Board Meeting Stuffed

Tonight's meeting of the Capistrano Unified School District is absolutely overflowing.
The board room is filled and as many as 400 people - and some children are peacefully standing outside. Many folks are carrying signs critical of the trustees.
Also here - a lot of media, including Mike Landa of KFI radio and Fox 11 television.
Stay tuned.
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Comments

[David Salahi]

Hey, that's great. I'm glad to hear there's a big turnout. I was going to come but I couldn't tell whether anything was going to be happening. I looked at the board's agenda and it seemed to be filled with the minutiae of bureaucracy. It would be good if there was information posted here about when to come out for such events. Also, how can I sign the recall petition?

[hkw]

Jonathan...thank you so much for keeping us "thugs" in the "peanut gallery" informed!

[Dedicated Teacher]

No matter what happens, I will always be a dedicated teacher. I have been passionate about my career since my first year and I continue to be inspired by my students in my fourteenth year. During my first year of teaching, I would research different careers just about every day because of how challenging it was. One day, near the end of my first year, one of my students said, "I wish you could be my dad." To this day, it still brings tears to my eyes and whenever I face a disrespectful student, parent or board member, I remember this student and how much of an impact I have on the lives of all my students.

[Another dedicated teacher]

I was personally offended by Mahler's letter. I am disappointed that it was sent out on school listserves, thus making it seem like principals agreed with her letter. I encouraged my students to attend school, and thanked parents for their support when they asked my opinion about what to do to show that they are "with us." It saddens me that there even is a "with us." Since when did it become a war between the union (teachers!) and the board? Wouldn't it be great if we all had the same goal, purpose, integrity, and sense of professionalism? How dare our superintendent assume that teachers would promote a student sick out. It's just one more of dozens of unfortunate spins on the truth. Like "Dedicated Teacher," I too am proud to be a teacher in this district and will continue to give my students the best I have to offer, each and every day. I just pray that the board comes to their senses and that someone in a position of power stands up and does the right thing.

[hkw]

Dedicated Teacher,
Both of our adult sons (mid 30's now) had teachers at SCHS who made such a difference in helping them discover their talents and life goals. Both kids completed college, and are now living with grace & working in fields they are passionate about. What a gift from those mentors! I will be eternally grateful to those individuals who helped guide them when, as parents, the kids didn't think we knew anything. It's amazing how we "smartened up" over the years, tho'!
;-)

[Looking for Another District]

Lovely, I wonder how Fox news will spin this!

I honestly don't think this is about the $$$ anymore...it's about the disrespectful humiliating way the board has treated the teachers!

[Teachers are worth every penny]

My parents could afford a house and to send me to college. We could fill up our gas tank until the pump shut off automatically. We didn't buy produce at the 99 cent store and hope there wasn't mold on the bottom. All four of us could play soccer and baseball -- we didn't have to choose. It brings a tear to my eye whenever my son says, "Dad, I wish we could live with grandpa."

It is a shame what this board is doing to our teachers.

[Reality Check]

David Salahi, get yourself down to the Taj and sign the petitions there!

[MV Mom]

Dedicated Teacher,

I really admire you. You have a job that really makes a difference, which in this day and age can be difficult to find. Every day I go to a job that I admit, is pretty boring and just consider it something to pay the bills. I am proud to send my kids to schools in this district because I know how dedicated these teachers are and how much they have helped my kids succeed.

[Love to teach]

Dear Dedicated Teacher, I feel the exact same way! This board may be a temporary cancer in our district, but they will NOT break me! It is my passion for the children and this livelihood we have chosen that has always and will always keep me going!

I am also shocked at how the OCR bloggers view teachers. Never once in my life have I looked in the mirror and seen a "greedy", "self-centered", "entitled" teacher (who doesn't care about children), looking back at me! Never!!! I resent the fact that the bloggers (with no life - because they are online ALL DAY LONG)...can be so prejudging of a whole group of such caring educators. Are they really so shallow to believe that because we are teachers we are also cookie cutters. I think they must have missed out on their own education. Very sad.

I can only speak for my school, but I don't know one person who is represented by these definitions! I have vowed to stop reading the tacky, uneducated responses to Martindale's biased articles. They have made me sick - literally!