This from Jenna Chandler at the Capistrano Patch site:
I learned firsthand last week that the cost of getting public information from the Capistrano Unified School District comes with a big price—$269,064.95.
I believe that this over-the-top price tag is the latest in a series of moves to deter Patch from learning how the school board enacted restorations of teacher salaries and school days and what message the district wanted the public to hear about those restorations.
It would take 3,272.50 hours at a cost of $82.22 hourly to retrieve the copies of the communications Patch is attempting to obtain between district staffers, trustees, Teamsters, unions, etc., since December about the restoration, district spokesman Marcus Walton wrote in an e-mail to Patch on March 9. Walton said that because the district's backup and storage policy for e-mail was created for disaster recovery and discovery purposes, it does not have an e-mail archiving server solution for easy access.
Ha. That didn't stop them from hacking into W. Carter's email and his girlfriend's email and reading his private messages. Then they printed them out for all to see. They were ok with the cost back then and it wasn't even close the figure listed here. Ha.
Posted by: Puhleeeeze | March 14, 2011 at 07:54 PM
I just read the rant on patch. There is only a difficult to read picture of the request... It does seem quite comprehensive, if not a little insane:
...All written communication(to include and not be limited to email correspondence, reports from staff, memos, notes) exchanged between staffers; staffers and trustees; staffers and CUEA, CSEA, Teamsters and CUMA representatives; staffers and members of the media; trustee to any person not employed by the district and between trustees and trustees between Dec.3 31 2010 and the day the records are made available regarding the restoration of two instructional days and teacher salaries in accordance with the "Restoration Language" (Exchibit A) , including.......
Posted by: Joe | March 14, 2011 at 08:03 PM
I have copied my Patch comment here.
"I believe that this over-the-top price tag is the latest in a series of moves to deter Patch from learning how the school board enacted restorations of teacher salaries and school days and what message the district wanted the public to hear about those restorations." Jenna Chandler, Patch
Where is the rest of the "series"? What "series"? Please explain?
I realize the above article is an opinion piece but real unbiased journalism is supposed to be based on fact.
If the district has done something wrong then investigate it and report what has happened.
In the above opinion piece Jenna Chandler, as the editor, has accused the district of something without proof. She does not like what happened so she writes her opinion of what, "she believes".
This is what is wrong with todays journalism both fox news and CNN. "Reporters" don't simply report facts but report their opinion as facts and their opinion is biased. And everything is assumed to be a cover up if it is hard to actually investigate the facts. In this instant gratification world then if it isn't instant then it is a cover up.
Real journalists do their investigation and research and then report on the facts not report and make assumptions about the difficulties of doing their job.
What exactly is she reporting above? What the board did or how difficult her job is? And because her job researching the facts becomes difficult it is a cover up?
Opinion reported as facts are why people do not believe in "journalists" anymore.
Posted by: shelly | March 15, 2011 at 07:06 AM
Jenna has drunk the kool-aid. In her zeal to be an "investigative" reporter she is falling right in the hands of those who continue to try to tear apart our district. Hopefully she will be able to open her eyes and see what is happening. Perhaps reading the 350 page agenda posted on the district website about the eeting on Wednesday might help. It hasn't always been this way but the district (and superintendent) have been VERY open and willing to do the research and present the actual facts.
Posted by: Read the Agenda Jenna! | March 15, 2011 at 07:15 AM
Wow... here we go again! Same old folks stirring up phantom issues. What happened to the last lawsuit that they filed? Oh that's right, they cashed in on the district's dime and nothing came of the legal case against Fleming. Does make for good propaganda to the public though.
Regarding the patch, I cannot believe the behavior of their "journalists." Trying to get to the bottom of an issue is one thing, but to take what Marcus Walton said out of context in a clearly hostile way is not professional. If you are printing the facts, print them. I imagine that the patch will not find anyone, other than the Beals and the like, who will want to give them a quote. While I know that there is a risk when talking to the press, but if you know that the person you are dealing with is ethical, then there is more willingness to cooperate.
One more thing, my understanding is that the patch makes money everytime someone clicks onto their website. I will no longer be adding to their bottomline.
Posted by: Just the facts, ma'am | March 15, 2011 at 10:03 AM
Tony Beall can afford that. That's one way to get our money back.
Posted by: fact finder | March 15, 2011 at 05:33 PM
Read the article - certainly not clicking there again! It is great to see the true transparency that is now at our district office. The superintendent may have been hired by the "old guard" but he follows the lead of his "bosses" and this current board seems to approach things differently than the last one. Follow the law, do the right thing and when questioned, be sure all the facts are made public - in a public meeting. I am sure Jenna is free to interview anyone from the district or even the board to get her information. Unfortunately she has taken a combative posture (rather than just reporting the news) so that may make things tough.
Posted by: Welcome Back Kotter | March 15, 2011 at 06:50 PM
Jenna is trying to be SJC's very own Glenn Beck. Agreed, her combative posture has brought greatly diminished her credibility.
Posted by: Daniel | March 15, 2011 at 07:30 PM
Why should you do research and get facts when you're just going to spew accusations and assume the worst. Geez.
Posted by: seriously? | March 15, 2011 at 07:39 PM
I thought Patch was going to be a breath of fresh air and an unbiased, LOCAL alternative to the Register. Man, was I wrong! Those Patch people are really weird. They seem to think they are real gifts to the entire profession of journalism, for one thing, and they don't have the slightest concept of the difference between fact and opinion. Yeah, I know Jenna's piece was supposed to be opinion but even opinion pieces are supposed to be even-handed and unemotional.
Posted by: Fox and Hounds | March 15, 2011 at 08:36 PM