New HUSD Board President: Lisa Brunner
By Eric Kurhi
Wednesday, December 8th, 2010 at 9:24 pm in Hayward, Politics, Schools.
UPDATE: Here is today’s story.
The two new incoming boardmembers took the top two officer positions, with Lisa Brunner as the new president backed by Vice President William McGee. The two voted for each other, with Luis Reynoso supporting, who in turn was elected secretary. Maribel Heredia and Jesus Armas supported each other for prez and veep respectively but were outvoted.
Brunner’s first action was to change the seating, moving Superintendent Janis Duran over to the dais where the student board members used to sit. She will have more admin staff at the same dais as well. Student members now on the dais to the other side.
Teachers union President Mercedes Faraj said she had heard rumors of something like that happening, and said the ascension of former VP Heredia to the president position would have been “the natural order of things,” but the new lineup “is indicative of a change.”
Former board President Paul Frumkin said it wasn’t that big a surprise, and added that he supported both McGee and Brunner in their election bids.
“Given the last year and a half, it’s natural that it happened this way,” he said.
I’ll be working on a story tomorrow, but I figured HayWord readers might want to discuss.
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December 8th, 2010 at 10:00 pm
Next order of business, new superintendent?
December 8th, 2010 at 11:24 pm
I certainly hope she goes. It was refreshing to watch a meeting conducted by a new President that went as smoothly as it did. Mr. Reynoso was quiet, the two new members set the tone. Mr. Armas was quite disturbed and made every effort to direct the meeting from his position at the end of the line.
I am curious yet hopeful to see if students will actually come first. Duran looked like she had been beaten with the bully stick that she normally carries, instead of the arogant “queen” she had become accustomed to being. I think there are two people who will not be bedazzeled by her or Mr. Armas. They will simply do what they think will lead to success for our students and not just give them lip service.
Maybe a new day has dawned for HUSD.
December 9th, 2010 at 7:36 am
Booth:
Considerthat thestudent had already been directed to their new location at the dais, prior to start of the meeting.
Once again you exhibit banality! Reynoso’s joy will be short lived…. Brunner is bold but headstrong, self assured in her belief that she fully understands problems and solutions to the budget. McGee and she had support of HEA from the begining….. so, did we elect HEA to the Board? Apparently the interruption emanating from the mouth of big Hea Chief is not seen as ‘pulling the strings’ on behalf of Brunners hesitency.
One thing for sure…. Ms. Booth, you are not part of HUSD’s leadership nor does your husband’s former service as a trustee make you part of the ‘shadow goverbment’. Express your ‘opinions’ on the blog all day long but be wary of your evident need to set the tone for HUSD commentary on the blog. Your canoe is in a wide but very, very shallow waters.
Perhaps it would be well to confine your thoughts to the ‘soaps’ presently surviving in some form or another on the electronic media!
Reynoso will meet his comeuppance soon enough!
December 9th, 2010 at 9:09 am
Please stop the personal attacks! We could have a real conversation if it weren’t for this back and forth antagonism between Kathi Booth and John Kyle. All it takes is one of you to stop it.
Personally, I am so happy to have the board return to its rightful position as the employers of the district staff including the superintendent. That is what we elected them to do. Board members are not meant to be educational experts. They are entrusted with overseeing the experts while keeping in mind the good of our community. Their job is to represent us.
Congratulations to the new members for stepping up and accepting responsibility for a district that is not meeting the expectations of the community! I pray they will succeed.
December 9th, 2010 at 9:23 am
Thank you sherry for saying what I meant so succinctly. I felt a sense of joy and hopeful expectation that the direction of HUSD will return to serving children rather than self serving.
December 9th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
I congratulate the new members of the board, particularly for stepping up to make a difference in this trying times for education.
A word of advice to Armas and Heredia; it’s time to work as a team; there are 5 elected officials. As a parent I want to see all thinking about our students. We know Armas loves to show off; what I saw on tv. was very condescending attitude/language from his part and Heredia needs to stop rolling her eyes when new president is learning how to operate the equipment.
To me, they behave like kids that did not get their way. What happened to “it’s all about the students” last night?
December 9th, 2010 at 3:32 pm
Lucy’s Mom
So glad that someone else saw the actions of Armas and Heredia, spoiled children comes to my mind. I think that Ms Bruenner did a very good job given it was her first meeting as President..Too bad Ms. Heredia couldn’t have been gracious enough to assist her in operating the lights and buttons; at least Mr. Reynoso attempted to help her.
I feel like finally the students in Hayward may get a chance at success.
December 9th, 2010 at 4:58 pm
Sherry don’t let their toxic behavior get to you. Just ignore them. That’s what I do.
December 9th, 2010 at 9:44 pm
Brunner is sharp when it comes to numbers. Maybe we will finally find out what HUSD is going to spend their $3.8 million in fed. money on. All I hear is, “accrue to bottom line,” “prevent further reductions,” etc., etc., but I would like to know what positions are being saved for one year w/that money.
December 10th, 2010 at 10:21 am
Be sure to read the article in the local section of today’s daily review regarding “fees for classes and extra curricular activities”. What this means is that schools and school districts can no longer place financial burdens on families for their children’s basic education and extra curricular activities.
That means; students in advanced math classes cannot be required to purchase expensive scientific calculators to do their assignments; Fees for supplies cannot be charged in classes such as shop,home ec; drafting or mechanical drawing; students cannot be required to purchase “school logo” PE clothes, but instead may provide their own tops and bottoms as long as they are the proper “color” for their school; Jr.High and High School classes cannot require that students purchase colored markers, high-lighters or other materials to do assigned work. Those lists that they come home with at the beginning of each school year can no longer be “mandatory” purchases.
Students and families can no longer be forced to disclose their family’s financial status to justify not purchasing any supplies or to “apply for waivers and financial assistance”. And grades cannot be affected in any way by students lacking any of these supplies. Additionally, students who wish to participate in extra curricular activities cannot be excluded because they cannot pay or are unable to fundraise to cover costs, nor can they be required to disclose financial information about their family.
Unfortunately for HUSD and many other districts, they cannot plead lack of funding or budget woes to justify requiring students and families to pick up these costs.
Just as HUSD is suffering budgetary problems so are families in our city.
This issue is not new…20 some odd years ago two parents took the issue of fees on and advocated for all students in HUSD. They did it without a legal firm to assist them, and through research and using the existing Ed.Codes. After a long and protracted debate, they prevailed and HUSD had to change their practice and remove these “pay to play and pay to learn” requirements. But as we all know, time seems to erode agreements, memories fade, new parties come to power in administration and without constant monitoring the practice of “pay to learn/pay to play” returned.
I hope that now that the courts have decided this issue that the playing field will finally remain leveled, and that no one else will be forced to seek the assistance of our courts.
December 10th, 2010 at 11:33 am
Kathi, I reviewed the LA County v ACLU lawsuit and it appears to me that the quality of instruction is now leveled to the ability of the district to provide the materials for all. In short, poor school districts will have lesser materials that more well to do districts. Tell me that I am wrong please. If this is so, there is no great advantage to Hayward, that is for sure. The district is broke now and it will only get worse.
December 10th, 2010 at 11:37 am
Thank you Kathi. Well said. This issue is always being trivialized and vilified by the powers that be.
What we have now is a public education system that was intended for all children but has become two systems, one for those who can afford it and the other for the rest. This has allowed programs that are unsustainable to continue and programs that are vital to the well being of the community to fall by the wayside. It is the root cause of our failing schools and our high drop out rate. It is a root cause of continuing poverty.
Not to mention that it is and has been illegal in California for a very long time.
Lawlessness comes when laws are not respected, when they are outdated,when they are not seen as applicable,when exceptions are made for some and not others, when they are impossible to obey, when they are not enforced. Citizenship is all about laws. We need to quit opinion making and start working to change the laws that are not good and make new ones that meet the needs of the day. That is how democracy works.
My experience with this issue has taught me that people have supported the lawless behavior of our schools not because they are evil and selfish so much as that they fail to imagine a better way, the vision of the makers of the laws. People must be educated in the vision to see how well it can work and then making the effort to make it real in their schools. Just winning this case in court won’t create lasting change without that education.
December 10th, 2010 at 11:43 am
Michael, there are other laws. I haven’t researched this recently, but you could check out Serrano -Priest legislation regarding equalization between districts. I have wondered the status of this lately when faced with the inequalities between local districts – say Castro Valley and San Lorenzo.
December 10th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
Unfortunately Mr. Moore, HUSD chose a long time ago to put the material costs and the activities costs on the backs of unsuspecting families, leading them to believe they HAD to provide supplies. HUSD then used the money that should have been spent on obeying the law to fund other “more important” causes…such as hiring new administrtors, hiring consultants to teach teachers how to teach, paying for car allowances, and the Good Lord knows what else.
Now, you are correct, there is no money, children will not have equal education when compared to other districts, those children who have parents that are able to provide these items will have an advantage here in HUSD, and I am sure that given some time HUSD will return to its tactics of trying to bend the law to allow them to circumvent it.
When I represented Special Ed. students, I had a case where a child was required to buy “school issued” PE clothes…and if he/she couldn’t afford new ones then a petition for financial cause would be filed and the student could then have some used uniform that someone else had turned in for recycling. When I challenged this policy, HUSD tried to say that “school issued” uniforms (tee shirts and sweat shirts with the school logo) was actually necessary for safety reasons so that teachers could discern if all those on the field of play were actually students. After a fight, I did prevail on behalf of this and other students…I used the case that the two parents brought before the district so long ago.
So bottom line, we must insist that HUSD do right by our children and families. FIND THE MONEY IN THEIR SLUSH FUNDS, IN ADMINISTRATIVE SALARIES, IN PARENT CENTERS THAT ARE NOT BEING USED FOR THE RIGHT PURPOSE,FIRING THE $600,00.00 PER YEAR ATTORNEYS, HIRING OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS…RECOUPING LOST ADA FROM TRUANCY THAT HUSD JUST CAN’T SEEM TO GET A HANDLE ON.
December 10th, 2010 at 3:30 pm
Sherri and Kathi, I appreciate your points of view and responses. I agree with both of your positions. Sherri, I looked up Serrano V Priest, because I was not familiar with your citation. I do recall it now, it is from 1971 and predates all of the present practices.
Without sounding too kylecidic, the education part is good as far as it goes. I do not believe that it will do much in the short run.
Insisting with all due haste, as you have indicated Kathi, is the only solution I can think of at the present moment. Perhaps Trustees Reynoso, Brunner and McGee will in fact make this happen. That is what they were elected to do.
Hayward voted for orderly immediate change, including as you have indicated a transference of slush funds, administrative salaries, Parent Centers, attorneys, ouside consultants and a real control on truancy.
I certainly hope that the Three Heroes of the HUSD surprise me more than President Obama has in the past two years.
I fear that short of armed revolution and active civil disobedience, there will be no respite from the evil of politicians and inherently racist educational opportunities.
December 10th, 2010 at 3:33 pm
Ms. Booth
You are right, Heck we even require kids to buy ther own shoes enabling a walk to school.
On the other hand, if you were to leave your home near the Longwood school, you would notioce some fairly modern, recent vintage automobiles being used todeliver youngsters to school. I wonder wht thiose folks have difficuly with purchase of paper pencils or Black and White attire for clothing which certainly does aid identification of youngsters while on campus.
Sending four youngsters to Parochial school saw and annual uniform ‘swap’ at beinining and end of school years….. those with money to pay tution acquired some habits of thrift….. perhaps HUSD is presumtuois in seeing that as a possibility for public school kids?
You live quite hnear Longwood School….. uase your opowers of obsetrvation at Start of school day as well as conclusion of school day….
My dear I am with you on the subject of correcting ADA losses…… but you remain critical of the Town Hall meeting which the subjevct would have been given serious attention had that effort developed in arousing interest in physically able volunteers fopr that as well as other purposes.
You will be relieved to read of the fact that UI abandoned al;l hope of seeing a Town Hall meeting.
Kelly Roccio whose concern for HUSD budget matters did not hesitate to sign on and actually lead Ms. Bocks inane mneed to see a trecall occur, did not care about the expense of a recall being imposed on HUSD’s budget.
Yet, Roccio, a buddy of the new Presisdent of Trustees is now an appointed member of the ‘fiscal Integrity and Transparency Advisory Committee.
The ‘transp-arency group and it’s purpose is supposed to be on the website… I never found it but rather belateedly, after much phone calls and e-mail dispatch I came into a copy of that in Today’s nail…
It is a joke….. I have formally given up on the Town Hall meeting idea especially since Chairman of C of C board of directors think that sinxce thios advisoryt group is a valid alternative to a Town Hall meeting there is no need for Chamber of Commerce support of a Town Hall meetin, which was not what I asked for in my initial contact with them. CHAMBER OF COOMMERCE IS AS USELESS AS husd ADMINISTRATION POLICIES.
READ THE LIST OF NAMES FOR FOLK CHOSEN TO PARTICPATE IN THE “FISCAL INTEGRITY AND TRANSPARENCY ADVISORY GROUP” That which was supplied me was dated Nove 9 th
a full month and a day prior to arrival of the incomplete information arriving here today!
Not That I needed a paper copy since Supt. advised irt was to be posted on website nearly a week later. I have not bothered to look sins early Wednesday morning.
YOU MIGHT COME TO BETTER personal UNDERSTANDING OF THE “SHADOW GOVERNMENT’S” VOCAL CONTROL, OCCURING FROM THE REAR OF WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S MEETING space. YOU AND I HAD OUR ONLY PERSONAL CONVERSATION WHEN IT OCCURRED OUTSIDE THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING… WHERE A PREVIOUS ‘TRANSPARENCY’ MEETING WAS BEING HELD. . YOUR CONCERN AS WELL AS MY OWN WAS THAT THE ‘PUENTE’ PROJECT NOT BE CUT. aS A MEMEBER OF THAT PARTICULAR ADVISORY GROUP, (10 OR 12 YEARS AGO,) I DEFENDED PUENTE PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE Adewole prohgram which totaly collapsed a year or two ago.
If the Town Hall meetin had been brought to fruition, it was my intent to use the opportunity to gather the empty nest and recentlY retired folk into a group, chosen for the purpose,to DEDICATING much effort to an activity directly related to ADA problem….. you would be surprised what CAN E ACHEIVED WITH a knock on the door of neglectful parents or even those intensely interested but unaware of what leads to initial phases or circumstance of truancy. lAST YEAR THE TRUANCY RATE DOUBLED FROM THAT REPORTED THE PREVIOUS YEAR….. i PICKED UP SOME INFORMATION TO THE EFFECT THAT ATTENDENC CLERK NUMBERS AHD BEEN HALVED.
edID YOU KNOW THAT TRUANCY AT lONGWOOD WAS REPUTED TO BE 36% AND THAT OVERALL THE DISTRICT EXPERIENCED A 49% TRUANCY7 RATE…. ALMOST DOUBLE THE 2008- 2009 Dar.
The ADA problem can only be solved by intense follow up performed by volunteers…. waiting for administaration or staff to solve the problem will not be addressed properly under present budget.
Events out side of the Wed. Board meeting activity havbe convinced me that at my age further effort amounts to mental masturbation.. an act of the elderly which is pleasureable but ALWAYS fruitless.
At age 80 I give it all up in favor of addressing Mrs. Kyle’s ‘Honey do lists….’ which I think grow longer in her own advancing years.
Too bad…the kids continue to lose..!!
December 10th, 2010 at 4:01 pm
To All:
Unfortunately the car a parent chooses to buy is not controlled nor decided upon by the children. The fact that some may believe that the money is there is beside the point…a child cannot control what parents choose to spend money on and should not be punished or penalized for that over which they have no control
If the parent population chooses, by a majority vote, to have school uniforms then it is a parent driven choice and not a “mandate” from the district.
With respect to having to disclose the financial status of a family is against federal law, within the public school system. It can only be used in our schools to apply for free and reduced lunches and breakfast and it is held highly confidential.
Requiring a student or family to disclose financial information for any other purpose is against federal law and is a violation of their rights to privacy. Having to tell your teacher or your PE coach or your band instuctor that your family has no money is unconsiounable and by the way is against the law.
Students in today’s society face enough road blocks to success and feel badly enough about their personal circumstances, they should not have to reveal this information to any school personnel.
Finding a solution to their deliberate circumvention of a long existing law lies at the feet of HUSD.
December 10th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
Kathi, you make great points. The Trustees of HUSD need to realize that they need to find the money to do what is needed and to do it with all deliberate haste. Initial sources are district slush funds, administrative salaries, Parent Centers, attorneys, ouside consultants and a real control on truancy. Dump the support and put the money in school programs for the students and the classroom.
December 10th, 2010 at 7:31 pm
MS. BOOTH
FUNY HOW I THGOUGHT RESPONSIBILITY WAS SHARED WITH PARENTS….. WOMNDER WHRE I PICKED UP THAT ODD THOUGHT !
I CAN ONLY GUESS WHY STATE DOES NOT ENFORCE THAT LAW WHICH MAKES IT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PARENTS TO ASSURE A CHILD’S EDUCATION.
YET, IF A CHILD SUCCEEDS WITHOUT ADEQATE EXPRESSION OF CONCERNBED SUPPORT….. GUESS WHO DOES THE BRAGGING ???
IT IS THE DUTY OPF THE REST OF US TO ASSURE THAT OBLIGATIONS OF NEGLECTFUL PARENTS ARE MET BY HUSD! RIGHT? GOY IDEAS ON RESOLUTIOMN OF THAT PROBLEM ? I SIT ON THE EDGE OF MY CHAIR WAITING FOR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT ….. please hurry!
…. I WONDER WHERE I WENT WROMG..? was it pursuit of the comparison of freedom of speech with the licentious type of self expression?
December 10th, 2010 at 7:37 pm
It is the Law…if someone does not like it I suggest that you make effort to change it. This law on fees has existed on the books for decades..The fact that school districts, state wide, have opted to circumvent it does not invalidate the law..This is not a problem isolated to HUSD. Again I say, if someone does not like the law then work actively to change it.
December 12th, 2010 at 10:58 am
Kathi, let us hope that the current HUSD opts to follow the law, rather than as their predecessors.
December 12th, 2010 at 11:56 am
Mr.Moore and Ms. Booth,
The current HUSD board must clean house as soon as possible, from the top down. Programs that are ineffective along with those running the programs must go. I have a child in elementary and one starting next year, my circumstances allow me to help at her school, other parents are there helping as much as they can. However, is not enough.
The general funds we have are misplaced or compromised in a “grant” that is as far from the classroom as you can imagine. I hope the new board is ready to clean house. We need at least three board members that do not mind saying goodbye to best friends, relatives and so called mentors.
I am hopeful too!
December 12th, 2010 at 12:53 pm
All;
WARNING ! tHIS IS LONG…. SUGGEST YOU PRINT IT OUT, THEN CIRCULATE IT TO NEIGHBORS
Yes, Ms. Booth, there is a law obligating parents to educate children. My argument is that nothing appears being done to enforce the law. The evidence is found in HUSD’s report dated July 13. 2010, which showed that at least 10,432 absences occurred between Oct 1, 2009 and the end of school year 2009 -2010. That was an increase over the previous year, from 25% to 48.94% That is not circumvention of the law so much as it is neglect, only partially caused by an irrational cut in the number of attendance clerks. Even with a full staff… the previous year’s experience at nearly 25% represented a severe loss of ADA money. What is there to write home about with that sort of record here in Hayward? ( The door mat of the Bay?)
Parental neglect is not just circumvention of the law, but outright neglect on the part of State and HUSD administration, as well as dutifully compliant parents and an electorate which permits that to continue! It is also an irrational act by a community which sits in the dark while cursing the lack of light. We are a community which just plain sits, while awaiting opportunity to hear more promises from candidates in the next election. What ? TWO YEARS hence?
That alarming statistic indicates existence of one problem and recent creation of another, to wit:
1.) parental obligation is being overlooked rather than being enforced.
Ms. Booth you are a self declared expert, having graduated from law school, put your self declared research expertise to work and advise how the law which obligates parents to educate is being enforced. Or more precisely, how does that law read? Cite the specific law so that it might be printed out in correspondence directed to HUSD and offending parents. The community would be eternally grateful if you aided a righteous solution to our common problem;
2.) HUSD has very recently established a new version of an old, failing idea. This time around, it is called: “Fiscal Integrity and Transparency Advisory Group.”
With 28 members. The November 9, 2010 meeting Agenda indicates desire for 28 appointees, of that number the names of 6 were yet to be determined as per agenda notice; three of the four high school students were yet to be named. The Latino Business Roundtable Representative was also yet to be determined. Two of the three representatives from HEA had not yet been named. Two representatives of AEOTE and two from Seiu were named. If my math is correct 25% of the fiscal integrity and transparency group sees that ‘Bargaining Units’ would have those seats, not counting students assumed influenced as well as chosen by Teacher members of HEA. There are four Parents, two HUSD trustees, ( a third would be a forbidden quorum. right ?) Three staff members, ( one each from k-6, Middle School and High School levels. Not to be forgotten… one each from NAACP, ( but not COR ??) and ubiquitous Association of Realtors plus one other from mid-level HUSD administration. You might find this on website…. Four days after I was told it would be posted on HUSD website it was not seen present.
By golly, those folks are going to come up with a budget by June 14th 2011. We know this to be true because the agenda says so! Right?
I wonder what happened with the recommendation produced by a similar group which had met in mid to late 1990”s? Paul Frumkin and Mercedes Faraj would be able to advise… they were the leaders in that similar purpose group and are nominated to the current group.
Is it possible that CTA’s ability to effect changes in the Brown Act ( 1990’s) concerning Confidentiality of Teacher salaries is part of our problem?
I will win the mega lottery when it’s prize hits $500 million before some candidate comes up with a viable solution.
I have dropped the Town Hall Meeting (THM) idea, largely because of the lethargic attitude of the Hayward Chamber of Commerce and all but one of the 20 churches to whom I supplied written rationale for a THM. I thought that since they would see the benefit of improved API scores as result of improved Truancy statistics, it should have at least offered them hope to see greater success in local business an social interaction, resulting from volunteers, developed through the Town Hall Meeting activity.
At that THM gathering the skills and interest of the empty nest types and retirees or just plain simple folk, would be stimulated. While also appearing to be provide opportunity for meaningful service of newly arrived residents or single, unattached younger voters. “Net working” by involvement with a general, but meaningful community service is an idea entirely over looked. Well…is it possible…. overlooked for reasons not openly discussed but thought to be associated with intrusion by thoughts of desired volunteer efforts of groups, as seen in aid of governance occurrence with City Administration. God forbid that there would be an opportunity for venting parental frustration at some ad hoc group or commission that might make a recommendation requiring second thoughts by Trustees or HUSD administration.
When C of C ’s top officers see the District’s new newly created “Fiscal Integrity and Transparency Advisory group” as an adequate means of gaining sufficient numbers of volunteers, in quantity to at least form sufficient aid in solution of Truancy and unreported transience, THEN I THROW UP MY WHITE FLAG OF SURRENDER.!
Laughably? No! Sadly, the name of one parent assigned to membership in ‘FITAG’ is laughable or is the operative word ‘sadly‘? That lady, a failed candidate in the 2008 HUSD elections, was interviewed in the process of selecting a replacement of resigned member Gonzales, She was not selected!
Not able to accept defeat graciously, she was susceptible to suggestion contained in a Daily Review story of that other rejected soul, who sought a reall and then stood back while two others actually made an effort….. Which, under the Constitution they had a right to do. However they fully exhibited complete disregard for the fact that had the petition signatures been sufficient in number, HUSD would see it’s budget severely affected by the recall election. Wounded pride is an improper reason for exposing HUSD to that expense.
Yet we see the name of that possessor of wounded pride appointed to a seat where her limited thought processes might have influence on the questionable goal of the Fiscal Integrity and Transparency Advisory Group.
The energy expended in this advisory group might well have been better directed to solving the problem of money shortage due to the scandalous rate of truancy at HUSD.
Well, I’ve dropped hope of bringing people together in a Town Hall Meeting where a broader spectrum of our community might have supported gatherings of people in pursuit of ADA money problems as well as finding additional volunteers in support of Booster Clubs at each school. Where activities for such support might have seen a golf activity at short range ‘hole in one contest’ occurring on Sunset High’s lightly used foot ball field, as well as Christmas Tree lot on Cesar Chavez middle school’s high traffic count, highly visible corner at Tennyson Rd. or a rummage sale on Tennyson HS’s advantageous, lightly used parking lot at Corner of Hesperian and Panama St. Thus might we have seen generation of noticeable support for Music and Athletic programs.
Can you imagine? I had the gall or chutzpah to think that as much as $100,000 might be raised in activity which also gathered the public’s renewed interest in our public schools of Hayward.
That will not happen without a Town Hall Meeting which is beyond the imagination of my critics and their fellow nay-Sayers.
At 80 years of age, I no longer care!
December 12th, 2010 at 2:24 pm
For all who may have been confused…I was referring to the law on the books regarding fees for classes, materials and extra cirricular activities.
If people feel that it is outdated or will cause unjust financial burden to the districts then they should work to repeal or change it.
Laws are not on the books to be circumvented or ignored because “we don’t like them”. If that was the case then assault, robbery and even murder should be circumvented or ignored because some don’t like them.
With respect to compulsory education laws and the responsibility of parents to comply…the same is true, until they are changed then parents must obey and the powers that be, districts, county DAs, and other enforcement agencies must take action.
To constatntly point fingers at certain community members, posters on this site, or anyone else who doesn’t agree with a particular suggestion or idea is wasted effort. I truly believed the purpose of this and other blogs was to offer up suggestions,opinions or in certain cases facts for others to consider. I hope that I was correct. If some positive action takes place, or some person is stimulated to think or investigate then I believe that the HayWord has served a purpose.
December 12th, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Kathi and Qodrn, I could not agree with you more. It is time to work hard at tossing the old out and getting new, committed, intelligent and caring folks working for the benefit of the young people in the HUSD. What has been done in the past has not worked. HUSD is broke. Every function but instruction needs to be challenged, reduced or eliminated. That leadership will come from the trustees.
Calling out the waste, not as long diatribes, but as single issues will help.
December 13th, 2010 at 12:16 am
oore;
The single issue which has created a problem at HUSD is that they refuse imput by volunteers, relying instead on groups favored by HEA who just love havuing students put in the poistion of appearing to have input.
Bootyh; The lady who I ‘attack’ as you put was involved inm attempting a recall…..a t whose expense?
Boort and Moore…. speak up at public comments of the ‘new task force which is simply the old act, directed by HEA as I had explained to you earlier… so now what you both need to do is attend the meetings at which public comments will be permitted….. cheer them on ???
in June 2011there will be A BIG IMPROVMENT IN tRUANCY PTOBLEM ALL BECAUSE OF THE EXTREMELY WISE COUNSEL YOU OFFER!
December 13th, 2010 at 10:48 am
Does anyone, excepting Prester John, know if there is an existing state law preventing the notification to the school board Trustees of the monthly truancy by school and student?
December 13th, 2010 at 11:40 am
As far as I know there is no law and I believe that each school/district has their attendance records that they must report on individual school attendance. I believe that ada is calculated based upon monthly attendance per school/district.
HUSD has the numbers and the names…but what they do with them is a mystery to me.
December 13th, 2010 at 1:24 pm
Mr. moore,
I am sure that I don’t have to remind you that the information regarding individual student’s absence/tuancy record is private information and cannot be released to the public in general. The public’s only access to absence/truancy information is limited to the numbers per school/district.
Again, it is the responsibility of HUSD to manage this enormous problem. Included in enforcement of existing law, they might consider what it is that causes students to be habitually absent. If it is a problem created by parent need or lack of involvement then the parent should be held responsible.
But consider this, perhaps it may be directly related to the fact that sudents are programmed into classes for which they are not prepared; resulting in failure and subsequent lack of interest or motivation. To discover if this may be the issue, particularly at the middle and high school level, it would require interviewing the students themselves and then perhaps creating a solution that is student driven.
In any event we as the public can beat the drum to make HUSD solve the truancy problem and hope that it does not fall on deaf ears…however, I suspect that unless the newly constituted board is listening it will be for naught.
December 13th, 2010 at 1:25 pm
Kathi, given that there is no law prohibiting the publication of names of parents of students who are truant. I believe that the application of the village approach to solving truancy is a valid solution.
Publish the names, preferably weekly, for each truant family, not the name of the juvenile, but the name of the guardian responsible for the juvenile.
Publication should be either by the School Trustees or in their absence, the local newspaper or blog. I suspect it will not take long for the focus of the community to be more directly placed upon the issue of truancy.
And, ADA revenue will increase. If it does not work, then there is room for a different positive action. This, if legal, is certainly an action. It is better than doing nothing but grousing.
December 13th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
If you think that you can get HUSD to provide the names of the parents or guardians of these children, then more power to you. I suggest that you try to do that and I hope that you are successful. The fact that it may cause some personal angst for the children is secondary, I guess, to the ultimate goal.
I am not grousing, the situation with truancy is serious and I hope that you can be successful with gaining acess to the names of the parents or guardians.
However it is solved, by allowing HUSD to use the community to do their job is a bit disconcerting to me. Remember they got the community to do the job of funding materials instead of following the law.
December 13th, 2010 at 4:11 pm
Kathi, I do not want the names myself. I want the community to know who the guardians are that have truant children. Angst amongst children is unavoidable. I would hope that the trustees would publish the list of names of truant guardians. If they will not then that they will require the principals of each school to make their weekly or monthly lists of truants available to their designate for electronic publication.
I also think this works well for child abuse, spousal assault, tax scofflaws and drunken driving convictions.
December 13th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
In principal you are correct…I just don’t think it will happen. I think there might be some violation of a student’s privacy involved. In any event I doubt the district will ever do it. You could try suggesting this to the board via their email through the district; for their consideration.
December 13th, 2010 at 6:18 pm
I think you are absolutely right Michael. If Hayward really wanted to, it could enforce the truancy laws. In the past, parents were threatened with jail and truant students were rounded up and taken to community centers to wait for parents to bail them out. I never heard how that worked, but it wasn’t long lasting was it.
Personally, I am against that approach because it comes from the idea that students and parents are at fault. My experience is that, in most cases, school is the problem.
Students want to go to good schools that they can afford and where they are treated with respect and can succeed. If we get the kids in school but don’t fix the school problem, school is nothing but a prison.
December 13th, 2010 at 6:56 pm
Well put Sherry, which is why I think that the root of solving middle and high school absenteeism lies in asking the student WHY? I think at least some of the solution may be student driven…but then Ihave been accused of tilting at wind mills.
December 13th, 2010 at 8:52 pm
BOOTH @ MOORE
AM NOT SURPRISED THAT YOU BOTH ARE UNAWARE OF THE FACTS SURROUNDING TRUANCY ETC….. BACK IN AUGUST MRS BOOTH TOOK GREAT OFFENSE AT THE FACT THAT I HAD THE TEMERITY TO MAIL HER A COPY OF HUSD’S RELEASE WITH TRUANCY DATA. THAT DATA REFLECTED A SCHOOL YEAR 2009-2010 INCREASE TO 49% FROM A MERE 25% IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR..
ON AUGUST 19TH, ANG’s STAR REPORTER, KATY MURPHY HAD AN ARTICLE ON FIRST PAGE OF THE ’SNORING REPORT’ SECTION ( August 19,2010) WITH A LARGE BOLD HEADLINE… ” STATE TRUANCY BILL TAKES AIM AT PARENTS”
CHRONIC TRUANCY IS DEFINED UNDER THE THEN PENDING SB 1817 AND EXPRESSES ‘DIRE PUNISHMENT’ WHICH HAS NOT YET BEEN DEFINED NOR PROSCRIBED. POOR CALIFORNIA STATE GOVERNMENT IS PRESSED FOR MONEY TO PRINT SUCH?
DO YOU KNOW THAT ’THEY’ HAVE EVEN DARED TO DEFINE ’CHRONIC TRUANCY’ ? (HOW DARE THEY ?)
It seems that the bleeding hearts OF CALIFORNIA find all sorts of rationale in defense of parents. God forbid that we suggest to parents that they take responsibility. Heck I did not know that the County has a truancy court……..must we now criminalize families whose children are chronic families etc etc.
Your assignment for tomorrow’s contribution to this blog is to advise all about current affairs as seen on Katy Murphy’s Oakland Schools Blog @ http://www.ibabuzz.com/education. Perhaps Ms. Booth might find assiatnce from ‘Obama new age‘ ?
Had there been a Town Hall meeting my presence would have seen me raise this question which I am sure will be absolutely schockinbg Sherry Blair and yourselves.
If it is possible to ‘swear in’ some reserve officers who help out on a volunteer basi9s here in Hayward as was the case with John Nachado of the mortuary family, why is it noyt possihble to ‘swear in’ volunteers to act as ‘truant officers’ and knock on door bells when the consistant truant fails to show up fopr the 4th or 5th day? Possible make a report on tyhe alcholic parents etc and turn all in to our verey own truancy court which is needed ghere. After all, why make those poor parents attend truancy court in Oakland? Shucksm bus fair might cut into their booze money or what ever is the need of parents of consistant truants.
OPr shall we suffer greater AEDA loss to the budget than is occurring with last years 48.94% truancy rate ?
Hayword Blog contributor. Kelley Roccio and loser in her 2008 run at the Board, as well as her leadership role in the attempt to Recall this year’s appointment of a replacement for Sarh Gonzales replacement, for which she had also pleaded her case and who is now one of the four Parents on the Current “Fiscal Integrerity and Transparency Advisory Group ” and who also failed at winning the potentially ruinous HUSD obligation to pay the bill for a recall.
Ms. Roccio will, if asked, come up with a truly admirable idea for solution of the truancy problem solution… go ahead ask! Perhaps she will delete the Puente program as a means of dealing with the lost Adewole program ?
December 13th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
Your postings and letters Mr. Kyle are filled with so much typo and grammatical errors one gives up trying to figure out what you are attempting to say. I do not wish to participate in any Town Hall Meeting, especially one that is chaired by you. I don’t remember ever issuing an edict that any poster on this blog will be forbidden to participate in yours or any other meeting. I am still entitled to my opinion and my decision to opt out.
Ms. Roccio should not be condemned because she objected to the replacement selection for Dr. Gonzalez. I have NEVER heard or read anything that resembled “sour grapes” from her. In fact I do believe that you have on occasion complimented her on her observations. But then you make about faces on a regular basis, sometimes I think depending on how the wind blows.
you are a fool if you think that any time soon “volunteers” will somehow be sworn in to act as truant officers for HUSD. There is far too much liability involved. But dream on sir. By the way, I thought you were through with this.
December 13th, 2010 at 10:40 pm
Ms./ Booth… you wander away from the subjewct of the moment….. wandering is charateristic of you when confronted with facts such is the case with yout recent limited concern with Truancy.
Which indicates a limited attemion span, a constant for a wandering type, such as yourself……. when guilty of abverting topics about which you know nothing. A shallow substitute for original thought!
I never for a moment thought you would leave home for a few moments with interestimng folk at a Town Hall mMeting which as you now know is abandoned. Since
C of C thinks the new ad hoc group is sufficient……. their monthly ‘mixer’ seems all they can handle anyway.
Goodbye Mrs. Booth….I leave you to your struggle over comprhensio0n of solutions to truancy!
Call ANG for a copy of Katy Murphy’s article, it was lengthy and might cause you to miss some tv soap opera events….
December 14th, 2010 at 9:41 am
Prester John, you continue to cite law incorrectly and to spread untruth like manure in a garden. Shame on you. While the image of you in a posse of truant hunters is riveting, I realize it is part of your phillipic style. I do hope you walk the truant neighborhood, you can then be a part of the ANG news cycle and perhaps a part of the nitrogen cycle as well.
The correct citation for the change to the truancy law is SB1317, not SB1817 which is the Texas bill for improving the diabetes registry. Get it right, at least.
SB1317 becomes effective January 1, 2011. It changes both the the education and the penal code. It makes it more efficient and stiffens the penalties for truancy, including both the student and the family. It simplifies the truancy process and makes it easier to get corrective action in place.
The changes are EC Section 48263.6: Any pupil subject to compulsory full-time education or to compulsory continuation education who is absent from school without a valid excuse for ten percent or more of the school days in one school year, from the date of enrollment to the current date, is deemed a chronic truant, provided that the appropriate school district officer or employee has complied with EC sections 48260, 48260.5, 48261, 48262, 48263, and 48291.
December 14th, 2010 at 2:43 pm
For those of you with interest, the FITAG Meeting is today at 4:30 in the HUSD Board Room. The topic for today is the 1st Interim Budget Report. Feel free to come and offer meaningful input.
December 14th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Moore
You speak of being Phillipic; atta boy– when guilty of something accuse the other guy…. Dumb! Your own attention span is the problem!
Yes, I confused the number identification for that piece of legislation working it’s way through the state legislature. I am 80 years old and yes, when in a hurry, that fact often causes me a bit of embarrassment About the only time a get a real compliment, outside my marriage, is when I open doors for women, I arouse a smile, seldom more!
In your case no embarrassment to me occurs, such is my regard for you! Your introduction of your own intense interest in scat and the various ways of introducing that to the blog, all at once, is indicative of the worth of your character. Sir, you are simply a boor! Which form of address would you have me choose when speaking of you…. ‘Moore the Boor’ or the ‘Moore, professor of scat?”
I am glad that you found your way into a read of SB 1317. It ought cause you to reflect upon your lack if understanding of the depth of the of HUSD’s budget problem. To say nothing of the extra-ordinary need for viable solutions. Thus my call for a ‘commission’ on the order of that seen in use by City of Hayward. While you in your limited mind set think that publishing names is a long term solution!
Having possessed a deep sense of the need for community service, I began such activity even before age 21 ! Mother was widowed as consequences of the depression, I was seven and the youngest of her three sons was just one month old. One of the first was hustling raffle tickets on a case of booze the proceeds of which went to Little Sisters of the Poor in Oakland. A still existent structure condemned by City of Oakland. Sisters handed over the problem to the Bishop as they retreated into their similar operation in San Francisco. You had to be ill and destitute before the Sisters took in a client. Never the less, said Oakland, “Fix it !” The Bishop deeded the item to the City which now operates services to the poor. Poor but no bed cases you understand…. The ‘Big One’ will only hit after 5PM and Before 7:00 AM…. THEY TOOK THE STAINED GLASS WINDOWS OUT OF THE CHAPEL and did what with them?
Married in 1929, the depression sent young female, married stenographers home , so that ’social spirit’ then prevailing made jobs available to those in supposedly greater need. She had lost some skills in the absence from work scenes outside the family and it took a required course at Oakland Adult School. Three months to reegain short hand and typing skills.
At age 11, I started playing hookey in order to deliver newspapers in the very early morning. When wet weather struck, I often independently decided that staying home, after delivery of the route, was more important than education, well at 11 years, I was smart enough to figure that loss of the $40. per month would be a disaster upon the family budget. My Mother worked in the City of SF while we resided near a bus stop in Oakland’s Dimond District.
The lost days racked up in my first trip through 7th grade were phenomenal. Fortunately paternal parent’s brothers were well employed as licensed Marine Engineers and through paternal grandmother’s influence, the tuition at a boarding school was made available. But only through HS.
Upon graduation. My Mother’s health degraded rapidly, just as though she had been holding out for that graduation day, Distracted, college became impossible although I did take many night courses at American Institute of Banking and enrollment at Cal Extension, aided whatever success I met which provided home purchase and tuition at Parochial schools for my four through High School. 7 of 11 grandchildren have made it through college with expectations for success of another.
Married at age 22, I was already involved with service to community. Drafted into the Army at age 25 when youngest sibling’s dependency resulted in deferment of that event, I continued in aid of educating my own.
Since retirement at age 60, I have served the City of Hayward and HUSD in at least 24, probably 25 acts of voluntary service through Task Forces and or ad hoc activity at both the City and the School District level. Much of that was by interview and selection by those elected. Frankly fella, I never heard of you until you brought yourself to the blog.
I do not represent myself as an expert although my 40 years of employment in the banking industry saw 30 years of that time, heavily involved in real estate appraisal at ‘field level’ as well as management levels. I think my power of obeservation have served the City and School district quite well. A major concern of an efficient appraiser, are the schools in which the subject of Appraisement is located. Get it?
Now Mr. Boor, you found something to write about when you were tipped by me At item # 27 above, you admit being in a quandary over the truancy problem. I tipped you to a read of the August 19, 2010 article by Katy Murphy which appeared on first page of the morning report. Has the bill p-assed into law? If so, will you continue to carp or perhaps offer your self in some form of service to the solution of Truancy and ADA losses. I’d wager $10 that you never raise your hand in aid of that problem.
Obviously, you limit your self to criticism rather than attempt offering valid steps towards solutions. You limit yourself to your concerns about typing skills and love heaping criticism through use of terms related to ‘scat‘.. which most probably reveals the entire scope of your mind!
You criticize my suggestion about ‘swearing in’ reserve truant officers. Well sir, have you suggested to various police departments which seek such volunteers as a concern for budget in moments of strain such as ‘crowd control’ etc. Be sure to tell ‘em that in your opinion that action ought be terminated. The other officers can use some more overtime! Plenty money in City coffers. Right?
In the meantime, should anyone in Hayward ask, I ll continue pushing the idea but only if they ask!
In the process of thinking through the manner in which a Town Hall Meeting might have been conducted, one of the difficulties, for which folks seem concerned was…’how do you handle nay-sayers who just might show up to annoy you’ My answer was that by use of ‘break out’ sessions in separate rooms and seats within those rooms limited to 20, that there would be a monitor, a person of intelligence, who would, as result of their own classroom experience, know which of the sought after ideas / solutions brought forward by the public were worth ranking as the top three ideas emanating from that group. The point being that naysayers have a history of being ‘put down’ by their peer group. So, had you and Ms. Booth attended, you would have been welcomed and then left to the opinions of those within the breakout session which you chose. One trick I learned was to avoid ‘packing’, guys like you would pack a group in order to achieve nothing more than obfuscation.
So, if 250 people bothered to show up 23 tree tables would be needed in the break out rooms. You would then be judged on the validity of the suggestions you made at the moment.
One of the things which occurs with such activity is that the good ideas, initially put forth by one or two folks and adopted by the group either as a whole or by majority, creates a pride of ownership in that idea…. Thus do you find worthwhile volunteers whose pride in the idea sees them offering their own service as a volunteer benefiting the community.
The constant sniping ( cheap shots) by you and Booth solve nothing, largely due to lack of substance in your writings as well as mind!
As my volunteer days are over, You and others such as yourself, are no longer in my thoughts. I believe you both lacking potential for constructive thought!
Above find 1371 words to supplement SB 1317 about which you would not have picked up on it, unless thinking to put me in my place!
December 14th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
Prester John, SB1317 is now law and goes in to force January 1, 2011. Phillipics should not have been capitalized. Look it up. Enjoy life.
December 14th, 2010 at 11:18 pm
To All,
I suggest you read Katy Murphy’s blog for Oakland schools. There are a variety of people who are expressing their opinions and giving suggestions, and oh also quoting various laws. Rarely are there any attacks of a personal nature. They simply read and either add to the comments or express differig opinions without any wasted time of pointing fingers. It is refreshing.
Additionally, Ms. Murphy contributes quite frequently to the blog, answering questions, posing questions and providing links to sites that may help people to gain further knowledge on a subject.
Just some food for thought about how we may use the content of that blog to guide us here.
December 15th, 2010 at 9:15 am
Booth
Are you not glad that I ‘tipped’ you to a read of Murphu’s Auh. article?
December 15th, 2010 at 9:50 am
~~~~~~”SHOP HAYWARD”~~~~~~~
http://www.hayward-ca.gov/haywardopenforbusiness/news/PDF/2010/ShoppingBagFlyerDesign2010.pdf
December 15th, 2010 at 9:58 am
CHECK OUT NEW TITLES @ the Library >>>>>
http://wowbrary.org/nu.aspx?fb&p=7
December 15th, 2010 at 10:03 am
Hayward Arts >>>>
http://www.haywardarts.org/pages/events.html
December 15th, 2010 at 10:04 am
Eric…Can the newest comments be at the top of the page?
December 15th, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Ms. Rocchio,
Anything you can reeport from your meeting last night?
December 15th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
Eric,
Monica’s idea is very practical, I hope you are considering it.
Thanks,
December 15th, 2010 at 6:55 pm
Monica, your posting #45 for the library is a wonderful thing. Thank you.
http://wowbrary.org/nu.aspx?fb&p=7
December 16th, 2010 at 7:04 am
Kathi,
Not much to report at this point. We received copies of the 1st Interim Budget Report, discussed factors that have changed the numbers and those that may come up in the future that will cause significant shifts in the projections. There are so many variables it is difficult to predict where we may end the year. If anyone has any specific concerns, please let me know and I can try to help get answers or bring the topic for discussion at the next meeting. As indicated, the public is welcome at these meetings and there was a decent show on Tuesday night. Along with the group members, Ms. Brunner and Mr. Armas were present. The purpose of this group is to have open discussions and try to help with the need for transparency in the community.
December 16th, 2010 at 8:38 am
Thank you Kelly.
December 16th, 2010 at 11:01 am
Booth
Pretty much the same dog and pony show as the last such group back in th ’90′s. Big question for which you sought andwers at that time… will Puente project be saved?
Don’t you get it? A dog and pomnt show !! Have the members of HEA selected the ‘student representatives yet? Can you imagine yhow the students, striving for APPROVAKL OF TEACHER ( A THOUGHT ALSO APPLICABLE TO PARENTs COUNTED IN THE ‘ADVISORY GROUP’.
I’ll bet that the result is confined to a recommendation for a parcel tax in the amount of $250 or more will result. The question is, will there be a vote opportunity placed before the public, on the subject and what assurance is there that the State will not make a grab for it …. or simply cut back on present alacrity of ADA payments?
Hang onto your seat the second advisory report is not due untilo March 8th….three work sessions from now.
Urge you and other readers to contact Ms. Leply The interim Assitant Suoerintendent, Business services or Cathi Toldi for you copy if the FITAG kist of members , The agenda if such is available for past and present meetings, the schedule of meeyting dates.
\
Be aware that Ms. Leply is aq retired person, hired to work as tenative operative in Business Dept. Which three days remnains a mystery to me.
The Board of education Agenda item F.2 …3 pages in length Board meeting of Oct 13, 2010 ( a consent item) can be obtained through your own efforts on website.
As I said earlier, a repeat of the similar group occurring in the ’90′s…. wildly successful under leadership of HEA and Mr. Frumkin.
December 16th, 2010 at 1:43 pm
Monica — Not sure if the forward/reverse direction of the comment stream is a setting or if it’s part of the program. I’ll look into it. John — You’ve been mistyping your email addy again, that’s why your comments haven’t been showing up. All — Really busy with stuff this week, not much time to pay attn. to this blog, sorry!
December 16th, 2010 at 4:45 pm
Mr. Kurhi. Had I mistyped my e-mail address been miss-typed they would no show up at all.. isn’t that correct? That material comes up automatically, does it not?
I am also quite mystified by the comment associated with my submissions to the effect that they are being subjected to moderation.
December 16th, 2010 at 5:20 pm
To all:
Senator Corbett has provided a copy of Senate Bill 1317 and it is something of a mystery, to me at least, that the truancy controls ijmposed by this bill is limited to Grades K-8.
What of the grades 9 to 12.
Is any reader able to advise of close location of a current copy of the entire ed code. It uis reasonable to think it might be available at HUSD HQ ?
Perhaps the problem of truancy at grades 9 to 12 has allredy been addressed in some existent code?
One good deal… pro-creation of a child follwed by neglect of that child is now seen, per sb 1317 as a criminakl matter and is to be punished by fines and or jail term…. or both! Now the question is, do we have sufficient volunteers in living in HUSD;’s service area who will come fOWARD, MEET THE QUALIFIXCATIONS AND BECOME PART OF THE ENFORCEMENT TEAM.
THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO SOLVING THE BUDGET PROBLEM IF WE JUST NAILED THE k-8 PARENTS.
SCHOOLS WHOSE TRUANCY RATE EXCEEDED 40% ARE IN 2009-2010 ARE;
BOWMAN AT 55.49% cherryland @ 54.4 %Park @ 60.8%
Rihngold @ 42% Stonebrae @ 41.2% Strobridge @ 47.8%
the lowest was Eden Gardens @ 10.0% Lorin Edem @14.5 Eldridge @ 18.9% Harder @ 20.6%%
Palma Ceia was @ 30.2% While longwood was @ 36.0%
Seems like we need more hooky catchers or more jails to handle the momma and papa negligenc.
Why does SB avoid data publ;ication or concern for parents @ grades 9- 12 ???? Middle Schools and High schools had digraceful perecentages all above 60% while Brenkwitz was reporting jyst 26.8 %
Why did we halve our attendence clerks ?
Whos follows up by knocking on a parents door…… I suspect that transience is part of the problem.
Transience rates ought be separated from hooky statiostics……. foreclosures cause transience and a parent involved with forecklosure can be excused i=f that blow distracts them from a courtesy call to HUSD.
Truant officer ranks ought be ‘beefed up with volunteers’
December 16th, 2010 at 6:24 pm
Not that the previous poster would agree or even think I might be right but…
To engage “volunteer truant officers” to work on behalf of the district would be highly unlikely due to a little thing called LIABILITY. The district’s liability insurance carrier would not look favorably on such a move by the district.
If you look closely at a field trip policy, parents are expected to not hold the district liable for injuries or other mishaps that may occur. The same is true for most areas where students and “volunteers”or non certificated staff such as coaches provide the service. Liability insurance is extremely expensive.
Perhaps anyone interested in the idea of “volunteer truant officers” should look into the legal feasability.
Just one of my silly little thoughts, opinions and suggestions.
December 16th, 2010 at 7:00 pm
Prester John, Everything you need to know about truancy is located in the internet in the California Department of Education Website. Here is the link:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/search/searchresults.asp?cx=001779225245372747843:gpfwm5rhxiw&output=xml_no_dtd&filter=1&num=20&start=0&q=truancy.
State Senator Mark Leno was the named sponsor of SB 1317. If you want the ins and outs of why’s and wherefor’s of the process please contact his office. It was long and complicated.
The key reason for the high school variance in truancy and that of the K-8 rules has to do with student’s rights. High school students actually have some, while K-8 have virtually none.
There is nothing simple about truancy. Calls for reducting the truancy rate are valid but not easily implemented by most school districts, who see that reaching the kids in class is easier than trying to find the kids and get them in class.
Reasons for truancy are regrettably not just those of criminal behavior. Locking up kids and parents in juvenile hall and city jails, along with fines and community service is not real effective at remedying the problem.
SB 1317 makes the process a little easier. Let us hope that the HUSD Trustees tackle their part.
I certainly encourage you, Prester John, to have you and your church folks out identifying the truants. You have deep pockets. HUSD does not.
December 16th, 2010 at 8:00 pm
Thanks for the update, Kelly. I would still like to know exactly what HUSD is going to spend the $3.8 million from the Federal gov’t. on (Ed. Jobs Funding Act). Sandra Lepley addressed it a little bit at the Nov. 17th board meeting, but she didn’t say which specific positions are being funded with that money. It is important because it is one-time money, and presumably, when it runs out, those positions will be in danger once again. It is also important because the discussions around that money have not been transparent AT ALL. There has been a noticeable disconnect between the questions being asked and the answers being given. If you can give us any info, I would really appreciate it.
December 16th, 2010 at 10:26 pm
Booth’
So glad that you are practicing liability insurance adviasory service without a license.
Liability insurance is one of the least expemsive endorsements to a policy that youcan make, unless you are targeted by ‘ambulance chasers’!
December 16th, 2010 at 10:47 pm
Booth,
…continued from above…. as an example: medical; personnel in the practice of obsterics are targetd…. my spouse once had one who though never had a law suiot filed against him nor a claiom presenbted had premiums, which forced him to close shop amd seek employment at Kaiser…..
The matter woul;d be handled in the same faqshion as officers in the fold of various police Deptartmemnts, such as in the case of a chap once involoved with Machado’s mortuary who periodically donned a uniform to aid HPD. Or, in the service of HUSD you haVE INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN PUT THE ARM ON YOU AND HOLD YOU FOR hpd AS IS SEEN IN THE MEETINGS OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
bUT JUST IN CASEW YOU FAIL TO SEE THE POINT…. COMPATRE lIABILITY INSURANCE EXPENSE AGAINST THE IOSSES AT HUSD WHICH INVOLVE LOST ADA MONET DUE TO TRUANCY….. AND THINK AGAIN! iF POSSIBLE.
December 16th, 2010 at 11:48 pm
MR. MOORE;
I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH husd’S MR. KURHI; IF IN TWO DAYS THERE IS NO INDICATION OF RESPONSE I GO TO PAPER COPIES MAILED TO ANG CORPORATE OFFICES.
YOUR REMARKS ABOUT THE POPE, THE EXPECTED DEMISE OF CATHOLIC fAITH AS WELL AS YOUR SNIDE CONCLUDING REMARK AT # 59 ABOVE ABOVE ARE UNACCEPTABLE!
ALMOST BUT QUITE AS BAD AS A NEIGHBOR, A RETIRED husd PRINCIPAL, WHO AT (PUGLIC) PUBLIC COMMENTS DURING A TRUSTEE MEETING ACTUALLY STATED THAT SINCE I HAD NOT USED PUBLIC SCHOOLS ( even while my tax money was used in support of HUSD ) That I HAD NO RIGHT TO BE CONCERNED WITH HUSD.
THERE ARE OTHERWISE INTELLIGENT PEOPLE WHO DO NOT LOOK PAST THE END OF THEIR NOSE, WHEN DISPLAYING ANTI R.C. OPINION! YOU TAKE THAT ATTITUDE TO NEW HEIGHTS.
SHAME ON YOU!
December 17th, 2010 at 9:06 am
Mr.Kyle,
I merely suggested that anyone who favors “volunteer truant officers” look into the legality of such an endeavor. If you or anyone else chooses not to that is your choice.
By the way, suggesting that people investigate the legality of such a move is not offering legal advice.
Incidentally, Mr. Kuhri does not work for HUSD, so a complaint to them would be useless.
December 17th, 2010 at 10:16 am
Prester John, your support of the postal service, especially at Advent is commendable. Send ANG lots of paper, please.
My remarks about the Pope have to do with his specific actions to conceal and protect RC priests accused by the Irish government of child abuse. I stand by that. I also think that the action of Pius in his support and protection of the Nazi state are beyond the scope of man to forgive. Your continued insistence on bringing the RC church into schools is not an action I support.
I am quite sure if you go out as an elderly self appointed Truant Officer in the HUSD, you will fall in to the abyss of the legal world claiming someone owes you something. Let us hope that no one listens to you.
Prester John, you have every right to spew your invective.
Let us hope that soon you will learn to spell, use capital letters politely and use English grammar at a level above third grade.
Peace unto thee.
December 17th, 2010 at 3:30 pm
Moore;
Your use of “Prester John” as a form of address says something about you. I do not believe you to be a lawyer, your attitude as expressed in this blog would be detrimental to your business, although there is a possibility that you are involved, either as a lawyer or as a ‘solicitor’ pursuing Priests rather than ambulances.
There is always the possibility that you teach. God forbid the presence of any Catholic child in your classes; if at college level let us hope that it is a private school rather than a tax supported institution. The thought that taxes paid by Catholics enter your pockets is a burden for all, especially yourself.
Prester John was a medieval Christian King and Priest traditionally thought to have been living in Asia or Abyssinia. As I know nothing of that history it must have some fascination which you think to be detrimental to me. There would be no other rationale that you might apply!
Your remarks about the Pope, were centered on his service in creating flak explosions over Berlin. You associated him with the Hitler Youth. ( just how much time do you spend turning over rocks and raking leaves to find something you might use? Come on be honest, you dig up only those facts which serve your purpose. You mention a wife so you are not gay, ( an I presumptuous? ) yet the lawsuits against Priests are an obsession?
The problem I have with you is largely centered on the fact that until recently I never noticed you except for similarity in a name associated with some form of entertainment.
Most of your entries in the blog introduce criticism in great detail, for any that dare put forward a creative thought, especially me. Your antagonism towards the idea of accepting volunteers to act in service as truant officers, is amazing! You do not for one moment imagine that phone calls are going to do the job, or do you? Come on… deliver some effectively viable alternatives other than asking teachers to speak to parents.
Then there is the influx of parolees…..Hayward is well behind Oakland in the count of paroled felons known to be residing in Alameda County but it serves as a dwelling place for a large number while only twelve reside in Pleasanton. I will not bother you with the remarks made by The Superintendent of schools in that City when he asked of a graduation audience an answer to a deprecating question, while pointing his finger in a westerly direction. Audience cheered clapped and stamped their feet,,, sounded like a place where you might want to live or teach….
You belittle the idea of volunteerism ….. Why ? Because they work for free?
You belittle volunteerism… thus do I suspect that your contribution to civic or school service is limited to the blog.
Well, if Mr Kurhi does not work for HUSD, He does not work for the City either! Coverage by Kurhi is limited to Board meetings and items appearing on the police blotter….. Sources which offer l;ittle in the way of Hope! Perpetuating the idea that crime is rampant and that truancy is nothing for City folk to worry about?
Are you not aware of the attraction of ‘Cash Flash Corners’ ? Do you not think that the ‘cash flash corner’ just might be an attraction for drop-outs? Your own opposition to seeking a greater number of volunteers, not only for the truancy problem solution, but for better participation in Booster Clubs which would offer activities to raise cash for athletics or music programs…. Is not viable to either you or Miz Booth?
Hell, all you do is offer free but twisted criticism! Solutions are beyond you and Booth both.
December 17th, 2010 at 6:22 pm
Prester John, here is a wiki on your namesake. It pretty much tells it all. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prester_John.
The present Pope was in the Hitlerjugend, as were most Germans. My issue with him is his membership in the Nazi youth organization and that he took up arms against the United States. Organizations that allow this may do so, but I have no tolerance for them.
Pope Pius’s record speaks for itself. It is shameful and a tragedy that the Vatican hides its complicity in condoning and supporting the Holocaust.
As to the rest of your rants and ravings, I am pleased that you have controlled the spelling, grammar, capitalization and other manifestations of confusion. Well done.
My I thought you were atoning for sins with the care of your wife. May providence grant you grace and your family as well. Remember what the season began as. A Roman holiday of celebration, and not one of Holy Remembrance.
Peace.
December 17th, 2010 at 7:34 pm
Out of curiosity, Mr. Moore, what exactly would you have had either Pope Pius or the current pope do differently than they did?
December 17th, 2010 at 9:46 pm
Boor Moore;
Are you related by blood or narriage to the Rev Paisley the Presbyterian Minister who never refered to the pope as old slipper foot! That gentleman sent his drun bangers and orange flags into Catholic areas of Ulster for the simple reason of antagonizing or Terrorizing Catholic populatiohn as part of celebrating the battle of the Boyne, which had occurred hundreds of years earlier. Good old King Henry knocked off Cromwell as well as wives…… and is fondly remembered. Right?
Hitler Youth was a prewar organization which trapped young men into wehrmact on a supposedly volunteer basis.
You refuse acceptance of my tale of ‘Fred’ the natuarlized citizen, who as a boy in his native Germany in the early period of 1945, enjoyed the experience similar to that of the Pope. He, as a naturalized US citizen was ‘drafted’ from Oakland into the same Armored unit with me. Fred took a hard time at Ft Knox, from that vast pool of intellect enamaniting from East Ky, (in exchange for three hots and a cot), for just being German. In truth the man had escaped a reign of terror near the end of the war when trapped into the equivalent of the ‘presed man’ from days of English navy history. Fred escaped and hid out, shedding his uniform as he went from one home to another until reaching his own ‘village’ Had he been caughr he would have died on the spot. The pope was pressed into an anti-aircraft battery and had no such opportunity. You Foolish man! You have failed your direct benefactors, parents, teachers etc!
You behave precisely as did that dreadful Presbyterian Minister Ian Paisly in Ulster back in the 50′s through 80′s. That man could never use a descrpition of the Pope save by that which he frequently used …’old slipper foot’.
I urge you to consider your position….. you have absolutely nothing to gain by living a life dedicated to hatred. Fella, hatred drips off your remarks.
Review your contributions to the blog…. when did you contribute at least a ‘trial balloon’ i.e. a pro-active thought in which the thread of an idea was contained and in which thougt and contribution from the group, might have been picked up, developed and found usheful as at least part of a solution.
You abjure volunteerism which has been one of the great strengths of this country. Which raises this question…. how would your worth to the School District, the City or any larger part of the community ever be measured and accepted as a matter drawing admiration?
You obviously have had benefit of education but you abuse it! Worse yet, you dishonor those who made it possible for you to gain access to education.
Ergo, you have no value to yourself! Think about that, if possible!
Fortunately your viewpoint is not widespread.
The letter probably goes in the mail to ANG Corpotrate HQ. tommorrow! Perhaps it will conclude that the Hayword blog serves no purpose in the community!
December 18th, 2010 at 8:51 am
Prester John, the US government provided sanctuary and jobs to hundreds, perhaps thousands of Nazi’s after the War. The actions of the government are shameful and were hidden or at least disguised for a long time. The contributions of Werner von Braun and his team to the development of the NASA are hardly outweighed by von Braun’s reliance and support of Slave Labor at Peenemunde. If Fred was Hitler Youth I would have hoped that America would have refused his family a visa. If he was not Hitlerjugend, then I am pleased with his service to America and his adopted country.
You know nothing of me or my work as a volunteer. Nor will I share it with you. Your comments on your solutions to Haywards problems are yours and unique. Good for you. Your zeal and enthusiasm is admirable, I guess. I am sure your outreach in to the community is of great notice and is well respected by all.
Perhaps it is true, as you said, that Hayword in your opinion is of no purpose to the community. But, this is America, and both you and I may speak. Merry Christmas.
Peace unto you.
December 18th, 2010 at 8:53 am
Prester John, I take offense to your painting me as a Paisleyite. I am an unrepentant Republican, a supporter of 32 counties and an avowed IRB supporter and a venerator of the Sixteen. Shame on you. Peace.
December 18th, 2010 at 9:04 am
Qodrn, the actions of Pius, both when he was the Papal legate to Germany before and during the rise of the Nazi’s, as well as his time as Pope during the war is shameful. He never condemned the Nazi party, the priests who continued to act as priest-Nazi’s and provided the escape support for Nazi’s who fled at the end of the war. He did not do the right thing. For the church to have elevated him to the papacy is flat out wrong. He never spoke out about the camps, the genocide, the euthanasia of children and the mentally ill. He allowed and supported evil throughout Europe. The church has done too little to atone for these sins.
The present Pope should have declined the honor as atonement for the actions of the church in the past. He should have never been allowed to rise in the Holy See as he has. The church should have purged all remnants of the Nazi state a long time ago. That has happened now, by virtue of the fact that the Pope is part of the last vestiges of those originals. The Hitlerjugend was youth outreach of the Nazi party. Its leaders were both executed by the authorities and imprisoned.
December 18th, 2010 at 9:05 am
Boor Moore
Life is tough. You remain, despite your puffery, a shallow individual!
December 18th, 2010 at 9:24 am
John, may you live long and prosper and all the blessings of the Lord upon you and your family.
December 18th, 2010 at 9:38 am
Mr.Kyle,
Please review your own comments before you accuse someone of living a life filled with hatered. This really smacks of the pot calling the kettle black.
December 18th, 2010 at 9:53 am
Booth;
Atta girl…. always jumping in with an inane comment.
larn to schpell hatred ?
December 18th, 2010 at 12:45 pm
ALL
A GREAT CHRISTMAS CAROL that baffles many, needs a bit of explanation.
What in the world do Leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans and especially the partridge that refuses to come out of the pear tree, have to do with Chtistmas?
Well, from 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Deuring that era, someone wrote this carol as a catechism ( a summary of religious doctrine,) in song form for young Catholics. There are two levels of meaning, the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of the faith. Each element in the carol gas a ccode word for a religiois reality which children could remember.
The partridge in the pear tree was … Jesus Christ.
Two turtle doves were the old and the new testament.
Three French hens stood for faith hope and love.
Four calling birds were the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John
Five golden rings recalled the Torah or law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
Six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit .. Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership and Mercy.
The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
Nine ladies dancing. Were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit… Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control.
Ten lord’s a leaping were the Ten Commandments.
The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles Creed.
MAY THE PEACE OF CHRIST SETTLE ON ALL, ESPECIALLY UPON CHILDREN OF THE WORLD WHO LACK EDUCATION! ( AS WELL AS FOOD, CLOTHING, A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS AND ATTENTIVE GUIDANCE BY EMPLOYED PAREHNTS!)