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Chula Vista parents protest switch to Common Core State Standards
According to the Brown Act, ALL meetings of the public body (the governing board of a public agency) are open and must receive proper notice....72 hours in advance for regular meetings, less for special and emergency meetings. I seriously doubt it qualified as an emergency meeting. Special meetings may be called to discuss specific topics and be in workshop format. Only items considered in 'closed session' are not open to the public. This Board, and Superintendent, are particularly evasive about such things.— September 22, 2013 12:37 p.m.
Chula Vista parents protest switch to Common Core State Standards
Hmmmm....this bears more consideration, that's for certain. When the District has 'personnel' matters to be investigated, the District generally hires the contract lawyers to do that (usually Dan Shernoff and Co). So what other issues merit other investigators?— September 21, 2013 1:06 p.m.
Sweetwater school district backs off on Alliant International University plan
Now the plot thickens. Alliant/Sweetwater are paid advertisers in the UT...of course the UT will now LOVE everything Alliant and Sweetwater do! Look for more 'glowing' stories about Sweetwater and their pals. The UT/Manchester cabal knows no journalistic integrity. Birds of a feather......— September 16, 2013 8:44 p.m.
Sweetwater school district backs off on Alliant International University plan
You all might want to check out the Form 990 posted on the South Bay Community Services website. It is dated 2013, and there appears to be a gap since 2010 in 990 forms. It is several pages long, but perusal reveals sources of funding, (mostly you and me as taxpayers) from the SUHSD $1,115,854; City of Chula Vista; National School District; County of San Diego; CV Elementary School District; State and Federal agencies....totalling in the neighborhood of $14 million. It also reveals salaries paid to top officials, including Lembo at $191,717 plus an additional $35,836; and Horton at $120,382 plus an additional $3,357. One wonders how these salaries compare to other social service agencies. One also wonders how often they are audited and by whom. With regard to the Promise Neighborhood program, it would be useful to see the grant/contract with the U.S. Department of Education to learn more about the program's objectives and milestones, as well as duties of grant managers.— September 16, 2013 10:49 a.m.
Sweetwater school district backs off on Alliant International University plan
Good news anniej...thanks! I do hope anyone whose child(ren) were contacted with the Alliant recruitment message by South Bay Community Services using the FERPA-protected student contact info proviced by SUHSD will complain to the Feds. FERPA is a Federal law administered by the US Dept of Education (that's Arne's place!)— September 15, 2013 11:48 a.m.
Sweetwater school district backs off on Alliant International University plan
An additional thought: South Bay Community Services must also be above scrutiny as they spend our Federal $$$, as well as our local taxpayer $$$ (courtesy of block grant from the City of Chula Vista)...they MUST be free of all politics as they work with SUHSD in the "promise neighborhood' grant and in other local grass roots endeavors. It is ILLEGAL to spend the public's money on any political cause (as one former Southwestern College president learned the hard way) .... the FBI is always interested to know when anyone's hands are found in the public $$$ cookie jar and being spent to engineer elections.— September 15, 2013 10:05 a.m.
Sweetwater school district backs off on Alliant International University plan
Eastlaker, I agree that it is no coincidence that the UT Editorials, plus the Duncan 'show' all appeared at the same time, and it is likely that Ed and Co have orchestrated the messages to try to pin the blame for Sweetwater's educational issues on the unions and liberals. Remember, the so-called 'conservatives' will do their best to co-opt the conservative so-called press for its own purposes and propaganda. Anniej, I agree that the upcoming trials and vote in 2014 are essential to righting the educational ship. The trials of the four indicted may remove some of our perps from office, but then we must see who is lined up to take their place. If, by some fluke, they manage to retain their seats, Cartmill, Ricasa and McCann's seats are open in November. In the meantime, WE must identify, encourage, and support those who WE think will be responsbile replacements....don't wait until the die are cast. I do not, however, agree that we need the next few months to learn who John McCann represents....he is alrealdy 'exposed' for representing only himself and his base personal interests. His political future is very much in doubt, and if he keeps shooting himself in the foot he will take himself out. Remember, keep score and keep records. His record will make an incredible piece of campaign literature for his opponent.— September 15, 2013 9:33 a.m.
Sweetwater school district backs off on Alliant International University plan
In Sweetwater, it is about corruption, plain and simple. Corruption at the TOP, folks....four trustees indicted for corruption (taking gifts and $$ from would-be vendors and not reporting it per government code).... Everyone seems to be on the take for campaign contributions which the very same Board fails to address. These corrupt trustees hire the CEO --- Superintendent Brand, and give him license to run all sorts of shell games with SUHSD Resources, OUR tax money that should be educating our kids. THAT IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH EDUCATION IN SWEETWATER!!!! Uncomfortable facts but that is our REALITY. The unions are not to blame for this mess....WE are to blame for electing such do-do birds in the first place. Certainly, I agree there are some education issues that involve unions and their stranglehold on the legislative process, but those pale by comparison to the very real corruption of our so-called Trustees, their hand-picked CEO and his henchmen.. But let's not be enticed by those who would have us believe any of our mess is the fault of any union. We have Corruption at the top.....plain and simple.— September 14, 2013 3:46 p.m.
Sweetwater school district backs off on Alliant International University plan
Bingo, eastlaker! Don't forget this is a multi-million $$ grant over several years....enough for Lembo and Co to spread around to their friends!— September 13, 2013 6:48 p.m.
Sweetwater school district backs off on Alliant International University plan
Of course, the UT will take Fast Eddy's side. Those editorial board people are nincompoops who only see what they want to see, and they will NEVER acknowledge that anyone who claims to be a political conservative can do any wrong. Similarly, they were taken in by Raj Chopra because he passed himself off as a conservative who was battling the 'evil' unions. Well, we know what happened there, don't we? Again, it was corrupt leadership that led to that mess. Corruption and greed know no political boundaries, which is something the UT had better understand instead of looking at people and actions through what they think their political 'labels' are. The UT is not now, and as long as it remains the bully pulpit of Doug Manchester (politically to the right of Atilla the Hun) it cannot be expected to do 'fair and balanced' journalism. It is a news joke. On the surface, the CPM and Promise Neighborhood and South Bay Community Services work seems noble...it isn't until the tentatcles that bind them all together are revealed that we begin to connect the dots and learn that everything is not as it seems. SBCS' Lembo is paid an astronomical salary....look at her staff people (Ms. Horton) and Board (Patty Chavez, who is also involved with the Barrio College Institute that is somehow now working with the Promise Grant). It appears there are lots of fingers in the pie.— September 13, 2013 10:36 a.m.