Superintendents
CUSD Superintendent: Saddened That Planned Student Walk Out Is Based on Misperceptions and Misinformation
Apr 12, 2010
Contrary to union claims, Superintendent also confirms Reform Board's decision regarding CUEA negotiations substantially compromised its original pre-impasse proposal with fact finder's recommendation.
Letter to Parents re Planned K - 12 Student Walk Out
By Dr. Roberta Mahler, Interim Superintendent, CUSD
Dear Parents,
During the last week you may have read one or more e-mails advocating for a "K - 12 Student Walk-out" to take place on April 13 as a symbolic gesture of support for the teachers' union position regarding labor negotiations. It is of significant concern to hear that students would be held out of school on a regularly scheduled and staffed school day in order to address adult issues. Read More...
Comments
Reform Trustees Save CUSD $5.5 Million Dollars - Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Brought By CUSD's Disgraced Former Supt. Carter
Mar 20, 2010
Read OC Register Article
Read Carter's Termination Report
The Trustees obviously did the right thing when they fired this corrupt and greedy educrat. It really makes us wonder why Erin Kutnick's pro-union "Children First" group, as well as hundreds of union members, fought so hard to protect Carter from being fired. Why did they fight so hard to protect Carter when the facts so clearly showed he'd been caught "red handed" trying to rip off the school district by inserting a golden parachute severance clause into his own employment contract without board approval? Read More...
Report Confirms Superintendent Carter Was Insubordinate and Guilty of Numerous Illegal and Other Improper Acts
Mar 20, 2009
See OC Register story, official CUSD news release and official report on the board's decision on termination of Carter's employment.
Trustees Fire Superintendent Carter!
Mar 10, 2009
See OC Register story.
New Report Confirms Woodrow Carter Engaged in Serious Misconduct While at CUSD
Mar 03, 2009
Click here to read the incredible story.
Trustee Bryson Confirms Board Had Valid, Well-Documented Causes To Remove Carter
Jan 30, 2009
Bryson, the lone dissenter on the school board's 6-1 vote to put Carter on leave, defended her colleagues, saying there were multiple, documented reasons that led to Carter's leave of absence. Trustees say they can't disclose those reasons because of employee privacy laws.
“I think various trustees had circumstances which were valid," Bryson said. "They are pretty practical people and I have to give them their credit on accepting what occurred in some instances. It's pretty well documented."
Read More...
CUSD’s New Battle: The Voters’ Elected Representatives vs. CUSD’s Entrenched Special Interests
Jan 12, 2009
There is a new battle being waged in our school district…and it is every bit as dangerous as the battle voters just won when they removed the last of the corrupt Fleming era trustees from office.
The voters of South Orange County have spoken…clearly and unmistakably -- for the third election in a row. Voters in CUSD have rejected the corrupt status quo and elected seven reform trustees by landslide margins. Voters have given you a mandate for positive reform in CUSD.
In my remarks to this Board just one month ago, on the night the newly-elected board members were sworn in, I stated:
“With the removal of the last Old Guard Trustee, one battle is over…But no one should misunderstand – the fight is far from over. Many who directly profit from CUSD’s multi-million dollar budget are continuing their efforts to frustrate and rollback the reforms you are striving to implement…”
Read More...
The truth about Woodrow Carter's past failures
Jan 11, 2009
If all you heard were the impassioned gushing over Woodrow Carter (aka Arnold Carter) by employees and a few parents incited by union boss Vicki Soderberg, and their equally impassioned and vile attacks against our new trustees, you would think Carter should be beatified and the trustees condemned to the fiery pits of hell.
Well here are some other facts and points of view that Carter, Soderberg and their bully mob would prefer not discussed. And these are just few examples. Others can be viewed by clicking here.
Schools' exec stirs outrage
By Julie Kay/Staff Writer, The Reporter (Vacaville, CA), December 1, 2006
The superintendent of the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School district is under fire for having displayed to 85 district administrators an image of a 'Ladies Swiss Army Knife' containing attachments including a tampon and a phallus-like vibrator.
A flyer being circulated shows the Swiss Army-like knife on one side and cites on the other side the California Education Code which says a permanent employee can be dismissed for 'immoral or unprofessional conduct.' Read More...
CUSD Trustee Ken Maddox addresses board's decision to place superintendent on administrative leave
Jan 10, 2009
"Last Tuesday, the Board of Trustees voted to place the Superintendent on administrative leave. It was not a decision arrived at easily. Regrettably, the Board is prohibited by law from sharing the details of our closed session discussion.
Our faculty and staff are expected to provide a quality education despite this recent action. I have every confidence in our CUSD personnel.
I will do my best to dispel any rumors and keep the pubic informed as we move forward. Yesterday, I met with the PTA to discuss the superintendent issue and anticipated budgetary shortfalls. It was a lively and candid discussion." Read More...
CUSD Board of Trustees Releases Publc Statement Regarding Superintendent A. Woodrow Carter
Jan 10, 2009
As previously reported, the Board of Trustees of the Capistrano Unified School District, at its meeting on January 6, 2009, took action to place Superintendent, A. Woodrow Carter, on paid administrative leave. The District and several members of the Board of Trustees have received questions as to why this action was taken.
The Board of Trustees is committed to making employment decisions based on the best interests of the students and community that it serves. However, such decisions inevitably involve issues relating to how public employees are performing their responsibilities. While the public’s interest in such matters is well understood, it is also the case that California law establishes a right of privacy in favor of the employee with respect to their job performance, and makes confidential the Board’s deliberations with respect to such matters. The employee’s right of privacy derives from the State Constitution, as well as other statutory provisions and case law. Accordingly, and out of respect for the Superintendent’s privacy rights, as well as the confidentiality associated with the Board’s deliberations, the Board cannot comment on or respond to questions concerning its decision to place the Superintendent on paid leave. The District and the Board will share further information at the appropriate time and in compliance with the law.
CONTACT:
Julie Hatchel
Chief Communications Officer
(949) 234-9427
jhatchel@capousd.org
New trustees exercise leadership and take action to restore order in our broken school district.
Jan 06, 2009
When reformers commenced the first recall in early 2005, CUSD was a school district in crisis. Years of financial mismanagement by the Old Guard trustees and administration created serial deficits and the resulting budget cuts caused severe overcrowding, unhealthy and substandard facilities and massive cuts to educational programs.
These problems were exposed by years of parent complaints and investigations by the Orange County Register and other sources. This not only revealed the severity of the problems, but more importantly, the primary causes. The policies of the district, its leadership and management were found lacking, especially when compared to other school districts.
The Old Guard leadership irresponsibly spent nearly three quarters of a billion dollars on facilities and untold millions more for other purposes without a master plan or budget. To add insult to injury, much of this was knowingly done in violation of numerous laws and regulations. The tragic results were covered up through years of propaganda that misinformed the public by distorting and concealing sources, amounts and uses of funds, conditions of facilities and finances, inequitable spending priorities, prudent alternatives, etc.
Then there were the incessant denials and endless self-adulation by the Old Guard board and staff, coupled with their continuing attacks against their detractors (often illegally through the use of district resources), no matter how egregious or self-evident their offenses.
These are just a few examples of the Old Guard’s notorious “Culture of Corruption,” all arrogantly and dishonestly promoted to inculcate the district's tired, hypocritical mantra, “Kids First.” Read More...
Was Capo superintendent supposed to be fired? Whether he was or not, he should be now.
Dec 19, 2008
But their dishonest threats and bullying tactics have harmed the district and could backfire on them.
Spt. Woodrow Carter (aka Arnold Carter), was scheduled to undergo a performance review yesterday, but now faces an uphill battle after he joined union boss Vicki Soderberg in a dishonest and disgraceful preemptive strike against the new board by attacking them, playing the victim card and inciting possibly the worst example of mob behavior in CUSD history.
The special board meeting had been noticed as a "performance evaluation" for Carter with possible disciplinary action or termination of an unidentified "public employee." No allegations or charges were disclosed and no action was taken.
Carter delivered a speech before the trustees went into closed session. The speech obviously was written in large part by Carter's labor counsel and was designed to intimidate and influence the new board's decisions by inciting confusion over the facts and the process, undeserved sympathy for Carter and groundless, hysterical outrage against the new board - all coordinated with the support of an unruly mob rallied by union boss Vicki Soderberg. Read More...
Community member alleges Carter failures at CUSD
Sep 29, 2008
Privacy laws restrict our new trustees from openly discussing personnel matters involving public employees. This restricts them from discussing specific allegations or charges, if any, against Superintendent Woodrow Carter (aka Arnold Carter). The law is clear and Carter knows it. He has taken the same position as the board in the past.
Despite this, Carter and his new booster-in-chief, union boss Vicki Soderberg, have done nothing to properly inform disrespectful and unruly district employees about the law or attempted to bridle their disruptive behavior. Instead, Carter and Soderberg have stood by and watched, and even encouraged ignorant or mean-spirited employees to intimidate the board with their mob-like behavior.
With Carter's job on the line and Soderberg fearing for her union gravy train after betraying reformers in the last two elections, they are intentionally destabilizing the district in a power struggle to control the board, the legitimate governing body of the district, and preserve the dominance of a power-hungry administration that hasn’t respected the legitimate chain of command since the early days of the Fleming administration. Hopefully, the board will remain strong and keep their promises to the voters by setting this upside-down situation, right.
In the meantime, the board may not be talking, but that hasn’t stopped community members from weighing in on the subject. Here is one community member’s list of Top Ten reasons why Carter should be dismissed: Read More...
Oh no, not that again! "Good Things Happening in CUSD"? Superintendent Carter borrows one right out of the James Fleming playbook
Jun 10, 2008
• Carter ignores facts and attacks OC Register study, instead
• Carter announces another revisionist dog and pony show
In his latest weekly update, Superintendent Woodrow Carter (aka Arnold Carter) announced his reaction to the OC Register's May 30th study of Orange County's Best High Schools. Carter's reaction proves how thoroughly he has embraced the corrupt practices of the Fleming old guard at CUSD.
Contrary to years of "happy talk" from CUSD, the OC Register study revealed the performance of CUSD high schools to be below average across the board. But never a district to let facts challenge the incessant, self-laudatory praising of the old guard, Carter has announced he will do what his predecessors have done best since the darkest days under the leadership of now-indicted, former Superintendent James Fleming...he's going to SPIN! Read More...
CUSD Recall Committee Calls for Repudiation of Illegal Secret Superintendent’s Contract
May 27, 2008
Committee Also Calls for Public Censure of Superintendent and Board President
Board President Mike Darnold and Superintendent Woodrow Carter signed illegal secret contract
See CUSD Recall Committee’s formal complaint letter.
See CUSD Recall Committee press release.
See illegal secret superintendent's contract.
See Government Code section misrepresented by superintendent.
See OC Register cartoon that mocks Carter's secret contract.
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA. The CUSD Recall Committee filed a formal complaint today against Capistrano Unified School District Superintendent Woodrow Carter (aka Arnold Carter) and Board President Mike Darnold for fraud, conspiracy and continuing intentional violations of the Brown Act and other applicable laws. Read More...
Superintendent Carter and Trustee Darnold Sign Secret, Illegal Contract
May 12, 2008
CUSD Recall leader says contract is unenforceable and calls for complete investigation
Tom Russell, Spokesperson, CUSD Recall Committee
My name is Tom Russell. I am the spokesperson for the CUSD Recall Committee.
On February 25th -- the same night this Board called a Special Meeting to fire hundreds of teachers and increase class sizes, a split Board voted in closed session to offer Superintendent Woodrow Carter (aka Arnold Carter) a new three-year contract and a massive salary increase.
Understandably, a deafening public outcry immediately resulted, and hundreds of constituents urged Superintendent Carter to reject the offensive contract offer for the good of the district.
To his credit, Superintendent Carter publicly rejected the outrageous contract terms and on multiple occasions confirmed he would not sign the contract. Read More...
Secret and Illegal Superintendent’s Contract Discovered
May 09, 2008
• Superintendent Had Publicly Rejected the Contract Offer
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA. Despite numerous public statements to the contrary, it has now been confirmed that CUSD Superintendent Woodrow Carter (aka Arnold Carter) and Board President Mike Darnold executed and delivered a secret and illegal superintendent’s employment contract. This action violated the California Brown Act and other applicable laws, and the contract is unenforceable for numerous reasons, including the following:
See illegal secret agreement, press release, news coverage and speech delivered by CUSD Recall Committee Spokesperson Tom Russell at the May 12, 2008 CUSD board meeting. Read More...
Superintendent Carter establishes Intra-District Committees to increase accountability and transparency, and build community trust
Oct 05, 2007
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...
Welcome Interim Superintendent Carter
Sep 10, 2007
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...
CUSD Superintendent’s Weekly Update: Back to School Message
Aug 31, 2007
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...
Capistrano Unified hires interim leader
Aug 18, 2007
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...
Opening statement by Board President Sheila Benecke at the June 4th meeting of the CUSD Board of Trustees
Jun 04, 2007
Dennis Smith: the ultimate quitter
May 31, 2007
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
Dennis Smith's resignation letter
May 30, 2007
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
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...
It's official - former superintendent James Fleming, former assistant superintendent Susan McGill indicted!
May 24, 2007
• 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
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...
Restoring Balanced Budget, Good Relations at District
May 11, 2007
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...
Signs that CUSD has learned its lessons
Dec 03, 2006
New leadership of Capistrano district admits
mistakes, changes controversial
policy
Editorial, The Orange County
Register Finally, Orange County
residents are getting some good news from the
Capistrano Unified School District, the massive
south county district that has been plagued by
scandal for several months and controversy for
several years. The new administration, headed by
interim Superintendent Charles McCully, is
settling outstanding legal disputes and admitting
mistakes that the district’s administration had
made, which sends signals that, perhaps, badly
needed reform is in the air. Read
More...
CUSD recall mailer
Oct 24, 2006
After the Capistrano Unified School District recall scandal, which drove imperial Superintendent Jim Fleming from his post after it was revealed that the district maintained an enemies' list of parents supporting the board recall, it will be interesting to see how the board elections go on Nov. 7. Here is a mailer from the reform slate.
Posted at 09:50 AM Read More...
Citizen Outrage Provokes School District Shake-up
Oct 21, 2006
Read More...
Capistrano Unified Appoints Interim Superintendent
Aug 25, 2006
Contact: Beverly de Nicola, Communications, (949) 234-9427
The Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) Board of Trustees announced this evening the appointment of Charles E. McCully as interim superintendent effective August 31. Mr. McCully replaces Dr. James A. Fleming, who is retiring after 15-years as Capistrano Unified’s superintendent. Read More...
Capistrano needs a new lesson plan
Aug 21, 2006
Now that the superintendent is retiring, it’s time
for new life on the school board,
too
Editorial, The Orange County
Register Nothing but bad news
has come from the Capistrano Unified School
District over the course of the summer, with the
latest story coming last week. Investigators from
the Orange County District Attorney’s Office
showed up at Capistrano district headquarters with
a search warrant and seized computers used by
Superintendent James Fleming’s assistant. Several
district employees also appeared before the grand
jury after being served with subpoenas.
An investigation doesn’t mean guilt, of course, but there have been many troubling revelations about how Mr. Fleming and the board of trustees have been running the district. It’s a story of power and arrogance, and the unraveling of the administration contains warnings for other districts. Read More...
An investigation doesn’t mean guilt, of course, but there have been many troubling revelations about how Mr. Fleming and the board of trustees have been running the district. It’s a story of power and arrogance, and the unraveling of the administration contains warnings for other districts. Read More...
The real outrage isn't Fleming's son
Aug 07, 2006
Sure, this is an outrageous case of nepotism and alleged corruption, whereby the son of Capo Superintendent James Fleming earned as much as $101 an hour digging ditches for a school contractor. Heck, that's nothing ... only about a third of what his Dad earns from taxpayers! As my editor points out, the real outrage is that this is what school districts are forced to pay for labor thanks to union work rules. School districts and other government agencies are always complaining that they don't have enough money and that parents are too stingy to constantly raise their taxes for new schools ... yet this is the type of union feather-bedding government agencies pay for. Read More...
CUSD Trustees Fail To Relieve Superintendent Fleming From His Duties
Jul 30, 2006
• CUSD Recall Committee: Trustees Should Invite District Attorney to Investigate.
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA. Yesterday, the CUSD Trustees once again failed their constituents.
For more than three weeks, each of seven CUSD Trustees have refused to take any meaningful corrective action in response to the allegations and evidence of the Superintendent’s unethical and illegal activities. During the Board of Trustees meeting yesterday, a meeting that was supposed to be focused upon these issues, they failed to protect their constituents, they failed to hold Superintendent Fleming accountable, and they spent a good portion of their meeting praising Superintendent Fleming. Read More...
Good riddance to Fleming
Jul 24, 2006
Capistrano Unified Superintendent James Fleming epitomized the arrogance that comes with excessive power. He stepped down after the Register reported that the district had compiled an enemies list of those who supported a school board recall. Fleming denied such a thing, then later admitted that he had a list, but claimed -- one of the most unbelievable claims I've heard in a long time -- that he compiled the data on parents and their children out of concern that they might be hacking into district computers. Talk about paranoia and deception. Read More...
Superintendent Fleming “Resigns” In Disgrace
Jul 19, 2006
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA. CUSD Superintendent James Fleming has “resigned” in disgrace. “This moves us one step closer to restoring honesty, integrity and accountability into our public school system,” said Thomas Russell, spokesperson for the CUSD Recall Committee.
In announcing his resignation, Fleming posted three self-serving, self-aggrandizing and misleading statements on the CUSD official website. In summary, those statements provided: Read More...