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Sweetwater scandal: Ed Brand’s claims contradicted
Thanks for the info. I know its my computer monitor but everytime I open this article, Ed's face in his picture gets redder and redder, Dorian Gray??? BBQ— June 4, 2013 12:54 p.m.
Sweetwater scandal: Ed Brand’s claims contradicted
Hey, I would like to read some of the transcripts, can anyone send me to the right place to find them? This, or give me the Case number so I can look them up. BBQ— June 4, 2013 11:49 a.m.
Sweetwater teachers await funding news
To All, I have tried this before, the public needs to have a dialog with: 1) Itself, that means you and I the citizens, taxpayers to decide what we want, not the simple stuff like a non-corrupt board and Upper Adminstration, but truely what the direction of the district should be, 2) Who or what organization will sponsor the dialog to start the progression towards the unified goals of the Citizens (see above), Teachers, Working staff (Bus Drivers, Foodworkers, custodians, etc), Site staff (Conselors, Principals, etc) and Adminstration staff. 3) Start the movement towards change/reform of a large School District, using "Uncommon" sense, with an eye towards the future. Only with these things in some kind of order can/will we pull this district out of the S__thole it is currently in. I would ask the SEA, other Union represented employees, Adminstration and public to enter the discussion with an attitude that what is being done is not sustainable and present a real challange to create the efficient, progressive district of the future. Use "Lean" principles to determine "Value Added" criteria for all aspects of the District, from Transportation and Food Service to Curriculum and Fund raising. We not only have a need to do this, we have a responsibility to our students, employees and citizens. Starting to sound like a speech or platform, dialog is the answer, Someone pick a place and time for next Tuesday Evening and I will be there. BBQ— May 26, 2013 4:28 p.m.
Sweetwater teachers await funding news
Anniej et. al. For me even though the Trustees are weak and seemingly sheep-like followers, not independent thinkers, or we would see more discussion of these ideas and changes in public. The issue is not completely about who is in power as much as what is the overall goal for the district. I have asked this before and will continue, where is the long-term plan that all of these short-sighted, ill-concieved schemes lead up to? Is everyone in the region so enamored with (Bullied by) Dr. Brand and his "Vision" of secondary education? Let's be frank most people in the district be they Teachers, Site Adminstration, or public get allong just fine with little or preferably no meaningful contact with him (or his cult following, "yes" persons). When do we get to see behind the curtain? Where is the opportunity to have meaningful dialog with the district? Who should be leading that dialog? When and where do we, the public go for other opinions to understand the needs and wants of our School Site Employees and students? I am asking about the bigger picture than the circus of Board meetings, Legal issues, and individuals. How/what is the best method to enact discussion and change? I feel that we must look farther forward and back, to right the ship and set a comprehensive path into the future. That plan cannot continue to be set without proper public dialog. Contrary to Mr. McCann's dialog, I've never heard anyone other than or Board and Dr. Brand ever say they wanted the district to take on 13 - 16 year college education (Sweetwater University, BTW not the same as Compact for success, another blog) or abandon ROP/CTE. Open up SUHSD, BBQ— May 24, 2013 11:21 a.m.
Sweetwater teachers await funding news
The saddest thing about all of this is the approximately $3 Million it would have cost to keep these programs is less than 1% of the Budget. The BoT and Dr. Brand seem to have done this to make a point and further their "Elitist" agenda, College Track for everyone. They also needed a Facility to house Alliant at Sweetwater. They are also still covering up the fact that they have dipped into our reserves so much in the last 5 Years that there is little reserve left, yet they still pine for a "New Adminstration Building", If SUHSD is so good on the annual Audit for County Board of Education why do we need to cut these programs, no other district did. More BS from the Leaders of the district. BBQ— May 23, 2013 12:13 p.m.
Sweetwater school district board approves Alliant partnership
When is an MOU not an MOU? Looking at agenda items in the district archives then reading the text of these two items shows a distinct difference in the agreements and their intent. May 14, 2013 agenda item: F.8 Approve agreement between Alliant International University and SUHSD to participate in the establishment of Alliant International University at Sweetwater April 17, 2006 agenda Item: B-02.* Approve MOU between Alliant International University, Sweetwater Union High School District and Southwestern Community College. The May 14th agenda item is not nor should be considered an MOU. It does not lay down a "**Convergence of will"** between SUHSD and Alliant University to establish Sweetwater University, it **approves the establishment** of Sweetwater University. The use of the word "**participate**" is a redundant wiggle word and could easily be removed from the agenda item wording and not change the intent or outcome of the approval. Deliberate obfustication (sp) of the item is if not illegal at least contemptable. Mr Cartmill what have you to say? **Definition of MOU** *A memorandum of understanding (MoU) is a document describing a bilateral or multilateral agreement between two or more parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action. It is often used in cases where parties either do not imply a legal commitment or in situations where the parties cannot create a legally enforceable agreement. It is a more formal alternative to a gentlemen's agreement. Whether or not a document constitutes a binding contract depends only on the presence or absence of well-defined legal elements in the text proper of the document (the so-called "**four corners**"). The required elements are: **offer, consideration, intention (consensus ad idem), and acceptance.** The specifics can differ slightly depending on whether the contract is for goods (falls under the Uniform Commercial Code [UCC]) or services (falls under the common law of the state).* **Resulting call for action** I believe that we need to see the actual agreement with Alliant to establish if the "**Four Corners**" exist. If so the actions of Dr.Brand and the BoT exceeded the Brown act and acceptable actions of the Superintendant. Oh by the way in the April 2006 agenda item the agreement was pdf attached to the announcement, 10 days later I still don't see the paperwork for the Alliant/Sweetwater agreement. Hiding something? BBQ— May 22, 2013 10:55 a.m.
Sweetwater school district board approves Alliant partnership
timtim, That's vulger! I've been BBQ for a very long time, I've been teased before, not recently like about 30 years, but do not take it personal. I will again ask you to defend the Board and Brand if you think that they doing a acceptable job managing and guiding the district. If you can belittle people with an opinion different than yours surely you should be able to state your position on these subjects clearly in a comment. So again I'm calling you out to make a real stand on the numerous issues brought to us by the mis-management, mis-direction and malfeasance of the Board/Brand amigos. I am open minded and really want to know what you think about SUHSD, I would like to hope there is something good about what's going on. BBQ— May 17, 2013 2:27 p.m.
Sweetwater school district board approves Alliant partnership
Angrybirds, I hope that by saying "These People" you are refering to the Board of Trustees and Dr. Brand, if you mean the few of us that stand up at meetings and call out the Hypocrisy of the Board/Brand Amigos, I cannot agree with you. The few have usually been the forefront to any Movement for change, it takes commitment and bravery to stand up to BS and then be ridiculed by Board Members under pseudonyms (for timtim, false names). I appreciate you piping in with your comments and still hope for someone to write-in why this Alliegence with Alliant is a good thing and handled properly by the District. Remember if all you are ever taught is "the evil United States" you might just be a Jihadist, ie if you only have yes men, you never see the other side. Always open for discussion, BBQ— May 17, 2013 12:22 p.m.
Sweetwater school district board approves Alliant partnership
If you read the agenda item and go with the rest of what was said by Dr. Brand and Jim Cartmill, this is not an MOU or NDA. With firm committments as to what facility, start dates, costs or fee structures, the dance was not just beginning. I look at everything said at the board meeting as fiction if not bold faced lies. I accused our Board of Trustees of being Elitists, just because they and their kids went to University right out of High School does not mean that should be the only track for all kids. By eliminating most of our vocational training and our ROP, Adult school safety nets and setting up a four year degree program we eliminate options that many of us "Baby Boomers" had. Our Kids already have a college safety net at our excellent Community College System. As I have stated before does the Board really think that Engineers, Doctors and Surgeons were born able to Build, Diagnose and Fix things without the practical tools that were discovered in vocational classes like Wood, Metal, Cooking and Sewing? We had to take these as part of our Middle School requirements. Now our schools don't have the facilities or the Craftspeople to teach them and our Board of Trustees is so into the college track that they don't care or can't see it. I really have a hard time understanding the goal of the SUHSD, first they cannot take care of the Program Improvement issue, which appears to not be on anyone's radar screen and now they are empire building with our tax dollars for most likely their own profit. Please Board and Dr. Brand show us your overall academic plan for the average student in the district for grades 7-12, then show us the 13-16 planning of most of the students, Again as I have said before to Dr.Brand and others if you would allow some public discussion of these "Ideas" and "agreements" with the pros and Cons you might get some public support before you steamroller it through at a Board meeting. Always open for conversation, BBQ— May 17, 2013 11:38 a.m.
Sweetwater school district to team with Alliant University?
timtim, if you really are John McCann, there was no mean intent ment by my saying stand tall, your stature is not defined by your height, it's defined by your actions, so if two and two are four figure it out. This comment is mean spirited as mean as your acting impotent (misspelling deliberate) as a Trustee. A fine fighting man cow-toeing to a bully like Dr. Brand, and thinking the world won't notice, do you think things will be different if you wish it so. Please become a fully functional Trustee ( a self-defined term meaning in the publics trust) before you and you alone let the district become even more of a laughing stock. My advice for you, remember, many people "Trusted" you to effect change in the district and so far you have a failing grade. BBQ— May 15, 2013 6:44 p.m.