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Sweetwater school district board seeks to silence opposition
AnnieJ, my friend, I was not condemning teachers, without them I would not be able to write even this badly, Any english teacher would easily tell I am an engineer and did not pay very good attention in english class due to my punctuatiuon or spelling. My point was not to detract from teachers but to use them as an example of broad bursh generalizations, we all have a tendancy to do this. I really believe that some of our situation will require a scalpel to correct. I have never gotten so involved with an issue like I have with this district and I am not prepared to back off as of now, They, the adminstration and Board do not know what they have started however I am in until the end. Help me find the next concrete step!!!! Do we need to prevent the depleted board, McCann and Brand from running amok? BBQ— March 16, 2013 4:32 p.m.
Sweetwater school district board seeks to silence opposition
Too all my fellow bloggers, I agree with many of your points however we all need to be very carefull not to paint with too broad a brush that all teachers are on the front lines working to the full benefit of our kids thus deserve our undieing gratitude, like anything there great good average and subpar teachers. Is their input to the business important absolutely. Just as if we use too fine a line between a fine upstanding Trustee vs all of the rest, that we do not create the same uncompromising ineffectual log jam of Hoo Ha, that we have now. While I really hate the term, "Win, Win" situation or solution, there is reasonable compromise, intelligent negotiation, and peaceful co-existance which I believe is the ultimate goal. Allong with an efficient modern progressive working High School District. I am not sure what will transpire prior to getting to that point, but we better be planning some type of peaceful transition whatever the outcome in April because someone is going to be upset!!! If we weren't in the middle of budget season, pink slip season, contract season, circulium (sp) season, real estate issues, ethics issues, I would not be as concerned........ but what's going to happen in the Possible vacuum, just Sir McCann and Dr. Brand (remembering my Civility) in charge of all that money, I'm sure the staff will run out of copy paper and pens (Joke, Mr. Quarter Master McCann, sir). I think they are licking their or each others chops, we need to put in a restraining order to prevent any spending or budget changes without a full board in place. Where is the transition plan, County Board of Education? By the way when does that Esteemed group meet and have public comment time? I think a little disgust and heat may be required over there this Month. I could keep going but I've found a way to Quote Roadrunner and Coyote, you know the end of any segment is Coyote falling off the cliff until you can't see him for a couple seconds, then..... "Poof" and a cloud of dust, How about us? Where is our cloud of dust? VIVA LA SUD DE SAN DIEGO BBQ— March 16, 2013 2:01 p.m.
Sweetwater school district board seeks to silence opposition
anniej, the reason I have started to include the Union-Tribune and Sir Manchester into this is for the same reason you brought Ms Cox into the disscussion in the previous blog string, to show the inter connection and duplicity of this whole mess. While I agree with you, the Reader and Susan Luzzaro are doing a great job keeping the district in the public eye, as it isn't too difficult, just wait until their mouth moves next, the problem with telling to many tales is sooner or later they get confussed and mixed up. However, I wonder where the more Main Stream ie Big Media is on any of this? The second biggest District in the Area, $350 Million per year Budget, a major employer, if (when) all this implodes who's going to pick up the pieces? Where is the County Schol Board on all of this? We have not heard a squeek or peep from them, are they afraid of the big bad wolf too? (Dr. Brand, (with all civil intent)). Who is guy (?), an Itallian or Mexican Don, I'm not worried I can call "da boys from detroit" (Just Kidding, Gotta laugh or you'll cry at this stuff). It is a sad state of affairs that we are even close to this. I will now appeal to Dr. Alt, the CFO of the district, who I also tried to contact last week, and am expecting a call from on Monday or Tuesday. I hope he will walk me through some of the financials of the district with specific interest on real estate assets, debts and accounts receivables (I may be an Engineer but I'm an MBA too). If I do not hear from him I will assume that "Fearless Leader" (The ever Civil, Dr. Brand), directed him not to speak with me. (oh I like Cartoon metaphors). So I/we a/the citizens have to take up the challange to reveal the misappropriation and misrepresentation within the SUHSD, that our governmental and "media" checks and Balances refuse to. All I have to say is I am disgusted enough to take it/them on. VIVA LA SUD DE SAN DIEGO.... BBQ— March 16, 2013 10:23 a.m.
Sweetwater school district board seeks to silence opposition
Oh Boy, a New Web string, I've just sort of signed off the last one by telling my fellow blogees that I sent an E-mail directly to Dr. Brand (civilly) to ask for a face to face meeting. I was worried about sending this E-mail since all of these blogs and issues have been distracting me from my job. I am afraid that if the good Doctor wanted to he could call my employer and suggest that I was waisting company time which I guess I was. However I believe that there is little more important than our right to free speech and the right to proper Public Education. These are the foundations of democracy (Look at Afganistan, and the supression of women) and when either are challanged they have to be defended. We are in such a situation, our High School District is nearly hijacked, by people that do not respect our rights to freedom of speech, who see their way as the only way and others that only see their possible future grandure (sp). I stand by my request to Dr Brand (with all Civility) and the Board of Trustees to have a face to face meeting, perhaps a televised debate, maybe with the Union-Tribune as the moderator, (if Dr. Brand (Civil intent) and Sir Manchester, so deem it) to get through all this crap. All of the kids in the South Bay Deserve so much more than we as parents, citizens, teachers, adminstration, elected officials and intellegent adults are offering and giving them at his time. By the way for those of you north and east of us keep your eyes open!!!! Respectfully and with all Civility, BBQ— March 15, 2013 10:37 p.m.
Sweetwater school district cuts program and teachers
Blogees, since we have a new issue, the latest silencing the public issue, this web will undoubtably end, I plan to continue to attend meetings and stand under the Exit sign with a look of distain on my face until we get some resolution to the disfunction in the region, not just the district, I still Believe that the people who feel the area is as messed up as most of us do should get together and be productive working towards an eventual solution rather than continuing to fight the dark side one issue at a time. I realize it is dificult to watch the daily BS but sometimes it requires a fully planned frontal assualt with the proper back up. Perhaps all of the residents in the South Bay Region need to cancel our subscriptions to the Union-Tribune to show our unity and contempt for the current status Quo. See you all on the next web. BBQ— March 15, 2013 9:52 p.m.
Sweetwater school district cuts program and teachers
To my fellow commentators, agitators and uncivilized citizens, I grow weary of this method of possible communiction with the district, so I decided to come out so to speak and copied my previous open letter allong with oskidoll, eastlakers and my reply to reply directly to Dr. Brand (Just Being Civil). With this I explained Why I was so disappointed in him personally, the adminstration,the board and the general public for the situation the district is in. In Nov 2011 I met with him and he all but promised that the District would recover from the Gandara Era through transpearance and open communication, I called him on that allong with the new definition of funding any student tech project up to 26% with Mello-roos funds (subject to interpration) and no real plans for use of the newly raised Mello-roos. I will keep you all informed if I ever hear back from my new e-mail friend Dr. Edward Brand. Civilly yours BBQ— March 15, 2013 2:44 p.m.
Sweetwater school district cuts program and teachers
Gosh I hate to reply to a reply to my own comment but if Dr. Brand (Civility remember) was not so worried about Sweetwater University and Office Buildings perhaps he'd have his staff compiling all of the above information and reporting out on it already and it would be as simple as having the IT department posting it on the website with his small comments added as to where additional focus should be placed based on actual results. Remember the "Super" is not the Only person in the District we "PAY". Everyone that works at the district works for us the Shareholders/Public. Most every Document produced in that building has some type of public record reporting on it. One would think that reporting this information volunterally (I can't spell, can the Reader Add Spell check to this site?) is preferable to having it demanded by the public or the law? BBQ— March 15, 2013 1:15 p.m.
Sweetwater school district cuts program and teachers
Anniej Young lady, as I have said before by the time anything makes it to a Board Meeting it's been decided in back. The Board Meetings are a sham and are a game of the Board and Dr Brand saying "SEE Look at those ignorant/uncivil/aggressive People." I calmly waited 3.5 Hours for my very short 3 minutes after listening to 45 minutes of civility drivel. And other pontification for Sir McCann during the meeting, I don't know what he even said, I usually hear Me and I when he speaks.. I find the Board meetings a colassal waste of time and a formality/show due to the method they are run. Sorry I will come to more but i may need you to keep me from getting excited.— March 15, 2013 10:52 a.m.
Sweetwater school district cuts program and teachers
Dear Dr. Brand and Board of Trustees, As I am fairly confident you or someone on your staff follows these Blogs, if not out of being intimidated, at least for the pure entertainment value, and I also think you could easily determine who most of us are, I for one know you have my number and e-mail as I have personally given it to you more than once and been in your office. I would think that if you see us a "agitators and uncivil" the best way to calm the situation would be to hold an informal meeting with us to have an open/honest discussion of the "real" agenda of the district. Who knows there may be some some common ground that we stand on. The big issue for me is the lack of real communication coming out of the District with regards to almost everything. We get soundbites of Sweetwater University, Grand Canyon University, Real Estate Deals, Open Boundaries, Program Improvement,... Do I really need to go on, if you can't see this you need to get out of the office more. How would you feel if you were on this side of the table? Your little Fluff Letter on the district Website, come on it's "Banquet Season"! How about making this Letter into a Status of the District Letter with Issues that are affecting us, it would be easier to understand a vote if we really understood the State Budget changes to funding for the Adult Ed Classes, we still may not agree (?) or is that too uncomfortable for you or is the public too dumb to understand? Dr. Brand you are compensated well enough to answer to the Public/Shareholders of your Corporation (SUHSD) that are unhappy with your financials and policies. Consider us Holders of a major Block of your Stock and start a dialog. The three or four hours a month given to public discourse (at 3 min each with no question/ answers) with people other than "YES" people is not enough to have a balance view of anything. Consider Making Time for Review and Discussion, Remember. forgive me PETA, "There's more than one way to skin a Cat" Submitted with Respect and Civility, BBQ— March 15, 2013 10:39 a.m.
Sweetwater school district cuts program and teachers
Eastlaker great analysis from a different angle from mine, Ed and crew excuse me, Dr. Brand and the Trustees (Civility,you know), still have the the anchor of believing that they are smarter than the rest of us, I will repeat that a "wise man knows what he does not know" , Socrates....For Dr. Brand this means realizing that it is always possible usually probable that someone knows specifics about some subjects a lot better than he does. Until he accepts this he will continue as I say in the next comment get caught with his pants down. We all still need to get together and develop a platform for the future of the SUHSD and possibly the rest of the Region. Viva La Sud de San Diego. BBQ— March 14, 2013 10:25 p.m.