Orange Unified in the news for all the wrong reasons

Here is a sampling of the latest news about Orange Unified: lawsuits, culture wars and the firing of "one of the best Superintendents in the entire state".

Voice of Orange County

Orange School District Hit With Two Brown Act Lawsuits Over Superintendent Firing

Link

https://voiceofoc.org/2023/03/orange-school-district-hit-with-second-brown-act-challenge-over-superintendent-firing/

KCRW Public Radio

Culture war embroils Orange Unified school boardroom

 Link

https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/greater-la/culture-wars-drought-sad/orange-unified

EdSource

Superintendent fired from Orange Unified finds new job in nearby district

 Link

https://edsource.org/updates/superintendent-fired-from-orange-unified-finds-new-job-in-nearby-district

OC Register

Parents sue Orange Unified alleging transparency issues after superintendent firing

Link (paywall) 

https://www.ocregister.com/2023/03/28/parents-sue-orange-unified-alleging-transparency-issues-after-superintendent-firing/

OCDE News

Westminster School District selects Dr. Gunn Marie Hansen to fill superintendent vacancy

“Now we will also boast one of the best superintendents in the entire state and she is in alignment with our goals for excellence,” he said. “Welcome home Dr. Hansen! We are so fortunate to have you take the lead at WSD.”

Link

https://newsroom.ocde.us/westminster-school-district-selects-dr-gunn-marie-hansen-to-fill-superintendent-vacancy/

OC Breeze

Gunn Marie Hansen, Ph.D., chosen as Superintendent of Westminster School District

“Dr. Hansen is widely considered one of the best superintendents in California as she won over a dozen professional awards over the past decade. Most notably in 2021 she won the Orange County School Board Association Maureen DeMarco Award for Exemplary Superintendents and in 2022 the Orange County 4th District Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Outstanding Superintendent Award. Dr. Hansen served the Orange Unified School District for thirteen years including nearly six years as Superintendent, with prior administration and teaching experiences in Compton USD, Montebello USD, the LA County Office of Education, and as a professor at California State University in Los Angeles. She has devoted 32 years of public- school service to students, staff and community focusing on the core value of supporting educational excellence and ensuring successful operations of award-winning schools.”

 Link

https://www.oc-breeze.com/2023/03/24/225662_gunn-marie-hansen-ph-d-chosen-as-superintendent-of-westminster-school-district/

# posted by /OCS/ Orange Communication System @ 8:47 AM

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 LA Media on OUSD chaos

Los Angeles media has picked up on the chaotic situation in Orange Unified:

# posted by /OCS/ Orange Communication System @ 8:36 AM

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Orange Unified School District’s Interim Superintendent Edward Velasquez quits amid growing chaos

Chaos Star, ancient symbol of Chaos

The truth apparently came quickly to now former Interim Superintendent Edward Velasquez that OUSD is being led into chaos.  After just a few weeks and a few chaotic Board meetings, Velasquez bailed.

It also is now apparent that Velasquez was not a hired political gun, but a true educator who really did have a focus on student achievement.  He, like OUSD voters, was fooled when the OUSD majority came calling.

None of that was known until this week when Velasquez abruptly resigned amid the growing chaos in the Orange Unified District Office.  

Yes, the OUSD D.O. of Despair.

This however should not be of any surprise when you look at the history of the last radical political takeover of OUSD that plunged the district into focusing on culture wars instead of education.  Local at first, the district quickly became the poster child for school dysfunction then a laughing stock of education with a reputation nationwide.  Experienced teachers and administrators fled.

At first just the parents back then noticed the quality of OUSD slipping.

Then the Greater Orange non-educator community at large began being affected by the chaos and negative news reports across local, state and eventually nation-wide media. As the chaos grew with a teacher strike and outrageous lawsuits that attracted national civil rights organizations, slowly local realtors, businessmen and elected city leaders all started to feel the unrest was affecting the community and their jobs too.

Now we have current OUSD Board of Trustees, Rick Ledesma and John Ortega repeating the mistakes of the last radical OUSD Board that ruled at the turn of the century. That Board, the Jacobson Majority too hid their radical political agenda to get elected. They then plunged into a radical political agenda.

Quickly they went down a path the current Radical Majority is back on: embracing radical politics over education; firing a popular and effective superintendent; Brown Act violations; and a race to the bottom of district morale.

It was and now is an all out assault on the America’s centuries long  bi-partisan support of public education.

Ironically, Ledesma and Ortega were part of the Citizens slate that replaced the radical Jacobson Board in the 2001 OUSD Recall.  In the over 20 years since that recall, those last two trustees left from that 2001 Citizens Board who then helped right the OUSD chaos, are apparently now hell-bent on leading the district they once saved  down the same radical road back into chaos.

It does look like the Greater Orange Community has learned from history.  While it took years for Greater Orange to come together to retake their schools from a group with a purely political culture war agenda,  this time it appears that there will be no lag time in confronting the radical political elements that have pushed OUSD leadership into chaos. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON VALASQUEZ QUITTING (click on): 

The Voice of OC

The Replacement for Orange Unified’s Fired Superintendent Resigns After a Month 

OC Register

Orange Unified’s interimsuperintendent gone after just a month on the job

# posted by /OCS/ Orange Communication System @ 11:03 AM

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 SPECIAL REPORT

Senator David Min wants answers from Ledesma over OUSD firings 

Thursday 1/12/23

In a letter dated January 11, 2023, State Senator David Min addresses concerns about the cost to taxpayers, the manner in and potential Brown Act violations in the January 5, 2023 vote to fire OUSD Dr. Hansen and OUSD Assistant Superintendent Corella.

 Noting his position on the State Senate’s Budget Subcommittee on Education, Min explains why  he wants answers  by Ledesma and the Extreme Board Majority concerning potential Brown Act violations:

 I am also deeply troubled by reports that the Board majority who voted for these actions may have communicated with each other and decided this course of action prior to the January 6th special meeting. California law prohibits a majority of a local legislative body, such as OUSD, from meeting or deciding on agenda items in private, unless it is a properly noticed closed session meeting that is appropriately reported out to the public. It has come to my attention that you may have contacted Mr. Abercrombie prior to the January 6th special meeting and informed him that he would be named Acting Assistant Superintendent for OUSD, suggesting that you knew at that point that you had the votes to suspend or terminate the Assistant Superintendent Corella and replace her with Mr. Abercrombie. This communication, along with the manner in which the January 6th special meeting was called and conducted, has raised concerns that the Board majority violated California’s Brown Act by communicating with each other and deciding its action in private, prior to the public January 6th special meeting

 Min lists 10 items he wants answers from in his letter to Ledesma:

Did you communicate with Trustee Madison Miner, Trustee John Ortega, or Trustee Angie Rumsey prior to the January 6th meeting to discuss the suspensions or terminations of Superintendent Hansen or Assistant Superintendent Corella or both? If so, did you meet together or use a series of communications of any kind, directly or indirectly, to discuss or deliberate whether the board should remove Superintendent Hansen or Assistant Corella or both?

Did you communicate with Trustee Madison Miner, Trustee John Ortega, or Trustee Angie Rumsey prior to the January 6th meeting to discuss the appointments of Mr. Velazquez as interim Superintendent or Mr. Abercrombie as interim Assistant Superintendent or both? If so, did you meet together or use a series of communications of any kind, directly or indirectly, to discuss or deliberate whether the board should appoint Mr. Velazquez or Mr. Abercrombie or both?

When you contacted Mr. Abercrombie prior to the January 6th special meeting, what was the basis for your apparent statement that he would be appointed as acting Assistant Superintendent following the January 6th special meeting?

Did you contact Mr. Velazquez prior to the January 6th meeting to inform him that he would be appointed as acting Superintendent?

Did you consult with legal counsel before the January 6th special meeting on the potential legal issues—especially regarding whether you might be violating California law and/or exposing the Board or its Trustees to civil and criminal liability—associated with suspending or terminating Superintendent Hansen and Assistant Superintendent Corella? If so, who did you consult with and when?

It is estimated that the termination of Superintendent Hansen and Assistant Superintendent Corella and securing their replacements will cost OUSD $1.3 million dollars, not including potential legal fees and other liability. Prior to the January 6th meeting, did you engage in any type of analysis of the fiscal impacts of this decision? If so, what were your findings?

The Board acted during the middle of the school year, a few days before students were set to return to the classroom. Abrupt changes in key leadership could have significant negative impacts on the education of OUSD students. Prior to the January 6th meeting, did you engage in any type of analysis of the impacts on student outcomes and learning because of the suspension or termination of Superintendent Hansen and Assistant Superintendent Corella? If so, what were your findings?

Did you or anyone else from the Board contact Superintendent Hansen, prior to the January 6th meeting, to inform her of your concerns about her performance?

Did you or anyone else from the Board contact Assistant Superintendent Corella, prior to the January 6th meeting, to inform her of your concerns about her performance?

Did you consider other candidates besides Mr. Velazquez or Mr. Abercrombie to serve in the roles of interim Superintendent and assistant Superintendent? How many other candidates were considered?

 For more information click on:

 Sen Min letter 1/11/23

OUSD Survey on "communiciation"

# posted by /OCS/ Orange Communication System @ 9:55 AM

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SPECIAL REPORT

OUSD's  extremist “Thursday night massacre”

Orange Unified extremist school trustees fire Superintendent Hansen 

In a move that sent shock-waves throughout Greater Orange,  on Thursday January 5, 2023 the new Extremist Majority that took control over the Orange Unified School Distict Board of Education after the November 2022 election fired Superintendent  Dr. Gunn Marie Hansen.

The Extremist Majority also took steps to fire Assistant Superintendent Cathleen Corella. The move is part of a growing statewide QAnon-type political warfare by political extremist aimed at local school boards.

The 4-3 firing came in a surprise but highly coordinated  end-of-winter-break Closed Session Special Meeting called with the minimum legally required  notice .

In what appears to be Brown Act violations prohibiting "serial meetings" or "serial communication", the four trustees, Rick Ledesma, John Ortega, Angie Rumsey, and  Madison Miner already had replacementsready to take over the positions after the Closed Session firings.  The November 2022 election of Madison Miner  over  Trustee Kathy Moffat in Trustee Area 4 by  221  votes gave the extremist control over the OUSD Board. Trustees Kris Erickson,  Ana Page and Andrea Yamasaki  voted against the extremist plans.

The public explanation of  "looking to make some changes"  that OUSD Board President Rick Ledesma stated to the press that he and the new majority wanted to make also smacks of  Brown Act serial meeting violations.

Greater Orange community leaders quickly dubbed the coordinated attack on the highly regarded and qualified OUSD Administrators  the “Thursday night massacre”.  

During the pandemic, OUSD Board Meetings were besieged by extremist conspiracy believers.  With extremist factions taking over the California Republican Party from the traditional, now considered moderate conservatives, the extremists unable to win statewide elections have turned to local school board races to push extremist political, social, cultural and conspiracy theories.

The extremist bid to take over school boards across California is called the battle-like name “Parent Revolt”.  The Parent Revolt website is full of  conspiracy rhetorical dog whistle language like:

  Powerful interest groups decide everything:

• When schools are open.
• Whether they must be masked.
• What they should believe about race, sex, and politics.

 Instead of listening to parents' concerns, the education establishment has attacked parents for having the audacity to question their authority.

 It's time for parents to change that, so JOIN US in the parent revolt.

In her election campaign, Madison Miner used much of the same extreme rhetoric disguised as “parent rights”.  The OUSD Extremist Majority is promoting that rhetoric and now is clearly willing to go to extreme measures to implement the   agenda of the extremist political, social cultural and conspiracy theories . 

It was immediately clear at the end of the OUSD Special Meeting that the OUSD Extremist Majority had over-played their hand.  

Since the adjouring of the meeting on Thursday January 5th, Greater Orange social media has been on fire with opposition to the extremist move.

Already community leaders are organizing a recall. Since Thursday several serious Recall orgainizing meetings have already met and social media platforms are helping with spreading the alarm and are recruiting volunteers.

Greater Orange community members are being asked to register to help with the recall effort across social media outlets.  Orgainizers are urging anyone interested in registering to help in any way can register here:  ORANGE RECALL.

 OUSD’s  2001 Recall against extremists

Twenty-three years ago an extreme anti-public education group called the Educational Alliance took over a number of school boards including the Orange Unified School District School Board majority. That extremist majority too fired the then popular Superintendent Dr. Robert French. They then hired Barbara Van Otterloo as a “do-as-I-say” superintendent . The Board lead by Trustee Marty Jacobson next set about to dismantle as much of the public school system as they could using educational tax dollars to hire ultra conservative lawyers connected to the Educational Alliance to attack opponents. 

That 1999 OUSD Board-known as the Jacobson Board-also arrogantly tried to push their personal extreme political agenda onto what they too thought was a disengaged public. Then, just as now, that public that was finally pushed so far that they saw those trustees for what they were- arrogant anti-public education extremists  with a personal non-public educational political agenda- not public servants of the people who elected them to oversee the school district.

Like today, sex too was a wedge issue the extremist Jacobson Majority by exploiting a student led formation of a Gay-Straight Alliance Club at El Modena.

 Using millions in OUSD educational tax dollars for litigation the Jacobson Majority tried unsucessfully to end the club. In Colín, et al. v. Orange Unified School District the extremist board and their expensive extremist lawyers lost the case and the decision became a landmark student rights legal precedent. El Modena student Anthony Colin who was the face of the case eventually committed suicide.

In 2001, those arrogant  extremists were ultimately recalled by the voters in the famous Orange Recall, but not  before spending millions of educational tax dollars on ultra conservative attorneys tied to the extremist anti-public education group, the Education Alliance.  

In the election, a slate of replacement reform candidates was presented to voters with the recall question.   The Reform Board that was elected in the winning recall ironically included present Trustees Rick Ledesma and John Ortega as well as Anaheim Hills leader Melisa Smith and Villa Park PTA leader Kathy Moffat. It was Moffat who lost her seat in November 2022 to OUSD's newest extremist trustee Madison Miner.

After being recalled,  the recalled trustees  ran again for their lost seats in the next election and were again soundly defeated. Shortly after the second election victory of the Reform Board,  Van Otterloo retired and the new Reform Board re-hired Dr. Robert French as Superintendent. 

The extremist used the powers of their offices and pillaged the  OUSD educational tax dollars to fund their extremist agenda. One famous recall bumper sticker called out the extremist pnly educational  agenda as "lawsuits, lawyers and litigation" . 

It took years for Orange Unified to come back from that first extremist Jacobson Board. A huge exodus of teachers and administrators resulted from the publcity from the extremist anti-public education policies, cuts to benefits, and the extreme policy to stop negoiating for pay increases.

Nullification of  the Surridge Board appointee

Fast forward to 2015-  the Orange Unified Board again is taken over by ultra-conservative anti-public education majority led by Trustee Timothy Surridge and supported by both  the now former Reform Trustees Rick Ledesma and John Ortega.  The breaking point in 2015 was the surprise appointment of Greg Salas (a friend of Surridge) to the Anaheim Hills Trustee Area 1 seat sfter the resignation of Trustee Diane Singer. 

Salas was an obviously unqualified person who admitted  he recently moved to Anaheim Hills and admitted he  knew little about OUSD.  His main qualification was his friendship with Trustee Timothy Surridge. 

Like the Thursday Night Massacre,  it appeared that California Brown Act violations took place in the 2015 meeting that  produced the clearly orchstrated appointment of an unknown and unqualified candidate and the bungled process that  made it possible.

After the political vote to support  the mystery man Greg Salas,  the meeting was quickly called to an end as the extremist trustees and Salas left the room. Like with the firing of Superintendent Hanson no explanation was given. Then too the  Greater Orange community exploded with indignation at the arrogance of the obvious pre-planned vote.

A Nullify Petition was quickly organized and qualified for the ballot. The Salas appointment was nullified by the voters and Andrea Yamasaki the longtime Anaheim Hills who had a deep and long history as an OUSD mom was elected.

Editors note: the story was updated on 1/10/22 to include the Voice of OC story links

  For more information click on the orange hyper links in the article above and these items:

NBC News: QAnon's new 'plan'? Run for school board

Is QAnon Radicalizing Your School Board?

Madison Miner

Did Orange Unified School Officials Improperly Replace Their Superintendent? 

Video of the Thursday Night Massacre:

# posted by /OCS/ Orange Communication System @ 9:26 PM

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 Stand by we're back...

# posted by /OCS/ Orange Communication System @ 9:57 PM

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