Greater Orange News Service

Pres. Biden signs WEP/GPO repeal Social Security Fairness Act

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Sun, 05 Jan 2025 22:06:00 +0000

Pres. Biden signs WEP/GPO repeal Social Security Fairness Act

Orange Unified in the news for all the wrong reasons

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 15:47:00 +0000

Orange Unified in the news for all the wrong reasons

The consequences of the actions of Orange Unified School Board's new Ledesma radical majority are on full display in the media. The last radical take-over of Orange Unified shows that this is just the beginning.

Here is a sampling of the latest news about Orange Unified: lawsuits, culture wars and the firing of "one of the best Superintendents in the entire state".

Voice of Orange County

Orange School District Hit With Two Brown Act Lawsuits Over Superintendent Firing

Link

https://voiceofoc.org/2023/03/orange-school-district-hit-with-second-brown-act-challenge-over-superintendent-firing/

KCRW Public Radio

Culture war embroils Orange Unified school boardroom

Link

https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/greater-la/culture-wars-drought-sad/orange-unified

EdSource

Superintendent fired from Orange Unified finds new job in nearby district

Link

https://edsource.org/updates/superintendent-fired-from-orange-unified-finds-new-job-in-nearby-district

OC Register

Parents sue Orange Unified alleging transparency issues after superintendent firing

Link (paywall)

https://www.ocregister.com/2023/03/28/parents-sue-orange-unified-alleging-transparency-issues-after-superintendent-firing/

OCDE News

Westminster School District selects Dr. Gunn Marie Hansen to fill superintendent vacancy

“Now we will also boast one of the best superintendents in the entire state and she is in alignment with our goals for excellence,” he said. “Welcome home Dr. Hansen! We are so fortunate to have you take the lead at WSD.”

Link

https://newsroom.ocde.us/westminster-school-district-selects-dr-gunn-marie-hansen-to-fill-superintendent-vacancy/

OC Breeze

Gunn Marie Hansen, Ph.D., chosen as Superintendent of Westminster School District

“Dr. Hansen is widely considered one of the best superintendents in California as she won over a dozen professional awards over the past decade. Most notably in 2021 she won the Orange County School Board Association Maureen DeMarco Award for Exemplary Superintendents and in 2022 the Orange County 4th District Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Outstanding Superintendent Award. Dr. Hansen served the Orange Unified School District for thirteen years including nearly six years as Superintendent, with prior administration and teaching experiences in Compton USD, Montebello USD, the LA County Office of Education, and as a professor at California State University in Los Angeles. She has devoted 32 years of public- school service to students, staff and community focusing on the core value of supporting educational excellence and ensuring successful operations of award-winning schools.”

Link

https://www.oc-breeze.com/2023/03/24/225662_gunn-marie-hansen-ph-d-chosen-as-superintendent-of-westminster-school-district/

LA Media on OUSD chaos

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Sat, 18 Feb 2023 16:36:00 +0000

LA Media on OUSD chaos

Los Angeles media has picked up on the chaotic situation in Orange Unified:

OUSD In the NEWS: Velasquez is gone and Chaos reigns in Orange Unified

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 19:03:00 +0000

Orange Unified School District’s Interim Superintendent Edward Velasquez quits amid growing chaos

Chaos Star, ancient symbol of Chaos

The truth apparently came quickly to now former Interim Superintendent Edward Velasquez that OUSD is being led into chaos. After just a few weeks and a few chaotic Board meetings, Velasquez bailed.

It also is now apparent that Velasquez was not a hired political gun, but a true educator who really did have a focus on student achievement. He, like OUSD voters, was fooled when the OUSD majority came calling.

None of that was known until this week when Velasquez abruptly resigned amid the growing chaos in the Orange Unified District Office.

Yes, the OUSD D.O. of Despair.

This however should not be of any surprise when you look at the history of the last radical political takeover of OUSD that plunged the district into focusing on culture wars instead of education. Local at first, the district quickly became the poster child for school dysfunction then a laughing stock of education with a reputation nationwide. Experienced teachers and administrators fled.

At first just the parents back then noticed the quality of OUSD slipping.

Then the Greater Orange non-educator community at large began being affected by the chaos and negative news reports across local, state and eventually nation-wide media. As the chaos grew with a teacher strike and outrageous lawsuits that attracted national civil rights organizations, slowly local realtors, businessmen and elected city leaders all started to feel the unrest was affecting the community and their jobs too.

Now we have current OUSD Board of Trustees, Rick Ledesma and John Ortega repeating the mistakes of the last radical OUSD Board that ruled at the turn of the century. That Board, the Jacobson Majority too hid their radical political agenda to get elected. They then plunged into a radical political agenda.

Quickly they went down a path the current Radical Majority is back on: embracing radical politics over education; firing a popular and effective superintendent; Brown Act violations; and a race to the bottom of district morale.

It was and now is an all out assault on the America’s centuries long bi-partisan support of public education.

Ironically, Ledesma and Ortega were part of the Citizens slate that replaced the radical Jacobson Board in the 2001 OUSD Recall. In the over 20 years since that recall, those last two trustees left from that 2001 Citizens Board who then helped right the OUSD chaos, are apparently now hell-bent on leading the district they once saved down the same radical road back into chaos.

It does look like the Greater Orange Community has learned from history. While it took years for Greater Orange to come together to retake their schools from a group with a purely political culture war agenda, this time it appears that there will be no lag time in confronting the radical political elements that have pushed OUSD leadership into chaos.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON VALASQUEZ QUITTING (click on):

The Voice of OC

The Replacement for Orange Unified’s Fired Superintendent Resigns After a Month

OC Register

Orange Unified’s interimsuperintendent gone after just a month on the job

Senator David Min wants answers from Ledesma over OUSD firings

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 17:55:00 +0000

SPECIAL REPORT

Senator David Min wants answers from Ledesma over OUSD firings

Thursday 1/12/23

In a letter dated January 11, 2023, State Senator David Min addresses concerns about the cost to taxpayers, the manner in and potential Brown Act violations in the January 5, 2023 vote to fire OUSD Dr. Hansen and OUSD Assistant Superintendent Corella.

Noting his position on the State Senate’s Budget Subcommittee on Education, Min explains why he wants answers by Ledesma and the Extreme Board Majority concerning potential Brown Act violations:

I am also deeply troubled by reports that the Board majority who voted for these actions may have communicated with each other and decided this course of action prior to the January 6th special meeting. California law prohibits a majority of a local legislative body, such as OUSD, from meeting or deciding on agenda items in private, unless it is a properly noticed closed session meeting that is appropriately reported out to the public. It has come to my attention that you may have contacted Mr. Abercrombie prior to the January 6th special meeting and informed him that he would be named Acting Assistant Superintendent for OUSD, suggesting that you knew at that point that you had the votes to suspend or terminate the Assistant Superintendent Corella and replace her with Mr. Abercrombie. This communication, along with the manner in which the January 6th special meeting was called and conducted, has raised concerns that the Board majority violated California’s Brown Act by communicating with each other and deciding its action in private, prior to the public January 6th special meeting

Min lists 10 items he wants answers from in his letter to Ledesma:

Did you communicate with Trustee Madison Miner, Trustee John Ortega, or Trustee Angie Rumsey prior to the January 6th meeting to discuss the suspensions or terminations of Superintendent Hansen or Assistant Superintendent Corella or both? If so, did you meet together or use a series of communications of any kind, directly or indirectly, to discuss or deliberate whether the board should remove Superintendent Hansen or Assistant Corella or both?

Did you communicate with Trustee Madison Miner, Trustee John Ortega, or Trustee Angie Rumsey prior to the January 6th meeting to discuss the appointments of Mr. Velazquez as interim Superintendent or Mr. Abercrombie as interim Assistant Superintendent or both? If so, did you meet together or use a series of communications of any kind, directly or indirectly, to discuss or deliberate whether the board should appoint Mr. Velazquez or Mr. Abercrombie or both?

When you contacted Mr. Abercrombie prior to the January 6th special meeting, what was the basis for your apparent statement that he would be appointed as acting Assistant Superintendent following the January 6th special meeting?

Did you contact Mr. Velazquez prior to the January 6th meeting to inform him that he would be appointed as acting Superintendent?

Did you consult with legal counsel before the January 6th special meeting on the potential legal issues—especially regarding whether you might be violating California law and/or exposing the Board or its Trustees to civil and criminal liability—associated with suspending or terminating Superintendent Hansen and Assistant Superintendent Corella? If so, who did you consult with and when?

It is estimated that the termination of Superintendent Hansen and Assistant Superintendent Corella and securing their replacements will cost OUSD $1.3 million dollars, not including potential legal fees and other liability. Prior to the January 6th meeting, did you engage in any type of analysis of the fiscal impacts of this decision? If so, what were your findings?

The Board acted during the middle of the school year, a few days before students were set to return to the classroom. Abrupt changes in key leadership could have significant negative impacts on the education of OUSD students. Prior to the January 6th meeting, did you engage in any type of analysis of the impacts on student outcomes and learning because of the suspension or termination of Superintendent Hansen and Assistant Superintendent Corella? If so, what were your findings?

Did you or anyone else from the Board contact Superintendent Hansen, prior to the January 6th meeting, to inform her of your concerns about her performance?

Did you or anyone else from the Board contact Assistant Superintendent Corella, prior to the January 6th meeting, to inform her of your concerns about her performance?

Did you consider other candidates besides Mr. Velazquez or Mr. Abercrombie to serve in the roles of interim Superintendent and assistant Superintendent? How many other candidates were considered?

For more information click on:

Sen Min letter 1/11/23

OUSD Survey on "communiciation"

Orange Unified extremist school trustees fire Superintendent Hansen

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 05:26:00 +0000

SPECIAL REPORT

OUSD's extremist “Thursday night massacre”

Orange Unified extremist school trustees fire Superintendent Hansen

“Just because you can do something does not mean you should do something. Elections have consequences; 221 votes does not make a mandate and don’t pretend it does.” - OUSD Trustee Kristen Erickson statement to her extremist collugues 1/5/23

In a move that sent shock-waves throughout Greater Orange, on Thursday January 5, 2023 the new Extremist Majority that took control over the Orange Unified School Distict Board of Education after the November 2022 election fired Superintendent Dr. Gunn Marie Hansen.

The Extremist Majority also took steps to fire Assistant Superintendent Cathleen Corella. The move is part of a growing statewide QAnon-type political warfare by political extremist aimed at local school boards.

The 4-3 firing came in a surprise but highly coordinated end-of-winter-break Closed Session Special Meeting called with the minimum legally required notice .

In what appears to be Brown Act violations prohibiting "serial meetings" or "serial communication", the four trustees, Rick Ledesma, John Ortega, Angie Rumsey, and Madison Miner already had replacementsready to take over the positions after the Closed Session firings. The November 2022 election of Madison Miner over Trustee Kathy Moffat in Trustee Area 4 by 221 votes gave the extremist control over the OUSD Board. Trustees Kris Erickson, Ana Page and Andrea Yamasaki voted against the extremist plans.

The public explanation of "looking to make some changes" that OUSD Board President Rick Ledesma stated to the press that he and the new majority wanted to make also smacks of Brown Act serial meeting violations.

Greater Orange community leaders quickly dubbed the coordinated attack on the highly regarded and qualified OUSD Administrators the “Thursday night massacre”.

During the pandemic, OUSD Board Meetings were besieged by extremist conspiracy believers. With extremist factions taking over the California Republican Party from the traditional, now considered moderate conservatives, the extremists unable to win statewide elections have turned to local school board races to push extremist political, social, cultural and conspiracy theories.

The extremist bid to take over school boards across California is called the battle-like name “Parent Revolt”. The Parent Revolt website is full of conspiracy rhetorical dog whistle language like:

Powerful interest groups decide everything:

When schools are open.

Whether they must be masked.

What they should believe about race, sex, and politics.

Instead of listening to parents' concerns, the education establishment has attacked parents for having the audacity to question their authority.

It's time for parents to change that, so JOIN US in the parent revolt.

In her election campaign, Madison Miner used much of the same extreme rhetoric disguised as “parent rights”. The OUSD Extremist Majority is promoting that rhetoric and now is clearly willing to go to extreme measures to implement the agenda of the extremist political, social cultural and conspiracy theories .

It was immediately clear at the end of the OUSD Special Meeting that the OUSD Extremist Majority had over-played their hand.

Since the adjouring of the meeting on Thursday January 5th, Greater Orange social media has been on fire with opposition to the extremist move.

Already community leaders are organizing a recall. Since Thursday several serious Recall orgainizing meetings have already met and social media platforms are helping with spreading the alarm and are recruiting volunteers.

Greater Orange community members are being asked to register to help with the recall effort across social media outlets. Orgainizers are urging anyone interested in registering to help in any way can register here: ORANGE RECALL.

OUSD’s 2001 Recall against extremists

Twenty-three years ago an extreme anti-public education group called the Educational Alliance took over a number of school boards including the Orange Unified School District School Board majority. That extremist majority too fired the then popular Superintendent Dr. Robert French. They then hired Barbara Van Otterloo as a “do-as-I-say” superintendent . The Board lead by Trustee Marty Jacobson next set about to dismantle as much of the public school system as they could using educational tax dollars to hire ultra conservative lawyers connected to the Educational Alliance to attack opponents.

That 1999 OUSD Board-known as the Jacobson Board-also arrogantly tried to push their personal extreme political agenda onto what they too thought was a disengaged public. Then, just as now, that public that was finally pushed so far that they saw those trustees for what they were- arrogant anti-public education extremists with a personal non-public educational political agenda- not public servants of the people who elected them to oversee the school district.

Like today, sex too was a wedge issue the extremist Jacobson Majority by exploiting a student led formation of a Gay-Straight Alliance Club at El Modena.

Using millions in OUSD educational tax dollars for litigation the Jacobson Majority tried unsucessfully to end the club. In Colín, et al. v. Orange Unified School District the extremist board and their expensive extremist lawyers lost the case and the decision became a landmark student rights legal precedent. El Modena student Anthony Colin who was the face of the case eventually committed suicide.

In 2001, those arrogant extremists were ultimately recalled by the voters in the famous Orange Recall, but not before spending millions of educational tax dollars on ultra conservative attorneys tied to the extremist anti-public education group, the Education Alliance.

In the election, a slate of replacement reform candidates was presented to voters with the recall question. The Reform Board that was elected in the winning recall ironically included present Trustees Rick Ledesma and John Ortega as well as Anaheim Hills leader Melisa Smith and Villa Park PTA leader Kathy Moffat. It was Moffat who lost her seat in November 2022 to OUSD's newest extremist trustee Madison Miner.

After being recalled, the recalled trustees ran again for their lost seats in the next election and were again soundly defeated. Shortly after the second election victory of the Reform Board, Van Otterloo retired and the new Reform Board re-hired Dr. Robert French as Superintendent.

The extremist used the powers of their offices and pillaged the OUSD educational tax dollars to fund their extremist agenda. One famous recall bumper sticker called out the extremist pnly educational agenda as "lawsuits, lawyers and litigation" .

It took years for Orange Unified to come back from that first extremist Jacobson Board. A huge exodus of teachers and administrators resulted from the publcity from the extremist anti-public education policies, cuts to benefits, and the extreme policy to stop negoiating for pay increases.

Nullification of the Surridge Board appointee

Fast forward to 2015- the Orange Unified Board again is taken over by ultra-conservative anti-public education majority led by Trustee Timothy Surridge and supported by both the now former Reform Trustees Rick Ledesma and John Ortega. The breaking point in 2015 was the surprise appointment of Greg Salas (a friend of Surridge) to the Anaheim Hills Trustee Area 1 seat sfter the resignation of Trustee Diane Singer.

Salas was an obviously unqualified person who admitted he recently moved to Anaheim Hills and admitted he knew little about OUSD. His main qualification was his friendship with Trustee Timothy Surridge.

Like the Thursday Night Massacre, it appeared that California Brown Act violations took place in the 2015 meeting that produced the clearly orchstrated appointment of an unknown and unqualified candidate and the bungled process that made it possible.

After the political vote to support the mystery man Greg Salas, the meeting was quickly called to an end as the extremist trustees and Salas left the room. Like with the firing of Superintendent Hanson no explanation was given. Then too the Greater Orange community exploded with indignation at the arrogance of the obvious pre-planned vote.

A Nullify Petition was quickly organized and qualified for the ballot. The Salas appointment was nullified by the voters and Andrea Yamasaki the longtime Anaheim Hills who had a deep and long history as an OUSD mom was elected.

Editors note: the story was updated on 1/10/22 to include the Voice of OC story links

For more information click on the orange hyper links in the article above and these items:

NBC News: QAnon's new 'plan'? Run for school board

Is QAnon Radicalizing Your School Board?

Madison Miner

Did Orange Unified School Officials Improperly Replace Their Superintendent?

Video of the Thursday Night Massacre:

Greater Orange ...we're back

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Sun, 08 Jan 2023 05:57:00 +0000

Stand by we're back...

ONN has suspended operations due to COVID 19

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Sun, 24 May 2020 06:40:00 +0000

ONN has suspended operation during the COVID 19 pandemic. We look forward to resuming all services after the pandemic.

Greater Orange Community Oranization members will be updated by email on future plans and a planned future memorial service for Joyce. Her family thanks for the outpouring of support and asks for those wishing to remember her to donate to the CHOC Foundation: CHOC FOUNDATION

No controversy expected in OUSD's Santiago Charter renewal

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 01:43:00 +0000

Greater Orange News Service UPDATE

a community service of the Orange Communication System /OCS/

A new post appears on the Greater Orange News Service:

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

Independent insight into OUSD

a news service of

Orange Net News /O/N/N/

No controversy expected with the Orange Unified School Board's approval of Santiago Charter School's Renewal Petition

The Orange Unified School Board will meet in a regular session on February 6, 2020 and will vote on the Santiago Charter School Renewal Petition.

The Santiago Charter School petition is expected to quickly be approved unlike the January 16th meeting that included the charter petition for the controversial new Orange County Classical Academy . That meeting lasted well into the night ending shortly before 1:30 am.

To view the Agenda information on the Santiago Charter School Petition Renewal, click on:

7. ACTION ITEMS

A. CHARTER SCHOOL RENEWAL PETITION,SANTIAGO CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL

OUSD Public Relations costs

In February 2018 OUSD Trustees voted $219,424 for a Public Relations contract (Click on):

OUSD VOTES $219,400 for PR

Here is what spending $219,424 of educational tax dollars on PR buys (For the latest in OUSD News on the web Click on):

OUSD in the NEWS

NEXT OUSD BOARD MEETING February 4, 2020

Next OUSD Board Meeting -OUSD BOARD ROOM

CLOSED SESSION- 5:00 pm

OUSD Regular Session: 7:00 pm Board Room

For AGENDA-CLICK ON: OUSD AGENDA

For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040

For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015

ARCHIVAL Information and direct news can be found at:

the Greater Orange News Service http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

and the

Greater Orange News Service

are independent news services of /O/N/N/

Orange Net News

OUSD Charter controversy, new $50,000 PR firm and Killerfer sold

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 05:45:00 +0000

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

Independent insight into OUSD

a news service of

Orange Net News /O/N/N/

OUSD Trustees approve controversial Orange County Classical Academy

Six hours after the Thursday December 19, 2019 started at nearly 1:30 am on Friday December 20th, the Orange Unified School Board voted to approve the controversial Orange County Classical Academy charter.

Voting against the recommendations of the OUSD Administration, the OUSD Board voted 4-3 to approve the charter that involves former OUSD Attorney and Education Alliance founder Mark Bucher and other controversial leaders.

For more information:

OUSD Staff Report shows Orange County Classical Academy’s applicationhas numerous problems

Voting to approve the charter were Trustees Dr. Alexia Deligianni-Brydges, Brenda Lebsack, Rick Ledesma and John Ortega. Opposing the charter were Trustees Kris Erickson, Kathy Moffat and Andrea Yamasaki.

With passions on both sides running high late into the night, upon loosing the vote, the charter opponents in the audience yelled "Remember in November" referring to the November 2020 OUSD Trustee election.

Two of the trustees who supported the charter are up for reelection in November 2020, John Ortega and Brenda Lebsack. Ortega and Lebsack ran as a slate in 2016. Both Ortega and Lebsack are Republicans.

For more information:

2016 OUSD candidates

Much has changed in the Orange County electorate since the November 2016 election that saw Donald Trump elected President. November 2020 will be another presidential election year. If the charter opponents are serious about unseating the two incumbents, the 2020 national election maybe their best chance.

For more information:

Second PR firm will cost Orange Unified taxpayers $50,000

In February 2018, the OUSD Board approved a $213,000 contract for the politically connected local public relations firm Communications Lab owned by Rancho Santiago College Trustee Arianna Barrios.

For more information click on:

OUSD Board to vote on $213,000 PR contract with politically connected local firm

In August 2018, after paying $213,000 to the Barrios firm, Orange Unified rolled out a short-lived disastorious rebranding based on an Islamic slogan:

Orange Unified's new slogan comes from modern Islamic "Da'wah" teachers

Now 23 months later, the OUSD Administration is asking the OUSD Board for $50,000 for the Riverside based public relations firm of Target River.

The Thursday January 16th Orange Unified Agenda Item 11 H of the Consent Agenda portion states:

The District has a need to hire a qualified firm for direct mailings and video advertising services targeting relevant households. Target River constructs, executes and optimizes campaigns to meet client objectives. Target River will work with staff to increase community awareness and student enrollment by promoting Orange Unified’s schools and programs using strategic marketing efforts. Staff has utilized Target River's professional services and are satisfied with their results.

FISCAL IMPACT: General Fund (not-to-exceed) $50,000

01.00-0000-0-5850-7180-101-101-000 (Rivera/Brake)

The Target River website cites the Warner Unified School District in San Diego County as its example of the work the public relations firm does for school districts:

Warner Unified School District has been serving the community and students of rural Northeastern San Diego County since 1938. This small district has so much to offer the students within its 432 square mile range, with small class sizes, an award winning FFA program, high student achievement, and so much more! Warner Unified School District is revamping its curriculum with an infusion of technology, increasing Wifi access and bandwidth, increasing the amount of Chromebooks within the district, modernizing the library, and building a Maker Space.

With all these new changes, Warner Unified is excited to spread the message of their District. Like many other public school districts all over the nation, Warner Unified was looking to boost their enrollment, increase community engagement, and create positive publicity to pass future bonds. Warner Unified School District found the solution to their district’s needs through Target Marketing by Target River. The messages and imagery created by Target River are designed to reach stakeholders of the school district in the most efficient and effective ways to get families to consider or reconsider the districts’ schools.

Warner Unified's "I Love My School" yard sign promotion campaign

So let's take a look at what Target River produced for their website's case study school district client Warner Unified. Unfortunately you will not find the 52 second Target River produced infomercial on the Warner Unified website, but you will find it on YouTube (note the view counter is just over 2500 views in the two years since it was posted):

Target River Warner Unified video

As the $50,000 OUSD January 16th Target River Agenda item states:

"Staff has utilized Target River's professional services and are satisfied with their results "

While the OUSD Target River produced video is not available on YouTube, you can find the 30 second Target River OUSD video on the OUSD website- if you know were to look. This is the link to the OUSD video 30 Second Target River OUSD video (note the same canned format and announcers voice-"all while having fun!"):

Target River video Orange Unified

Target River actually has more promotional press releases, social media postings and web presence about the Tiger River partnership with Warner Unified than it does about Warner Unified itself.

In its self-promotional materials about Warner Unified Tiger River declares:

Target River is a Google Premier and Facebook Marketing Partner. We are well versed in all forms of advertising, providing an unbiased approach to the selection of media tactics. We service clients from single site small businesses to national corporations.

Click on:

Target River collaborates with Warner Unified

Despite the Tiger River claim to Google and Facebook partnerships, clearly, Warner Unified spending money on its own Technology Department to modernize its website and Facebook pages would most likely have been a smarter investment than Tiger River:

Warner Unified website

Warner Unified Facebook page

Chapman University to buy OUSD Killfer site

The years long OUSD saga with the surplus property known as the Killerfer Site is about to end.

Action Item 7A has OUSD selling the site to Chapman University. The historic site is located 2 blocks south of OUSD's Richland High School and 2 blocks north of Chapman University's Fowler School of Law. The land that the Fowler School of Law occupies was once the OUSD District Offices. After being declared seismically deficient, OUSD sold the site to Chapman University which demolished the former school building to build the law school. The law school opened in 1995.

For a complete view of the year's long Killerfer Site saga click on: Killerfer stories

Inside the January 16th Agenda

Action Item 7 C Renewal of the Santiago Charter School charter.

OUSD Public Relations costs

In February 2018 OUSD Trustees voted $219,424 for a Public Relations contract (Click on):

OUSD VOTES $219,400 for PR

Here is what spending $219,424 of educational tax dollars on PR buys (For the latest in OUSD News on the web Click on):

OUSD in the NEWS

NEXT OUSD BOARD MEETING January 16, 2020

Next OUSD Board Meeting -OUSD BOARD ROOM

CLOSED SESSION- 5:00 pm

OUSD Regular Session: 7:00 pm Board Room

For AGENDA-CLICK ON: OUSD AGENDA

For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040

For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015

ARCHIVAL Information and direct news can be found at:

the Greater Orange News Service http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

and the

Greater Orange News Service

are independent news services of /O/N/N/

Orange Net News

OUSD Staff Report shows charter school application has numerous problems

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Wed, 18 Dec 2019 05:31:00 +0000

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

Independent insight into OUSD

a news service of

Orange Net News /O/N/N/

OUSD Staff Report shows Orange County Classical Academy’s application has numerous problems

Former OUSD Attorney and Education Alliance founder Mark Bucher is seeking approval from Orange Unified for his charter school. After being forced to withdraw his first application for his proposed Orange County Classical Academy (OCCA), his second application will be voted by the Orange Unified School Board Trustees at their meeting on Thursday December 19, 2019.

A comprehensive OUSD Staff Report in the form of a Resolution (Resolution #20-19-20) accompanies the Orange Unified Agenda Action Item 8E- the staff recommendation to deny the application. The OUSD Staff Report in the Resolution methodically lays out six areas that the OCCA application falls short:

1. The charter school presents an unsound educational program for the pupils to be enrolled

2. The petitioners are demonstrably unlikely to successfully implement the program set forth in the charter.

3. The petition does not contain the required number of signatures.

4. The petition does not include the required affirmations.

5. The petition does not contain reasonably comprehensive descriptions of all of the 15 required charter elements.

6. The petition does not contain a declaration of whether the charter school will be deemed the exclusive public employer of employees of the charter school for purposes of the Educational Employment Relations Act.

The OUSD Staff Report lays out evidence for each of the deficient areas in the OCCA Application.

The OUSD Staff Report outlines numerous problems within the application. One example is where the OUSD Staff Report calls out OCCA for representing itself as being formally associated with Hillsdale College Barney Charter School Initiative:

"...OCCA has not been accepted as a BCSI affiliate. In fact, OCCA provided a letter from Hillsdale College that specifies that while OCCA may use Hillsdale College’s Program Guide: Scope and Sequence, may indicate that its curriculum and program were developed in consultation with and/or are similar to the curriculum used at BCSI-affiliated schools, and may use publicly available information from BCSI for training and professional development, OCCA is not and cannot represent itself as a “partner, collaborator, or formal affiliate of Hillsdale College or BCSI.” Nothing in the letter from Hillsdale College indicates that this is a temporary limit on OCCA’s association with BCSI or that OCCA will be made a partner, collaborator, or affiliate of BCSI if and when its Charter is approved. Simply obtaining curriculum is not adequate to the development, establishment and operation of an educationally sound school..."

The OUSD Staff Report also addresses in-depth the OCCA application falling to meet to meet the needs of the most vulnerable students: special needs students and English Learners. The OCCA application is cited for lacking funding for those programs. Elsewhere in the OUSD report, staff reports that the OCCA second application removed state required TK classes that its first application included.

The OUSD Staff Report also cites evidence of numerous problems with the OCCA Application's proposal for the OCCA Science Program. The staff analysis includes simple no-brainier items like the proponents of the OCCA plan to use outdated 10-year-old science text and curriculum:

" The Charter references the use of Pearson’s Science Explorer, but the newest edition of this program is 2009, which does not align with NGSS... Based on the program guides, the curriculum does not appear to be completely aligned to current state standards.."

The OUSD Staff Report cites numerous specific evidence of how the OCCA's Application's science curriculum does not meet current state curriculum standards (see link below).

The OUSD Staff Report also points out examples of OCCA Application's inconsistencies like this example related to English Learners:

" OCCA’s plan for supporting its English Learner (“EL”) population is not clear or adequate, and is internally inconsistent. 1. For example, the Charter initially specifies (emphasis added): EL scholars are not placed in sheltered or bilingual instruction classes at Orange County Classical Academy. Later, the Charter provides, There are two English Language Development programs at Orange County Classical Academy: Structured English Immersion (“SEI”) and English Language Mainstream (“ELM”)."

That English Learner excerpt from the OUSD Staff Report continues with a list of examples about the problems with the OCCA application plans regarding English Learners (see link below).

The OUSD Staff Report cites evidence of numerous problems in all six of the identified problem areas of the OCCA Application.

According to the OUSD Staff report, just as damning as the ill-prepared academic problems in the OCCA Application are the documents fiscal inaccuracies. The OUSD Staff Report states:

"As an initial matter, OCCA inexplicably submitted two separate and conflicting budgets, with a difference in revenues of almost $400,000, a difference in expenses of over $50,000, and a difference in projected reserves of more than $650,000 by the last year covered by the budgets. OCCA has not provided any explanation as to why it submitted two different budgets. As such, OCCA’s budget and financial projections are facially invalid."

The OUSD Staff Report does however analyze both budgets and finds they both have problems.

"This analysis established that, in both budgets, OCCA substantially overestimated revenues and underestimated expenses and the budget narrative does not align with the budget projections. Some specific examples of the defects follow. 3. The budget narrative specifies that OCCA is applying for a $250,000 line of credit for cash flow purposes, but the budget projections fail to include provision for repayment of this substantial loan. Additionally, the budget projections include a separate long-term loan of $425,000, but that loan is not described in the budget narrative. The cashflow document includes repayment of an unspecified $375,000 in year one, though it is unclear which loan or loans are being fully or partially repaid in this amount."

The OUSD Staff Report goes on to cite even more fiscal problems that include the OCCA Application underestimating facilities rent, employee salaries and required employee health care costs.

The OUSD Staff Report's evidence is overwhelming that the OCCA Charter School is unprepared to operate.

The OCCA Application and its connection to Orange County political operative Mark Bucher has peaked interest in the Greater Orange Communities. The watchdog group Orange Community Group (ONN is the communications arm of OCG) has noted that the OCCA proponents are among Orange County's long-time elite anti-public education players.

Also circulating in Greater Orange social media about the OCCA application is a recent Voice of Orange County Opinion piece about two of the Orange School Board Trustees: John Ortega and Brenda Lebsack. The Opinion piece calls into question the large campaign contributions from the California Charter Schools Association to the two trustees and questions if those contributions will impact their votes on the OCCA application.

The editorial appears to be alarmist given the background of the two trustees.

Ortega has long shown both his support of fiscal reasonability for both public schools and charter as evident by his longtime support and fiscal scrutiny of OUSD's two district charter schools- El Rancho and Santiago Charter Schools. Ortega also was part of the original Citizen's Board Slate that defeated Bucher's Reactionary Jacobson Majority Board in 2001. Ortega knows how Bucher used the Jacobson Majority to file expensive lawsuits that enriched Bucher. As a long-term Board member who has devoted most of his adult life to the fiscal stewardship of education for Orange students and taxpayers, it is hard to imagine Ortega - a supporter of charter schools-approving a charter that is so ill equipped to serve local students and fiscally questionable. A school that would prove the worst stereotypes about bad charter schools that continue to tarnish the charter school movement.

As for Lebsack, she too has a history of supporting charters-like the local OUSD charters-that support all students. As a special education teacher, of all the OUSD trustees, Lebsack understands the need for a charter to serve students with special needs and has championed those students in her tenure on the OUSD Board. In addition, as a co-Pastor of a Christian ministry that serves the English Learning families community, it is hard to imagine Lebsack voting for a charter that is at present, ill prepared to serve students in two areas that are so important to her personal missions in life.

The OUSD staff lays out evidence for each of the deficient areas in the OCCA Application and proves the proponent administrators of the proposed OCCA have submitted an inadequate application. Approving the OCCA Application will result in an inadequate charter school that will further the negative charter school stereotypes and potentially harm Orange students.

For more information, CLICK ON

OUSD Staff Report Resolution #20-19-20

Former Orange Unified attorney Mark Bucher and religious lawyer behind proposed new charter school for OUSD

OUSD Board to take up new Orange County Classical Academy Charter School petition

OCCA Facebook page

OCCA Orange County Brezze

LA Times Politics: Education Alliance activists who say their views are ignored fund a countywide network of candidates

INSIDE the OUSD Agenda

The OUSD trustees will elect officers and approve meeting dates for the new year:

Item 4 A-C ANNUAL ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING

The OUSD staff will report on the state required First Interim Financial Report on the current year District Budget:

Item 8 C ACTION ITEMS: FIRST INTERIM FINANCIAL REPORT AND TRANSFER RESOLUTION NO. 18-19-20

The OUSD staff will present the student calendars for the next two school years:

Item 9 A INFORMATION / DISCUSSION ITEMS

STUDENT CALENDARS 2021-2022 AND AMENDED 2020-2021

To view calendars, CLICK ON:

STUDENT CALENDARS

OUSD Public Relations costs

In February 2018 OUSD Trustees voted $219,424 for a Public Relations contract (Click on):

OUSD VOTES $219,400 for PR

Here is what spending $219,424 of educational tax dollars on PR buys (For the latest in OUSD News on the web Click on):

OUSD in the NEWS

NEXT OUSD BOARD MEETING December 19, 2019

Next OUSD Board Meeting -OUSD BOARD ROOM

Closed Session 5:00 pm Building B Conference Room

OUSD Regular Session: 7:00 pm Board Room Building H

For AGENDA-CLICK ON: OUSD AGENDA

For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040

For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015

ARCHIVAL Information and direct news can be found at:

the Greater Orange News Service http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

and the

Greater Orange News Service

are independent news services of /O/N/N/

Orange Net News

OUSD trustees to vote on "publicity stunt"?

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 04:40:00 +0000

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

Independent insight into OUSD

a news service of

Orange Net News /O/N/N/

OUSD targets Outlet shoppers

Local watchdogs call OUSD's 1-day $4000 "lease agreement" with the Outlets at Orange a waste of tax money and a publicity stunt

The Orange Unified School Board will vote at their Regular Board Meeting on Thursday November 14, 2019 on a Consent Item that will approve spending $4,000 for a "lease agreement" with the Outlets of Orange shopping mall for a one day "District-wide Showcase promoting OUSD schools and programs".

Consent Agenda I on the OUSD Agenda states that the "event" will take place on Wednesday December 18th just two days before OUSD Schools close for the three week winter break. The agenda does not state exactly where the "district-wide showcase" will be, but because it is a "lease agreement" the assumption is that the "event" will be at the Outlets of Orange as a pop-up style event.

December 18th is seven days before Christmas. The regional mall, which is heavily advertised to hotel visitors in the close-by Anaheim Disney Resort, is expected to be crowded with holiday shoppers from far beyond the local school district.

In a community-wide email on Tuesday November 12th, the Greater Orange Community Group questioned the wisdom of the OUSD's Administration plans for spending $4,000 of "taxpayer educational dollars" at a busy regional holiday mall to promote OUSD schools just days before school ends. The watchdog group also questioned spending the tax money for promotion when "shoppers at a regional mall will be focused on the holidays and shopping" and "the Outlets will be attracting mostly shoppers from outside the cities that OUSD serves".

The email states "While we understand promoting local schools at events that draw thousands of Greater Orange residents like Treats-in-the-Streets and the 3rd of July, - this ill-thought out expensive middle of the holiday shopping publicity stunt is a new example of wasted Educational Tax dollars and administrative resources ".

The watchdog group's email also points out that the same Agenda has Consent Item U that asks for $3,000 matching funds to fund a lunch and after school enrichment program at Palmyra Elementary School from Strategic Kids. The list of activities the $3,000 gets includes classes in Academic Chess, Lego Engineering, Public Speaking and Origami. The agenda item describes the 2019-2020 program as "engaging students in the subject matter and developing skills related to the 4 C's Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Communication and Creativity." The email compares the two items to show what a well spent $4,000 in educational tax dollars could provided to students.

The Greater Orange Community Group noted the poorly timed $4,000 educational tax dollars spent on a "one-day publicity event during the holiday rush compared to what $4,000 COULD do for students shows that OUSD appears to be loosing its EDGE when it comes to prudent spending of educational tax dollars for educational purposes".

For more information Click on:

Yelp Reviews show where Outlet's of Orange visitors are from: YELP
OUTLETS of ORANGE

OUSD Public Relations costs

In February 2018 OUSD Trustees voted $219,424 for a Public Relations contract (Click on):

OUSD VOTES $219,400 for PR

Here is what spending $219,424 of educational tax dollars on PR buys (For the latest in OUSD News on the web Click on):

OUSD in the NEWS

NEXT OUSD BOARD MEETING November 14, 2019

Next OUSD Board Meeting -OUSD BOARD ROOM

CLOSED SESSION- 5:00 pm

OUSD Regular Session: 7:00 pm Board Room

For AGENDA-CLICK ON: OUSD AGENDA

For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040

For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015

ARCHIVAL Information and direct news can be found at:

the Greater Orange News Service http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

and the

Greater Orange News Service

are independent news services of /O/N/N/

Orange Net News

OUSD Brown Act violation and Charter School controversy

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 00:04:00 +0000

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

Independent insight into OUSD

a news service of

Orange Net News /O/N/N/

John and Judy Gay Library

Another OUSD Brown Act Violation

The Agenda of the Orange Unified School District's October 17, 2019 meeting includes information about the plans for OUSD Board President Dr. Alexia Deligianni-Brydges teleconferencing from the "John and Judy Gay Public Library 6861 Eldorado Parkway, McKinney, Texas."

However, the library administration knows nothing about the planned teleconferencing. To make matters worst the library closes at 9:00 pm and because of the two hour time difference ( the library is in Central Daylight Time), when the OUSD 7:00 pm regular meeting starts the Texas library will be closed.

All of this information was confirmed by the watchdog Orange Community Group (OCG). The OCG contacted the administration of the John and Judy Gay Library and confirmed with them that the library personal and administration knows nothing about a teleconferencing and have not posted any agenda related to anything having to do with Dr. Alexia Deligianni-Brydges or Orange Unified School District. John and Judy Gay Library Supervisor Ed Veal stated in a telephone call on Wednesday October 10th :

"I have confirmed with the Library Director that we have nothing scheduled or posted regarding any public meetings. We could not possibly since we are currently under construction and will be closed at that time".

This of course is not just a logistics problem, but also a legal problem. The Orange Community Group has given the information to Brown Act watchdogs CAL AWARE who will have a monitor at the OUSD Meeting Thursday night.

The Brown Act requires that teleconferencing meetings are allowed if the following requirements have been fulfilled:

Each location must be accessible to the public.
Each teleconference location must be identified in the notice and agenda of the meeting. ·
Agendas must be posted at each teleconference location. ·
The agenda must provide the opportunity for the public to address the legislative body directly at each teleconference location. ·
All votes must be by rollcall.

The John and Judy Gay Public Library teleconference appears to be bogus and fails to meet all the Brown Act legal requirements. If the October 17, 2019 Board Meeting is found to be in violation of the Brown Act- ALL VOTES that occur at the Board Meeting will be null. Any Public Hearings conducted during the meeting will be void.

OUSD has had a past history of Brown Act violations including having to revote on items that were voted on at a meeting that did not comply with the Brown Act.

Dr. Deligianni-Brydges has close political ties to allies of Mark Bucher who is the proponent of the Orange County Classical Academy that is on the October 17, 2019 agenda (see below).

For more information:

Third time the charm?

OUSD Board to take up new Orange County Classical Academy Charter School petition

After withdrawing the first petition for the Orange County Classical Academy the Mark Bucher led team withdrew its first petition, then submitted a second petition. That second petition will be on the Thursday October 17, 2019 Orange School Board Agenda.

Action items 7E and 7F will bring back the proposed charter. Along with the cast of characters already reported on for the first petition, there are additional team members for the Orange County Classical Academy that deserve scrutiny.
For more information

Former Orange Unified attorney behind proposed new charterschool for OUSD

Listed on the Board of Directors of the Orange County Classical Academy is former far-right Los Alamitos Unified School Board member Jeff Barke-who among other things is a climate change denier:

"Board member Jeffrey Barke, a doctor, led the charge, saying he thought climate change was a crock and didn't want "liberal" teachers indoctrinating young minds."

For more information
Los Alamitos School Board orders global warming class to teach the controversy, push disinformation

California Struggles to Out-Dumb Texas

School Board Stung by Science Class Outrage

Giving Mark Bucher a run for "most controversial" of the Orange County Classical Academy team is the "Headmaster" Roni Ellis. In her career, Ellis has a track record of being involved in some of Orange County's wackist educational controversies:

2018

School Principal Apologizes for Comment on Nike/Kaepernick Controversy

School board flooded with protesters

Paterno: Note to bigots, Read Bill of Rights, watch Mister Rogers and lay off Kaepernick

2015

After asbestos and financial difficulties, controversy erupts over action against Ocean View school official

2014

OC School District Hit by Burglaries Almost Bankrupt, Cannot Afford Security Cameras

2005

School Officials in Sex Rumor Suit

School Officials in Sex Rumor Suit

A Huntington Beach principal alleges that a school board member falsely gossiped that she'd been intimate with the superintendent

By Jeff Gottlieb, Los Angeles Times, May 23, 2005

A Huntington Beach elementary school principal and her husband have sued a school board member, saying the trustee spread false rumors accusing her of having sex with the district superintendent.

The suit by Roni Ellis, principal of Harbour View Elementary School, and her husband, David, the Long Beach fire chief, is the latest controversy to embroil the Ocean View School District.

In addition to suing board member Barbara Boskovich, the Ellises named the board of trustees and Supt. James Tarwater, saying he did not do enough to put an end to the rumors. The lawsuit charges sexual harassment, slander and invasion of privacy...

NEXT OUSD BOARD MEETING Thursday October 17, 2019

CLOSED SESSION 6:00 pm

OUSD Regular Session: 7:00 pm

For the AGENDA-
CLICK ON: AGENDA

For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040

For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015

ARCHIVAL Information and direct news can be found at:

the Greater Orange News Service http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

and the

Greater Orange News Service

are independent news services of /O/N/N/

Orange Net News

OUSD Board tries again & Timeline of a Tragedy The community reactions to student's death

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 06:25:00 +0000

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

Independent insight into OUSD

a news service of

Orange Net News /O/N/N/

Timeline of a Tragedy :

The community reactions to the Emanuel Perez death

Any young person's death is a defining moment in a community.

Below is a 10 day timeline of how the tragic El Modena HS accidental death played out this month and the claims and counter claims in the court case which was filed the same week as Perez's death.

Monday September 9, 2019

El Modena HS student Emanuel "Manny" Perez is fatally injured in a school accident when the severely autistic student gets into a school electric golf cart and crashes into a metal support pole. Perez is transported to the hospital by Orange Paramedics and dies later that day of his injuries.

The student death appears on student social media, then local community social media.

Tuesday September 10, 2019

Orange Superintendent Dr. Gunn Marie Hansen issues a letter to the "El Modena Educational family" on the tragedy.

Click on LETTER

Local media outlets pick up the story. By the evening the story had spread statewide. Social Media posts have unfounded claims and rumors spreading across student and local social media. Social media posts include false information about alcohol and drugs involved in the accident, impalement and a bloody accident scene, and staff assaults. Senior OUSD Administrators struggle with the onslaught of false information, respecting the privacy of the family, possible legal action, media inquiries and responding to the grief needs of the students, staff and greater community at El Modena High School.

District officials start an investigation that includes reviewing the El Modena campus surveillance tapes and conducting a safety audit of district golf carts.

The first Go-fund-me page to support the Perez family is quickly put up by Cristina Sanchez who's connection to the family is not known.

OUSD Staff not at El Modena are getting information from local media outlets and social media.

Wednesday September 11, 2019

The El Modena story goes national.

OUSD issues a short five bullet Press Release on its website (click on): Summary of facts regarding the death of a student at El Modena High School.

Different groups of El Modena students start organizing around ideas of protests and vigils at school and on social media. Tension grows on the highly emotional El Modena campus.

The first Go-fund-me page by Cristina Sanchez is deactivated. Click on FIRST FUND

Thursday September 12, 2019

A small group of El Modena students walk out of classes in protest of Perez's death. OUSD issues a terse 1 paragraph Press Release citing " unfounded rumors and misinformation on social media" (click on):

Student Walk Outs at El Modena - District Statement

Los Angeles law firm Panish, Shea and Boyle file a lawsuit on behalf of Emmanuel Perez's family. The law firm delivers a copy of the lawsuit and a letter by messenger to Superintendent Hansen's office.

For a copy of the letter and lawsuit click on: OUSD PEREZ LAWSUIT

Death threats and other dangerous and highly emotional situations at El Modena result in OUSD calling in consultants from the Orange County Department of Education to help coordinate the response at El Modena.

In and unprecedented move, the Thursday September 12th OUSD Board Meeting is adjourned after the closed session so the OUSD Administrators and Trustees may attend the planned community vigil for Emmanuel Perez.

A second Go-Fund Me page is set up by Juan Carrerra a Perez family friend. Click on SECOND FUND.

Friday September 13, 2019

The lawfirm of Panish, Shea and Boyle and the Perez family hold a press conference announcing the lawsuit. The lawsuit becomes the leading story across Southern California news media. In the firm's Press Release about the lawsuit it states:

Press Conference announcing lawsuit photo from Panish, Shea and Boyle

“You don’t leave a vehicle, whether it’s a golf cart or any other type of vehicle, alone with a young boy like Manny who doesn’t understand and appreciate any danger that he may be in,” Mr. Glassman said as he announced the filing of a Government Claim for Damages against the Orange Unified School District."

OUSD Superintendent Dr. Hansen issues an "updated" Press Release (click on): News Media Update by Superintendent Gunn Marie Hansen, Ph.D. - September 13, 2019

In the middle of that Press Release, OUSD counters several of the law firms positions on the accident with summary information from the surveillance video in the press release section "Several things are clear from the video of the incident".

In El Modena's away football game that night at Fullerton High School, El Modena H.S. honored Manny Perez with a moment of silence. El Modena won the game 39-27. The OCRegister reported this quote from El Modena's coach:

“This is a huge night for the community after the tragedy,” El Modena coach Matt Mitchell said. “It was a big night emotionally for everybody. It was good to bounce back and get ourselves in the right mindset. It was a rough week for everyone and we battled through it.”

Saturday September 14, 2019

Disability advocates held a "Justice for Manny" rally in Orange at the corner of Chapman and The City Drive next to UCI Medical Center. Disability advocates call for a change in a "no hands" policy for disabled students during emergencies.

Wednesday September 18, 2019

Nine days after Perez's death, OUSD Superintendent Dr. Hansen issues a district wide email to all staff under the subject line:

Update to Staff Regarding Tragedy at El Modena High School Last Week

The email which links to some of the OUSD Press Releases on the accident includes this :

"It was an oversight that we did not send this to you earlier. We want to make sure you have this information as the District navigates through this difficult situation."

OUSD to restart delayed meeting due to El Modena H.S. tragedy

The Orange Unified School Board will meet on Thursday September 26th to resume the regular September 12th meeting. That regular meeting was:

"adjourned prior to regular session in honor of El Modena student and community and to allow the staff and Board of Education to attend the vigil held for Manny Perez"

-OUSD September 26, 2019 agenda

On the original September 12th OUSD Board agenda and now transferred to the September 26th OUSD Board agenda are the items for the proposed Orange County Classical Academy.

Tustin Attorney Mark Bucher and a circus of Machiavellian associates return to Orange Unified with a request for the proposed Orange County Classical Academy with OUSD Board Agenda Action Items 12 A and 12 B.

For more information on the "Bucher and Friends Charter School" please see the ONN report on the forces behind the Orange County Classical Academy (click on):

Former Orange Unified attorney Mark Bucher and religious lawyer behind proposed newcharter school for OUSD

OUSD Public Relations costs

In February 2018 OUSD Trustees voted $219,424 for a Public Relations contract (Click on):

OUSD VOTES $219,400 for PR

Here is what spending $219,424 of educational tax dollars on PR buys (For the latest in OUSD News on the web Click on):

OUSD in the NEWS

NEXT OUSD BOARD MEETING September 26, 2019

Next OUSD Board Meeting -OUSD BOARD ROOM

CLOSED SESSION- 5:30 pm

OUSD Regular Session: 7:00 pm Board Room

For AGENDA-CLICK ON: OUSD AGENDA

For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040

For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015

ARCHIVAL Information and direct news can be found at:

the Greater Orange News Service http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

and the

Greater Orange News Service

are independent news services of /O/N/N/

Orange Net News

Former Orange Unified attorney behind proposed new charter school for OUSD

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 05:08:00 +0000

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

Independent insight into OUSD

a news service of

Orange Net News /O/N/N/

They're back...

Former Orange Unified attorney Mark Bucher and religious lawyer behind proposed new charter school for OUSD

Tustin Attorney Mark Bucher and a circus of Machiavellian associates return to Orange Unified with a request for a proposed charter school called the Orange County Classical Academy on the September 12, 2019 OUSD Board Agenda Action Items 12 A and 12 B.

For those readers unfamiliar with Mr. Bucher, well hang on.

Bucher was the mastermind behind the Education Alliance take over of Orange Unified twenty years ago under the reactionary Jacobson Board Majority. Bucher then became the Jacobson Board Majority district hired attorney running up fees paid for by OUSD taxpayers. The Jacobson Board was recalled in the Orange Recall and then were defeated a second time when they re-ran for the seats they were recalled from. Bucher handled the political lawsuits of the Jacobson Board as a hired OUSD attorney.

The Orange Recall was the end of the Educational Alliance, but not the end of Bucher and friends. Bucher was instrumental in the founding of the "shell" think-tank called the California Policy Center. Bucher serves as the organizations CEO. The Center for Media and Democracy's corporate watchdog SourceWatch describes the California Policy Center this way:

"The California Policy Center (formerly the California Public Policy Center) is a right-wing pressure group based in California. Founded in June 2010, it is a state affiliate of the $83 million right-wing State Policy Network (SPN), a web of state pressure groups that denote themselves as "think tanks" and drive a right-wing agenda in statehouses nationwide."

For more information click on:

SourceWatch California Policy Center

State Policy Network

Mark Bucher California Policy Center

Mark Bucher Lowdown

California Policy Center

Enter the California Policy Center puppet group-the Parent Union and the proposed Orange County Classical Academy,

The first public mention of the Orange County Classical Academy was on the Parent Union Facebook page and the website events page for a "Recruiting in Orange" event on Tuesday July 15, 2019.

The information (in both English and Spanish) states:

Tuesday, July 15, 2019 – Orange, CA

This week, the Parent Union continues recruiting new members in Orange, CA and supporting Orange County Classical Academy.

*Priority admission and scholarships to eligible students who graduate and wish to attend Chapman University.

For more information click on

Parent Union
Parent Union Facebook

Yes, a school that does not exist is offering "Priority admission and scholarships" for Chapman University.

Santa Ana Councilwomen Cecilia Iglesias ( a former Santa Ana Unified Trustee) is listed as one of the three leaders of the Santa Ana based pro-charter Parent Union.

Igeleias and another Parent Union leader Magda Gomez both have California Policy Center contact emails listed at the end of their Parent Union bio's. Gomez is listed on the California Policy Center website as their "Assistant Director of Parent Union".

The Parent Union website domain was registered by Bucher Palmer LLC - Mark Bucher's business name- and the Orange County Classical Academy was incorporated on August 20, 2019 with the address of Bucher's law firm:

ORANGE COUNTY CLASSICAL ACADEMY was incorporated on 8/20/2019. Address: 18002 IRVINE BLVD STE 108, TUSTIN, CA 92780

For more information click on

Orange County Classical Academy

Bucher and Palmer

Not only is the Orange County Classical Academy registered as a non-profit at the Bucher law offices, but the "agent" named for the company is Santa Ana Trinity College Professor Myron Steeves-who also happens to have a law practice called The Church Law Center. Steeves private practice counts as one of its specialties Church and Religious Law.

For more information click on

The Church Law Center

Mr. Steeves Linked-In page describes him as:

Myron's work with the Church Law Center of California is dedicated to supporting the work of churches, para-church organizations and other nonprofit organizations fulfill their mission within the law. The Church Law Center helps ministries carry out their mission more effectively. As part of the word of nonprofit law, Myron works with political organizations as well, assuring that they conform to the highly regulated world of lobbying and political endorsements.

For more information click on

Myron Steeves Linked IN

The Orange County Classical Academy is not the only company Mr. Steeves has registered. Public documents show 13 other organizations- mostly religious- that Mr. Steeves is the agent for including the Newport Institute for Ethics, Law and Public Policy. He was also the President of the Newport Institute for Ethics, Law and Public Policy.

For more information click on

Steeves companies

The Newport Institute for Ethics, Law and Public Policy has an FTB Suspension by the California Secretary of State.

THE NEWPORT INSTITUTE FOR ETHICS, LAW AND PUBLIC POLICY
Corporation No. 2257625 Status: FTB Suspended
THE NEWPORT INSTITUTE FOR ETHICS, LAW AND PUBLIC POLICY was incorporated on 7/27/2000
Address: PO BOX 5199, NEWPORT INSTITUTE, CA 92662

For more information click on

Newport Institute for Ethics, Law and Public Policy

FTB Suspension

The Newport Institute for Ethics, Law and Public Policy was another shell entity for reactionary causes including being a proponent of teaching Intelligent Design (ID) in public schools. Intelligent Design is a form of creationism that pretends to be a science. ID uses pseudo-science logic but is not able to present the needed scientific empirical evidence and does not present or offer any testable hypotheses needed to be classified as science.

Intelligent Design defender and author Francis Beckwith acknowledges Newport Institute for Ethics, Law and Public Policy President Myron Steeves' help with his 2002 pro-Intelligent Design legal book called Law, Darwinism, and Public Education: The Establishment Clause and the Challenge of Intelligent Design.

For more information click on

Francis Beckwith acknowledges

Steeves also has writings that shed light on his reactionary far right ideas. In the Fall 2004 edition of the Journal of Christian Legal Thought his article Healing the Breach Between Law and Virtue , Steeves begins by calling out the European Renaissance (which marked the end of the religiously dominated Middle Ages and the beginning of the current Modern Era) this way:

"the worldview paradigm shifts that occurred during the 18th century Enlightenment created a fracture between law and moral reasoning".

Steeves then goes on in the article to connect that European Enlightenment moral and virtue fracture to the late 20th Century civil rights and women equality issues than on to the morality of the early 21st Century "Critical Gay Studies" ( gay rights and marriage equality) and "Critical Gender Studies" ( transgender acceptance and equality). The Steeves' article then questions Christians who support those equality issues with this:

"under the increasingly nebulous heading of “Christian” fall voices from those that are decidedly postmodern and united with the Critical Studies perspective, o those for whom “hater” is perhaps an apt description."

Steeves' connects his Enlightenment fracture to the 21st Century with this:

"The emphasis shifts from eliminating laws that regulate homosexual activity (for those laws have been eliminated) to a new charged rhetoric of the Critical Gay Studies movement toward society-wide endorsement of homosexual activity. That is, it becomes an increasingly explicit moral cause"

For more information click on

Healing the Breach Between Law and Virtue

Summary

The September 12, 2019 OUSD Board Agenda Action Item 12 A and 12 B are legal requirements concerning an application to OUSD for the Orange County Classical Academy, That charter is being sponsored by a front group of parents organized by Santa Ana Councilwomen and former Santa Ana Unified School Board Trustee Cecilia Iglesias in coordination the right-wing pressure group California Policy Center that is affiliated with the State Policy Network.

The charter proponents have recruited local parents to support the new charter promising "Priority admission and scholarships to eligible students who graduate and wish to attend Chapman University."

The California Policy Center is led by former Mark Bucher who was the leader of the Educational Alliance that was instrumental in taking over the Orange Unified School Board under the Jacobson Board Majority. That majority stated a culture war against local public education an was ultimately recalled in the Orange Recall of 2001.

Listed as agent on incorporation papers of the Orange County Classical Academy is Trinity College's Myron Steeves . Steeves is a proponent of reactionary far-right education theories and was head of the Newport Institute for Ethics, Law and Public Policy when it was FTB Suspended by the California Secretary of State.

NEXT OUSD BOARD MEETING Thursday September 12, 2019

CLOSED SESSION 5:30 pm

OUSD Regular Session: 7:00 pm

For the AGENDA-CLICK ON: AGENDA

For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040

For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015

ARCHIVAL Information and direct news can be found at:

the Greater Orange News Service http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

and the

Greater Orange News Service

are independent news services of /O/N/N/

Orange Net News

Orange International Street Fair #46

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 20:44:00 +0000

Circle the World in the Orange Circle

46th Annual Orange International Street Fair

The Orange International Street Fair (Greater Orange’s goodbye to summer bash) returns this Labor Day Weekend with the theme Circle the World.

Since being the centerpiece of the City of Orange centennial celebration in 1973 as a re-creation of the 1910 Orange International Fair, the celebration literally makes Orange the destination for the world bringing hundreds of thousands to the center of Greater Orange as world famous Orange Traffic Circle becomes the center of international themed food streets.

In addition to the street fair booths, the regular businesses are also extremely popular destinations.

For information Click on CIRCLE BUSINESSES MAP

Over 1200 volunteers have been preparing to make the expected half million visitors feel welcome. More than 80 community organizations dedicated to serving the Greater Orange Communities rely on the Orange International Street Fair as one of their biggest fundraisers of the year.

As always, the fun is all about the food, music, more food, drinks…and don’t forget the FOOD…from around the world. Craftsmen will be selling handmade items around the Plaza and present and past Orange Street Fair commemorative s will be on sale to complete your Orange Street Fair collection.

As always no pets or portable chairs are allowed at the Orange International Street Fair and ID to purchase wristbands for public alcohol consumption is required.

The free entertainment includes bands that will perform thought the four block downtown Old Towne Orange Plaza traffic circle center representing music from around the globe on the numerous stages all around the Plaza.

For the Entertainment Schedule Click on:
FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Children’s Street

The Children’s Street family oriented activities will again be offered on North Orange Street just off East Chapman Ave.

Geared towards children, no alcohol or smoking is allowed in the Children’s Street area.

Parking and Traveling to the Orange Street Fair- Have your friends try the Train!!!

Parking and Traveling to the Street Fair-

Try the Train with a $10 weekend pass

The event draws half a million visitors over its three days. Visitors from out-of- town are encouraged to avoid the parking crunch by taking the Metrolink (at reduced weekend rates-see below) to the historic Orange Santa Fe (Metrolink/Amtrak) Depot conveniently located adjacent to the street fair.

OCTA will sell you a $10 weekend Metrolink train pass that will allow you to ride anywhere in the regional system from 7 p.m. Friday to Sunday midnight. Weekend passes are only sold at the vending machines located at Metrolink stations (no web sales). Those wishing to brave the parking drama may try the lots or parking on the surrounding streets. Expect to walk several blocks from where you park just to get to the Traffic Circle area where the Street Fair takes place.

LINK to Metrolink Pass Information

Click on: International Fair WEEKEND PASS

LINK to Orange Old Town Metrolink Station Information

Click On: Orange Station

Orange Street Fair Schedule

The Orange Street Fair is in Orange Old Towne at the Orange Plaza the Traffic Circle intersection of Chapman and Glassell Streets in Orange. The fair runs Friday- Sunday (yes Sunday is the last day…Monday Labor Day is clean-up). Entering the street fair as always is free.

Alcohol Sales on the street are over at 9:00 p.m. and a wrist band to purchase and drink at the fair must be purchased each day ($4.00) .

Friday, August 30th, 2019 5pm to 10pm
Alcohol Sales: 5pm-9pm

Saturday, August 31st 2019 10am to 10pm
Alcohol Sales: 10am-9pm

Sunday, September 1st 2019 10am to 10pm
Alcohol Sales: 10am-9pm

CLOSED MONDAY

For more information

See the Official Orange Street Fair website-Click on:

Orange International Street Fair

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OUSD continues talks on surplus property

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 23:31:00 +0000

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

Independent insight into OUSD

a news service of

Orange Net News /O/N/N/

OUSD continues talks on surplus property

The August 15, 2019 Orange Unified School District School Board Meeting's Agenda includes discussions about district surplus properties. Closed Session Agenda Item 2 C ( Killefer sale), Item 2 D ( Walnut sale) and Item 2 E ( Peralta leases) will be discussed in Closed Session.

The August 15, 2019 Action Items include two items dealing with transferring $10 million dollars from OUSD's OPED investments to pay down bonds financing district health benefits.

Other items include setting up maintenance funds.

OUSD Public Relations costs

In February 2018 OUSD Trustees voted $219,424 for a Public Relations contract (Click on):

OUSD VOTES $219,400 for PR

Here is what spending $219,424 of educational tax dollars on PR buys (For the latest in OUSD News on the web Click on):

OUSD in the NEWS

NEXT OUSD BOARD MEETING August 15, 2019

Next OUSD Board Meeting -OUSD BOARD ROOM

Closed Session 5:00 pm Building B Conference Room

OUSD Regular Session: 7:00 pm Board Room Building H

For AGENDA-CLICK ON: OUSD AGENDA

For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040

For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015

ARCHIVAL Information and direct news can be found at:

the Greater Orange News Service http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

and the

Greater Orange News Service

are independent news services of /O/N/N/

Orange Net News

https://go.boarddocs.com/ca/orangeusd/Board.nsf/vpublic?open

New VPHS track needs to be replaced

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Tue, 23 Jul 2019 02:00:00 +0000

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

Independent insight into OUSD

a news service of

Orange Net News /O/N/N/

Band new Villa Park HS synthetic track will be torn out and replaced at a cost of $1.57 million

The Orange Unified School District will vote at their regular July 25, 2019 meeting to replace the brand new Villa Park High School synthetic track at a cost of $1.57 million.

The new synthetic areas were damaged by the unusually heavy winter rain season making the new field a "health and safety" concern.

The July 25th OUSD Agenda Item 7A tells the story of what happened. As the installation of the Villa Park synthetic field was almost complete in February of this year " District Staff noted undulations in the field which presented a health and safety concern for future use. To determine the source of the issues and remedy, the District requested land surveying services by Meyer Land Surveying and a geotechnical investigation by Ninyo and Moore. Ninyo and Moore completed their services in April 2019 and submitted their April 30, 2019 report to the District, addressing field undulations and provided a recommended repair plan"

When the recommended repairs were started the agenda explains: "KYA assumed the cost of the recommended repairs; however, during the performance of the repair work it was reported by Ninyo and Moore that equipment used to test the field repairs sank on the field and further exasperation of the undulations was occurring on the field."

The result of more testing found that the soil was completely saturated and needed to be completely dried out in order to install a synthetic field. The agenda explains the repair process as:

" Byrom-Davey was identified as a contractor that has this experience and have proposed a price of $1,577,391 to tear out the current field, prepare the subsurface condition pursuant to geotechnical recommendations and replace the track surfacing as well. The original contractor, The KYA Group, will perform resurfacing of the synthetic turf at no cost to the District."

For more information click on

Agenda Item 7A Resolution

For more information on San Diego based Byrom-Davey click on

Byrom-Davey

OUSD to increase T-K tuition for 2019-2020

Orange Unified will increase its tuition rate for the T-K Peer Model Program. The new rates will be approved by the OUSD School Board in Consent Agenda Item 13 MM in the July 25th OUSD Board Agenda.

The new yearly fees will be:

· $1500 Preschool 3 (2 hours)

· $2000 Preschool 4 (3 hour )

· $2700 Full Day (4/6 hours )

The agenda justifies the rate increase as:

"The rate change is necessary to continue covering operating costs of the programs including facility maintenance, playground equipment and technology upgrades. The proposed rates are comparable to similar public and private programs in the community."

OUSD Superintendent Dr. Hansen receives pay increase

Action Item 7 J on the July 25 meeting has the OUSD Board of Education voting on a pay increase for OUSD Superintendent Dr. Hansen after receiving a positive review.

For more information click on:

OUSD Superintendent

OUSD goes solar

OUSD has begun construction on ground mounted and shade canopy arrays at eight district sites. The 2.1 megawatt project is capable of generating 3.55 million kilowatts of electricity in its first year. That is equal to reducing 0ver 2,500 metric tons of carbon emissions or the output of 533 passenger cars in one year.

INSIDE the OUSD Agenda

Agenda Items on Measure S: Several Measure S Bond items can be found throughout the agenda. Measure S Contracts: Orange HS- Action Item 7A; Canyon HS-Action Item 7B; Villa Park HS- Action Item 7C; El Modena HS- Action Item 7D.

OUSD Public Relations costs

In February 2018 OUSD Trustees voted $219,424 for a Public Relations contract (Click on):

OUSD VOTES $219,400 for PR

Here is what spending $219,424 of educational tax dollars on PR buys (For the latest in OUSD News on the web Click on):

OUSD in the NEWS

NEXT OUSD BOARD MEETING July 25, 2019

Next OUSD Board Meeting -OUSD BOARD ROOM

Closed Session 5:00 pm Building B Conference Room

OUSD Regular Session: 7:00 pm Board Room Building H

For AGENDA-CLICK ON: OUSD AGENDA

For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040

For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015

ARCHIVAL Information and direct news can be found at:

the Greater Orange News Service http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

and the

Greater Orange News Service

are independent news services of /O/N/N/

Orange Net News

4th of July celebrations-Orange, VP, OPA, Anaheim Hills

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 21:55:00 +0000

Orange 3rd of July Celebration moved to Grijalva Park

The City of Orange's annual 3rd of July Fireworks show will be held at Grijalva Park due to the modernization project at El Modena HS and Fred Kelly Stadium.

The Grijalva Park celebration on July 3, begins at 4 pm. and features live music, a petting zoo, pony rides, children’s activities, community food booths.

The grand finale will begin with a performance by the Orange Community Master Chorale and will end with a patriotic fireworks salute to America.

Tickets are $7 per person, children ages two and under are free.

For more information click on:

Orange 3rd of July

Villa Park Stars on Parade
Decorated everything that rolls will be on display at the Villa Park Stars on Parade 4th of July Parade.

Starting at Villa Park HS, the parade will meander through the streets of Orange County's "Hidden Gem".
For more information click on:
VPCSF 4th of July

Orange Park Acres 4th of July Parade and race

This year's 53rd annual OPA 4th of July Parade celebrates not only U.S. Independence but also "91 Years Of Community Pride" for the equestrian community.

This year also marks the 10 year anniversary of the day's 5k portion of the 10K race.

The parade starts at 9:30 am.

For more information click on:

OPA 4th of July

OPA Parade Map

Anaheim Hills 4th of July extravaganza

The Anaheim Hills Community is the site of Greater Orange's biggest 4th of July festivities. The Anaheim Hills Firecracker 5K/10K Run/Walk starts off the day at 7 am. at Canyon High School followed by the traditional pancake breakfast.

At 9:30 am the Yankee Doodle Dog Show starts on the Canyon Hills Softball field with a variety of entry categories. All of that is followed by the activities at Peralta Park that includes live music, food vendors, and expo booths of our local businesses and organizations leading up to an evening fireworks show.

For more information click on:

Anaheim Hills Firecracker celebration

OUSD Bus driver in 2014 crash sentenced

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 04:39:00 +0000

Former OUSD Bus driver gets home jail and five years probation for 2014 Anaheim Hills crash that injured 11 students and cost OUSD about $10 million

Former Orange Unified School District bus driver Gerald Douglas Rupple was sentenced to 210 days in jail and five years formal probation for crashing the school bus he was driving on Nohl Ranch Road due to an undisclosed medical condition. The bus was traveling about 50 mph when it swerved off the road hitting a tree and lamppost after Rupple lost consciousness.

The crash injured all 11 El Rancho Charter Middle School students on the bus. The most serious injuries included broken bones, bleeding on the brain, a shattered spine and a toe amputation. OUSD settled with five of the families in 2017 for almost $10 million.

The sentencing last week came after Rupple pleased guilty in June of 2018 to a perjury count for lying about his medical history when he applied for his bus driving job and 11 felony counts of child abuse and endangerment and four enhancements of inflicting bodily harm.

Rupple suffers from pulmonary hypertension, a type of high blood pressure that affects the heart and lungs. Since the crash, Rupple who moved to Arizona , has had a double lung transplant.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Shelia Hanson cited Rupple's medical condition as one factor in her sentencing. Rupple's lawyer told the court that jail time would amount to a death sentence because of Rupple's medical condition. Judge Hanson suspended the jail

Judge Hanson gave Rupple credit for 136 days in custody and suspended his jail time until July 26th to allow him to make arrangements for home confinement.

Rupple has repeatedly expressed remorse for the crash.

For more information on the $10 million settlement CLICK on

Bus crash settlement

and

OUSD Settlement

OUSD to screen all campus visitors

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Thu, 09 May 2019 03:12:00 +0000

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

Independent insight into OUSD

a news service of

Orange Net News /O/N/N/

Orange Unified to contract for school visitor clearance technology

At the May 9,2019 Orange Unified School Board will be voting on allocating $60,000 in state grant monies for a "technology based school safety program for all school sites".

OUSD Consent Agenda Item 14 E titled RAPTOR TECHNOLOGIES authorizes spending the grant money from the Classified School Employees Professional Development Block Grant . The state grant grants school districts $117 per full time classified (support staff) employees to implement professional development and school safety plans. Orange Unified's grant allotment is $276, 371.

The Texas based Raptor Technology system reads state identification cards (aka drivers licensees) to screen the visitor against nationwide sex offender registries. The system can also be locally customized for alerts that identify court restraining orders or custody orders.

Once the visitor is cleared against the criteria of the local district (which depends on the menu of criteria the district and establishes and purchases) a visitor badge is printed for the visitor.

According to Raptor Technology its systems are in use nationwide. Southern California school districts that use it include Alhambra and Irvine. Alhambra Unified uses the Visitor Management System while Irvine uses both the Visitor Management System and the Volunteer Management System for parent volunteers.

For more information CLICK ON

Raptor Technology
CSEPD GRANT

INSIDE the Agenda
Study Session Item 3A Measure S Phase II concepts for El Modena and Villa Park HS projects

Closed Session Item 2A A review of the Superintendent's performance.

Action Item 12 A Approval of the construction bid for the Canyon H.S. Science Center.

OUSD Public Relations costs

In February 2018 OUSD Trustees voted $219,424 for a Public Relations contract (Click on):

OUSD VOTES $219,400 for PR

Here is what spending $219,424 of educational tax dollars on PR buys (For the latest in OUSD News on the web Click on):

OUSD in the NEWS

NEXT OUSD BOARD MEETING March 14, 2019

Next OUSD Board Meeting -OUSD BOARD ROOM

CLOSED SESSION- 4:30 pm

Study Session-5:30 pm
OUSD Regular Session: 7:00 pm Board Room

For AGENDA-CLICK ON: OUSD AGENDA

For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040

For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015

ARCHIVAL Information and direct news can be found at:

the Greater Orange News Service http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

and the

Greater Orange News Service

are independent news services of /O/N/N/

Orange Net News

OUSD changes to cloud-base system

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Wed, 17 Apr 2019 04:59:00 +0000

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

Independent insight into OUSD

a news service of

Orange Net News /O/N/N/

OUSD moves Board Agendas to BoardDocs cloud-based platform

Orange Unified School District has moved its online Board of Education Agenda publishing to the BoardDoc's platform. OUSD has published this week's Thursday April 19, 2019 Agenda under the new platform and back posted the March 14, 2019 Agenda. No Board of Education minutes have yet been posted using BoardDocs.

BoardDocs is the largest paperless agenda management system for school boards and corporation boards. The cloud-based record management system was developed by Emerald Data Solutions based in Georgia. BoardDocs was acquired by its New Zealand competitor Diligent Corporation.

The BoardDocs website boasts 3,000 customers nationwide. Two versions are marketed, the basic BoardDocs LT and the advanced BoardDocs Pro. BoardDocs costs start at $3,000 a year.

For more information comparing BoardDocs LT and Pro

Click on LT vs PRO

BoardDocs closest competitor is Boardable. Boarddocs dominated the niche school board market with an emphasis on appealing only to school district's agenda needs.

In comparison, Boardable's main features include its lower price point and "integration" ability with Google's Docs and Calendar, Microsoft's OneDrive and Outlook and Dropbox. According to GetApp, BoardDoc does not offer any integration with other platforms.

Currently, OUSD uses both Microsoft Outlook for its district email service and has been moving toward Google Docs and Calendar as well as Google Classroom.

To compare BoardDocs to Boardable, Click on: GETAPP COMPARE

The biggest problem with cloud-based management systems are internet connectivity. BoardDocs cites this on its website section, "Resolving Performance Issues with BoardDocs".

For more information Click on: BoadDocs Performance Issues

The BoardDoc's format is geared to "authentic users"- district staff and Board Members. The BoardDoc's website explains:

While we find that most authenticated users and administrative staff no longer print the agenda, there is an easy to use provision for Board members and the administration to print the agenda, any individual agenda item or the entire packet (except attachments, which can be printed individually). Both BoardDocs services provide the ability to customize the printed materials with headers, footers and logos.

The biggest drawback of the new format is for the community. Attachments must be opened and printed individually and separately from the agenda items. The BoardDoc's website explains:

Can I print the entire packet? Yes, although without attachments.

Attachments would need to printed individually. In practice, we have found that most authenticated users will focus most of their attention on one or two agenda items and prefer to selectively print agenda items and attachments rather than print the entire agenda.

Community members can get a "detailed" version of the OUSD Agenda, slightly similar to the old agenda (see below) by hitting the "print" icon. This brings up a page with three tabs in the upper left. From this screen select the "Detailed Agenda" tab and a fuller agenda similar to the old agenda can be viewed ( or printed):

"Detailed Agenda" view from print page

BroadDoc does include two features that could prove worth the investment for community transparency. The "Scoreboard" feature projects the agenda as on the screen at a Board Meeting showing the progress and status of the meeting.

A second feature are audio and/or video recording files of meetings can be tagged so users can access any part of the meeting directly from the tagged agenda item or from a video player featuring the meeting agenda. The BoardDoc's website explains:

All of this is done within our 100% Web interface without the need for special hardware or expensive video hosting servers. BoardDocs also supports native audio playback of any associated MP3 file. Video and audio management and playback is available on all supported devices and requires no special plugins or browser extensions.

View of old OUSD on-line agenda format:

Webpage when Agenda is opened

Click on February 12, 2019

View of new OUSD on-line agenda format:

Webpage when Agenda is opened

Click on April 18, 2019

OUSD Public Relations costs

In February 2018 OUSD Trustees voted $219,424 for a Public Relations contract (Click on):

OUSD VOTES $219,400 for PR

Here is what spending $219,424 of educational tax dollars on PR buys (For the latest in OUSD News on the web Click on):

OUSD in the NEWS

NEXT OUSD BOARD MEETING April 18, 2019

Next OUSD Board Meeting -OUSD BOARD ROOM

CLOSED SESSION- 6:00 pm

OUSD Regular Session: 7:00 pm Board Room

For AGENDA-CLICK ON: OUSD AGENDA

For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040

For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015

ARCHIVAL Information and direct news can be found at:

the Greater Orange News Service http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

and the

Greater Orange News Service

are independent news services of /O/N/N/

Orange Net News

OUSD Administrator denies teacher shortage

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 00:55:00 +0000

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

Independent insight into OUSD

a news service of

Orange Net News /O/N/N/

As OUSD Administrators say there is no teacher shortage in Orange County

OUSD needs qualified teachers-but for the first time fails to include the amount in its published Agenda

In the Orange Unified School District's March 14, 2019 Agenda, Item 12 A is the annual vote on the Declaration of Need for Qualified Educators , but this year for the first time ever, the actual report is not included in the agenda.

The agenda item on Agenda page 3 states:

" copy of the Declaration for the 2019-20 school year is attached"

The report does not, as in all previous years, follow the agenda description. The following page 4 begins the next agenda item.

Every year California requires school districts to file a declaration with the state called the Declaration of Need for Qualified Educators . The document must be filed before the state issues permits for non-qualified employees to teach in that school district.

Currently, California is in the middle of a teacher shortage.

Every year, the Orange Unified School District Administration has included the required declaration as part of the March Agenda with the full declaration that is to be filed included with the Agenda Item.

Every year until this year.

In the March 8, 2018 Agenda, the report showed 26 positions were reported on the Declaration of Need for Qualified Educators .

The March 2018 Declaration of Need for Qualified Educators

The failure to include the Declaration of Need for Qualified Educators comes on the heels of OUSD Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Ernie Gonzalez announcing that Orange County does not have a teacher shortage.

Gonzalez reportedly made the pronouncement at the March 6, 2019 Superintendent's Forum. The monthly meeting presents reports from OUSD Superintendent Dr. Hansen and Administrators to staff and teachers from across the district and answers questions. Sources at last week's meeting report that Assistant Superintendent Gonzalez in answering a question about OUSD being competitive in recruiting teachers during a teacher shortage declared that Orange County was not experiencing a teacher shortage like the rest of the state. He reportedly offered no data to back up his assertion.

Gonzalez's remarks were a big departure from now the now retired OUSD Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Ed Kissee. Over the past two years, Kissee has acknowledged and worked on addressing OUSD's response to the statewide teacher and substitute shortage.

The new assertion from the OUSD Administration that there is no teacher shortage comes as OUSD is one of the few Orange County Districts that have failed to reach contracts with its two employee groups.

The OUSD Personal Reports (included with each Board Agenda) show that for this school year-from August 2018 until this month-53 separations of Certificated staff members have taken place with three months left until the end of the school year.

Long standing data of course shows that all of California and the nation has been in a multi-year long teacher shortage. In California, that shortage has been exasperated by the cost of living, skyrocketing housing costs, baby-boomer attrition and an exodus of qualified teachers moving out of the state.

For more information

Ed Source :California’s persistent teacher shortage fueled by attrition, high demand, say newly released studies

LA Daily News: California’s persistent teacher shortage fueled by attrition, high demand, say newly released studies

The Stanford University and Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) September 2018 Getting Down to the Facts II research brief ( a follow-up to the original 2007 paper) lays out the seriousness of the problem:

"California is experiencing one of its most severe teacher shortages in two decades. Budget cuts and layoffs resulting from the recession contributed to a steep decline in the number of teachers in California, falling from a high of 310,362 teachers in the 2007-08 school year to 283,836 four years later.

"Recent efforts, including Proposition 30 and the Local Control Funding Formula, which, respectively, raised taxes for public education and transformed the state’s school finance method, have helped to regrow California’s teacher workforce. However, with sharp decreases in the supply of new teachers, there are still not enough qualified teachers across subject areas in many schools and districts to meet California’s staffing needs."

That Stanford/PACE research brief clearly spells out the dangers for the state:

"This ongoing teacher shortage threatens recent education initiatives in the state—new standards, curriculum, instruction, and assessments—that aim to better prepare all students for college and careers.

For more information Getting Down to the Facts II

In September of 2018, the non-profit Giving Compass reported:

"In California, which has the largest number of public school students in the US, 80% of districts reported a shortage of qualified teachers in 2017-2018, and nine out of 10 of those districts said the situation was worse than the previous school year.

For more information Teacher Shortages Are Worsening In Most States

However, the dangers for OUSD are greater. Data shows that without qualified teachers the yearly assessments scores drop. Even as OUSD rebuilds its facilities with bond monies, with adjacent district's all fighting for students because of declining enrollments, more parents will be looking at district state scores in selecting schools. In 2001 when OUSD could not attract qualified teachers or administrators because of the refusal of the anti-public education OUSD Reactionary Board to increase pay, as the district sat on tens of millions in reserve funds, it took a voter revolt and then a decade of rebuilding to attract qualified teachers and administrators after the massive OUSD employee exodus.

In October of 2018, the Learning Policy Institution issued a much quoted report on the California teacher shortage crisis. The report stated:

"A recent survey of school districts serving a quarter of the state’s student population found that more than 80 percent hired underprepared teachers in 2017-18. Many urban school districts reported to the Learning Policy Institute that they had hired high percentages of teachers in that year who were not fully certified, including Sacramento City Unified (34 percent), Stockton Unified (54 percent) and Fresno Unified (31 percent)."

For more information Teacher Shortages in California:Status, Sources, and Potential Solutions

For the top OUSD Human Resource Administrator to declare to teachers, staff and other administrators that there is not teacher shortage in Orange County, without data, is also hard to square with the national data and statistics.

Even the national business sector has taken notice of the teacher shortage.

In December 2018, Forbes cited a Wall Street Journal article that analyzed federal data:

"If we want to improve society, we need a better educated populace and not hold out the possibility of excellent schooling only for those with the money to pay private tuition. But that is going to be a harder goal to achieve. A Wall Street Journal analysis of federal figures found that teachers are leaving the profession at the highest rate every."

"By the 12 months that ended in October 2018, one million workers, a tenth of all, left public education. This shouldn't be a surprise. Look at how many protests happened this year in states where teachers were fed up with low pay and classroom conditions like old textbooks, when they had enough to go around."

For more information
Maintaining Education For All Gets Tougher As Teachers Leave In Record Numbers

As the teacher shortage started to reach critical mass four years ago, the California Legislature started to take notice. The highly regarded non-profit Calmatters reported in 2017 on those efforts:

"Lawmakers say California’s supply of new teachers is at a 12-year low because of a precipitous drop in students training to be educators, meaning the state is at risk of graduating too few teachers to meet demand.

"Experts blame the state’s rising cost of living and growing pressure to boost student performance on state tests. Research shows that concerns about salary and working conditions are deflating interest in the job."

Both the California Legislature and the federal government started to invest in programs to reduce the teacher shortage especially in critical areas that provide services to disadvantage student populations.

For more information

Lawmakers try to ease California’s teacher shortage

The CSU System in November 2018 announced winning a federal grant to address teacher shortages. In announcing the grant, CSU reported it was " to help address the state's teacher shortage and recruit diverse teaching candidate." and to:

"...also focus on recruiting diverse and low-income teaching candidates, encouraging them to pursue high shortage fields of study like bilingual, STEM and computer science education, and partnerships with high-need school districts in teacher preparation and induction."

For more information

$26M in Awards Boost CSU Efforts to Reduce Teacher Shortage

Amidst teacher shortage new funds help districts train more bilingual teachers

As far as Orange County, Chapman University did not get the OUSD Human Resources memo that Orange County has no teacher shortage. In November 2018 Chapman University announced state grants that is allowing it to partner with two Orange County Districts- Fountain Valley and Magnolia to initiate and expand teacher residency programs. Chapman University reports:

"Teacher Residency Capacity Grants will allow Chapman and its district partners to address California’s teacher shortage while preparing a diverse group of teachers who are dually licensed in special education (K-12) and elementary education (K-6)."

Local Solutions to California’s Teacher Shortage

The statewide teacher shortage has been exasperated by the cost of living in California. That is especially true in Orange County were housing prices are among the highest in the state.

Statewide housing costs is a major contributor to the teacher shortage leading to the large exodus of current teachers leaving California. The number one state for California's teachers relocating is Texas. In May 2018, the Sacramento Bee and the Orange County Register reported on exodus. The Bee reported

"From 2003 through 2016, about 18,000 more elementary and secondary school teachers left California than came from other states, according to a Bee review of U.S. Census Bureau data. The worst losses were during the height of the housing boom, when home prices were peaking, but they have continued throughout the economic recovery."

"The state’s teacher ranks dwindled during the recession as funding dried up. Demand for teachers subsequently rose during the economic recovery.

"California school districts estimate they will hire about 21,000 new teachers next school year, according to the state Department of Education.

"About 11,800 teachers were credentialed through the state’s colleges during the 2016-17 school year, barely half the number credentialed a decade prior, according to the state Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

For more information

California schools are short of teachers. One reason? They’re going to Texas

Another big reason for the California teacher Shortage

The Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in the western United States increased 2.4% over the last 12 months.

Consumer Price Index,West Region — February 2019

For federal statistical purposes, Orange County is part of the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana census area. The Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics reports:

"The annual increase in compensation costs in Los Angeles was 3.0 percent in December 2018, compared to advances that ranged from 3.8 to 0.6 percent in the three other metropolitan areas in the West (Phoenix, San Jose, and Seattle). Los Angeles’ increase in wages and salaries over this 12-month period was 3.7 percent. The other three western localities ranged from 4.1 to 3.7 percent. (See table 2.)

Changing Compensation Costs in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

Lack of affordable teacher housing that has furthered the teacher shortage is resulting in some California districts to start building housing for teachers. In January 2019, CNBC reported on the growing trend:

"California's housing affordability crisis has made it more difficult for school districts to attract and retain teachers, a large reflection of a problem affecting education systems across the country.

"The challenge of luring and keeping teachers is notoriously a problem for the San Francisco Bay Area, where housing prices are among the highest in the nation. But it's become a difficult issue in other areas of the state, as well, and it has led to some districts fighting back with affordable-housing measures and other relief efforts."

For more information

California's housing affordability crisis looms over the state's problems with teachers

Meanwhile, rents across California have also hit record levels:

"California cities hold five of the Top 10 spots. San Jose comes in third, Los Angeles fifth, followed by Oakland at No. 6 and San Diego getting the ninth spot. New York, Boston, Washington D.C., Seattle and Miami finish out the rest of the Top 10.

This probably comes to no surprise for many in the Golden State who have watched rent prices in the Bay Area skyrocket in recent years. The median for a two-bedroom in the city is $4,630".

For more information

YOU NEED $3,700 A MONTH TO RENT A 1-BEDROOM IN SAN FRANCISCO

Zumper National Rent Report: March 2019

Ironically, despite the high cost of Orange County housing, the state's economic recovery, real estate data shows Orange County actually lags behind the rest of the state.

Orange County housing indicators

Housing in 2019 Orange County Register

The conclusion of the 2018 Learning Policy Institute Research Brief sums up the current statewide teacher shortage problem-that includes Orange County:

"If state funding continues to improve, and more individuals take an interest in teaching, a change will likely occur incrementally over the next few years. Nonetheless, shortages remain a major problem. The possibility of more teachers tomorrow does nothing to help students today. Even if teacher supply eventually adjusts to meet growing demand, that change could be years in the future. In the meantime, proactive policies are necessary so that the state’s most vulnerable students do not bear the cost.

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Understaffed and Underprepared

It appears that OUSD maybe ready ignore history and deny the signs of a perfect storm brewing. With the OUSD Administration again in apparent denial over retaining and attracting well qualified teachers and as the OUSD Board of Education again hordes educational tax dollars, OUSD seems poised to repeat its dark history.

OUSD Budget: $49 million in cash

The OUSD Agenda Item 12 B is the state requires Second Interim Budget report. Buried deep in the numerous pages of the report (Agenda page 18) is the current figures for OUSD.

The report shows that the state required emergency reserve has ballooned to $8.9 million dollars. The current unspent cash is $ 40.36 million. For a total of $49.2 million.

School districts must reveal their budget health and file with the county and state how healthy they are. OUSD will again file a "positive" report:

"The District will file a positive certification in regard to the ability to meet its financial obligations."

OUSD has never filed a negative fiscal report. Throughout the Great Recession, OUSD was one of the most fiscally sound districts in the state. Yet, it's administration has routinely predicted a fiscal cliff a few years out, even when the district is flush with cash like it is currently.

OUSD Public Relations costs

In February 2018 OUSD Trustees voted $219,424 for a Public Relations contract (Click on):

OUSD VOTES $219,400 for PR

Here is what spending $219,424 of educational tax dollars on PR buys (For the latest in OUSD News on the web Click on):

OUSD in the NEWS

NEXT OUSD BOARD MEETING March 14, 2019

Next OUSD Board Meeting -OUSD BOARD ROOM

CLOSED SESSION- 5:00 pm

OUSD Regular Session: 7:00 pm Board Room

For AGENDA-CLICK ON: OUSD AGENDA

For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040

For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015

ARCHIVAL Information and direct news can be found at:

the Greater Orange News Service http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

and the

Greater Orange News Service

are independent news services of /O/N/N/

Orange Net News

OUSD starts new Bond process

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Tue, 12 Feb 2019 03:40:00 +0000

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

Independent insight into OUSD

a news service of

Orange Net News /O/N/N/

New OUSD Facilities Master Plan will include future "modernization and new construction" options

A rare Tuesday Orange Unified School Board Meeting will take place on February 12, 2019.

Information Item 16 B (Agenda page 72*) will be a presentation on a draft proposal for bids on an updated Comprehensive Facilities Master Plan.

*The bottom of page 72 mistakenly identifies the Agenda as December 12, 2018

A new Facilities Master Plan would be needed to move forward on any future bond elections. The agenda item clearly moves toward looking at OUSD's elementary and middle schools for facility bond upgrades.

On page 73 of the Agenda, the first paragraph of the "SUMMARY OF DESIRED SERVICES" for Item 16B includes a list of planning needs including:

"...new facilities assessments for the District's Elementary and Middle School locations..." .

The list of planning service needs ends with this:

"...and a cost benefit analysis for options including remodeling, changes of use, modernization and new construction".

Inside the February 12th Agenda
Action Item 15C (page 66) El Modena Pool Replacement vote

OUSD Board will hear the recommendations for the replacement of the El Modena HS Pool.

Informational Item 16C (page 76) with employee bargaining stalled and OUSD labor relations showing its first signs of strain in years, the OUSD Board will hear a staff presentation on the proposed Governor's budget.

OUSD Public Relations costs

In February 2018 OUSD Trustees voted $219,424 for a Public Relations contract (Click on):

OUSD VOTES $219,400 for PR

Here is what spending $219,424 of educational tax dollars on PR buys (For the latest in OUSD News on the web Click on):

OUSD in the NEWS

NEXT OUSD BOARD MEETING February 12, 2019

Next OUSD Board Meeting -OUSD BOARD ROOM

CLOSED SESSION- 5:00 pm

OUSD Regular Session: 7:00 pm Board Room

For AGENDA-CLICK ON: OUSD AGENDA

For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040

For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015

ARCHIVAL Information and direct news can be found at:

the Greater Orange News Service http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

and the

Greater Orange News Service

are independent news services of /O/N/N/

Orange Net News

OUSD to vote on tax re-do and Lebsack takes the lead on Health Ed

noreply@blogger.com (/OCS/ Orange Communication System) — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 05:41:00 +0000

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

Independent insight into OUSD

a news service of

Orange Net News /O/N/N/

OUSD February 2018 tax "typo" requires re-vote on developer tax

The Orange Unified School Board will vote to fix a 12 cent per square foot tax mistake made 11 months ago.

In January of 2018, the State Allocation Board authorized a bi-annual "adjustment" in the tax. After tax increases are authorized by the SAB, state law then requires school districts who want to increases taxes locally to vote to increase the tax. The new increase becomes effective 60 days after a school board approves the new tax rate.

With the 2018 SAB authorization the OUSD Board voted to hike the residential development tax 8.78%* to $3.79 per square foot of residential buildings and $0.61 per square foot for commercial/industrial buildings. The new tax rate calculates to $ 610 per 1000 square feet for Hotel/Motel developments ( a new 10,000 square foot industrial building would have a tax of $ 6,100).

OUSD Agenda Item 12 C (page 34) for the February 15th meeting includes the resolution to "INCREASE THE STATUTORY SCHOOL FEES" (taxes). The Tax Resolution, by law, must lay out the justifications for the tax increase.

The OUSD Tax Resolutions allow for 3% of all taxes collected to go to "administrative costs" caused by the collection of the tax.

Once a "tomboy" and still "not a prissy girl"...

Trustee Brenda Lebsack becomes state-wide leader against new mandated Health Education framework

OUSD Trustee Brenda Lebsack has become a state-wide leader against the new California mandated Health Education framework since OUSD's turbulent roll-out of its Health Education framework last year. (For more information click on OUSD HEALTH ED)

Lebsack's leaped from an Orange County platform with an op-ed in the Orange County Register to a state-wide platform with an opinion piece in the highly respected and influential mulit-media education platform EdSource.

Her December 2018 commentary titled Parents,educators should scrutinize concepts of gender and sexual identity in state's health education framework is aimed at getting readers to comment on the Health Ed Framework before the January 11, 2019 input deadline.

Writing that "The draft includes controversial teaching about sexual relations, sexual orientation and gender", Lebsack directly quotes controversial passages from the 1,000 page draft as well as taking the process to task for not making a Spanish language version of the draft available.

However, the most powerful writing Lebsack does is her vigilant replies to the online comments about her article. Lebsack monitored the comments for weeks, often responding with gracious rebuttal comments and poignant questions:

Brenda Lebsack 3 weeks ago

Alexander, I don’t mind if you disagree, this is America where free thought and free speech still exists. We are so fortunate to have these freedoms. Do you think parents should have the freedom to raise their children according to their cultural and religious values? Do you think “unlimited gender choices” should be taught to young children without parental notice and without the parent being given the right to “opt out” of this teaching? Do you believe the state’s authority over-rides parental authority? Just curious …

In another response to a commenter, Lebsack also provides a link to a letter the ACLU ( a sponsor of the Legislation that created the California Health Framework) sent to Orange Unified when it voted to delay the implementation of the new framework last year:

Brenda Lebsack 2 weeks ago

Mr Rodriguez, As an educator and parent myself, I agree with you that Parents are the most important educator in a child’s life when it comes to teaching values, however the ACLU and many other powerful organizations do not agree. When my district halted a curriculum pilot for Middle School students that included many of these teachings, the ACLU sent our district a letter that stated:

Parents do not have the right to dictate what curriculum is used or what information is provided to students in public schools. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has ruled that parents do not have any constitutional right “to prevent a public school from providing its students with whatever information it wishes to provide, sexual or otherwise, when and as the school determines that it is appropriate to do so.” Here is the full ACLU letter.

(For more information click on ACLU OUSD WARNING )

However, the last answer ( as of this posting) is a powerful self-revealing admission about growing up as a "tomboy" and being "kicked out of the girl's restroom" and her powerful self-awareness assertion "I’m still not a prissy girl, but that does not make me any less female". That early childhood experience leads her to reflect that the current Health Education Framework "would have caused me psychological damage and major confusion" :

Brenda Lebsack 1 week ago

Andy, I can only speak for myself. When I was a child I was a tomboy. Instead of playing with barbies, I played pirates and cops and robbers. I went through a phase when I just wore motorcycle t-shirts. My parents did not make a big deal about it. I never doubted I was a girl, but deep inside I wished I was a boy, because I thought boys had more fun. I looked and acted so much like a boy sometimes, that if I was in an unfamiliar environment, I would get kicked out of the girl’s bathroom. As I grew up, I changed.

I’m still not a prissy girl, but that does not make me any less female. All I can say is, speaking for myself, these teachings would have caused me psychological damage and major confusion. As a 9 year old when I heard about female menstruation for the first time, I freaked out. It sounded like the most horrific thing in the world (and sometimes it is, LOL!).
But as a child with an immature perception, I would have thought…”If there’s a way to get out of this, then I want it! Puberty blockers or whatever it takes.” This is just me, because I know how I thought as a kid.

I’m grateful my parents just accepted me for who I was and did not put a label on me. I’m glad they did not use gender stereotypes to define me. Although I am now a wife and a mom, I still don’t fit in many of those feminine stereotypical roles, but isn’t that what accepting a person for who they are all about?

Whether agreeing or disagreeing with her position on the California Health Education Framework, Lebsack's tone and presentation of her case is an approach many elected officials across the county can learn from.

To read the article CLICK on : Lebsack Ed Source commentary

INSIDE the OUSD Agenda

Closed Session: 4 A ( front page) - Mid-year performance review of Superintendent Dr. Hansen.
Action Item 12 A (page 2) - Approval of new calendars for school years 2019-2020 and 2020-2021.
Action Item 12 C (page 5) Approval of updated agreements with El Rancho and Santiago Charter Schools.
Information Item 13 B (pg 138) Updates on Measure S projects
Information Item 13 D (pg 140) Information on El Modena HS pool replacement

OUSD Public Relations costs

In February 2018 OUSD Trustees voted $219,424 for a Public Relations contract (Click on):

OUSD VOTES $219,400 for PR

Here is what spending $219,424 of educational tax dollars on PR buys (For the latest in OUSD News on the web Click on):

OUSD in the NEWS

NEXT OUSD BOARD MEETING January 17, 2019

Next OUSD Board Meeting -OUSD BOARD ROOM

CLOSED SESSION- 5:00 pm

OUSD Regular Session: 7:00 pm Board Room

For AGENDA-CLICK ON: OUSD AGENDA

For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040

For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015

ARCHIVAL Information and direct news can be found at:

the Greater Orange News Service http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

and the

Greater Orange News Service

are independent news services of /O/N/N/

Orange Net News