Redemption & Virtue: Conversation With Gustavo Arellano
by Sander Wolff
Culture Agent
04.12.10
Gustavo Arellano, celebrated 'Ask A Mexican' columnist for the OC Weekly...his book, 'Orange County: A Personal History.' Here he talks about Santa Ana politics, his family, and the demise of The District.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., National Memorial
This month of April marks the 42nd anniversary of the death of Dr. King and we are commemorating his life and work by creating a memorial in our nation's capital. The Washington, DC, Martin Luther King, Jr., National Memorial will honor his life and contributions to the world through non violent social change.
I've put together this micro-site to help get the message out - there are videos, photos, banners, and even a web toolbar that, when used, donates money to the creation of the memorial:
News--Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., National Memorial
After many years of fund raising, the memorial is only $14 million away from its $120 million goal. If you are able to post or tweet about this please let me know so I can share it with the team. If you have any questions please pop me an email. And if you are able to help, thank you so much.
Lowell Dempsey,
BuildTheDream.org
Twitter @mlkmemorial
Facebook.com/MLKNationalMemorial
I've put together this micro-site to help get the message out - there are videos, photos, banners, and even a web toolbar that, when used, donates money to the creation of the memorial:
News--Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., National Memorial
After many years of fund raising, the memorial is only $14 million away from its $120 million goal. If you are able to post or tweet about this please let me know so I can share it with the team. If you have any questions please pop me an email. And if you are able to help, thank you so much.
Lowell Dempsey,
BuildTheDream.org
Twitter @mlkmemorial
Facebook.com/MLKNationalMemorial
Friday, April 16, 2010
Phoebe Prince, Bullying, and Me
Phoebe Prince, Bullying, and Me
by Kara Miller
April 9, 2010
Yahoo News
Phoebe Prince killed herself on January 14. Today is April 12, and her name is still in the news, both locally and nationally. Why?
Partially, of course, it's because District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel has charged six teenagers in the case, all of whom were arraigned last week.
But there’s another – more wide-reaching – story here. A story not about violent, over-the-top bullying (the kind Prince endured) but about ordinary, run-of-the-mill bullying. Not so violent that any crime is committed. Not so horrific that school officials are clued in. But so ubiquitous that almost everyone has seen it or been targeted by it.
After all, particularly violent bullying – at least by girls – does not appear to be on the rise. Mike Males, a researcher at the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, and Meda-Chesney Lind, a professor at the University of Hawaii, noted in The New York Times last week that the number of girls arrested for assault hit a “peak of 16,800 in 1995, then dropped sharply, to 13,300 in 2008. So, at best, claims that girls’ violence is rising apply to girls of 15 to 25 years ago, not today.”
General, non-violent harassment, though, is pervasive. And it can easily snowball...
E! Investigates Bullying - A National Epidemic
April 21, 2010, 10:00 PM, ET/PT
(Los Angeles, CA, April 7, 2010) - Every day, thousands of kids across the
country are afraid to go to school thanks to an epidemic of vicious behavior
among American teenagers. It is estimated that 20% of children are victims of
bullying. These attacks come in the form of physical and verbal abuse, as well
as by newer methods of harassment using cell phones and the internet. Once
thought to be just harmless teasing, the real-life effects of bullying can
include prolonged depression and even suicide. Recently, according to police, a
15-year-old girl in Massachusetts hung herself after being taunted by a group of
girls who posted mocking messages on their Facebook pages. This one-hour
episode sheds light on several recent stories and the tragic effects that can
result from this all-too-common behavior when E! Investigates: Bullying airs
April 21 at 10:00 PM ET/PT, only on E!.
By all accounts, Dylan Theno was a happy, well-adjusted boy in a small Kansas
community. But when he entered 7th grade, a few of Dylan’s fellow students
began making fun of him. For years the cruel taunts and name-calling continued.
The Thenos claim they spoke with school officials on numerous occasions to no
avail and they ultimately had to make the tough decision to pull Dylan from the
classroom. Also in this episode, E! Investigates interviews students, parents
and faculty in Calabasas, CA, to learn what really happened when red-haired kids
were suddenly singled out and attacked on the infamous “Kick A Ginger Day.” E!
Investigates: Bullying explores theories of what may be causing the increasingly
cruel nature of these attacks, explains how the advent of hand-held technology
has given bullies powerful new weapons, and shows what schools are and aren’t
doing to prevent bullying. Finally, warning signs are identified that parents
should look for if they suspect their child has become a bullying victim.
About Comcast Entertainment Group
Based in Los Angeles, Comcast Entertainment Group operates E! Entertainment
Television...
by Kara Miller
April 9, 2010
Yahoo News
Phoebe Prince killed herself on January 14. Today is April 12, and her name is still in the news, both locally and nationally. Why?
Partially, of course, it's because District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel has charged six teenagers in the case, all of whom were arraigned last week.
But there’s another – more wide-reaching – story here. A story not about violent, over-the-top bullying (the kind Prince endured) but about ordinary, run-of-the-mill bullying. Not so violent that any crime is committed. Not so horrific that school officials are clued in. But so ubiquitous that almost everyone has seen it or been targeted by it.
After all, particularly violent bullying – at least by girls – does not appear to be on the rise. Mike Males, a researcher at the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, and Meda-Chesney Lind, a professor at the University of Hawaii, noted in The New York Times last week that the number of girls arrested for assault hit a “peak of 16,800 in 1995, then dropped sharply, to 13,300 in 2008. So, at best, claims that girls’ violence is rising apply to girls of 15 to 25 years ago, not today.”
General, non-violent harassment, though, is pervasive. And it can easily snowball...
E! Investigates Bullying - A National Epidemic
April 21, 2010, 10:00 PM, ET/PT
(Los Angeles, CA, April 7, 2010) - Every day, thousands of kids across the
country are afraid to go to school thanks to an epidemic of vicious behavior
among American teenagers. It is estimated that 20% of children are victims of
bullying. These attacks come in the form of physical and verbal abuse, as well
as by newer methods of harassment using cell phones and the internet. Once
thought to be just harmless teasing, the real-life effects of bullying can
include prolonged depression and even suicide. Recently, according to police, a
15-year-old girl in Massachusetts hung herself after being taunted by a group of
girls who posted mocking messages on their Facebook pages. This one-hour
episode sheds light on several recent stories and the tragic effects that can
result from this all-too-common behavior when E! Investigates: Bullying airs
April 21 at 10:00 PM ET/PT, only on E!.
By all accounts, Dylan Theno was a happy, well-adjusted boy in a small Kansas
community. But when he entered 7th grade, a few of Dylan’s fellow students
began making fun of him. For years the cruel taunts and name-calling continued.
The Thenos claim they spoke with school officials on numerous occasions to no
avail and they ultimately had to make the tough decision to pull Dylan from the
classroom. Also in this episode, E! Investigates interviews students, parents
and faculty in Calabasas, CA, to learn what really happened when red-haired kids
were suddenly singled out and attacked on the infamous “Kick A Ginger Day.” E!
Investigates: Bullying explores theories of what may be causing the increasingly
cruel nature of these attacks, explains how the advent of hand-held technology
has given bullies powerful new weapons, and shows what schools are and aren’t
doing to prevent bullying. Finally, warning signs are identified that parents
should look for if they suspect their child has become a bullying victim.
About Comcast Entertainment Group
Based in Los Angeles, Comcast Entertainment Group operates E! Entertainment
Television...
U.S. government accuses Goldman Sachs of fraud
Apr 16, 2010
U.S. government accuses Goldman Sachs of fraud
A Wall Street bombshell: The SEC takes the investment bank to court, just as debate over financial reform heats up
By Andrew Leonard
The vampire squid is under attack! How it will end is anybody's guess, but for now, the first line of the Security and Exchange Commission's complaint against Goldman Sachs accusing the investment bank of securities fraud must sound like sweet sweet music to anyone who has long been outraged by the Wall Street machinations at the heart of the financial crisis.
The Commission brings this securities fraud action against Goldman, Sachs & Co. ("GS&Co") and a GS&Co employee, Fabrice Tourre ("Tourre"), for making materially misleading statements and omissions in connection with a synthetic collateralized debt obligation ("CDO") GS&Co structured and marketed to investors.
The New York Times' Gretchen Morgenson and Louise Story scooped the rest of the business press with news of the SEC action, which launches perhaps the most dramatic confrontation between the U.S. government and an American corporation since Bill Clinton's Justice Department brought an antirust suit against Microsoft. The details of the complaint are complex, but the heart of the story is very simple.
According to the SEC complaint, in early 2007, at the request of John Paulson, a prominent hedge fund trader, Goldman Sachs created a security -- called Abacus 2007 AC-1 -- built from underlying mortgage-backed securities that Paulson had cherry-picked as most likely to blow up. While Goldman Sachs then turned around and sold the security to its own clients, Paulson and Goldman bought credit default insurance on the underlying mortgage bonds. Paulson and Goldman cashed in, while Goldman's clients lost millions. At no time did Goldman divulge Paulson's involvement to its clients...
U.S. government accuses Goldman Sachs of fraud
A Wall Street bombshell: The SEC takes the investment bank to court, just as debate over financial reform heats up
By Andrew Leonard
The vampire squid is under attack! How it will end is anybody's guess, but for now, the first line of the Security and Exchange Commission's complaint against Goldman Sachs accusing the investment bank of securities fraud must sound like sweet sweet music to anyone who has long been outraged by the Wall Street machinations at the heart of the financial crisis.
The Commission brings this securities fraud action against Goldman, Sachs & Co. ("GS&Co") and a GS&Co employee, Fabrice Tourre ("Tourre"), for making materially misleading statements and omissions in connection with a synthetic collateralized debt obligation ("CDO") GS&Co structured and marketed to investors.
The New York Times' Gretchen Morgenson and Louise Story scooped the rest of the business press with news of the SEC action, which launches perhaps the most dramatic confrontation between the U.S. government and an American corporation since Bill Clinton's Justice Department brought an antirust suit against Microsoft. The details of the complaint are complex, but the heart of the story is very simple.
According to the SEC complaint, in early 2007, at the request of John Paulson, a prominent hedge fund trader, Goldman Sachs created a security -- called Abacus 2007 AC-1 -- built from underlying mortgage-backed securities that Paulson had cherry-picked as most likely to blow up. While Goldman Sachs then turned around and sold the security to its own clients, Paulson and Goldman bought credit default insurance on the underlying mortgage bonds. Paulson and Goldman cashed in, while Goldman's clients lost millions. At no time did Goldman divulge Paulson's involvement to its clients...
The Tea Partiers: Older, richer and more resentful
Apr 15, 2010
The Tea Partiers: Older, richer and more resentful
We're learning more about the people who are a part of the Tea Party movement -- and what's really motivating them
By David Jarman
Salon.com
Slowly but surely, a demographic profile of the Tea Party movement – which began just over a year ago and is now dominating the news as Tax Day arrives – is emerging.
A comprehensive poll conducted for the New York Times and CBS News and released late Monday CBS News/New York Times essentially found what anyone watching a couple minutes of news footage of a rally would intuit: the 18 percent of the nation that identifies with the Tea Party movement tends to be white, male, older than 45 and Republican. And also hypocritical: despite their anti-spending rhetoric, Tea Party supporters told pollsters that two of the federal government’s most money-consuming programs, Social Security and Medicare, are worth the cost to taxpayers (maybe not a surprise, given the Tea Partiers’ average age)...
The Tea Partiers: Older, richer and more resentful
We're learning more about the people who are a part of the Tea Party movement -- and what's really motivating them
By David Jarman
Salon.com
Slowly but surely, a demographic profile of the Tea Party movement – which began just over a year ago and is now dominating the news as Tax Day arrives – is emerging.
A comprehensive poll conducted for the New York Times and CBS News and released late Monday CBS News/New York Times essentially found what anyone watching a couple minutes of news footage of a rally would intuit: the 18 percent of the nation that identifies with the Tea Party movement tends to be white, male, older than 45 and Republican. And also hypocritical: despite their anti-spending rhetoric, Tea Party supporters told pollsters that two of the federal government’s most money-consuming programs, Social Security and Medicare, are worth the cost to taxpayers (maybe not a surprise, given the Tea Partiers’ average age)...
Paul Broun: The new stupidest member of Congress
Apr 15, 2010
Paul Broun: The new stupidest member of Congress
Picking Washington's dumbest is an old American parlor game. Today's winner is a census protester from Georgia
By Joe Conason
Salon.com
Selecting the stupidest member of Congress and/or the Senate has confounded Americans for decades if not centuries. With so many painful choices and such continuous competition, the task may simply be impossible, but that has never discouraged appalled observers from trying. Nominees for the dumbest member sometimes have been included in lists of the "worst" or "most corrupt" members, traditional compilation games played in venues from Rolling Stone to CREW to the lamented Radar magazine -- which presciently placed Sen. Jim Bunning at the top of its list in 2006, perhaps realizing that he might one day qualify as the worst and dumbest simultaneously. A couple of years ago, Esquire declared of Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, that "his list of idiot declarations is probably the longest in Washington," and pleaded with Iowa voters to relieve us of him. (They didn't.) The game is so irresistible that even the Brits can't keep from playing occasionally.
Now the current vogue for "constitutional" posturing has elicited fresh stupidity from a number of Republicans, notably Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., a very popular contender who sometimes seems to believe that anything not specifically mentioned in the Constitution itself is prohibited. (Which would leave her without very much to do as a member of Congress, although that paradox probably hasn't occurred to her yet.)
Today, however, Rep. Paul Broun, R-Ga., is challenging Bachmann's primacy with a public boast that he purposely returned his family's federal census form without filling out all of the questions. You see, Broun feels that any inquiry beyond the constitutional requirement to "enumerate" the number of persons living in his household is, per se, "unconstitutional." He too has failed to notice that the Constitution empowers Congress to pass legislation in the public interest -- and that, in any case, he is not empowered by the Constitution to determine for himself what is or is not constitutional...
Paul Broun: The new stupidest member of Congress
Picking Washington's dumbest is an old American parlor game. Today's winner is a census protester from Georgia
By Joe Conason
Salon.com
Selecting the stupidest member of Congress and/or the Senate has confounded Americans for decades if not centuries. With so many painful choices and such continuous competition, the task may simply be impossible, but that has never discouraged appalled observers from trying. Nominees for the dumbest member sometimes have been included in lists of the "worst" or "most corrupt" members, traditional compilation games played in venues from Rolling Stone to CREW to the lamented Radar magazine -- which presciently placed Sen. Jim Bunning at the top of its list in 2006, perhaps realizing that he might one day qualify as the worst and dumbest simultaneously. A couple of years ago, Esquire declared of Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, that "his list of idiot declarations is probably the longest in Washington," and pleaded with Iowa voters to relieve us of him. (They didn't.) The game is so irresistible that even the Brits can't keep from playing occasionally.
Now the current vogue for "constitutional" posturing has elicited fresh stupidity from a number of Republicans, notably Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., a very popular contender who sometimes seems to believe that anything not specifically mentioned in the Constitution itself is prohibited. (Which would leave her without very much to do as a member of Congress, although that paradox probably hasn't occurred to her yet.)
Today, however, Rep. Paul Broun, R-Ga., is challenging Bachmann's primacy with a public boast that he purposely returned his family's federal census form without filling out all of the questions. You see, Broun feels that any inquiry beyond the constitutional requirement to "enumerate" the number of persons living in his household is, per se, "unconstitutional." He too has failed to notice that the Constitution empowers Congress to pass legislation in the public interest -- and that, in any case, he is not empowered by the Constitution to determine for himself what is or is not constitutional...
NYC to stop paying teachers to do nothing
NYC to stop paying teachers to do nothing
AP
Karen Matthews, Associated Press Writer
Apr 15, 2010
NEW YORK – The city will end the practice of paying teachers to play Scrabble, read or surf the Internet in reassignment centers nicknamed "rubber rooms" as they await disciplinary hearings, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the teachers union announced Thursday.
The deal will close the centers, where hundreds of educators spend months or years in bureaucratic limbo, costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars a year...
Under the agreement with the United Federation of Teachers, most of the teachers will be given administrative or nonclassroom work while their cases are pending. Teachers accused of serious charges including violent felonies will be suspended without pay...
[Maura Larkins comment: The following was sent to me in an email.]
RESPONSE FROM A TEACHER TO ABOVE ARTICLE
I understand your article was focused on just the closing of the rubber room, however the title alone - NYC to stop paying teachers to do nothing - Yahoo! News - contributes to the prejudice and blame that fans the flames of teacher abuse by suggesting that wasting money was the core issue that made the rubber rooms wrong when the core issue is mini-Bernie Madoff's are running our schools and no one will listen despite the lesson learned that no one listened to Harry Markopolis when he tried to expose Madoff for a decade. Although dropping the accusation that this is political within the article is better than making it 100% biased toward those in power, it has little momentum because no one suspects how deeply criminal our schools have become. We need the press to develop this issue so the truth has wings too.
At this point in history, it is commonly thought that bad teachers are the core problem in education whether it be inability to perform due to low intelligence or antisocial behavior. This thought/propaganda is the glue that holds White Chalk Crime together. What my group, NAPTA, is trying to make public is that those in control of our schools intentionally hire less intelligent types as they need Stepford's to commit their ghastly deeds against children and parents. And secondly, although some people do misbehave badly in any profession, much of the "misbehavior" is attributable to the mistreatment, i.e. civil disobedience. For instance, I was terminated for refusing to return all copies of an audio tape that showed how they were harming children because I intended to expose the corruption. The court did not care what they did as according to the court they were not on trial. As long as the courts and the press take the position that the system is not the problem and treat it with the same respect, nothing can change.
Thirdly, they are given bad orders by bad administrators who are focused on money, not children. Like Abu Ghraib, where many tried to blame the lowly military who were carrying out orders, the same is occurring in education. Teachers who survive within this system are underperforming by order and those who follow their conscience are the ones who end up in rubber rooms or their psychological counterparts all over this nation.
The actual number of teachers who are incompetent and behavior problems on the their own right is far smaller than they would have you believe. And more importantly, those in power do not typically go after truly bad teachers. Read the story of Darlene Goodman NAPTA: PORNOGRAPHY TOLERATED to understand how this corrupt system of White Chalk Crime works. They banished her from teaching without pay because she had made an assault charge against her principal while they simply moved another teacher in their district to another classroom for having shown nude pictures of himself to his students. The story of how upset these parents were over "being stuck with this criminal teacher" was published in the NM newspaper. The EducRAT$ falsely claimed that they were tethered with bad teachers, while secretly disappearing Goodman, in the same way these NY EducRAT$ were pretending they needed a rubber room for these "awful teachers."
And now, having eliminated the rubber room, they will pretend they are good guys because they are putting these "bad" people to work and not wasting money...
AP
Karen Matthews, Associated Press Writer
Apr 15, 2010
NEW YORK – The city will end the practice of paying teachers to play Scrabble, read or surf the Internet in reassignment centers nicknamed "rubber rooms" as they await disciplinary hearings, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the teachers union announced Thursday.
The deal will close the centers, where hundreds of educators spend months or years in bureaucratic limbo, costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars a year...
Under the agreement with the United Federation of Teachers, most of the teachers will be given administrative or nonclassroom work while their cases are pending. Teachers accused of serious charges including violent felonies will be suspended without pay...
[Maura Larkins comment: The following was sent to me in an email.]
RESPONSE FROM A TEACHER TO ABOVE ARTICLE
I understand your article was focused on just the closing of the rubber room, however the title alone - NYC to stop paying teachers to do nothing - Yahoo! News - contributes to the prejudice and blame that fans the flames of teacher abuse by suggesting that wasting money was the core issue that made the rubber rooms wrong when the core issue is mini-Bernie Madoff's are running our schools and no one will listen despite the lesson learned that no one listened to Harry Markopolis when he tried to expose Madoff for a decade. Although dropping the accusation that this is political within the article is better than making it 100% biased toward those in power, it has little momentum because no one suspects how deeply criminal our schools have become. We need the press to develop this issue so the truth has wings too.
At this point in history, it is commonly thought that bad teachers are the core problem in education whether it be inability to perform due to low intelligence or antisocial behavior. This thought/propaganda is the glue that holds White Chalk Crime together. What my group, NAPTA, is trying to make public is that those in control of our schools intentionally hire less intelligent types as they need Stepford's to commit their ghastly deeds against children and parents. And secondly, although some people do misbehave badly in any profession, much of the "misbehavior" is attributable to the mistreatment, i.e. civil disobedience. For instance, I was terminated for refusing to return all copies of an audio tape that showed how they were harming children because I intended to expose the corruption. The court did not care what they did as according to the court they were not on trial. As long as the courts and the press take the position that the system is not the problem and treat it with the same respect, nothing can change.
Thirdly, they are given bad orders by bad administrators who are focused on money, not children. Like Abu Ghraib, where many tried to blame the lowly military who were carrying out orders, the same is occurring in education. Teachers who survive within this system are underperforming by order and those who follow their conscience are the ones who end up in rubber rooms or their psychological counterparts all over this nation.
The actual number of teachers who are incompetent and behavior problems on the their own right is far smaller than they would have you believe. And more importantly, those in power do not typically go after truly bad teachers. Read the story of Darlene Goodman NAPTA: PORNOGRAPHY TOLERATED to understand how this corrupt system of White Chalk Crime works. They banished her from teaching without pay because she had made an assault charge against her principal while they simply moved another teacher in their district to another classroom for having shown nude pictures of himself to his students. The story of how upset these parents were over "being stuck with this criminal teacher" was published in the NM newspaper. The EducRAT$ falsely claimed that they were tethered with bad teachers, while secretly disappearing Goodman, in the same way these NY EducRAT$ were pretending they needed a rubber room for these "awful teachers."
And now, having eliminated the rubber room, they will pretend they are good guys because they are putting these "bad" people to work and not wasting money...
DON’T BLAME TEACHERS UNIONS FOR OUR FAILING SCHOOLS
WELL, OKAY, I GUESS YOU CAN BLAME THEM.
How about giving them a nice round 50% of the blame?
I think teachers unions definitely deserve some (but not all) the blame for our failing schools. I have personally seen the teachers union work hand-in-glove with corrupt administrators and board members to destroy a school for political reasons. The trigger was a teachers union election, the 2001 election at Chula Vista Educators. Gina Boyd was afraid that someone might challenge her for the presidency, so she went along with rogue teachers at Castle Park Elementary who were determined to have control of the school at any cost to students.
DON’T BLAME TEACHERS UNIONS FOR OUR FAILING SCHOOLS
Click HERE for audio, video and transcripts of the debate.
How about giving them a nice round 50% of the blame?
I think teachers unions definitely deserve some (but not all) the blame for our failing schools. I have personally seen the teachers union work hand-in-glove with corrupt administrators and board members to destroy a school for political reasons. The trigger was a teachers union election, the 2001 election at Chula Vista Educators. Gina Boyd was afraid that someone might challenge her for the presidency, so she went along with rogue teachers at Castle Park Elementary who were determined to have control of the school at any cost to students.
DON’T BLAME TEACHERS UNIONS FOR OUR FAILING SCHOOLS
Click HERE for audio, video and transcripts of the debate.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
A vile outrage at Gompers? Some would say so.
Marsha Sutton, education writer at SDNN, has uncovered what some locals claim is a vile outrage: an educator drawing analogies between the Holocaust and events that happen in a school.
I believe that evil starts out small and grows, and needs to be identified in its early stages and nipped in the bud. Ms. Strom was wise and good to teach children to do this.
Keep up the good work, Ms. Strom. It's clear from her article that Marsha Sutton is also impressed by your work. Perhaps some locals only said that such analogies are "absolutely vile" because they wanted to gain an advantage in a court case.
Below is the story from Gompers Preparatory Academy (Charter Middle School).
Stars come out at Gompers gala
By Marsha Sutton, SDNN
Thursday, April 15, 2010
...[Katie Strom] also teaches students about the
Holocaust during World War II.
“They haven’t ever had it before,” she said. “I always
do lessons about the Holocaust because I want them
to understand it.”
She said she lets the students wander in smaller
groups in other museums, but she has them stay
together in the Holocaust Museum.
“In the Holocaust Museum I actually make them go
through with me and we stop at each place and I
explain to them what’s going on,” she said. “We look
through the readings together and I take questions
from them, just so they really get the whole
experience.”
She said they talk at length about the quotes on the
walls.
“For example, one of my favorite quotes is: ‘Don’t be
a victim. Don’t be a perpetrator. But above all don’t
be a bystander.’ And then I talk to kids:
‘What does that mean to you, and how
can you connect that to what happens at
your school on a daily basis?’”...
MORE FROM THIS STORY:
Celebrating five years of positive change, Gompers Preparatory Academy – formerly Gompers Middle School – held a gala event Sunday to raise money for the school, honor its leaders and recognize the success of its students since turning charter in 2005.
The gala, attended by about 155 people, was co-chaired by Gompers board chair Cecil Steppe and former California State Senator and Gompers board member Dede Alpert.
The Honorary Advisory Committee included Calif. Assembly member Marty Block, United States Congress member Susan Davis, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, U.S. Congress member Bob Filner, Calif. Senator Christine Kehoe, San Diego County Supervisor Ron Roberts, Mayor Jerry Sanders and Patricia and Christopher Weil.
Attending the event, which was held at the University of California San Diego’s Institute of the Americas, were Steppe, Alpert, Block, Filner, Kehoe, former City Council member Toni Atkins, University of San Diego director of the Center on Education Policy and Law Scott Himelstein, San Diego Unified School District interim superintendent Bill Kowba, USCD professor and Gompers board member Bud Mehan, and other local dignitaries, community members, parents and students.
Located in the Chollas View neighborhood in southeast San Diego where 85 percent of students qualify for the free or reduced-price lunch program (an indicator of poverty), Gompers successfully transitioned to charter status after a raucous school board meeting on March 1, 2005. Last year, the San Diego Unified School District approved the school’s request to expand from sixth through ninth, to sixth through 12th grades.
Gompers leaders report that, since going charter in the fall of 2005, test scores have risen 80 points, from 541 on the state’s Academic Performance Index in 2004, to 621 in 2009. Suspensions have plummeted in that same five-year period, from 1,000 to 200. And teacher retention, which was 24 percent in 2004, now stands at 72 percent...
I believe that evil starts out small and grows, and needs to be identified in its early stages and nipped in the bud. Ms. Strom was wise and good to teach children to do this.
Keep up the good work, Ms. Strom. It's clear from her article that Marsha Sutton is also impressed by your work. Perhaps some locals only said that such analogies are "absolutely vile" because they wanted to gain an advantage in a court case.
Below is the story from Gompers Preparatory Academy (Charter Middle School).
Stars come out at Gompers gala
By Marsha Sutton, SDNN
Thursday, April 15, 2010
...[Katie Strom] also teaches students about the
Holocaust during World War II.
“They haven’t ever had it before,” she said. “I always
do lessons about the Holocaust because I want them
to understand it.”
She said she lets the students wander in smaller
groups in other museums, but she has them stay
together in the Holocaust Museum.
“In the Holocaust Museum I actually make them go
through with me and we stop at each place and I
explain to them what’s going on,” she said. “We look
through the readings together and I take questions
from them, just so they really get the whole
experience.”
She said they talk at length about the quotes on the
walls.
“For example, one of my favorite quotes is: ‘Don’t be
a victim. Don’t be a perpetrator. But above all don’t
be a bystander.’ And then I talk to kids:
‘What does that mean to you, and how
can you connect that to what happens at
your school on a daily basis?’”...
MORE FROM THIS STORY:
Celebrating five years of positive change, Gompers Preparatory Academy – formerly Gompers Middle School – held a gala event Sunday to raise money for the school, honor its leaders and recognize the success of its students since turning charter in 2005.
The gala, attended by about 155 people, was co-chaired by Gompers board chair Cecil Steppe and former California State Senator and Gompers board member Dede Alpert.
The Honorary Advisory Committee included Calif. Assembly member Marty Block, United States Congress member Susan Davis, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, U.S. Congress member Bob Filner, Calif. Senator Christine Kehoe, San Diego County Supervisor Ron Roberts, Mayor Jerry Sanders and Patricia and Christopher Weil.
Attending the event, which was held at the University of California San Diego’s Institute of the Americas, were Steppe, Alpert, Block, Filner, Kehoe, former City Council member Toni Atkins, University of San Diego director of the Center on Education Policy and Law Scott Himelstein, San Diego Unified School District interim superintendent Bill Kowba, USCD professor and Gompers board member Bud Mehan, and other local dignitaries, community members, parents and students.
Located in the Chollas View neighborhood in southeast San Diego where 85 percent of students qualify for the free or reduced-price lunch program (an indicator of poverty), Gompers successfully transitioned to charter status after a raucous school board meeting on March 1, 2005. Last year, the San Diego Unified School District approved the school’s request to expand from sixth through ninth, to sixth through 12th grades.
Gompers leaders report that, since going charter in the fall of 2005, test scores have risen 80 points, from 541 on the state’s Academic Performance Index in 2004, to 621 in 2009. Suspensions have plummeted in that same five-year period, from 1,000 to 200. And teacher retention, which was 24 percent in 2004, now stands at 72 percent...
"The Cartel" opens this weekend in Los Angeles
Bob Bowdon
Subject: "The Cartel" opens this weekend in NYC & LA!
Los Angeles Premiere Screening:
This Friday, April 16, 7:40pm PT
After-movie Q&A with:
Ben Boychuk, Education Scholar, Heartland Institute
Brian Calle, Claremont Institute
Marco Petruzzi, CEO, Green Dot Schools
Larry Sand, California Teachers Empowerment Network
Get tickets now.
Laemmle's Sunset 5
8000 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, 90046
310-478-3836
The Cartel
(NR • 105 min.) 1:00pm 3:10pm 5:20pm 7:40pm 10:00pm
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Woman wrongly arrested wants apology from police, Bonnie Dumanis
Stories like this make me realize why there are so many innocent people who are released when their DNA is tested: eyewitness identification is pretty close to worthless, especially across racial lines. If there hadn't been a video for a clear-eyed judge to look at, this woman might still have charges pending against her. Couldn't District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis find a black cop to take a look at the video? The problem might have been solved a lot sooner if she had.
I don't understand why some people can't apologize when they make a harmful mistake. It makes me wonder if the police and District Attorney think that it's okay for them to trample on people like this and then shrug it off. This isn't what we pay them to do. They get high salaries to do a thorough, professional job.
Woman wrongly arrested wants apology
By Brian Flores
FOX 5 San Diego
April 14, 2010
LA MESA, Calif. - A La Mesa woman who was mistakenly arrested for a series of crimes against senior citizens says she wants and apology from the San Diego District Attorney's Office and police.
Deidria Nicholson told Fox 5 News that she didn't know what she was being arrested for Thursday, but she knew it was a serious situation.
"I can tell you that at that moment, I did not fully understand the charges against me," Nicholson said. "But when I got outside and saw the media, I thought, somebody out here made a big mistake."
Earlier this month, police released a video surveillance photo of a woman responsible for a string of burglaries against local elderly people. Investigators received a phone tip last Thursday that led them to Nicholson. Nicholson said her La Mesa apartment was surrounded by 10 to 14 police officers that afternoon. She said the officers gathered evidence, including receipts, post cards, and some of her hair products. She said she was taken away in handcuffs.
Nicholson's son, Ellis Twine II, said his mother's arrest was bewildering to everyone who knows her.
"I was just shocked, and everybody I told about was in shock, thinking if it was an April fool's joke or something," Twine said.
Nicholson spent five days in custody. She was arraigned Monday afternoon and pleaded not guilty. She adamantly maintained that she was a victim of mistaken identity. Just hours after the arraignment, prosecutors dropped all charges and Nicholson was released. Authorities said they had arrested the wrong person...
I don't understand why some people can't apologize when they make a harmful mistake. It makes me wonder if the police and District Attorney think that it's okay for them to trample on people like this and then shrug it off. This isn't what we pay them to do. They get high salaries to do a thorough, professional job.
Woman wrongly arrested wants apology
By Brian Flores
FOX 5 San Diego
April 14, 2010
LA MESA, Calif. - A La Mesa woman who was mistakenly arrested for a series of crimes against senior citizens says she wants and apology from the San Diego District Attorney's Office and police.
Deidria Nicholson told Fox 5 News that she didn't know what she was being arrested for Thursday, but she knew it was a serious situation.
"I can tell you that at that moment, I did not fully understand the charges against me," Nicholson said. "But when I got outside and saw the media, I thought, somebody out here made a big mistake."
Earlier this month, police released a video surveillance photo of a woman responsible for a string of burglaries against local elderly people. Investigators received a phone tip last Thursday that led them to Nicholson. Nicholson said her La Mesa apartment was surrounded by 10 to 14 police officers that afternoon. She said the officers gathered evidence, including receipts, post cards, and some of her hair products. She said she was taken away in handcuffs.
Nicholson's son, Ellis Twine II, said his mother's arrest was bewildering to everyone who knows her.
"I was just shocked, and everybody I told about was in shock, thinking if it was an April fool's joke or something," Twine said.
Nicholson spent five days in custody. She was arraigned Monday afternoon and pleaded not guilty. She adamantly maintained that she was a victim of mistaken identity. Just hours after the arraignment, prosecutors dropped all charges and Nicholson was released. Authorities said they had arrested the wrong person...
Former WaMu CEO Blames Wall Street 'Club'
APRIL 14, 2010
Wall Street Journal
Former WaMu CEO Blames Wall Street 'Club'
Senators Begin Hearings as Regulators Remain Reluctant to Detail Their Handling of Collapse
By JOHN D. MCKINNON And DAN FITZPATRICK
WASHINGTON—Former Washington Mutual Inc. Chief Executive Kerry Killinger scoffed at lawmakers who blamed him for the largest bank failure in U.S. history, accusing regulators of helping only financial institutions deemed "too clubby to fail."
The 60-year-old Mr. Killinger's defiant, two-hour testimony at Tuesday's hearing by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations was marked by confrontations with lawmakers who claimed he repeatedly ignored warnings that the overinflated real-estate bubble was about to burst. But the former CEO held his ground, insisting the Seattle thrift's seizure in September 2008 could have been avoided if regulators had offered the same help given to other battered banks, including capital infusions.
"For those that were part of the inner circle and were 'too clubby to fail,' the benefits were obvious," Mr. Killinger said. "For those outside the club, the penalty was severe." A spokesman at the Office of Thrift Supervision, the federal agency that seized Washington Mutual, declined to comment on Mr. Killinger's testimony.
Mr. Killinger's comments were a contrast to the low profile he has kept since the collapse. He shuttles between homes in Palm Desert, Calif., and a gated community in Seattle, and has avoided public events and new business ventures, according to people familiar with the situation.
He was forced to break his silence by the Democratic-led Senate subcommittee, which is trying to build momentum for pending financial-overhaul legislation...
Wall Street Journal
Former WaMu CEO Blames Wall Street 'Club'
Senators Begin Hearings as Regulators Remain Reluctant to Detail Their Handling of Collapse
By JOHN D. MCKINNON And DAN FITZPATRICK
WASHINGTON—Former Washington Mutual Inc. Chief Executive Kerry Killinger scoffed at lawmakers who blamed him for the largest bank failure in U.S. history, accusing regulators of helping only financial institutions deemed "too clubby to fail."
The 60-year-old Mr. Killinger's defiant, two-hour testimony at Tuesday's hearing by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations was marked by confrontations with lawmakers who claimed he repeatedly ignored warnings that the overinflated real-estate bubble was about to burst. But the former CEO held his ground, insisting the Seattle thrift's seizure in September 2008 could have been avoided if regulators had offered the same help given to other battered banks, including capital infusions.
"For those that were part of the inner circle and were 'too clubby to fail,' the benefits were obvious," Mr. Killinger said. "For those outside the club, the penalty was severe." A spokesman at the Office of Thrift Supervision, the federal agency that seized Washington Mutual, declined to comment on Mr. Killinger's testimony.
Mr. Killinger's comments were a contrast to the low profile he has kept since the collapse. He shuttles between homes in Palm Desert, Calif., and a gated community in Seattle, and has avoided public events and new business ventures, according to people familiar with the situation.
He was forced to break his silence by the Democratic-led Senate subcommittee, which is trying to build momentum for pending financial-overhaul legislation...
CSU students find Palin papers in garbage
CSU students find Palin papers in garbage
(Click link to see great photo)
Wyatt Buchanan, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau
April 14, 2010
Students at Cal State Stanislaus discovered evidence that documents related to an upcoming speaking engagement by Sarah Palin were shredded and dumped after the university claimed that no public documents existed, a state senator said on Tuesday.
The students appeared at a Sacramento news conference with state Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, Tuesday morning and said they found the documents on Friday in a trash bin outside the university's administration building in Turlock.
On Tuesday afternoon, Attorney General Jerry Brown said he was launching a "broad investigation" into the alleged dumping of documents and to examine finances of the CSU Stanislaus Foundation, which is hosting the June 25 event featuring the former governor of Alaska and vice presidential candidate.
"This is not about Sarah Palin," Brown said in a statement. "She has every right to speak at a university event.... The issues are public disclosure and financial accountability in organizations embedded in state-run universities."...
(Click link to see great photo)
Wyatt Buchanan, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau
April 14, 2010
Students at Cal State Stanislaus discovered evidence that documents related to an upcoming speaking engagement by Sarah Palin were shredded and dumped after the university claimed that no public documents existed, a state senator said on Tuesday.
The students appeared at a Sacramento news conference with state Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, Tuesday morning and said they found the documents on Friday in a trash bin outside the university's administration building in Turlock.
On Tuesday afternoon, Attorney General Jerry Brown said he was launching a "broad investigation" into the alleged dumping of documents and to examine finances of the CSU Stanislaus Foundation, which is hosting the June 25 event featuring the former governor of Alaska and vice presidential candidate.
"This is not about Sarah Palin," Brown said in a statement. "She has every right to speak at a university event.... The issues are public disclosure and financial accountability in organizations embedded in state-run universities."...
Gov. Charlie Crist cites problems with teacher pay bill
UPDATE:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2010
CONTACT: Staci Maiers, NEA Public Relations
(202) 822-7823, smaiers@nea.org
Florida’s Governor Crist vetoes drastic anti-education legislation
***Today’s victory a ‘true testament’ to working together, says NEA’s Van
Roekel***
WASHINGTON—In the wake of a massive public outcry, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist
(R) today vetoed State Senate Bill 6 (H.B. 7189), legislation that would have
based virtually all school and personnel decisions on scores from standardized,
fill-in-the-bubble tests.
The following statement may be attributed to NEA President Dennis Van Roekel:
“Today was an important day for Florida’s students. The governor recognized that
the key to great public schools is great teachers, and the way to keep great
teachers in Florida’s classrooms is to empower them, not punish them.
“I commend Governor Crist for vetoing SB 6 and ensuring that this harmful and
disruptive legislation did not become law. He listened to tens of thousands of
educators and other Floridians who clearly saw a better path for Florida’s
schools...
ORIGINAL POST:
I am a believer in better teacher evaluations, but this isn't the way to do it. You have to have buy-in by the teachers union, the public, and most importantly, the teachers themselves. You can't fire all the mediocre teachers. Who would take their place? The goal is to change the teaching methods of those that aren't up to snuff, and for that you need to get teachers to agree to change.
Gov. Charlie Crist cites problems with teacher pay bill
The governor's decision on how to handle the teacher pay bill is likely to have ramifications on his own political career.
BY CRISTINA SILVA, PATRICIA MAZZEI, KATHLEEN McGRORY AND STEVE BOUSQUET
Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau
TALLAHASSEE -- In the midst of the most intense lobbying he has faced as governor, Charlie Crist faces a stark choice: Sign a bill opposed by thousands of Florida teachers or veto it and alienate major forces in the business community and the Republican-led Legislature.
... But Crist has cited multiple problems with the teacher pay bill that point to a potential veto:
• It takes too much power away from local educators.
• It offers vague guidance on how teachers will be evaluated.
• It was pushed through the House and Senate with little input from the public.
His decision could have sweeping ramifications not only on state politics, but also his career. Crist is trailing in the polls behind former House Speaker and conservative Marco Rubio, who supports the measure...
The legislation proposes the most dramatic overhaul of Florida public schools in years, linking teacher pay to student performance -- not on years of experience or education level...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2010
CONTACT: Staci Maiers, NEA Public Relations
(202) 822-7823, smaiers@nea.org
Florida’s Governor Crist vetoes drastic anti-education legislation
***Today’s victory a ‘true testament’ to working together, says NEA’s Van
Roekel***
WASHINGTON—In the wake of a massive public outcry, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist
(R) today vetoed State Senate Bill 6 (H.B. 7189), legislation that would have
based virtually all school and personnel decisions on scores from standardized,
fill-in-the-bubble tests.
The following statement may be attributed to NEA President Dennis Van Roekel:
“Today was an important day for Florida’s students. The governor recognized that
the key to great public schools is great teachers, and the way to keep great
teachers in Florida’s classrooms is to empower them, not punish them.
“I commend Governor Crist for vetoing SB 6 and ensuring that this harmful and
disruptive legislation did not become law. He listened to tens of thousands of
educators and other Floridians who clearly saw a better path for Florida’s
schools...
ORIGINAL POST:
I am a believer in better teacher evaluations, but this isn't the way to do it. You have to have buy-in by the teachers union, the public, and most importantly, the teachers themselves. You can't fire all the mediocre teachers. Who would take their place? The goal is to change the teaching methods of those that aren't up to snuff, and for that you need to get teachers to agree to change.
Gov. Charlie Crist cites problems with teacher pay bill
The governor's decision on how to handle the teacher pay bill is likely to have ramifications on his own political career.
BY CRISTINA SILVA, PATRICIA MAZZEI, KATHLEEN McGRORY AND STEVE BOUSQUET
Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau
TALLAHASSEE -- In the midst of the most intense lobbying he has faced as governor, Charlie Crist faces a stark choice: Sign a bill opposed by thousands of Florida teachers or veto it and alienate major forces in the business community and the Republican-led Legislature.
... But Crist has cited multiple problems with the teacher pay bill that point to a potential veto:
• It takes too much power away from local educators.
• It offers vague guidance on how teachers will be evaluated.
• It was pushed through the House and Senate with little input from the public.
His decision could have sweeping ramifications not only on state politics, but also his career. Crist is trailing in the polls behind former House Speaker and conservative Marco Rubio, who supports the measure...
The legislation proposes the most dramatic overhaul of Florida public schools in years, linking teacher pay to student performance -- not on years of experience or education level...
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Police Beating of Maryland Student Caught on Video
"In a sworn statement, county police officer Sean McAleavey said McKenna and Donat "struck" other officers and their horses, "causing minor injuries.""
I think that police officers who file false reports should be reprimanded. I believe that the same is true for school officials and employees who file false reports. The Maryland police officers' stories are even more outrageous than stories made up by Richard Werlin and Castle Park Elementary teachers.
Police Beating of Maryland Student Caught on Video
Mara Gay
AOL News
(April 13, 2010
Without the video, this might have been a classic case of "he said, she said."
But there is a video. And so the case against two University of Maryland students accused of attacking police after a basketball game last month was dropped after the footage showed county police beating one of those students repeatedly with a baton. Now a new kind of accusation is being leveled, this one against the officers: police brutality...
I think that police officers who file false reports should be reprimanded. I believe that the same is true for school officials and employees who file false reports. The Maryland police officers' stories are even more outrageous than stories made up by Richard Werlin and Castle Park Elementary teachers.
Police Beating of Maryland Student Caught on Video
Mara Gay
AOL News
(April 13, 2010
Without the video, this might have been a classic case of "he said, she said."
But there is a video. And so the case against two University of Maryland students accused of attacking police after a basketball game last month was dropped after the footage showed county police beating one of those students repeatedly with a baton. Now a new kind of accusation is being leveled, this one against the officers: police brutality...
To Spank Or Not To Spank?
To Spank Or Not To Spank?
FOX9.com
13 Apr 2010
Many parents rely on it to teach their kids right from wrong, but a new study says that approach could backfire. Researchers at Tulane University found children who were spanked more frequently at age three were more likely to be aggressive by age five and bully others. They believe spanking makes kids do what they're told in the short term, but doesn't work in the long term.
FOX9.com
13 Apr 2010
Many parents rely on it to teach their kids right from wrong, but a new study says that approach could backfire. Researchers at Tulane University found children who were spanked more frequently at age three were more likely to be aggressive by age five and bully others. They believe spanking makes kids do what they're told in the short term, but doesn't work in the long term.
Like the professionals they are, SDUSD administrators fight to pawn misbehaving kids off on each other
San Diego's Expulsion Purgatory
April 11, 2010
Voice of San Diego
By EMILY ALPERT
Thirteen year old Shakaijah Calvin had been out of school for more than a month after O'Farrell Community Charter School kicked her out for a string of problems. Her mother Mavis Thompson rattled off her misdeeds: Not wearing the right uniform. Swiping a cell phone from a classmate.
But when Thompson showed up to enroll her daughter at her neighborhood public school, Bell Middle, the principal turned her away. He gave her a terse, handwritten note to for the O'Farrell school director.
"I will no longer be accepting your students in the middle of the school year," it read.
Shakaijah was smack in the middle of the gap between charter school and school district rules on how to handle misbehaving students. Though O'Farrell kicked Shakaijah out under its own rules, her future was still in the hands of San Diego Unified, which ultimately oversees O'Farrell and other charter schools.
The school district didn't agree Shakaijah should be expelled, because it sets a higher bar for expulsion...
April 11, 2010
Voice of San Diego
By EMILY ALPERT
Thirteen year old Shakaijah Calvin had been out of school for more than a month after O'Farrell Community Charter School kicked her out for a string of problems. Her mother Mavis Thompson rattled off her misdeeds: Not wearing the right uniform. Swiping a cell phone from a classmate.
But when Thompson showed up to enroll her daughter at her neighborhood public school, Bell Middle, the principal turned her away. He gave her a terse, handwritten note to for the O'Farrell school director.
"I will no longer be accepting your students in the middle of the school year," it read.
Shakaijah was smack in the middle of the gap between charter school and school district rules on how to handle misbehaving students. Though O'Farrell kicked Shakaijah out under its own rules, her future was still in the hands of San Diego Unified, which ultimately oversees O'Farrell and other charter schools.
The school district didn't agree Shakaijah should be expelled, because it sets a higher bar for expulsion...
The Marty Emerald ethics hearing
See all posts about Gil Cabrera, chairman of San Diego Ethics committee.
A Different Report on the Emerald Ethics Hearing
Apr 12, 2010
THERESA QUIROZ
Voice of San Diego
On Thursday, April 8, the San Diego Ethics Commission held a televised meeting to hear an appeal by Councilwoman Emerald of the amount of the penalty assessed against her for two errors made during her campaign. There was no argument that the errors occurred. It was simply a question of how much the penalty should have been.
I watched the event (and it most definitely was an event; the city should have sold tickets!), but what I saw was not what appeared in our local print news.
Perhaps this is a perfect occasion to lament the loss of our unbiased print media, but let's leave that for another time. I want to give you my view of what actually happened at the hearing.
I give credit to Commissioner Valdez for handling a very difficult situation. He didn't do it as well as I would have liked, but his hands were somewhat tied.
First, he invited the Ethics Commission attorney to introduce her evidence. She needed to prove that the errors made by the Emerald campaign were so awful that they had to levy the largest fine possible for the infraction. She called both Ms. Emerald and her treasurer to the stand. She then closed her case...
The evidence did show that the treasurer contacted the commission as soon as she realized there could be a problem, that this was an isolated incident and that the Campaign Committee fully cooperated with Ethics Commission staff. (You can find the relevant Municipal Code regarding penalties here, under section 26.0438).
The code does not allow for penalties to be assessed if the commission thinks that there might have been negligence, if they can make innuendo as to the intention to deceive or if the executive director dislikes the candidate -- as she seemed to make an effort to show by her actions at the hearing. There needs to be proof...
The Ethics Commission did not attempt with its witness testimony to put any evidence into the record to prove that this was the most grievous error a campaign could make and therefore deserved the highest possible fine. It was that arrogance, that belief that they needed to make no effort to prove their case, that was the most striking action of the day to me.
So, despite that there had been no evidence given which would have allowed for a penalty, the hearing continued.
Mr. Ottillie was invited to call his witnesses. Immediately, the objections began.
Ms. Fulhorst, the Executive Director of the Ethics Commission had no place objecting -- that was for her attorney to do. And yet, she disrupted any attempt by Mr. Ottillie to put forward his evidence. She objected, sighed loudly into the microphone, tutted and tsked all the way through. Several times, when it appeared the witness might say something she didn't want to come out, she jumped in and actually testified before the witness could. But most of all, she objected to the waste of time it was for Mr. Ottillie to put forward any evidence. It was as if she believed that the outcome of the hearing was a predetermined thing, and the hearing was just a complete waste of her precious time.
I think we can all agree that a lot of the questions asked by Mr. Ottillie seemed somewhat pointless, but he has the right to put forward evidence of his client's innocence and to do so without the constant harassment of the person responsible for the assessment in the first place...
A Different Report on the Emerald Ethics Hearing
Apr 12, 2010
THERESA QUIROZ
Voice of San Diego
On Thursday, April 8, the San Diego Ethics Commission held a televised meeting to hear an appeal by Councilwoman Emerald of the amount of the penalty assessed against her for two errors made during her campaign. There was no argument that the errors occurred. It was simply a question of how much the penalty should have been.
I watched the event (and it most definitely was an event; the city should have sold tickets!), but what I saw was not what appeared in our local print news.
Perhaps this is a perfect occasion to lament the loss of our unbiased print media, but let's leave that for another time. I want to give you my view of what actually happened at the hearing.
I give credit to Commissioner Valdez for handling a very difficult situation. He didn't do it as well as I would have liked, but his hands were somewhat tied.
First, he invited the Ethics Commission attorney to introduce her evidence. She needed to prove that the errors made by the Emerald campaign were so awful that they had to levy the largest fine possible for the infraction. She called both Ms. Emerald and her treasurer to the stand. She then closed her case...
The evidence did show that the treasurer contacted the commission as soon as she realized there could be a problem, that this was an isolated incident and that the Campaign Committee fully cooperated with Ethics Commission staff. (You can find the relevant Municipal Code regarding penalties here, under section 26.0438).
The code does not allow for penalties to be assessed if the commission thinks that there might have been negligence, if they can make innuendo as to the intention to deceive or if the executive director dislikes the candidate -- as she seemed to make an effort to show by her actions at the hearing. There needs to be proof...
The Ethics Commission did not attempt with its witness testimony to put any evidence into the record to prove that this was the most grievous error a campaign could make and therefore deserved the highest possible fine. It was that arrogance, that belief that they needed to make no effort to prove their case, that was the most striking action of the day to me.
So, despite that there had been no evidence given which would have allowed for a penalty, the hearing continued.
Mr. Ottillie was invited to call his witnesses. Immediately, the objections began.
Ms. Fulhorst, the Executive Director of the Ethics Commission had no place objecting -- that was for her attorney to do. And yet, she disrupted any attempt by Mr. Ottillie to put forward his evidence. She objected, sighed loudly into the microphone, tutted and tsked all the way through. Several times, when it appeared the witness might say something she didn't want to come out, she jumped in and actually testified before the witness could. But most of all, she objected to the waste of time it was for Mr. Ottillie to put forward any evidence. It was as if she believed that the outcome of the hearing was a predetermined thing, and the hearing was just a complete waste of her precious time.
I think we can all agree that a lot of the questions asked by Mr. Ottillie seemed somewhat pointless, but he has the right to put forward evidence of his client's innocence and to do so without the constant harassment of the person responsible for the assessment in the first place...
Terry Grier isn't here anymore, so no more thinking outside the box
Shame on the teachers union for opposing education reform. We need board candidates who aren't in anyone's pocket.
See all Terry Grier posts.
Schools Undo Another Grier Change
Voice of San Diego
Emily Alpert
April 13, 2010
Last week I reported that San Diego Unified is planning to reverse changes to its central offices that were made by former Superintendent Terry Grier, returning to a system that looks a lot like what it had before.
Now there's another sign the era of Grier is over in San Diego Unified: The school district will no longer be using a controversial interview tool that Grier introduced to choose principals.
Grier had touted the Haberman interviews as a way to measure would-be-principals' values. We wrote about it nearly two years ago when Grier introduced it:
The interview is modeled on the teachings of University of Wisconsin Milwaukee professor Martin Haberman, who studies disadvantaged students and the educators who help them best. Principals applying for new jobs were interviewed as well. San Diego Unified signed a $23,000 contract with the Haberman Educational Foundation to train staffers in the interview process, which includes problem-solving scenarios and is meant to reveal the applicants' core values. Two people ask open-ended questions during a tape-recorded interview and score the answers.
No more. The Haberman interviews will no longer be used in San Diego Unified. Jeannie Steeg, executive director of the union that represents principals and other school managers, said her group lodged complaints about the interview method and how it was being used to judge principals...
See all Terry Grier posts.
Schools Undo Another Grier Change
Voice of San Diego
Emily Alpert
April 13, 2010
Last week I reported that San Diego Unified is planning to reverse changes to its central offices that were made by former Superintendent Terry Grier, returning to a system that looks a lot like what it had before.
Now there's another sign the era of Grier is over in San Diego Unified: The school district will no longer be using a controversial interview tool that Grier introduced to choose principals.
Grier had touted the Haberman interviews as a way to measure would-be-principals' values. We wrote about it nearly two years ago when Grier introduced it:
The interview is modeled on the teachings of University of Wisconsin Milwaukee professor Martin Haberman, who studies disadvantaged students and the educators who help them best. Principals applying for new jobs were interviewed as well. San Diego Unified signed a $23,000 contract with the Haberman Educational Foundation to train staffers in the interview process, which includes problem-solving scenarios and is meant to reveal the applicants' core values. Two people ask open-ended questions during a tape-recorded interview and score the answers.
No more. The Haberman interviews will no longer be used in San Diego Unified. Jeannie Steeg, executive director of the union that represents principals and other school managers, said her group lodged complaints about the interview method and how it was being used to judge principals...
Videos from Daily Show and Matt Osborne
The high-tech lynching of ACORN deconstructed in this video.
"Coming Out Of The Gun Closet" story covered by Jon Stewart on Daily Show.
"Coming Out Of The Gun Closet" story covered by Jon Stewart on Daily Show.
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