Recall Campaign 2005
OC Weekly investigates the ongoing campaign to reform
CUSD
Oct 04, 2007 |
Permalink
Three years in the life of the Capistrano Unified School District
BY DAFFODIL J. ALTAN
Daffodil Altan, OC Weekly THE VAST GLITTERING MEETING ROOM AT CAPISTRANO Unified School District’s shiny new headquarters is crowded this evening. It’s Monday night, the first week of school, and tonight’s board of trustees meeting is the first for the new interim superintendent, Woodrow Carter. He’s the third person to fill the slot in the past year.
The meeting begins with that staple of school-board gatherings across the nation, a syrupy video presentation about kindergarteners. Audience members chuckle at the squirmy kids on the two giant screens.
But many in the room aren’t laughing. Some watch with their lips pursed. Others shake their heads. Glances are exchanged across rows of chairs; the video does little to mask the tension that hangs in the room like a heaving storm cloud.
Click here to read the rest of "Hard Knocks" at OC Weekly.
Click here to see "Hard Knocks" companion feature slide show, "Capo Unified: Life In The Barracks," for an eye-opening tour of CUSD campuses.
Click here to see "Hard Knocks" companion feature, "A Timeline," OC Weekly's timeline of the three-year campaign to reform CUSD.
See other OC Weekly coverage of CUSD issues:
Caught in Violation of the Act
Web Exclusive: DA's report finds Capistrano Unified held illegal closed meetings, by Daffodil J. Altan, October 9, 2007
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No wonder CUSD officials were so testy
Mar 02, 2006 |
Permalink
A few weeks back, I was on Airtalk with Larry Mantle on KPCC, for the biweekly segment on Orange County with OC Weekly's Gustavo Arellano and the L.A. Times' Jean Pasco. The Capistrano Unified School District's flak was given a few minutes to vent at us for a previous segment that was critical of that district, its spending priorities and so forth. Gustavo called the district corrupt, and the flak was absolutely irate. He wanted an apology.
Fast forward
to the news coming out this week, with the D.A.
investigating alleged corruption at the district,
according to leaders of a board
recall movement.
Maybe this explains why CUSD was so testy. My reporting on the district has shown it to be run largely for the aggrandizement of those who work there. The superintendent earns salary and benefits of around $275K, and while students languish in crummy portable classrooms, the district is spending about $35 million on a blufftop administration Taj Mahal. Only the best for the bureaucrats. This is the district that tried to use eminent domain against a private high school so it could build its own high school.
The bigger concern is the OC Registrar of Voters which tossed out thousands of signatures collected to call for a recall of a school board that is a mere rubber-stamp for a powerful superintendent. As the Register reported, "Residents involved in a failed recall effort against Capistrano Unified trustees said Wednesday that the Registrar of Voters botched the certification process, rejecting signatures with 'hyper-technical and arbitrary' standards."
This needs close scrutiny. I'm planning a column on it soon.
Posted at 03:27 PM
Maybe this explains why CUSD was so testy. My reporting on the district has shown it to be run largely for the aggrandizement of those who work there. The superintendent earns salary and benefits of around $275K, and while students languish in crummy portable classrooms, the district is spending about $35 million on a blufftop administration Taj Mahal. Only the best for the bureaucrats. This is the district that tried to use eminent domain against a private high school so it could build its own high school.
The bigger concern is the OC Registrar of Voters which tossed out thousands of signatures collected to call for a recall of a school board that is a mere rubber-stamp for a powerful superintendent. As the Register reported, "Residents involved in a failed recall effort against Capistrano Unified trustees said Wednesday that the Registrar of Voters botched the certification process, rejecting signatures with 'hyper-technical and arbitrary' standards."
This needs close scrutiny. I'm planning a column on it soon.
Posted at 03:27 PM
CUSD Recall Leaders: “This Battle is Not Over”
Dec 22, 2005 |
Permalink
San Juan Capistrano, CA: Today, leaders of the CUSD Recall Committee were informed by the Orange County Registrar’s Office that the Registrar had not certified the recall petition against the seven trustees of the Capistrano Unified School District. The CUSD Recall Committee is the grass roots group of parents and concerned taxpayers that led the widespread effort throughout South Orange County to recall all seven CUSD trustees. They recently submitted more than 175,000 recall petition signatures to the Orange County Registrar of Voters.
Thomas
Russell, Spokesperson for the
CUSD Recall Committee stated, “This battle is not
over – not by a long shot!”
Recall
Committee Members will be contacting the Registrar’s
office to inspect the more than 175,000 signatures
they submitted in order to ascertain which signatures
were disqualified and the reasons therefore.
Russell also stated, “The CUSD Recall has already been a tremendous success. The peoples' eyes have been opened. The serious issues we have raised are real and will not disappear. Never more will the people of South Orange County tolerate the deception that has come to define the current CUSD administration.”
Russell continued, “The CUSD Recall team has also called upon law enforcement authorities to commence a full and complete investigation into the compelling allegations and evidence of serious improprieties at CUSD. One way or another, this campaign will continue until those CUSD officials that have misled our community and violated the law are removed from office, held accountable and brought to justice.”
The massive CUSD Recall campaign is a truly momentous event -- there has never been such an uprising in the history of CUSD -- and the national news media has now taken note.
Full Disclosure, an Emmy Award winning, nationally recognized, independent news program has just released its first program on the CUSD Recall. The first program is a "Video Blog" entitled "School Corruption Sparks Citizen Revolt" and can be viewed on the Full Disclosure website at:
http://www.fulldisclosure.net/
(If the link doesn't take you straight to the webpage, please cut and past it into your web browser and you'll see it).
This informative program is approximately nine minutes long and gives a general overview of the major problems within CUSD. Even though the CUSD Trustees may have narrowly escaped a special recall election, the producers of Full Disclosure have confirmed that they intend to aggressively pursue their investigative reporting of the government corruption at CUSD. Full Disclosure intends to produce several additional programs on these serious issues, including at least two full-length (approx 45 minute) news programs.
Russell also stated, “The CUSD Recall has already been a tremendous success. The peoples' eyes have been opened. The serious issues we have raised are real and will not disappear. Never more will the people of South Orange County tolerate the deception that has come to define the current CUSD administration.”
Russell continued, “The CUSD Recall team has also called upon law enforcement authorities to commence a full and complete investigation into the compelling allegations and evidence of serious improprieties at CUSD. One way or another, this campaign will continue until those CUSD officials that have misled our community and violated the law are removed from office, held accountable and brought to justice.”
The massive CUSD Recall campaign is a truly momentous event -- there has never been such an uprising in the history of CUSD -- and the national news media has now taken note.
Full Disclosure, an Emmy Award winning, nationally recognized, independent news program has just released its first program on the CUSD Recall. The first program is a "Video Blog" entitled "School Corruption Sparks Citizen Revolt" and can be viewed on the Full Disclosure website at:
http://www.fulldisclosure.net/
(If the link doesn't take you straight to the webpage, please cut and past it into your web browser and you'll see it).
This informative program is approximately nine minutes long and gives a general overview of the major problems within CUSD. Even though the CUSD Trustees may have narrowly escaped a special recall election, the producers of Full Disclosure have confirmed that they intend to aggressively pursue their investigative reporting of the government corruption at CUSD. Full Disclosure intends to produce several additional programs on these serious issues, including at least two full-length (approx 45 minute) news programs.
Full Disclosure Network releases first program on
CUSD Recall
Dec 04, 2005 |
Permalink
This is a momentous event – there has never been a recall in the history of CUSD – and now the national news media has taken note of this citizen revolt.
Full
Disclosure, an Emmy Award winning,
nationally recognized, independent news program has
just released its first program on the CUSD Recall.
The first program is a "Video Blog" entitled
"School
Corruption Sparks Citizen Revolt" and can be viewed on the
Full Disclosure website at:
http://www.fulldisclosure.net/
(If the link doesn't take you straight to the webpage, please cut and past it into your web browser and you'll see it).
This informative program is approximately nine minutes long and gives a general overview of the major CUSD Recall issues. Full Disclosure intends to produce several additional programs on the CUSD Recall, including at least two full-length (approx 45 minute) news programs. They broadcast their programs throughout an independent network of more than 40 cable channels.
Marlene Draper, President of the CUSD Board of Trustees, was asked by Full Disclosure to participate in this series of programs. She replied that she would have to check with the other trustees and her political consultants. Ultimately, the CUSD Trustees declined to participate. It would appear the CUSD Trustees are not willing to participate in a real news program, where the producers will ask tough questions and demand real answers.
The CUSD Recall team should be hearing from the Orange County Registrar within the week. Hopefully, the Registrar will certify the recall in the next few days. If that happens, we are confident the Trustees will be removed from office in a landslide during a special election in the first quarter of 2006.
However, even if the recall is not certified for some reason, the CUSD Recall has already been a tremendous success. The peoples' eyes have been opened. The issues we have raised are real and will not disappear. Never more will the people of South Orange County tolerate the deceit and deception that has come to define the current CUSD administration.
In addition, the CUSD Recall team has called upon law enforcement authorities to commence a full and complete investigation into the compelling allegations and evidence of serious crimes, corruption and cover-ups at CUSD.
One way or another, this citizen revolt will continue until those CUSD officials that have misled our community and violated the law are removed from office, held accountable and brought to justice.
http://www.fulldisclosure.net/
(If the link doesn't take you straight to the webpage, please cut and past it into your web browser and you'll see it).
This informative program is approximately nine minutes long and gives a general overview of the major CUSD Recall issues. Full Disclosure intends to produce several additional programs on the CUSD Recall, including at least two full-length (approx 45 minute) news programs. They broadcast their programs throughout an independent network of more than 40 cable channels.
Marlene Draper, President of the CUSD Board of Trustees, was asked by Full Disclosure to participate in this series of programs. She replied that she would have to check with the other trustees and her political consultants. Ultimately, the CUSD Trustees declined to participate. It would appear the CUSD Trustees are not willing to participate in a real news program, where the producers will ask tough questions and demand real answers.
The CUSD Recall team should be hearing from the Orange County Registrar within the week. Hopefully, the Registrar will certify the recall in the next few days. If that happens, we are confident the Trustees will be removed from office in a landslide during a special election in the first quarter of 2006.
However, even if the recall is not certified for some reason, the CUSD Recall has already been a tremendous success. The peoples' eyes have been opened. The issues we have raised are real and will not disappear. Never more will the people of South Orange County tolerate the deceit and deception that has come to define the current CUSD administration.
In addition, the CUSD Recall team has called upon law enforcement authorities to commence a full and complete investigation into the compelling allegations and evidence of serious crimes, corruption and cover-ups at CUSD.
One way or another, this citizen revolt will continue until those CUSD officials that have misled our community and violated the law are removed from office, held accountable and brought to justice.
More than 175,000 Petition Signatures to Recall
Entire CUSD Board of Trustees Submitted to OC
Registrar of Voters
Nov 08, 2005 |
Permalink
This is a momentous event – there has never been a recall in the history of CUSD.
To qualify for a CUSD Recall election, 20,421 petition signatures are required for each of the seven trustees (20,421 x 7 = 142,947 total petition signatures).
Capo for Better Representation collected and submitted to the Registrar 177,210 total petition signatures. This equates to an average of 25, 315 signatures per trustee (177,210 divided by 7 trustees = 25, 315 signatures per trustee) -- 24% more than is required for certification.
The Registrar now will examine the petitions to confirm the required signatures exist. After determining that the necessary signatures have been obtained, the Registrar will issue a certificate of sufficiency and submit it to the CUSD School Board at their next regular meeting.
Within 14 days of receiving the certificate of sufficiency, the CUSD Board of Trustees must issue an order stating that their own recall election will be held. The election must be held not less than 88 nor more than 125 days after the issuance of the order.
When that special election is held, voters will decide two questions. First, should each CUSD Trustee be recalled (removed) from office. Second, assuming the Trustee is recalled, which candidate shall be elected to replace the recalled Trustee.
Capo for Better Representation has begun the process of identifying their preferred slate of candidates. Persons interested in running for the vacant CUSD Trustee positions may contact the group by visiting www.cusdrecall.com.
The grounds for recall are available on our web site (www.cusdrecall.com).
The Trustees’ gross mismanagement of school district finances is a key reason for the recall.
Media interested in attending may contact Thomas Russell at: (949) 294-8386 or (949) 459-1220 for information or assistance.
Text of Comments Made By Capo for Better
Representation at the Offices of the Orange County
Registrar Of Voters
Nov 07, 2005 |
Permalink
CUSD
Recall: This Corrupt Board Must
Go!
It has now become painfully obvious to thousands of
South Orange County residents that there is a
desperate need for an immediate change in leadership
at the Capistrano Unified School District.
This is evidenced by these boxes, which contain the
signatures of tens of thousands parents, teachers and
taxpayers. Each of these signatures calls for each of
the CUSD Trustees to be removed from office --
immediately.
Consider this. The CUSD Trustees have voted 7-0 or
6-0 on every issue that has come before them except
one for more than three years. This isn’t leadership.
This is an unacceptable delegation of power to the
Superintendent, and a complete abdication of their
responsibility to represent their constituents.
CUSD’s reckless deficit spending has created a
self-inflicted, multi-million dollar budget crisis
that puts our children at risk and resulted in
massive program cutbacks -- severely diminishing the
quality of education (i.e. librarians, nurses,
custodians, music programs, etc.).
The CUSD Trustees are recklessly spending $35 million
dollars on an administration building and over $130
million for a single high school near a dump and
underneath dangerous high voltage power lines --
while our schools are in dire need of repair and our
students are crammed into substandard portable
classrooms with non-functioning restrooms.
The deceitful, dishonest and disingenuous actions of
the CUSD Trustees have become an absolute cancer on
our community. This corrupt School Board must
go!
Our campaign has brought forth compelling allegations
and evidence of serious crimes, corruption and
cover-ups at CUSD. Today, we call upon the proper
authorities to commence a full and complete
investigation.
Those officials at CUSD that have misled our
community and violated the law must be held
accountable and brought to justice.
Petitions To Recall Entire Capistrano Unified School
Board Will Be Submitted To Orange County Registrar Of
Voters
Nov 04, 2005 |
Permalink
Media
Event:
This coming Monday afternoon, representatives of Capo
for Better Representation, the grass roots group of
parents and concerned taxpayers that have led the
widespread effort throughout South Orange County to
recall all seven trustees of the Capistrano Unified
School District will submit the signed recall
petitions to the Orange County Registrar of Voters.
All of the boxes of signed petitions will be
displayed for the media prior to submission to the
Registrar. Public Statements will be delivered
by Thomas
Russell (Spokesperson, Capo for
Better Representation) and Kevin
Murphy (Chairman, Capo for
Better Representation). All television, radio and
print media are encouraged to attend.
Date: Monday, November 7
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Location: Orange County Registrar of Voters, 1300 South Grand Avenue, Building C, Santa Ana, CA 92705 (at the corner of Grand Avenue and McFadden)
Date: Monday, November 7
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Location: Orange County Registrar of Voters, 1300 South Grand Avenue, Building C, Santa Ana, CA 92705 (at the corner of Grand Avenue and McFadden)
San
Juan Capistrano, CA – Capo for Better
Representation announced today that it would submit
to the Orange County Registrar of Voters more than
140,000 petition signatures to recall all seven
members of the Capistrano Unified School District
(“CUSD”) Board of Trustees. This is a momentous event
– there has never been a recall in the history of
CUSD.
The grounds for recall are available on our web site (www.cusdrecall.com). The Trustees’ gross mismanagement of school district finances is a key reason for the recall.
According to
Kevin
Murphy, Chairman of Capo for
Better Representation and father of four children who
attend schools in the district,
“CUSD’s reckless deficit spending has created a
self-inflicted, multi-million dollar budget crisis
that puts our children at risk and resulted in
massive program cutbacks -- severely diminishing the
quality of education (i.e. librarians, nurses,
custodians, music programs, etc.).”
One of the core recall issues is the CUSD Trustees’ unanimous decision to borrow and spend $35 million on a massive new district administrative office building. CUSD borrowed more than $30 Million to finance this building and actually pledged 3 schools as collateral – all without the knowledge or approval of CUSD parents and taxpayers.
“At the same time the CUSD Trustees were cutting programs and services for the kids, they made the decision to build themselves a luxurious $35 million district office. This was money that could and should have been used to fix up our older campuses and replace all of the unsafe and unsanitary portable classrooms that are still being used throughout the district,” said Murphy.
Another core recall issues is the CUSD Trustees’ unanimous decision to spend more than $130 Million on a single high school located in an unsafe location. This high school will be one of the most expensive high schools ever constructed in California. Murphy continued, “The CUSD Trustees are spending more than $130 million to build a high school on 85 to 130 feet of fill dirt, on the site of an ancient landslide, next to the dump and across the street from a green waste facility, underneath high voltage transmission lines, on a road with a steep grade that was never meant for public use that already has 600 daily trips from trash trucks.” Murphy added, “For this they recklessly paid nearly $1 million dollars per acre during a time when they claimed the district was experiencing severe budget cuts.”
Thomas
Russell, spokesperson of Capo
for Better Representation and father of four children
stated,
“The CUSD Trustees are recklessly spending $35
million dollars on an administration building and
over $130 million for a single high school near a
dump and underneath dangerous high voltage power
lines -- while our schools are in dire need of repair
and our students are crammed into substandard
portable classrooms with non-functioning
restrooms.“
Russell condemned the complete lack of leadership at CUSD, pointing out that, “The CUSD Trustees have voted 7-0 or 6-0 on every issue that has come before them except one for the past three years. This isn’t leadership. This is an unacceptable delegation of power to the Superintendent (who sets the agendas) and an abdication of their responsibility to represent their constituents.”
The petition signatures will be presented on Monday, November 7 at 2 p.m. to the Orange County Registrar of Voters, 1300 South Grand Avenue, Building C, Santa Ana, CA 92705, at the corner of Grand Avenue and McFadden. Media interested in attending may contact Kimberly Davey at: (949) 489-8602 or (949) 533-6919 for information or assistance.
The grounds for recall are available on our web site (www.cusdrecall.com). The Trustees’ gross mismanagement of school district finances is a key reason for the recall.
One of the core recall issues is the CUSD Trustees’ unanimous decision to borrow and spend $35 million on a massive new district administrative office building. CUSD borrowed more than $30 Million to finance this building and actually pledged 3 schools as collateral – all without the knowledge or approval of CUSD parents and taxpayers.
“At the same time the CUSD Trustees were cutting programs and services for the kids, they made the decision to build themselves a luxurious $35 million district office. This was money that could and should have been used to fix up our older campuses and replace all of the unsafe and unsanitary portable classrooms that are still being used throughout the district,” said Murphy.
Another core recall issues is the CUSD Trustees’ unanimous decision to spend more than $130 Million on a single high school located in an unsafe location. This high school will be one of the most expensive high schools ever constructed in California. Murphy continued, “The CUSD Trustees are spending more than $130 million to build a high school on 85 to 130 feet of fill dirt, on the site of an ancient landslide, next to the dump and across the street from a green waste facility, underneath high voltage transmission lines, on a road with a steep grade that was never meant for public use that already has 600 daily trips from trash trucks.” Murphy added, “For this they recklessly paid nearly $1 million dollars per acre during a time when they claimed the district was experiencing severe budget cuts.”
Russell condemned the complete lack of leadership at CUSD, pointing out that, “The CUSD Trustees have voted 7-0 or 6-0 on every issue that has come before them except one for the past three years. This isn’t leadership. This is an unacceptable delegation of power to the Superintendent (who sets the agendas) and an abdication of their responsibility to represent their constituents.”
The petition signatures will be presented on Monday, November 7 at 2 p.m. to the Orange County Registrar of Voters, 1300 South Grand Avenue, Building C, Santa Ana, CA 92705, at the corner of Grand Avenue and McFadden. Media interested in attending may contact Kimberly Davey at: (949) 489-8602 or (949) 533-6919 for information or assistance.
Recall Letters Of Intention To Be Served On CUSD
Trustees
Apr 22, 2005 |
Permalink
Media
Advisory - A Political Action
Committee called Capistrano for Better Representation
will be serving formal recall letters of intention to
several members of the Capistrano Unified School
District Board of Trustees.
Members of the Capistrano for Better Representation PAC will be serving recall intentions at the regularly scheduled CUSD Board meeting to be held:
Monday, April 25th 2005 at 7:00pm
Jerome R. Thornsley Education Center,
32972 Calle Perfecto, San Juan Capistrano.
Press availability to follow the event.
Members of the Capistrano for Better Representation PAC will be serving recall intentions at the regularly scheduled CUSD Board meeting to be held:
Monday, April 25th 2005 at 7:00pm
Jerome R. Thornsley Education Center,
32972 Calle Perfecto, San Juan Capistrano.
Press availability to follow the event.