and proud of it! Allow me to educate you Prop O, have you heard of it? Or are you too busy with the book to know what is going on district wide? The 644 million dollars bond that was voted in is paying for the renovations on the west side. If you have issues with how it is being spent you might just want to trouble yourself to attend a Prop O meeting - I have for the past 4 years, interesting, I do not recall seeing you there. Those east side folks, their taxes are the majority of the monies that fund Prop O - you aware of that? The manner in which you speak of this community and these children is quite demeaning, although you make a failed attempt to act as their savior. These children have as much intelligence as those on the east side, they have dreams and ambition. You seem to have lost the focus of my comments. It seems to be all about what BB is doing vs. what the teachers and other administrators are committed to - WHY? There is no I in the word 'team'. You fail to comment regarding the impostors I reference. YOU RAISED THE ISSUE OF CHEATING, funny no one else here did. You defend the spending far too aggressively - you fail to address the ASB funds that are allegedly missing. Look if all it took was a tshirt to make an A student, I have no doubt every parent in America would be out buying one. What you fail to understand is this - BB is not the reincarnation of JC - I would like for you to explain your TOTAL ignorance regarding the campuses on the west side - you state they have inadequate gyms and theatrical stages. Talk to me, explain the state of the art theatre auditorium at Chula, explain the new gyms at Mar Vista and Sweetwater, explain the new track and football field at Montgomery. Soon to come a new gym at Montgomery. Bonita Vista, an east side school just THIS YEAR had their HVAC system restored and they are one of 'those' east side schools. If you want to come here and defend BB go for it, but please be reminded many reading KNOW THE FACTS - they are teachers, and administrators, district office personnel, and west and east side taxpayers. We taxpayers will not stand for fiduciary irresponsibility. We want our tax monies spent in the classroom! Parents, students and teachers if you would like to have a say in how your school is renovated, please attend the Prop O meetings and let your voices be heard. Also ask to be on your schools Prop O committee. Again what about the missing ASB funds, where did they go?— September 6, 2013 10:42 a.m.
Chula Vista school hurries to get ready for Arne Duncan
MEG - you take exception to anonymous yet you choose to remain so. Your comments read friend or wife, not that it matters as both are entitled to their opinion. I take exception to the brush you have used to paint the 'author' of this story. the READER and Ms. Luzzaro have been providing factual in depth coverage that pointed to the alleged corruption in some of our South Bay districts long before the antagonists went to the DA or FBI. If you had the taken the time to follow the relevant news provided by The READER via Luzzaro you would know that all that has been reported has been found to be factual. I have to say I am about fed up with all of the pretenders, the persons who consistently refer to the 'poor inner city youth' as if they were a cancer that needs treating. The students of CPM and their families are to be celebrated not pitied. The balance in ones checking account does not define their worth or goals. Many of these 'poor inner city children' as you call them have gone on to be highly successful - and they did it without wearing a tshirt that referred to themselves as 'dawg or dog'. Is there room for growth, in all of our schools YES, but they do not need a self serving author to mandat they adhere to his model. What of the teachers that alerted their community to the truth, they were like those hard working professional at Granger - sick of a certain person promoting self. The teachers that I speak of, they are the true heroes, they could have used that 20k in their classrooms for their students, they could have used that tshirt money, and they surely could have done without their classroom windows being painted over. What of the alleged missing ASB funds, where are they? What did the principal perceive was a good use for that money? - college banners? Give me a break!!!!!! "We used this exact model". MEG here is a 411 for you, these kids are not lab rats for you to experiment on and I resent your reference. They could give a rats batuee about your model, and the same goes for me. You have done little to help the case of said principal selling HIS book about HIS model. I am reminded of another snake oil salesman, he too worked in the Castle Park community, he too consistently sold himself as the great savior for these 'poor inner city children' - he cared alright - about enough to dip into ASB monies. He too had a friend singing his praises- currently they are both GONE!!!! Make no mistake the teachers and good administrators at CPM are the persons we should be applauding not the self promoting friend/husband you are attempting to defend. Respectfully submitted— September 5, 2013 9:58 p.m.
Chula Vista school hurries to get ready for Arne Duncan
Alieh - - Please know the students, the parents and the community are grateful for the grant. Anything that serves the students is what we are committed to. It is indeed unfortunate that Ed Brand has done what he is notorious for, lack of fiscal responsibility. Does Mr, Duncan care where he sits, what the students are wearing, the number of college banners that surround the school or what color the walls have been painted - most certainly not - but it appears that B&B do, you see for them it is all about them. Please understand the controversy began with a $20,000.00 stage - money this District can ill afford to spend. Now we have added painted red wiindows and tshirts; add to that the allegation of missing ASB funds and what we have is typical Ed Brand.— September 5, 2013 8:28 p.m.
Chula Vista school hurries to get ready for Arne Duncan
OPEN LETTER TO BOARD PRESIDENT JIM CARTMILL AND BOARD MEMBERS: The 2012-2013 Accountability Progress Report has been released. The ONLY school in the SUHSD that has met criteria in English Language, Math, API, and Graduation rates is Montgomery High. Mr. Cartmill, Ed Brand has failed to deliver - in a couple of weeks when his Performance Appraisal is up for discussion I urge you to stop the hemorrhaging by relieving Brand of his duties. What has he brought in the way of improvements - not a thing. The figures do NOT lie - you remember the controversy last year involving a certain high school, well it appears the whistle blowers were correct judging from the numbers just released. These numbers are indicative of one thing - lack of leadership from the top, lack of focus on the education of our students - instead he is out there wheelin' and dealin' with his perceived back room deals. Brand was/continues to be hell bent on giving away a portion of our facilities via free rent for Alliant - a University that is more than capable of paying its own way. Controversy, aren't you and the other board members about fed up with one scandal after another authored by Ed Brand? It is time to stop the madness, all eyes are on YOU, JIM CARTMILL as president of the board. How will you vote? How will the rest of the board vote? At the end of the meeting we are expecting to leave focused on a new future with a superintendent that is trusted and respected - currently he enjoys neither - not from us or staff.— September 5, 2013 8:07 p.m.
Chula Vista school hurries to get ready for Arne Duncan
Ms. Luzzaro: I would like to Thank You for being professional enough to set the record straight. I have interacted with Mr. Rubio but do not know him personally - in his defense, not that he will appreciate me saying it, I must state for the record, and this is MY OPINION, I believe Mr. Rubio gave the response he was told to give. NOONE, says anything publicly that Ed Brand does not order them to say. Rubio is simply the latest to fall victim to Brands way of doing things. Let us remember as I have long stated, these employees have mortgages to pay and families to support. How many reading this could afford to walk away if they told Brand to 'try to learn the definition of integrity?' My issue with all of these tax dollars being spent is simple 'it is inappropriate and self serving for Ed Brand and 'see how great I am Bleisch". If the motives of the superintendent would have been pure he would have let the wonderful students of CPM, the great community of Castle Park and all of the hard workind dedicated teachers be the shining beacons that they are naturally. What has been lost in these outrageous expenditures is this - these monies should have been spent on the substance of educating students and not the glorification of a superintendent who will be OUTTA HERE no later than next year - and those of you who are like he - pompous, arrogant and full of self, let this be a reminder of what should NEVER EVER happen again. Regarding Dr. Alt getting back to Ms. Luzzaro's query, last time I checked SUHSD has a pretty sophisticated computer system, that info should have taken all of about two minutes to spit out - long gone are the days of pencils, erasers and hand cranked adding machines - OFF TOPIC, sort of, not really - question, what of the rumor that a certain person, who was (as in the past) also a coach receiving a stipen yet allegedly had the team practicing at a middle school and being paid as an after school employee - in other words rumored to be collecting two pay checks for the same work? I would like to add that this rumored flagrant breaking of the rules is an anomaly - the majority of our Coaches are highly respected, hard working caring individuals who are paying it forward - and we Thank them for it.— September 5, 2013 2:31 p.m.
Chula Vista school hurries to get ready for Arne Duncan
Chulavistaresident - with all due respect, you are wrong. My tax dollars are to be used for the education of my communities students and the brick and mortar that is used to house the students. If I wanted for one of my children or grandchildren to have a college banner it is my responsibility to pay for it out of my own wallet. Unfortunately your understanding of what is needed to educate a student is ill advised. A college banner does not make a college bound student - it is the education provided by the hard working teachers that make a college education possible. Prop O monies, other taxes, are what are being used to upgrade our schools and 411 - college banners are not an authorized expense. Might I suggest that you attend a board meeting and see for yourself the dysfunction of current leadership under Ed Brand. Perhapsmyounmightbwant to read the Grand Jury testimonies that are on line. I have read ever word, and there are thousands. Then perhaps you might want to join the growing movement of returning Sweetwaters once good name.— September 5, 2013 10:59 a.m.
Chula Vista school hurries to get ready for Arne Duncan
Of all of the school districts to pick to host his event, why was SUHSD chosen? I have a bit of a problem with that - the very leadership of this district is under legal scrutiny. SUHSD under Ed Brand has alienated itself from the majority of educational districts i.e. Elementary and Jr. College. What criteria was used to vet the 'host'? Obviously none. Chula Vista Elementary District, why not choose it? Would it have brought forth the controversy - no. Would their superintendent have wasted tax payer dollars on a stage, college banners or red painted windows - not in a million dollars. But then perhaps it is because our Elementary Schools District leaderships are there for the students, and could care less about the glory! Is it not a shame that this District has, once again, taken a positive and turned it around to make it all about Ed Brand and a certain principal by using tax payers dollars to turn this event Into misappropriation of tax dollars and missing ASB funds.— September 5, 2013 10:24 a.m.