Marlene Draper
Draper makes sarcastic remarks to anti-school expansion crowd
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.
Comments
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.
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.
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.
Disgraced Marlene Draper spouted utter contempt for the voters she represented
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."
Scathing D.A. Report Confirms Continuing Illegal Acts At CUSD
Superintendent Woodrow Carter (aka Arnold Carter) and Old Guard Trustees Implicated
Recently-elected Reform Trustees Praised For Exposing the Ongoing Corruption
Rancho Santa Margarita, Ca. The Orange County District Attorney has issued a new stinging report dated September 2, 2008 – the fourth such report in a little over a year – detailing the results of their on-going investigation of the Capistrano Unified School District for numerous Brown Act violations and other illegal acts. The scathing report confirms that Trustees Duane Stiff, Mike Darnold, Marlene Draper and Sheila Benecke – four trustees who served for years with the now indicted former Superintendent James Fleming – continued to engage in illegal behavior despite repeated rebukes by the District Attorney. The report also condemns numerous actions taken (and not taken) by current CUSD Superintendent A. Woodrow Carter (aka Arnold Carter) – the acting CUSD Superintendent during the entire period of time covered by the latest D.A. Report.
See copies of:
District Attorney’s reports, dated:
October 9, 2007, February 28, 2008, March 13, 2008, May 12, 2008 and September 2, 2008
Joint Statements by ABC Reform Trustees, dated:
October 19, 2007, February 10, 2008 and March 27, 2008
CUSD Recall Committee press releases, dated:
October 9, 2007, May 9, 2008, May 27, 2008 and September 9, 2008 Read More...
OC Register calls CUSD Recall win "stunning," "overwhelming" and says voters did the right thing at the ballot box
Jun 27, 2008 Filed in: Endorsements
| Reform Campaign
2Q08
An Orange County Register editorial
Perhaps now, finally, the tumult at the Capistrano Unified School District can die down, following a stunning and overwhelming recall this week of two of the school board's holdouts from the bad old days. Longtime Trustees Sheila Benecke and Marlene Draper were tossed out of office by overwhelming majorities, with about 70 percent of voters agreeing to recall both members. Ms. Benecke was replaced by former Assemblyman Ken Maddox, and Ms. Draper was replaced by teacher Sue Palazzo.
The two new board members’ three reform-oriented colleagues won their seats in November 2006. The reform crowd holds a 5-2 majority. It has taken three years and enormous time, money and effort to gain control of a board that was previously known for its consistent unanimous votes and its unyielding support for a powerful former superintendent – James Fleming, who faces criminal charges in August related to his compilation of an "enemies list" of district parents who had supported a previous recall attempt. Read More...
Important Notice to Voters from Tony Beall: Vote "Yes" on CUSD Recall - June 24th
I'm proud to be at the forefront of the fight to reform the Capistrano Unified School District.
Our five-year campaign to restore honesty, integrity and accountability into the Capistrano Unified School District has already achieved much...and on election night, we will celebrate a truly remarkable achievement:
For the first time in nearly two decades, the seven-member CUSD Board of Trustees will have a majority of Trustees dedicated to restoring honesty, integrity and accountability!
Please vote -- Tomorrow, June 24th -- If you vote by mail - return your completed ballot Today.
Please "Vote Yes" to recall Marlene Draper and Sheila Benecke.
Please elect Sue Palazzo and Ken Maddox to replace them.
You can visit our website at www.CUSDrecall.com to learn more about these very important issues.
Please do not hesitate to contact me at cusdrecall@cox.net should you have any questions, require any additional information or if I may ever be of any assistance to you.
Thank you.
Tony Beall
Oh no, not that again! "Good Things Happening in CUSD"? Superintendent Carter borrows one right out of the James Fleming playbook
Jun 10, 2008 Filed in: Culture of
Corruption | Superintendents
• 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...
Renew CUSD: Vote “Yes” on the Recall Special Recall Election June 24th
Special guest column by CUSD Trustees Ellen Addonizio, Anna Bryson & Larry Christensen that appeared in the June edition of the Trabuco Canyon News
Come June 24th, constituents who live in the Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) will have the opportunity to make a positive change in direction of our troubled school district.
Three years ago, citizens dedicated to reforming CUSD gathered over 177,000 signatures in a failed attempt to recall all seven members of the Board of Trustees. The following year, the three of us sought seats on the seven-member school board running as the “ABC Reform Slate” candidates. Read More...
O.C. Republican Party Endorses CUSD Recall
The CUSD Recall special election will be held on June 24th.
CUSD Recall Committee spokesperson Thomas Russell was present for the May 19th Central Committee meeting and stated, “We are pleased the Republican Party agrees that Marlene Draper and Sheila Benecke should be recalled and removed from office.” Read More...
Local CRA units endorse CUSD Recall, Palazzo and Maddox
• Ladera Ranch Republican Assembly, based in Ladera Ranch,
• Rancho Santa Margarita Republican Assembly, based in Rancho Santa Margarita
• Saddleback Republican Assembly based in Mission Viejo, and
• South Orange County Republican Assembly based in Dana Point.
The CRA units also officially endorsed Sue Palazzo and Ken Maddox, the two reform candidates running to replace the incumbents in the upcoming June 24th special recall election.
Secret and Illegal Superintendent’s Contract Discovered
• 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...
Court Strikes Illegal Campaign Statements “in their entirety”
Apr 28, 2008 Filed in: Culture of
Corruption | Election
Laws |
Legal
Proceedings | Press
Release | Reform Campaign
2Q08
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA. An Orange County Superior Court has stricken “in their entirety” the 200-word candidate statements filed by recall targets Marlene Draper and Sheila Benecke, two trustees of the Capistrano Unified School District. A copy of the court order is attached hereto.
The court’s action ensured Draper and Benecke’s illegal campaign statements will not be published in the sample ballots to be sent to all voters prior to the June 24 special election.
Leaders of the CUSD Recall Committee filed the lawsuit seeking court intervention to strike numerous “false, misleading and illegal statements” made by Draper and Benecke in their optional “Candidate Statement of Qualifications.” Read More...
CUSD Recall Court Hearing Set For Monday
Apr 25, 2008 Filed in: Culture of
Corruption | Election
Laws |
Legal
Proceedings | Press
Release | Reform Campaign
2Q08
Lawsuit Asks Court To Sanction Trustees Draper and Benecke for Illegal Campaign Statements
Recall
Committee leaders and lawsuit petitioners Jennifer
Beall and Tom Russell
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA.
On Monday,
April 28, 2008, a superior court judge will hear the
lawsuit brought by members of the CUSD Recall
Committee asking the court to strike numerous false,
misleading and illegal statements contained in
candidate statements filed by recall targets Marlene
Draper and Sheila Benecke, two trustees of the
Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD). The matter
has been scheduled for hearing before Judge Steven L.
Perk on:
Monday, April 28, 2008, at 8:30 a.m., in Department
C32 of the Superior Court of California, County of
Orange, at 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA
92701.
Recall Targets Sued Over Illegal Campaign Statements
Apr 22, 2008 Filed in: Culture of
Corruption | Election
Laws |
Legal
Proceedings | Press
Release | Reform Campaign
2Q08
CUSD Recall Committee Members Ask Superior Court To Sanction Trustees Draper and Benecke
Recall Committee leaders Jennifer Beall and Tom Russell
See copy of complaint and press release.
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA. Yesterday, leaders of the CUSD Recall Committee filed a legal action in Orange County Superior Court against Marlene Draper and Sheila Benecke, two trustees of the Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD).
The legal action seeks expedited court intervention to strike numerous false, misleading and illegal statements made by Draper and Benecke in the optional “Candidate Statement of Qualifications” each filed with the Orange County Registrar of Voters on April 12th. Any final approved Candidate Statement of Qualifications will be published in the sample ballot sent to all voters prior to the special election. Read More...
ABC Reform Trustees expose, condemn new Brown Act violation by Fleming-era Trustees and call upon D.A. to intervene
Joint Statement Condemns New Brown Act Violation and Effort to Conceal Critical Information from the Public
Ellen
Addonizio, Anna Bryson and Larry
Christensen, the "ABC Reform Trustees"
San Juan Capistrano, Ca. We believe that during
our most recent March 24th board meeting, the four
Fleming-era Trustees (Marlene Draper, Sheila Benecke,
Mike Darnold and Duane Stiff) violated the Brown Act
-- again. We believe the facts clearly demonstrate
they did so with a specific intention to conceal from
the public critical information they knew should have
been made available to the public. As a result of
this most recent flagrant violation (which continues
a systematic pattern of illegal actions), we hereby
call upon the Orange County District Attorney to
immediately intercede. As a result of these illegal
actions, we also will demand that the official agenda
for our next board meeting on April 21, 2008 include
an item calling upon CUSD to stop all expenditures
and further action to construct the San Juan Hills
High School Football Stadium Complex because all
prior approvals for that project were obtained by
presenting misleading and incomplete information to
the Board of Trustees – and to the public.
On March 24th, we recessed into closed
session for the stated purpose of participating in a
conference with legal counsel related to potential
litigation. Agenda Item 3A was entitled:
“A.
CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – ANTICIPATED
LITIGATION
Significant Exposure to
Litigation: Two Cases…”
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...
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...
Draper denies existence of enemies list & infiltration of Registrar's office after one-day "investigation"
Jul 12, 2006 Filed in: Legal
Proceedings | People vs
Fleming
Didn't Happen
By Jonathan Volzke
Editor, (949) 248-2296
The Capistrano Dispatch
![Draper 15_2[1]_2](page26_blog_entry103_summary_1.jpg)
School Board
President Marlene Draper said school officials
did not compile a hit list against parents
supporting the recall, nor did Superintendent
James Fleming dispatch any staffers to review
the signed recalled petitions. She said the
district has looked into the allegations --
reported in two front-page stories in the Orange
County Register -- and found no evidence they're
true. Draper made the statement before a dozen
or so parents criticized trustees and Fleming --
many calling for his ouster. The meeting was so
raucous that trustees retreated to a back room
while a security official negotiated a way to
calm parents. Read
More...
By Jonathan Volzke
Editor, (949) 248-2296
The Capistrano Dispatch
CUSD Trustees Engaged In A Conspiracy to Violate Election Laws
Mar 07, 2006 Filed in: Culture of
Corruption | Election
Laws
![Draper 15_2[1]_2](page26_blog_entry101_summary_1.jpg)
CUSD Trustees and Superintendent engage in improper coercion, intimidation and fear
Jul 10, 2006 Filed in: Administration
Building | Coersion,
Intimidation | Culture of
Corruption | Eminent
Domain |
Election
Laws |
Express
Advocacy | Measure CC
| Open Meetings
Law |
Racial
Gerrymandering | Redevelopment
Funds |
Registrar
of Voters | Special
Needs
• Superintendent Fleming Has Created a Mafia-like
Organization and Infrastructure
• Specific Examples of Coercion, Intimidation and Fear
• We call upon the District Attorney to conduct a full and complete investigation
Superintendent James
A. Fleming and the seven CUSD Trustees have
institutionalized a district-wide atmosphere
where parents, teachers and administrators are
afraid to speak out for fear of retaliation.
They improperly use their official
office/capacity to intentionally create an
environment within the district that makes it
virtually impossible for any one to express
disagreement with the district without being
subjected to retribution or the threat thereof.
The CUSD leadership routinely punishes (or
threatens to punish) parents and their children,
teachers and administrators who dare to speak
out against them or their agenda. Conversely,
the CUSD leadership rewards those who are loyal
and willing to carry out their “dirty
work.” Read
More...
• Specific Examples of Coercion, Intimidation and Fear
• We call upon the District Attorney to conduct a full and complete investigation
The truth about portables: CUSD has systematically and fraudulently violationed state environmental laws
Mar 07, 2006 Filed in: Culture of
Corruption | Facilities
Planning | Overcrowding
| Portable
Classrooms
• CUSD improperly filed multiple Title 14
Exemptions
• Completely ignored CEQA requirements
• Caused overcrowded and unsafe conditions
• Continues to engage in cover-up schemes
CUSD has
systematically, continually (an oftentimes in
patently fraudulent manner) violated California
law by expanding existing school sites to
astonishing, unsafe and illegal levels. For
years, CUSD has been illegally placing portable
classrooms on the playground areas of schools
without adhering to the safeguard and analyses
required by the California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA). David Doomey, CUSD Assistant
Superintendent in charge Facilities Planning,
personally processed and approved virtually all
of these patently illegal (and oftentimes
fraudulent) actions. Read
More...
• Completely ignored CEQA requirements
• Caused overcrowded and unsafe conditions
• Continues to engage in cover-up schemes
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...
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.
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...
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
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...
Trouble at the O.C. Registrar?
Apr 07, 2006 Filed in: C4BR vs OC
ROV |
Legal
Proceedings | Recall Campaign
05-06 |
Registrar
of Voters
I'm glad that the proponents of a recall of the Capistrano Unified School District board have filed a lawsuit against the Orange County Registrar of Voters. Parents claim that the registrar unfairly rejected their petitions, and the registrar argues that he was only following state law. The only way to resolve this is in court. I am sympathetic to the recallers and read their report alleging improprieties in the registrar's office. I can't know which side is right, given that I have not analyzed the signatures. But I do know that this needs to be looked at by an impartial party, and that if the CUSD recallers' allegations are correct, that there could be major problems in the registrar's office. Read More...
CUSD Leadership Under Investigation
An investigation into allegations of illegal activities at the Capistrano Unified School District has been commenced. The Orange County District Attorney’s office is leading the investigation.
This past summer, residents throughout South Orange County sought to recall the entire school board based upon allegations of corruption and gross fiscal mismanagement. More than 177,000 petition signatures seeking to remove the Trustees from office were delivered to the Orange County Registrar of Voters.
Susan Schroeder, spokesperson for the District Attorney’s Office confirmed the District Attorney has assigned a Deputy District Attorney to the case. Schroeder also stated, “We are reviewing the evidence and witness statements.” Read More...
Full Disclosure Network releases first program on CUSD Recall
Dec 04, 2005 Filed in: Recall Campaign
05-06
This is a momentous event – there has never been a recall in the history of CUSD – and now the national news media has taken note of this citizen revolt. Read More...
School District Avoids Full Disclosure
Dec 05, 2005 Filed in: Culture of
Corruption
