Holiday fun with the Flemster, Sheila and Marlene
Dec 17, 2007 Filed in: Humor
Oh m'gosh! Former CUSD superintendent James Fleming and Trustees Sheila Benecke and Marlene Draper have been elfed! Jimbo may be indicted, and Sheila and Marlene may be the targets of a pending recall, but they haven't lost their holiday spirit...or their tricky moves. Join them for some hoppin' holiday fun.
(January 2, 2008: Sadly, with the passing of the holidays, so has OfficeMax's Elf-Yourself online fun feature. But it was a great holiday romp with CUSD's most infamous while it lasted.)
Comments
Old guard snubs ABC's and voter mandate...again
Dec 11, 2007 Filed in: Culture of
Corruption | Investigations
| Open Meetings
Law |
Recall
Campaign 07-08
The status quo Fleming-era trustees continue to prove how out of touch they are with the reform mandate sent by their constituents in the November 2006 general election when the ABC reform trustees were elected in landslide victories. Last night, the contrast between the status quo senior trustees and the ABC reform trustees couldn't have been clearer. It was also clear that the old guard is hunkering down for a fight to the bitter end, leaving no doubt that district reform will be impossible as long as they remain, and leaving reformers no choice but to complete the recall of Benecke and Draper ASAP.
Stiff does turnabout on SJHHS stadium bid; joins other Fleming trustees in proceeding before facilities assessment is completed
Dec 11, 2007 Filed in: Facilities,
Equity |
San Juan
Hills HS
CUSD Board sends San Juan Hills High School projects
out to bid
The Capistrano Dispatch
The
Capistrano Unified School District Board of
Trustees voted 4-3 to elicit bids for several large projects at San Juan Hills High School including the campus aquatic facility and the football stadium. Trustees at the previous board meeting tabled the item after concerns that other district campuses needed more essential improvements. The item returned to consideration last night and was passed on yes votes by Mike Darnold, Duane Stiff, Sheila Benecke and Marlene Draper after the wording was changed so that the projects would only go out to bid. Like the vote earlier on the board presidency, Addonizio, Bryson and Christensen banded together for the no vote. Once the bids return the board will discuss whether or not to proceed with the projects based on the costs and an assessment of other facility needs.
Trustees voted 4-3 to elicit bids for several large projects at San Juan Hills High School including the campus aquatic facility and the football stadium. Trustees at the previous board meeting tabled the item after concerns that other district campuses needed more essential improvements. The item returned to consideration last night and was passed on yes votes by Mike Darnold, Duane Stiff, Sheila Benecke and Marlene Draper after the wording was changed so that the projects would only go out to bid. Like the vote earlier on the board presidency, Addonizio, Bryson and Christensen banded together for the no vote. Once the bids return the board will discuss whether or not to proceed with the projects based on the costs and an assessment of other facility needs.
Fleming, McGill criminal trial delayed
Dec 08, 2007 Filed in: Legal
Proceedings | People vs
Fleming
The criminal trial of former CUSD superintendent James Fleming and former CUSD associate superintendent Susan McGill, scheduled to begin on December 7, 2007, has been delayed for two months after a judge granted a motion by McGill's attorney to reconsider the evidence for McGill's perjury charge. The hearing on the perjury evidence has been set for February 8, 2007. Fleming has been charged with embezzlement by a public officer, use of school funds to urge support or defeat of a ballot measure or candidate, and conspiracy to commit acts injurious to the public. McGill has been charged with perjury and conspiracy to commit acts injurious to the public.
Attendance boundaries at issue again? Say it isn't so.
Dec 07, 2007 Filed in: Attendance
Boundaries | Racial
Gerrymandering
Thanks to the incompetence of the planning geniuses at CUSD, parents are in an uproar over attendance boundary change proposals...again. About 200 parents crowded CUSD HQ Thursday night to protest two proposed revisions to school attendance boundaries that would force some children to attend elementary and middle schools up to five miles from their neighborhood campuses. At least with parent committees "responsible" for the proposals, the old-guard Fleming trustees and their trusty staff can do some of their traditional finger-pointing.
SJHHS stadium...it's baaaaack!
Just when you thought it was safe to expect some rare, but welcome financial responsibility from CUSD, some of those persistent Fleming-era trustees and staff members bring back the controversial SJHHS stadium proposal, eager to spend meager district resources before the long-awaited, district-wide facilities needs assessment and master plan are even finished. Fiscal responsibility? Facilities equity? They continue to prove that they don't have a clue what those terms mean, as they undertake to cherry pick expensive pet projects, making a mockery of the district's master plan, driving the district into deeper financial peril, and setting the stage to pit parent against parent, again, at next Monday night's Board meeting.
Arroyo Vista's controversial principal Elaine Hart "retires" abruptly
The announcement came mid-term, without prior notice and with only a flimsy "to-pursue-other-opportunities" excuse, suggesting Hart actually "retired" to avoid imminent termination. She leaves a legacy of an over-built school, wasted millions and a bitterly divided community. In the face of overwhelming community opposition, Hart helped champion the ill-conceived Arroyo Vista school expansion in one of the most dishonest, partisan campaigns in CUSD history. Hart was notorious for playing favorites, covering up district wrongs and openly targeting district critics for retaliation. She helped Fleming co-opt a corrupt and politicized PTA that continues to misinform parents and obstruct true district reform. Hart's departure is an overdue, but welcome step in the right direction.
OC Register editorial calls for Fleming-era trustees to resign
Oct 29, 2007 Filed in: Culture of
Corruption | Investigations
| Old Guard
Bloopers | Open Meetings
Law
Clouds lifting at CUSD, Board accepts that it
violated open-meeting law
Editorial, The Orange County Register The Capistrano Unified School Board’s 4-0 decision last week to accept the Orange County district attorney’s findings that the board had repeatedly violated the state’s open meetings law was perhaps the most sensible decision the board has made in quite a long time. The three newest board members – Anna Bryson, Ellen Addonizio and Larry Christensen – rightly abstained from the vote, given that they had nothing to do with the legal violations of the past board. Read More...
Editorial, The Orange County Register The Capistrano Unified School Board’s 4-0 decision last week to accept the Orange County district attorney’s findings that the board had repeatedly violated the state’s open meetings law was perhaps the most sensible decision the board has made in quite a long time. The three newest board members – Anna Bryson, Ellen Addonizio and Larry Christensen – rightly abstained from the vote, given that they had nothing to do with the legal violations of the past board. Read More...
Message to the Fleming-era trustees of the CUSD board: The people want you to resign
Oct 22, 2007 Filed in: Public
Statements | Recall Campaign
07-08
Real-world experience of a CUSD Recall signature
gatherer
By Michelle Russell, CUSD resident and CUSD reform volunteer
I am a CUSD resident, a CUSD Recall and ABC Reform volunteer and one of the parents whose name appears on the CUSD “enemies” list. Over the past three years I have worked as a petition gatherer in the campaigns to recall senior members of the CUSD Board of Trustees.
In that time, I have met thousands of people throughout the district who have given me a clear picture of how our communities really view CUSD – and it’s not the view that is generally portrayed by you and your staff during the many board meetings I have attended. Read More...
By Michelle Russell, CUSD resident and CUSD reform volunteer
I am a CUSD resident, a CUSD Recall and ABC Reform volunteer and one of the parents whose name appears on the CUSD “enemies” list. Over the past three years I have worked as a petition gatherer in the campaigns to recall senior members of the CUSD Board of Trustees.
In that time, I have met thousands of people throughout the district who have given me a clear picture of how our communities really view CUSD – and it’s not the view that is generally portrayed by you and your staff during the many board meetings I have attended. Read More...
With chronic open-meetings law violations confirmed by D.A., chorus of outrage and demands for resignations grows
Oct 20, 2007 Filed in: Culture of
Corruption | Elected
Officials | Endorsements
| Investigations
| Open Meetings
Law
Sheila Benecke and Marlene Draper
Two of the Fleming-era trustees Read More...
Reform volunteer calls on parents, taxpayers to attend Nov 5th CUSD board meeting to demand equity in facilities spending
Dear concerned CUSD
parent/taxpayer:
Your help is urgently needed to fight the latest mismanagement and inequity in CUSD. Here's why:
* The "old guard" majority on the Board of Trustees is set to approve up to $12 million dollars in funding to put in a pool and football stadium at the new San Juan Hills High School (SJHHS). This is on top of the estimated $142 million they have already spent on this school that has an enrollment of only 640 students. Meanwhile;
* Students throughout the district sit in substandard, aging facilities with moldy portables, leaky roofs, old dirty carpeting, inadequate or non-existent multi-purpose rooms, rodent infestations, playgrounds/parking spaces that have been taken up by portables to ease overcrowding, etc. (see pictures below) and; Read More...
Your help is urgently needed to fight the latest mismanagement and inequity in CUSD. Here's why:
* The "old guard" majority on the Board of Trustees is set to approve up to $12 million dollars in funding to put in a pool and football stadium at the new San Juan Hills High School (SJHHS). This is on top of the estimated $142 million they have already spent on this school that has an enrollment of only 640 students. Meanwhile;
* Students throughout the district sit in substandard, aging facilities with moldy portables, leaky roofs, old dirty carpeting, inadequate or non-existent multi-purpose rooms, rodent infestations, playgrounds/parking spaces that have been taken up by portables to ease overcrowding, etc. (see pictures below) and; Read More...
Another turf war brewing in CUSD
Oct 17, 2007 Filed in: Culture of
Corruption | Facilities,
Equity |
San Juan
Hills HS | Special
Interests
Marlene Draper and CUSD staff are playing special
interest politics again, and setting the stage for
more community dissention
By Tom Russell, Spokesperson
CUSD Recall Committee
Last Monday night’s
board meeting (October 15) was an unfortunate
reminder of the days when former Superintendent
Fleming played politics by pandering to local
community interests, usually at the expense of
other communities within the district. If things
didn’t go smoothly, Fleming cleverly diverted
the attention of angry parents away from him and
his staff, to other parents in the district,
causing some of the nastiest turf wars in South
Orange County history. Fleming, in his own
demented way, even bragged about some of the
despicable tactics he used to divide communities
in an article he submitted to the American
Association of School Administrators.
This time, however, the seeds of dissention were being sewn by Fleming-protégé Marlene Draper, who pandered to the interests of parents at the district’s new “gold-plated” San Juan Hills High School. Read More...
By Tom Russell, Spokesperson
CUSD Recall Committee
This time, however, the seeds of dissention were being sewn by Fleming-protégé Marlene Draper, who pandered to the interests of parents at the district’s new “gold-plated” San Juan Hills High School. Read More...
Republican Party of Orange County Unanimously Asks Capistrano USD Trustees to Resign
(IRVINE, CA) - The Republican Party of Orange County Central Committee, with over 100 elected members, unanimously approved the following resolution pertaining to four members of the Capistrano Unified School District. Resolution of the Orange County Republican Party Central Committee on Monday, October 15, 2007 - passed by unanimous vote of the Committee:
Be it resolved that the repeated and consistent Brown Act violations, as reported by the Orange County District Attorney, and other egregious acts by Marlene M. Draper, Sheila J. Benecke, Duane E. Stiff and Mike Darnold are inconsistent with our Republican Party principles and, accordingly, the Republican Party of Orange County Central Committee asks these Trustees to immediately resign from their positions as Trustees of the Capistrano Unified School District.
"The four people that were asked to resign are all registered Republicans, but they are not governing by our party's principles," said Scott Baugh, Chairman of the Republican Party of Orange County. "The cumulative effect of all their improprieties leads us to no other conclusion but that these Republicans have forfeited their support from the Republican Party and they should resign."
For more information on the Republican Party of Orange County, please visit us at www.ocgop.org
See copy of official GOP press release.
CUSD teacher concerned about district's emphasis on standards, while quality of educational experience suffers
Irwin made this statement during public comments at the October 15 2007 CUSD Board of Trustees meeting. Irwin is a 36-year teaching veteran who teaches world literature at Dana Hills High School.
CUSD teacher says district "plays with" statistics, touting 94% as going on to higher learning, when less than 45% complete four years
Irwin made this statement during public comments at the October 15 2007 CUSD Board of Trustees meeting. Irwin is a 36-year teaching veteran who teaches world literature at Dana Hills High School.
Teacher believes large classes have already pushed CUSD passed the threshold of a positive learning environment
Hoffman made this statement during public comments at the October 15 2007 CUSD Board of Trustees meeting. Hoffman is a 31-year teaching veteran who teaches economics and laptop geography at Capo Valley High School.
Teacher says, with CUSD's increasing class sizes, students get less individual attention and teachers burn out
Hoffman made this statement during public comments at the October 15 2007 CUSD Board of Trustees meeting. Hoffman is a 31-year teaching veteran who teaches economics and laptop geography at Capo Valley High School.
Trustee Stiff admits the Fleming-era trustees knowingly violated the law!
• It's "case closed" for Benecke, Draper and Darnold.
• The evidence is in and it is time for them to resign.
The October 9th DA report states that the Fleming-era trustees will not be prosecuted criminally for violations of the Brown Act for want of evidence of their intent to violate the law. Ignoring the utter shame of the findings of wrongdoing in this scathing report, Benecke, Draper and Darnold are attempting one last desperate spin, claiming that they didn’t know what they were doing was wrong, that they relied upon bad advice from counsel.
Well, the facts contradict this disingenuous argument and, now, there is direct evidence from one of their own that they intended to violate the law. Read More...
D.A. report confirms numerous CUSD Brown Act violations -- and demands an admission of guilt
Here are links to copies of the District Attorney’s investigative report and cover letter.
The District Attorney has now given the corrupt old guard Board Members a choice. The District Attorney has confirmed that legal action will be commenced against the CUSD Board for these obvious violations of the Brown Act, UNLESS the CUSD Board takes a formal vote to admit their guilt and accept the District Attorney's detailed findings that confirmed the old guard committed numerous violations of the Brown Act. Read More...
Fleming, McGill pretrial hearing postponed until December 7th
Oct 05, 2007 Filed in: Legal
Proceedings | People vs
Fleming
Day In Court For Indicted Ex-Sup Delayed
By Daffodil Altan, OC Weekly
An Orange County judge granted a new pretrial hearing date for ex-superintendent of Capistrano Unified School District, James Fleming and ex-assistant superintendent, Susan McGill. The pretrial hearing was scheduled for this morning, with a jury trial set to begin Oct. 29, but lawyers for both McGill and Fleming requested the new date of Dec. 7. A new jury trial date will not be set until after the Dec. 7 pretrial. Both Fleming and McGill were indicted in late May for conspiring to commit acts injurious to the public and misappropriating district funds to create lists of proponents of a recall election intended to oust the seven school board trustees. McGill was additionally indicted on a perjury charge. (See "Hard Knocks", Oct. 5). Read More...
Superintendent Carter establishes Intra-District Committees to increase accountability and transparency, and build community trust
Oct 05, 2007 Filed in: Superintendents
Daily News Blast by The Capistrano Dispatch
It has been an exhilarating first month for me here in Capistrano Unified. I appreciate your warm welcome, and have enjoyed meeting so many involved parents, outstanding teachers, and hard-working students. This truly is an impressive school district, and I am proud to be part of it.
As your new interim superintendent I have pledged to increase accountability and transparency, and work to build trust in our community. To this end, I am working with our seven trustees to establish regular Intra-District Committees. Each committee will meet monthly, working on a variety of issues with staff, asking questions and providing input. Initiatives will then be brought forward from the committees to the full school board for consideration. Read More...
How Southern California Parents Won Back Their School District
Oct 05, 2007 Filed in: Full
Disclosure Network | Recall Campaign
07-08
Full Disclosure Network ® Cable TV and Internet
Series on CUSD Recall Campaign
Parents in South
Orange County successfully fought to take back
control of the Capistrano Unified School
District (CUSD). Full Disclosure Network® cable
television program has recorded the historical
battle within the school district that started
back in 2005 and has taken almost two years, on
its way to completion all documented on seven
DVDs to date, including six complete shows,
along with three stimulating video news blogs.
This special series, on the CUSD grassroots
Recall and School Reform campaign, is featured
on 45 cable television systems. Also, available
for viewing, via streaming video, on the
URL: http://www.fulldisclosure.net/cusd.html
Read
More...
OC Weekly investigates the ongoing campaign to reform CUSD
Oct 04, 2007 Filed in: Recall Campaign
05-06 |
Recall
Campaign 07-08
Three years in the life of the Capistrano Unified School District
BY DAFFODIL J. ALTAN
Daffodil Altan, OC Weekly THE VAST GLITTERING MEETING ROOM AT CAPISTRANO Unified School District’s shiny new headquarters is crowded this evening. It’s Monday night, the first week of school, and tonight’s board of trustees meeting is the first for the new interim superintendent, Woodrow Carter. He’s the third person to fill the slot in the past year.
The meeting begins with that staple of school-board gatherings across the nation, a syrupy video presentation about kindergarteners. Audience members chuckle at the squirmy kids on the two giant screens.
But many in the room aren’t laughing. Some watch with their lips pursed. Others shake their heads. Glances are exchanged across rows of chairs; the video does little to mask the tension that hangs in the room like a heaving storm cloud. Read More...
SJC City Council rescinds 2005 resolution opposing recall of CUSD trustees
Oct 03, 2007 Filed in: Elected
Officials | Express
Advocacy
DAILY NEWS BLAST: Neutral On CUSD
The City Council on Tuesday voted 3-1 to rescind a 2005 resolution that supported CUSD trustees under fire in an attempted recall. The vote, with Joe Soto abstaining because of a landscaping contract with the district, officially leaves San Juan Capistrano with "no position" on the current recall attempt against Trustees Marlene Draper and Sheila Benecke. A handful of residents and Councilman Lon Uso argued the move should have gone farther to support the current recall, but that effort failed to garner any support. Councilman Tom Hribar voted against even rescinding the 2005 decision. Read More...
SJC City Council should withdraw its opposition to recall
Oct 02, 2007 Filed in: Administration
Building | Budget | Elected
Officials | Express
Advocacy | Facilities,
Equity |
Public
Statements
By Barbra Casserly, Mission Viejo
Good evening Honorable Mayor and City Council. Thank you for providing me with the opportunity to speak. My name is Barbara Casserly and I am a resident of Mission Viejo.
The last time you considered this item you considered the cost of the election. I ask you to consider the cost of allowing the current leadership to continue to take from our children’s schools. We cannot allow the current leadership to pass one more budget. We are experiencing our sixth year of budget deficits because for several years CUSD was a district where our seven Trustees voted together – on every single item. Details were left to key staff members who were rewarded with frequent contract renewals and high praise. CUSD Trustees did not display dirty laundry in public as the dirty laundry was swept under the rug the infrastructure of the district started crumbling.
Read More...
Reform advocate identifies basic inequities of CUSD's misplaced priorities
Sep 28, 2007 Filed in: Budget | Facilities,
Equity |
Measure A
Fraud |
Mello-Roos
Taxes |
Overcrowding
| Public
Statements
By Sharon Campbell, Mission Viejo
I am a longtime parent volunteer and active supporter of Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) schools. I, like many others, have dedicated time to serve the students and staff of CUSD. As a resident of Mission Viejo I can say I have never believed Trustee Draper had any interest in the condition of the schools or the children of my community. I have heard her talk a lot about the schools and children in San Juan, but in the past three or four years I have not heard any level of interest about other communities in CUSD, and I attend every board meeting. Trustee Draper does not seem to understand the impact she has on the schools outside her own city. I recently wrote to her about two comments I continually hear her make that led me to my conclusion, but she did not respond. Read More...
OC Weekly reports on San Juan Hills High - and cuts through the CUSD "happy talk"
Sep 13, 2007 Filed in: Racial
Gerrymandering | San Juan Hills
HS
Surreal Estate
A
short, strange trip up the winding road to the
brand-new, landfill-adjacent San Juan Hills High
BY DAFFODIL J. ALTAN
Daffodil Altan, OC Weekly The new San Juan Hills High School in San Juan Capistrano has all the makings of a state-of-the-art facility—tennis courts; an expansive performing-arts center; track, baseball and soccer fields. But a young freshman could find her trip to the new school’s pristine, as-yet-unfinished campus to be, well, a trip.
She might or might not know about the controversy surrounding the school—from the vote by residents in 2002 to not build the school there to the Capistrano Unified School District’s decision to go ahead anyway; from how much it has cost (a whopping $140 million) to the lawsuits over the use of race during the drawing of district boundaries. As it stands today, it is nearly complete and has its first signs of wide-eyed freshman life pouring in (fewer students than the district expected enrolled as sophomores, so the school opened with only the freshman class of 600 students). It is, after all, the first school built since 1964 in a district with crowded high schools. Read More...
BY DAFFODIL J. ALTAN
Daffodil Altan, OC Weekly The new San Juan Hills High School in San Juan Capistrano has all the makings of a state-of-the-art facility—tennis courts; an expansive performing-arts center; track, baseball and soccer fields. But a young freshman could find her trip to the new school’s pristine, as-yet-unfinished campus to be, well, a trip.
She might or might not know about the controversy surrounding the school—from the vote by residents in 2002 to not build the school there to the Capistrano Unified School District’s decision to go ahead anyway; from how much it has cost (a whopping $140 million) to the lawsuits over the use of race during the drawing of district boundaries. As it stands today, it is nearly complete and has its first signs of wide-eyed freshman life pouring in (fewer students than the district expected enrolled as sophomores, so the school opened with only the freshman class of 600 students). It is, after all, the first school built since 1964 in a district with crowded high schools. Read More...
Welcome Interim Superintendent Carter
Public comments delivered at the September 10, 2007
CUSD Board Meeting by Tom Russell, Spokesperson for
the CUSD Recall Committee
My name is Tom
Russell. My child is on the CUSD enemies list.
So is my wife, and so am I. I am the
spokesperson for the CUSD Recall Committee.
Welcome, Interim Superintendent Carter. We sincerely appreciate your interest in our school district and, based on your background and experience, we have high hopes for the good that you can accomplish at CUSD.
We agree that CUSD does have all the ingredients for a successful school district -- except one. Unfortunately, the CUSD board lacks a majority with honesty, integrity and accountability. This is why we attempted to recall the Fleming-era trustees in 2005, and why we have been compelled to commence another recall, just recently. Read More...
Welcome, Interim Superintendent Carter. We sincerely appreciate your interest in our school district and, based on your background and experience, we have high hopes for the good that you can accomplish at CUSD.
We agree that CUSD does have all the ingredients for a successful school district -- except one. Unfortunately, the CUSD board lacks a majority with honesty, integrity and accountability. This is why we attempted to recall the Fleming-era trustees in 2005, and why we have been compelled to commence another recall, just recently. Read More...
RSM Mayor Pro Tem calls for Fleming trustees to step aside for the good of the community
Sep 01, 2007 Filed in: Elected
Officials
In response to the indictments and continuing problems in beleaguered CUSD, local officials from across South Orange County are now speaking out and demanding change. Thompson is Mayor Pro Tem of the City of Rancho Santa Margarita.
CUSD Superintendent’s Weekly Update: Back to School Message
Aug 31, 2007 Filed in: Superintendents
Our new Interim Superintendent Woodrow
Carter
(aka Arnold Carter),
who joins Capistrano Unified on September 4, shared
this Back-to-School message with all CUSD employees:
Arnold Woodrow Carter, Interim
Superintendent
A new school year
presents opportunities for various
beginnings—new teachers, new classes, new faces,
new students, sometimes new courses, new
principals and leaders, and this year...A New
Superintendent!
Summer time and vacations can be great healers; and as we approach the opening day of a new school year, the end-of-year pressures that plagued us in June now seem quite remote and inconsequential. I am starting my first year with you, and I want it to be a memorable one. Read More...
Summer time and vacations can be great healers; and as we approach the opening day of a new school year, the end-of-year pressures that plagued us in June now seem quite remote and inconsequential. I am starting my first year with you, and I want it to be a memorable one. Read More...
More CUSD excuses - new SJHHS principal offers more pap to gloss over planning failures and serious safety issues
Sure, Tony. Just keep up the excuses and happy talk to cover-up another long-term facilities planning disaster from the folks at CUSD. And keep pointing fingers at the roadway as the culprit behind the delays. Be sure to ignore the fact that even now much of the campus looks more like a construction zone that a school. And good luck getting CUSD to take responsibility for the delays for which they clearly were responsible. Ferruzzo is the principal (and spokeshole) of CUSD's newest high school, the controversial, $140 million (and counting) San Juan Hills High School, that has experienced numerous cost overruns, delays and continues to raise serious safety, financing, contracting, facilities equity, environmental and other important issues, yet to be explained by the CUSD trustees or administration.
City Officials Join Call For School Trustees To Step Down
Full Disclosure Network®
previews newest in series of investigative video news
reports on CUSD culture of corruption.
Click here to see Full Disclosure video
preview.
![498-9CUSD Update[1]](page26_blog_entry91_summary_1.jpg)
• Internet exclusive: On Full Disclosure® Video News Blog
• Video Preview Time: 8:19 min.
• Release Date: September 1, 2007
Orange County, CA: Parents, taxpayers and Americans who have been frustrated with the leadership of their local School Boards, can look to South Orange County California for what will surely be a text book case for how to conduct a complete political revolution, using the democratic process. The Full Disclosure Network®(FDN) presents a FREE eight minute Internet video preview of the two latest episodes (Part 5 and 6) of an on-going cable TV series covering the real life grassroots campaign to recall or replace all seven of the elected Trustees within the Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD). Read More...
• Internet exclusive: On Full Disclosure® Video News Blog
• Video Preview Time: 8:19 min.
• Release Date: September 1, 2007
Orange County, CA: Parents, taxpayers and Americans who have been frustrated with the leadership of their local School Boards, can look to South Orange County California for what will surely be a text book case for how to conduct a complete political revolution, using the democratic process. The Full Disclosure Network®(FDN) presents a FREE eight minute Internet video preview of the two latest episodes (Part 5 and 6) of an on-going cable TV series covering the real life grassroots campaign to recall or replace all seven of the elected Trustees within the Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD). Read More...
OC Weekly assesses recall chances: "A lock. With Fleming already indicted and a well-seasoned recall team ready for war."
Aug 24, 2007 Filed in: Culture of
Corruption | Recall Campaign
07-08
Recall Madness!
Sheila Benecke, Mike Darnold, Marlene Draper, Duane Stiff, Trustees of the Capistrano Unified School District
Gustavo Arellano, OC Weekly Opponents Accuse Them Of: Mishandling millions of dollars in school funds, gerrymandering school boundaries to ensure racial diversity, and being lackeys for former superintendent James Fleming, whom the Orange County Grand Jury indicted for misappropriating funds and creating an enemies list. Read More...
Sheila Benecke, Mike Darnold, Marlene Draper, Duane Stiff, Trustees of the Capistrano Unified School District
Gustavo Arellano, OC Weekly Opponents Accuse Them Of: Mishandling millions of dollars in school funds, gerrymandering school boundaries to ensure racial diversity, and being lackeys for former superintendent James Fleming, whom the Orange County Grand Jury indicted for misappropriating funds and creating an enemies list. Read More...
CUSD Recall Petitions Approved
Trustees Sheila Benecke and Marlene Draper to Face
Recall
![Draper 15_2[1]](page26_blog_entry89_summary_2.jpg)
Santa
Ana, CA.
Today
the CUSD Recall Committee received confirmation
the Orange County Registrar of Voters had
approved the Petition to Recall Capistrano
Unified School District Trustees Sheila Benecke
and Marlene Draper. Recall Proponents may now
formally begin the process of collecting
signatures from 10% of the registered voters in
the School District to qualify the recall
election. They have 160 days to circulate and
submit petitions. The grounds for the recall
read as follows: Read
More...
Capistrano Unified hires interim leader
Aug 18, 2007 Filed in: Superintendents
Former military officer to take over in September.
By Sam Miller, The Orange County
Register
Capistrano Unified trustees hired a longtime military officer to take over as interim superintendent of the county's second-largest school district.
Woodrow Carter (aka Arnold Carter), who has been superintendent of the 23,000-student Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District since 2005, is expected to start in early September. Terms of his contract are being negotiated, but his stay is expected to last for nearly two years, district spokeswoman Beverly De Nicola said. Read More...
Capistrano Unified trustees hired a longtime military officer to take over as interim superintendent of the county's second-largest school district.
Woodrow Carter (aka Arnold Carter), who has been superintendent of the 23,000-student Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District since 2005, is expected to start in early September. Terms of his contract are being negotiated, but his stay is expected to last for nearly two years, district spokeswoman Beverly De Nicola said. Read More...
It's time to take back our school district. School board recall kick off party
Aug 15, 2007 Filed in: Press
Release | Recall Campaign
07-08
Parents in the Capistrano Unified School District
invite you to join us for a School Board Recall Kick
Off Party
Date
and Time: Wednesday, August
29, 2007, 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Place: Casta del Sol Golf Course, 27601 Casta del Sol, Mission Viejo
Complimentary hors d'oeurves and beverages, no host bar
R.S.V.P. to Barbara Casserly, (949) 637-4687 or bcasserly@cox.net
Recall petitions will be available
Donations needed and appreciated - Please make checks payable to Committee to Reform CUSD. Read More...
Place: Casta del Sol Golf Course, 27601 Casta del Sol, Mission Viejo
Complimentary hors d'oeurves and beverages, no host bar
R.S.V.P. to Barbara Casserly, (949) 637-4687 or bcasserly@cox.net
Recall petitions will be available
Donations needed and appreciated - Please make checks payable to Committee to Reform CUSD. Read More...
Capo Unified won't pay legal fees of ex-superintendent
James Fleming has been indicted for allegedly
creating enemies lists to thwart a
recall.
By David Haldane, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
The Board of Trustees of
the Capistrano Unified School District voted
unanimously Monday not to consider a request by
former Supt. James Fleming to pay his legal fees
stemming from an indictment for allegedly
creating enemies lists to thwart a
recall. Read
More...
By David Haldane, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
Final petition forms to recall Trustees Benecke and Draper submitted to OC Registrar
Aug 09, 2007 Filed in: Recall Campaign
07-08
After consulting with the recall proponents and the three seated CUSD Reform Trustees, for strategic reasons a decision was made not to circulate petitions to recall Trustees Duane Stiff and Mike Darnold.
New Outrage: Fleming Asking Taxpayers to Pay for His Criminal Defense!!!
Jul 23, 2007 Filed in: Criminal
Attorney Fees | Elected
Officials | Investigations
| Press
Release | People vs
Fleming
• Fleming Asks Taxpayers to Fund His Criminal Defense
• Calls for Accountability and Resignations of Fleming-Era Trustees Increase
Rancho
Santa Margarita, CA.
The CUSD
Recall Committee has learned that James Fleming,
the indicted former superintendent of the
Capistrano Unified School District, has
submitted a formal request to the school
district asking that taxpayers pay for his
criminal defense. As part of the on-going
criminal investigation of the CUSD leaders,
District Attorney Tony Rackauckas recently
announced the indictment of former
Superintendent James Fleming on three felony
counts. If convicted, Fleming could serve up to
four years in prison.
See Fleming criminal attorney fees request letter Read More...
• Calls for Accountability and Resignations of Fleming-Era Trustees Increase
See Fleming criminal attorney fees request letter Read More...
CUSD spokesperson says CUSD is a 'full disclosure' agency, but district stonewalling tells a different story
Jul 23, 2007 Filed in: Quotes
Beverly DeNicola, email to The Full
Disclosure Network "When
we talked a few weeks ago you said that our
district was stonewalling. I pointed out that you
and I had never talked, and that I would be happy
to provide you with any any information any time,
just as I do with reporters and members of the
public. I have spoken to our Board President, and
Mrs. Benecke has asked me to provide you with
information on her behalf. Neither she nor I will
be available for an on-camera interview at this
time. I am looking forward to receiving the
questions that you said you would be sending to
me. I will respond completely and honestly to your
questions, except that, as I stated before, I am
unable to address questions that go to the recall,
which is a political process, or the legal process
involving our former employees. CUSD is a 'full
disclosure' agency. Give us a chance to prove that
to you."
DeNicola sent this to Full Disclosure in response to an email from Leslie Dutton, whose repeated attempts to interview the CUSD trustees and Superintendent Fleming for nearly two years had been rejected by the district. As CUSD's Director of Communications, DeNicola carries on the tradition of her predecessor, David Smollar, by spinning to cover the district's obvious stonewalling.
DeNicola sent this to Full Disclosure in response to an email from Leslie Dutton, whose repeated attempts to interview the CUSD trustees and Superintendent Fleming for nearly two years had been rejected by the district. As CUSD's Director of Communications, DeNicola carries on the tradition of her predecessor, David Smollar, by spinning to cover the district's obvious stonewalling.
A plea to the honest employees of CUSD
Jul 09, 2007 Filed in: Culture of
Corruption | Elected
Officials | Investigations
| Recall Campaign
07-08
For the good of the district, please step forward, do
the right thing
It’s obvious we are now witnessing the final gasps of the corrupt Fleming regime. The four leftover trustees – Benecke, Draper, Stiff and Darnold – are on their way out. The employees of CUSD no longer need to hide in fear. Now is the time to come forward and expose the corruption you have witnessed at CUSD.
It’s obvious we are now witnessing the final gasps of the corrupt Fleming regime. The four leftover trustees – Benecke, Draper, Stiff and Darnold – are on their way out. The employees of CUSD no longer need to hide in fear. Now is the time to come forward and expose the corruption you have witnessed at CUSD.
Benecke,
Draper, Darnold and Stiff
The
Leftover Fleming Trustees
Draper reveals yet another excuse for not discussing the peoples' business in public
Thanks for the explanation, Marlene. At least now we can all rest easy knowing that the improper concealment of the district’s financial affairs wasn’t your only purpose in violating the state’s open meetings law.
Draper spins herself sleezy, under oath, to justify secret meetings
Jul 08, 2007 Filed in: Culture of
Corruption | Quotes
This is Draper's testimony before the grand jury as she tried to defend the board of trustees' illegal, secret behavior. Since "secret" and "confidential" are synonymous, she offers a difference without a distinction. Now that really smells.
"For these reasons, we now serve upon you official recall papers."
Public comments addressed to the CUSD trustees at the
July 2, 2007 board meeting
My name is Tom
Russell. As you know, I have one child attending
school in CUSD.
My child is on the CUSD enemies list. So is my wife…and so am I.
Today, you are scheduled to meet in closed session where you are scheduled to consider who will be the next interim superintendent – the third since recently indicted former Superintendent James Fleming left in disgrace. Read More...
My child is on the CUSD enemies list. So is my wife…and so am I.
Today, you are scheduled to meet in closed session where you are scheduled to consider who will be the next interim superintendent – the third since recently indicted former Superintendent James Fleming left in disgrace. Read More...
1990-1991 Grand Jury Report exposes the deep roots of, and players behind the CUSD culture of corruption
Jun 17, 2007 Filed in: Culture of
Corruption | Election
Laws |
Express
Advocacy | Investigations
| Legal
Proceedings | Mello-Roos
Taxes |
Open
Meetings Law | People vs
Fleming | Student
Records
It looks like Benecke, Draper and others at CUSD are
up to their old tricks ... very old
tricks.
Have you read the
1990-1991 Grand Jury report on CUSD’s unethical
and illegal conduct during the 1989-1990 Measure
A Mello-Roos election? The issues are
strikingly similar to those recently exposed in
numerous CUSD scandals, and those recently
investigated by the Orange County District
Attorney and the 2006-2007 Grand Jury, and which
recently became the subjects of formal criminal
indictments against former superintendent James
Fleming and former assistant superintendent
Susan McGill. Read
More...
CUSD Troubles Were Predicted
Jun 08, 2007 Filed in: Culture of
Corruption | Elected
Officials | Investigations
| People vs
Fleming
Is it possible for me to take my City Council hat off for a minute and discuss an issue that I have been talking to you about for six or seven years, an issue that we may all be sick of hearing about but is so very important none-the-less, the CUSD.
I was personally not shocked to hear of the indictments of Jim Fleming and Susan McGill, although I thought there would be a few more names included, of course this may change before this article is published. Read More...
Opening statement by Board President Sheila Benecke at the June 4th meeting of the CUSD Board of Trustees
Jun 04, 2007 Filed in: Old Guard
Bloopers | Superintendents
Dennis Smith: the ultimate quitter
May 31, 2007 Filed in: Superintendents
Capistrano Unified School District is no doubt fortunate that its new superintendent, Dennis Smith, quit and decided to return to his old job. As the Register reported, Smith was slated to take over the district on July 1, but had effectively been serving as superintendent throughout May. He bailed out after the indictment of the former superintendent, and said: Read More...
Statement by Board President Sheila Benecke regarding the resignation of Superintendent Dennis Smith
May 30, 2007 Filed in: Superintendents
Dennis Smith's resignation letter
May 30, 2007 Filed in: Superintendents
As you know, I have been anticipating beginning my first term as your new superintendent on July 1, 2007. I have looked forward to working with the current board members to establish a new vision that enables the district to move forward. That optimistic view was based on a presumption that several legal controversies and leadership challenges facing the district had been resolved. Together, we thought Capistrano Unified was positioned to launch a new and exciting chapter in its history. Read More...
Lesson in hubris at Capo Unified
May 29, 2007 Filed in: Culture of
Corruption | Express
Advocacy | Investigations
| People vs
Fleming | Recall Campaign
05-06 |
Registrar
of Voters | School Bonds
| Superintendents
Indictments of former superintendent, assistant,
should encourage community
vigilance
Editorial, The Orange County
Register
The indictment last week of two former top officials at Capistrano Unified capped a long and bitter battle at that south county school district over efforts to reform leadership that had grown arrogant and out of touch with the public. An indictment is a far cry from a conviction, but the county grand jury’s decision is indeed vindication for the hearty band of parents who attempted to recall the school board and offers encouragement for grass-roots activists who want to keep their government accountable. Read More...
The indictment last week of two former top officials at Capistrano Unified capped a long and bitter battle at that south county school district over efforts to reform leadership that had grown arrogant and out of touch with the public. An indictment is a far cry from a conviction, but the county grand jury’s decision is indeed vindication for the hearty band of parents who attempted to recall the school board and offers encouragement for grass-roots activists who want to keep their government accountable. Read More...
Fleming's foes are just getting started
May 25, 2007 Filed in: Legal
Proceedings | People vs
Fleming | Recall Campaign
07-08 |
Reform
Campaign 4Q08
Opponents of the indicted former Capistrano Unified superintendent are now going after remaining trustees who supported him.
Dana Parsons, Orange County, The Los Angeles Times
You bet they feel vindicated. What they aren't feeling is charitable. You could say, in fact, they're just getting warmed up.
The foes of former Capistrano Unified School District Supt. James Fleming — yes, the man had enemies — had reason to celebrate Thursday, if that's the right word. They had been loudly proclaiming in recent years that Fleming was running a corrupt administration, and now they've got county grand jury indictments against Fleming and his assistant superintendent to back them up. Read More...
It's official - former superintendent James Fleming, former assistant superintendent Susan McGill indicted!
• Charges include misappropriation of funds, conspiracy, perjury
• DA says he's not finished, possibly more indictments to follow
• Recall leaders demand Fleming trustees' resignation or face recall
How the mighty have fallen
May 24, 2007 Filed in: Culture of
Corruption | Legal
Proceedings | People vs
Fleming | Superintendents
We get news that former Capistrano Unified School District Superintendent James Fleming and Assistant Superintendent Susan McGill were indicted by the grand jury. Fleming was indicted for misappropriation of public funds, for using school funds to defeat a recall of his political allies and conspiracy, according to DA Tony Rackauckas' statement. McGill was indicted for conspiracy and perjury. These are all felony charges, relating to their efforts to stop the recall and the compilation of an enemies list. Read More...
Capistrano Unified School District Superintendent and Assitant Indicted for Creating "Enemies List" and Misusing School Funds
• Highest ranking school officials charged in Orange County History
SANTA ANA – An indictment was unsealed this morning against the former Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent of the Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) for using public and school funds to create an “enemies list” of citizens supporting a 2005 recall election against the School District Board of Trustees.
Read More...CUSD Trustee Benecke Violates Brown Act…Again
May 15, 2007 Filed in: Culture of
Corruption | Open Meetings
Law
The CUSD Recall Committee filed a formal complaint against Shelia Benecke, President of the Capistrano Unified Board of Trustees, for actions she took during the open session of the most recent CUSD Board Meeting in violation of the Brown Act and other applicable laws.
Read More...
Restoring Balanced Budget, Good Relations at District
May 11, 2007 Filed in: Superintendents
I want to thank the Capistrano Unified family for your warm welcome as I begin my new assignment as Superintendent. The last several weeks have been busy but invigorating. I have met with community leaders, concerned and involved parents, hardworking employees, city officials, education professionals, and other constituents offering support. I am convinced more than ever that we share the same vision of academic excellence, integrity, community involvement, and dedication to our students. Read More...
Draper says nepotism and cronyism is OK because it's not "technically" illegal, "It just smells."
Draper made this statement in response to a resident who criticized her for historically engaging in nepotism and cronyism by discussing and voting on district contracts with Culbertson, Adams and Associates, an environmental firm where Draper's daughter, Shawna Schaffner, serves as CEO. The Waldrip report had admonished the trustees to avoid the appearance of such improprieties, and cited the Culbertson and Adams agreement as an example. Judge Waldrip advised any trustee with such family relationships to abstain from such discussions or votes in the future, and speculated that the public would see the end of such improprieties as more reasonable judgement prevailed at CUSD in the future. Draper and the other Fleming trustees never apologized or took personal responsibility for any of the numerous wrongdoings confirmed by Waldrip. Instead, Draper disregarded Waldrip's admonitions and advice, discussed and voted for her daughter's contract at the first opportunity, and twisted Waldrip's words to justify her continued unethical conduct. Rather than raise the ethical bar at CUSD, as Waldrip recommended, Draper disregarded ethics and defended the bare legal minimum as good enough for CUSD ... even if it "smells." The crowd and the press were shocked. The new superintendent, Dennis Smith, put his face into his hands and shook his head in disbelief. The only person in the room who didn't seem to get it, was Draper.
Your Mello-Roos Tax Bill
May 01, 2007 Filed in: Administration
Building | City Tax
Audits |
Culture
of Corruption | Mello-Roos
Taxes |
Redevelopment
Funds
When speaking with residents of Rancho Santa Margarita, I am routinely asked, “When will my Mello-Roos taxes go away?”
I am proud to say that our City Council is working to obtain the information and answers you need. Let me explain. Read More...
Arroyo Vista PTA should tell CUSD to fix P.E. facilities deficiencies on school site, leave community park alone
CUSD Trustee Benecke Caught Improperly Speaking for Board Without Authorization
• National, state and council PTAs deny "joining" or supporting Arroyo Vista PTA's improper and illegal political campaign.
• State PTA orders Arroyo Vista PTA to cease and desist.
Documents | Going Going Gone | Photos Read More...
The Report’s In: Now What?
Some will undoubtedly claim the findings of retired Judge Stuart Waldrip’s investigation into Capistrano Unified vindicate the district’s leaders.
After all, he finds the only one who might have committed any crime is spokesman turned whistle-blower David Smollar, and all the former superintendent and trustees are guilty of is bad judgment. To me, that’s a stinging indictment. I tend to count on my elected leaders for good judgment, taking it for granted they won’t break any laws. Read More...
Draper supiciously confident about outcome of Waldrip investigation
Gee, Marlene, any chance you heard about Waldrip's wishy-washy report before hand? Waldrip failed the "independence" test from the start, and though the report strained to make excuses for virtually everyone at CUSD, it's scope was actually limited to very few real issues. And how about those recommendations -- very little bark and absolutely no bite. The report clearly shows that no blame or accountability for you, your colleagues or staff were ever intended. No wonder you're comfortable.