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Monday, August 13, 2018
Sex, Measure S and voting
eLECTION Watch 2018
a service of Orange Net News /O/N/N/
OUSD Trustees file to run for seats on the Rancho Santiago Board
Orange Unified School District Trustee John Ortega and former OUSD Trustee Diane Singer filed to run for Rancho Santiago Community College (RSCC) seats in the November 2018 election.
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| OUSD Trustee Ortega |
If Ortega won the seat, the legal issue of "Compatibility" of the two seats would have to be decided before requiring Ortega to resign from the Orange Unified Board.
Trustees on the Orange Unified Board are subject to a new term limit policy. The Rancho Santiago Community College Board has no term limits.
Singer will challenge Phil Yarbrough for RSCC Trustee Seat 6. Yarbrough was first elected to the Rancho Santiago Community College Board in 1996. Singer was first elected to the OUSD Board in 2006 as Trustee for Area 1. After being re-elected without an opponent in 2014, in 2015 Singer moved out of Trustee Area 1 and had to resign her seat. OUSD Trustee Timothy Surridge was able to get his friend Greg Salas appointed to the open seat against the wishes of the community, Singer led the petition drive to force a Special Election for the open seat which was won by Andrea Yamasaki who defeated Salas.
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Since the selection of Barrios' firm, the OUSD Administration announced a new Orange Unified slogan:
For more information click on:
For Candidate Statements (click on):
OUSD gets a final candidate as Sex and Measure S become the campaign issues
Last Friday, August 10th was the deadline to file to run for one of four Orange Unified School Board trustee seats up for re-election in the November 2018 election. One last minute candidate added his name to the list of 4 incumbents running for reelection and the five challengers.
Sean Griffin was the last challenger to filed papers. Griffin will challenge Rick Ledesma for the Trustee Area 7 seat. Griffin is a Middle School teacher and coach with Anaheim Union High School District. Griffin is also a parent from the El Modena High School community.
The Area 7 race candidate filing seems to be OUSD's election version of the Netflix hit Stranger Things. First, you have Trustee Rick Ledesma filing on the first day possible to run for re-election. Next, challenger Rebecca Hultquist (another parent from the El Modena High School community) filed to run-then a few days later legally withdrew from the race. Now add in the eccentric former OUSD Trustee Steve Rocco filing to run again after losing to Ledesma two previous times. In 2014, when Ledesma last faced a re-election bid, Rocco also filed to run and received 10.7% of the votes. Finally, add in a last-minute filing of Griffin to make the Area 7 2018 race similar to the three-way Area 7 2014 race.
Need more Stranger Things?
Well just read Steve Rocco's candidate statement. Here is just the first paragraph - and yes this is EXACTLY (including grammatical mistakes) how it appears on the OC Registrar's website:
"Steve Rocco grew up on the same street as Marlon Brando. Lucille Ball's best friend lived across the stree. Profiled: every network, Today Show (Katie Couric), PBS, USA"
Read the rest and you'll wonder why Rocco doesn't give up running for office and go work writing for Netflix.
For more information CLICK on:
Campaign themes include controversial Sex Education
The 2018 OUSD candidate positions and issue positions on in ballot statements and websites indicate that sex is on the minds of some of the conservative-leaning candidates.
After a community push back on the curriculum that was chosen by the OUSD Administrators to meet the mandates of a new 2016 California sex education law, some candidates appear to be ready to make California's new sex education law a campaign issue.
Joe Ferrention, the challenger in the Trustee Area 4 race, takes incumbent Trustee Kathy Moffat to task for her May 30, 2018 vote on the vendor OUSD picked to meet the guidelines of the law. After a community outcry, the OUSD School Board voted 6-1 to not use the new sex education vendor picked out by the OUSD Administration, Ferrention points out on his campaign website that Moffat was the lone vote against dumping the new program and using the current textbooks until a new program could be found.
In the Trustee Area 5 race, incumbent Timothy Surridge writes in his candidate statement:
"Opposing the sex education curriculum pushed by Sacramento"
Similarly, Trustee Rick Ledesma in his Trustee Area 7 candidate statement writes:
"Oppose the current sex education curriculum being pushed by Sacramento."
So how will Surridge and Ledesma "oppose" the legal curriculum?
On the last day of candidate filing, Friday, August 10, 2018, the Orange County Register published an opinion piece by OUSD Trustee Brenda Lebsack quoting from the dumped OUSD Teen Talk curriculum (see below) and calling some information medically inaccurate. Lebsack writes in her piece:
"Our desire in OUSD is to have curriculum that is medically accurate and inclusive for all students.".
In her article, Lebsack reveals that OUSD received a warning letter from the ACLU about the OUSD Board's May 30 vote.
Surridge and Ledesma surely know that they can "oppose" the sex education curriculum all they want, but it is already California law and OUSD must follow the law. Any move NOT to follow the law by the OUSD Board would bring a lawsuit by the deep-pocketed ACLU which has already won a major case in court regarding sex education that actually led to the 2016 sex education law Surridge and Ledesma say they "oppose". Not only would it be wasting OUSD resources, like the Jacobson Board (that Ledesma helped recall) did in the legally disastrous court case for the OUSD lawyers called Colin vs OUSD, the certain loss would again tie OUSD's name to a precedent-setting sex education case. As revealed by Trustee Lesbeck both Surridge and Ledesma know that the ACLU has already warned OUSD.
In 2016 the California State Legislature passed the California Healthy Youth Act sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union after the ACLU settled the landmark American Academy of Pediatrics v. Clovis USD case. The new California law is based on the court case requires public schools “to provide pupils with the knowledge and skills necessary to protect their sexual and reproductive health.” The new law forbids students to be separated by gender to receive this instruction and allows but doesn’t require, schools to teach sex education in elementary grades, starting in kindergarten. It is that law that school districts around the state are trying to find curriculum programs to be in compliance,
With the new California Health Education Framework not expected to be adopted by the State Board of Education until at least May 2019, implementation of the new law has been complicated by the fact that no official state adopted curriculum is available.
With no curriculum, most California districts have relied on the non-profit Adolescent Sexual Health Work Group's list of sex education programs to use to comply with the new law. Unfortunately, Orange Unified selected what would become most widely adopted, but also the most controversial program, Health Connected's Teen Talk program. That program came under fire across the state. After a Special OUSD School Board Meeting, the OUSD Board by a 6-1 vote directed the OUSD Administrators to continue with the current textbook until a new program can be selected.
So while Surridge and Ledesma can "oppose" Sacramento, the reality is that the law is here to stay and the opposition is little more than a political stand.
For more information click on:
Measure S Bond another focus of challengers
Some of the OUSD candidates are also focusing their campaign on the Measure S Bond with unsubstantiated statements of misused funds.
Moffat's challenger Joe Ferrention in his candidate statement writes this unsubstantiated claim about Measure S funds:
"Orange Unified is on pace to waste millions of dollars that could be used to improve the educational experience that our kids need and deserve. I can provide project management leadership."
There have been no credible accusations that OUSD Measure S bond money has been wasted or mismanaged. As required by law, Measure S has an independent citizen's oversight committee ( see below).
In addition. in his that statement, Ferrention does not apparently understand the role of an elected trustee is not to provide hands-on "project management leadership". As an attorney, Ferrention should understand that "project management" is a district administrative responsibility and not in the jurisdiction of one trustee or collectively all of the trustees.
In Ferrention's campaign website position paper about Measure S, he takes issue with the architectural plans calling them over-designed and impractical. The architectural designs were exhaustively vetted, approved and contracts signed based on them since Measure S was passed by the voters. Some projects have already broken ground. One new Trustee would have no voice at this late date in an expensive massive redesign that would then need the approval of the Division of the State Architect to approve and cause massive delays and cost overruns.
Candidate Sandra Angel (who list her occupation as "payroll manager") in her candidate statement also repeats fake news about Measure S :
"It saddens me to see all the policy changes that have taken place, not to mention the waste of construction bond money. I believe in fair and open negotiations of all school district contracts; but that is not what is happening. The overspending and waste are staggering"
What Angel also does not seem to understand is that Measure S has an independent Citizen's Oversight Committee. That committee has an impressive list of members:
Bill Campbell ( Business Owner; Former OC Supervisor, State Assemblyman; MBA, Harvard University);
Carolyn Cavecche, (President & CEO, Orange County Tax Payers’ Association; Former City of Orange Mayor; BS, Long Beach State University);
Diana Fascenelli ( Law Office Administrator/Accountant; City of Villa Park Council Woman; Former Mayor; BS, National University);
Trevor O’Neil (Business Owner; Immediate Past Chairman of the Board, Orange Chamber of Commerce; BS, California Polytechnic):
Jennifer Schuerger, (Business Owner, CFO President, Orange Community Council PTA BA, University of California, Riverside);
Mrunal Shah, ( Attorney, Public Finance; Member, National Association of Bond Lawyers; JD, Tulane University );
William Utter, Retired, Banker & CFO; President, Board of Directors for the Orange Senior Center; MBA, California State University, Fullerton).
All the independent Measure S Citizen's Oversight Committee agenda's minutes and handouts are online.
For more information click on:
OUSD Candidate positions
Trustee Area 1
In her Candidate Statement Trustee Andrea Yamasaki writes about her priorities:
"Looking ahead, my priorities are to:
· Create safe and upgraded 21st Century learning environments
· Promote strong board governance emphasizing full transparency
- Provide strong fiscal oversight of bond implementation and taxpayer monies Communicate and be responsive to the needs of students and parents"
For the complete statement click on:
In her Candidate Statement, Sandra Angel writes:
"If you are tired of seeing School District administrators getting hefty raises while students and teachers do without basic necessities, then I am your candidate for Orange Unified School District Board."
For the complete statement click on:
Trustee Area 4
In her Candidate Statement Trustee Kathy Moffat writes about her priorities and record:
"Strong academics, student safety, and successful Measure S implementation are my top priorities. I ask the difficult questions, and never shy away from challenge. My service reflects integrity, dedication, transparency, and connection to parents and our community. With my understanding and experience in education issues, governance, and school finance, I pledge to keep OUSD moving forward. "
For the complete statement click on:
On the ballot, Joe Ferrention lists himself as a "Small business owner" despite working at the Newport Beach office of the large law firm Newmeyer and Dillion where he is listed as a "Partner". Newmeyer and Dillion's website describes the firm as "Newmeyer & Dillion is now the 4th-largest indigenous law firm in Orange County".
For more information click on:
In his candidate statement. Ferrention writes:
"School safety, quality education, parents' rights, and fiscal responsibility are all top priorities for me. Let's build a better future together for OUSD."
For the complete statement click on:
Trustee Area 5
In his last election in 2014, Trustee Timothy Surridge's campaign website stated:
Please cast your ballots for Timothy L. "Tim" Surridge for Orange Unified School District, Trustee Area 5.
- A California teaching credential
- A bachelor's degree in business
- Experience teaching at the primary and secondary levels
- Experience in school administration
- Varsity High School basketball coach and youth sports team leader
In his 2018 candidate statement, Surridge writes:
"As a teacher and leader with over 25 years of experience in education, I have always placed our students’ interests first."
California Department of Education records shows that Surridge's California Teaching Credential for P.E. expired 18 years ago. He held the credential for only 5 years.
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| Trustee Surridge's Teacher Credential Record from the CDE website (CLICK to enlarge) |
Surridge also includes this in his candidate statement:
"My wife is a Nationally Board Certified Teacher with over 30 years of experience."
Kris Erickson is also an attorney. Unlike Joe Ferrention, Erickson does have her own small law practice. On the ballot, Erickson lists herself as an attorney and a "Buisnessowner".
In her Candidate Statement Kris Erickson writes about her priorities:
"My focus for OUSD includes the following:
· We must address declining enrollment, which impacts the resources we have available to tackle issues such as class size and implementing innovative programs.
· We must create a functional school board that puts students' success as its top priority and deserves the confidence of the public.
· We must highlight the good works within the district, while taking an honest assessment of those things we need to improve upon.
· We need to ensure that OUSD is fiscally responsible with Measure S dollars and they are spent on projects the voters intended.
· We need to ensure the safety and security of our students."
For the complete statement click on:
Trustee Area 7
Trustee Rick Ledesma lists these goals in his candidate statement:
"Over the next four years, I’ll continue to:
Oppose the current sex education curriculum being pushed by Sacramento;
Promote a back to basics education;
Advance technology education;
Oppose Common Core;
Approve and protect charter schools;
Fight for complete accountability with your taxpayer dollars"
In addition to the above, Trustee Rick Ledesma lists these supporters on his candidate statement:
"My supporters include:
· Orange County Board of Education Trustee, Dr. Lisa Sparks
· Orange County Board of Education Trustee, Dr. Ken Williams
· Orange County Board of Education Trustee, Mari Barke
· OUSD Boardmember, Dr. Alexia Deligianni
· OUSD Boardmember, Timothy L. “Tim” Surridge"
For the complete statement click on:
To view Steve Rocco's complete candidate statement click on:
Sean Griffin lists these goals in his candidate statement:
"I am running for OUSD school board to work as hard as I can to support every student and educator in our community.
I will focus on providing students equitable opportunities to achieve a well-rounded education.
I will be open-minded and collaborative to find solutions to challenges facing our school district; including school safety, structural improvements, and a sensible financial plan. I will utilize my experience as a classroom teacher to help create successful schools"
