Quotes
"Kids First"? Hardly. The true colors of a union leader
Apr 10, 2009
Albert Shanker, former AFT President
Next time you hear that tired old union baloney about putting “Kids First,” remember what the late Albert Shanker, former American Federation of Teachers president, once said:
“When school kids start paying union dues, that’s when I’ll start representing the interests of school children.” Albert Shanker, The OC Register
This helps to explain the “Kids First” hypocrisy we continue to experience from union leaders, including those at CUSD, where many of their own rank and file have been influenced to ignore or deny the truth about dishonest special interest union politics.
Thanks for the brutal honesty, Albert. You’re a peach. We couldn’t have said it better.
Comments
Disgraced Marlene Draper spouted utter contempt for the voters she represented
Sep 09, 2008
The OC Register published this excerpt from a report by the OC District Attorney, dated September 2, 2008. Draper's statement was quoted from a February 25th closed session board meeting to discuss a permanent employment contract for Superintendent Carter. Draper's comment was in response to reform trustees Ellen Addonizio, Anna Bryson and Larry Christensen, who argued that a proposed $58,000-a-year raise was too high in light of the district's pending fiscal crisis. Their point was that such excesses were not in the best interests of the "them" in question...the constituents of CUSD. The District Attorney took issue with Draper's insulting, wrong-headed remark, concluding the report by mocking Draper with the obvious truth: "It is all about them."
CUSD was at financial risk at the hands of the Old Guard long before state cuts were announced
Jan 23, 2008
Here’s the inconvenient truth that Superintendent
Woodrow Carter, Old Guard CUSD trustees and staff and
union bosses and PTA leaders would rather not
discuss. As they all “Shout Out” to point fingers at
their new common enemy in Sacramento, they turn
attention away from themselves and years of
disastrous financial failures they continue to cause
or enable right here in CUSD.
Beverly de Nicola, Los Angeles Times "The district made $13 million in cuts this year, and $7.5 million of next year's cuts were planned before the governor announced billions of dollars in cuts to public schools earlier this month."
Due to years of mismanagement and deficit spending by the Fleming regime, CUSD already faced a financial crisis before the recent state cutbacks were announced. This is the inconvenient truth the senior trustees and staff will attempt to cover up by pointing their dishonest fingers at the state. The Fleming trustees and staff are responsible for the draconian cuts already planned due to the pre-existing financial disaster they created.
Now, after years of serial deficits and tens of millions in cuts due to their incompetence and misspending that already have hurt the children, they have assured that the impact of new state cutbacks will be even worse for CUSD than other, more responsible districts.
De Nicola is spokeswoman for CUSD.
Beverly de Nicola, Los Angeles Times "The district made $13 million in cuts this year, and $7.5 million of next year's cuts were planned before the governor announced billions of dollars in cuts to public schools earlier this month."
Due to years of mismanagement and deficit spending by the Fleming regime, CUSD already faced a financial crisis before the recent state cutbacks were announced. This is the inconvenient truth the senior trustees and staff will attempt to cover up by pointing their dishonest fingers at the state. The Fleming trustees and staff are responsible for the draconian cuts already planned due to the pre-existing financial disaster they created.
Now, after years of serial deficits and tens of millions in cuts due to their incompetence and misspending that already have hurt the children, they have assured that the impact of new state cutbacks will be even worse for CUSD than other, more responsible districts.
De Nicola is spokeswoman for CUSD.
CUSD teacher concerned about district's emphasis on standards, while quality of educational experience suffers
Oct 15, 2007
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
Oct 15, 2007
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
Oct 15, 2007
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
Oct 15, 2007
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.
More CUSD excuses - new SJHHS principal offers more pap to gloss over planning failures and serious safety issues
Aug 30, 2007
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.
CUSD spokesperson says CUSD is a 'full disclosure' agency, but district stonewalling tells a different story
Jul 23, 2007
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.
Draper reveals yet another excuse for not discussing the peoples' business in public
Jul 08, 2007
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
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.
Draper says nepotism and cronyism is OK because it's not "technically" illegal, "It just smells."
May 07, 2007
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.
Draper supiciously confident about outcome of Waldrip investigation
Jan 05, 2007
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.
Waldrip not impartial, but facts have vindicated Smollar and proven Fleming a liar
Jan 09, 2006
David Smollar, The Orange County
Register "I don't believe
Waldrip has proven himself to be an impartial
judge. Everything I've said in any context has
been proven factual. Most, if not all the things,
Fleming said in denial have been proven
false."
Whistleblower and former CUSD Communications Director Smollar's initial reaction to the Waldrip investigation report.
Whistleblower and former CUSD Communications Director Smollar's initial reaction to the Waldrip investigation report.
Waldrip report revealed two enemies lists
Jan 07, 2006
Volzke is the publisher of the Capistrano Dispatch.
Draper makes sarcastic remarks to anti-school expansion crowd
Mar 14, 2003
Trustee Draper made this sarcastic remark to rebut the crowd's vocal disapproval of the district's proposed expansion of Arroyo Vista School at the March 9, 2003 Board of Trustees meeting, where local residents made public comments unanimously opposing the district's expansion plans. The meeting was carefully controlled by district officials to avoid discussion of the actual issues of concern to residents (i.e., overbuilding on such a small school site, unsafe traffic and other impacts on the local community, increased usage of the adjacent community park, etc.). Public speakers were kept to one minute instead of the usual three minutes for public comments to squelch community input. Those who tried to speak were met with sharp reminders from officials that the evening's discussion was centered on K-8s in general, not Arroyo Vista in particular, thus effectively killing the issues that were of real concern. Draper's comment was rebuffed with defiant applause from the Arroyo Vista crowd who opposed the intrusive changes proposed by the board and staff for their school, neighborhood and park.