Lesson learned: adults can cheat, kids can't

I have seen so much dishonesty, cheating and corruption among top officials in schools that I find student cheating to be, well, kids' stuff. The thing about it that bothers me most is that it may be a harbinger of things to come. Will these kids grow up to cheat like the adults who run our schools?

Administrators are expected to kow-tow to the powerful. Apparently this principal kow-towed to people who weren't powerful enough to protect him.

2 Sweetwater administrators resign

CHULA VISTA — Two administrators in the Sweetwater Union High School District resigned this week.

Diego Ochoa stepped down from his new post as principal of Bonita Vista Middle School less than two weeks into the new school year.

The Watchdog reported that Ochoa signed off on the improper erasure of 115 Ds and Fs from student transcripts while principal at Castle Park High School, and he was subsequently demoted. He said he simply used the wrong form to enter scores from a credit-recovery program.

“I have chosen to resign voluntarily from the district and pursue options elsewhere. I enjoyed my time working in the district,” Ochoa said.

Castle Park’s former assistant principal of student activities, Abram Jimenez, also resigned this week from his new post as assistant principal at Bonita Vista High School. Attempts to contact Jimenez were unsuccessful.

Jimenez oversaw the Associated Student Body at Castle Park, including a fund with $58,000 at the end of the 2010 fiscal year.

As management employees, Ochoa and Jimenez will receive 90 days of pay— Ochoa will receive $54,000 and Jimenez $51,000 — in addition to vacation and sick leave pay.

No details were given on their departure, but acting Superintendent Ed Brand said, “The Sweetwater district is always looking to improve itself and we are going to be posting these positions and will be filling them in the near future.”

Ochoa was set to be promoted to executive director of high schools under the former superintendent, Jesus Gandara. When Brand was hired in June, he changed course.