Remember – don’t ask questions, do as your told and “stand united”!
There’s another union-sponsored “parent information” meeting tomorrow. This time it’s at Palm Lane Park and the guest speaker is Julio Perez, the left-wing executive director of the Orange County Labor Federation and the theme is “Let’s Stand United, Don’t Be Divided.”
You see, when parents empower themselves and band together to exercise their legal right to convert their failing school into an independent public charter school, that is being “divisive.” Not asking questions, going along with the program and accepting the status quo – that’s “standing united.”
Why does this issue concern the chief officer of the OC Labor Federation? The Anaheim Elementary Education Association isn’t a member union, but it’s reasonable to assume a goodly number of the Palm Lane parents who signed the Parent Trigger petition are members of OCLF-affiliated unions. Why would Perez oppose their desire to gain control of the destinies of their children and their school? According to its mission statement, the OCLF is committed to fighting for the rights of working families? In the case of Palm Lane Elementary, these working families are fighting for their rights under state law. Does solidarity with another union trump solidarity with actual working families? Perez has supported hunger fasting in support of granting immediate amnesty and fast-tracked citizenship for illegal immigrants, but tomorrow he’ll be part of using free food to oppose immigrant families working to obtain a better education for their children?
I’m going!
332 Palm Lane parents signed petitions to lawfully transform their chronically underperforming school into an independent, public charter school.
I guess when parents form a “union” to get things done, some of these high paid guys just can’t seem to tolerate it…
The parents have spoken–and when almost 67% of the school’s parents sign a petition demanding change, it sounds like solidarity to me.
We’ll see, Gloria, how many parents “in solidarity” will l cry foul at the Board meeting for your petition-gathering tactics. Don’t know the outcome, but very interested in what everyone has to say. We will see you there, right?
I want to retract “cry foul” from my previous reply and change it to “cry feline”. I’ll explain why.
You see, I have this marvelous cat. Its been a member of the family 15 years. I called my cat “the Boss” because, until recently, he was strong and silent, big and undefeatable. It was a primo bird and mouse catcher. A few years ago it looked like he might die. He lost his size, strength, and his influence among the neighborhood cats who, by now, were eating all the food we put out for him.
But this cat was smart. He learned to stand at the door and meow to any person who came in or out. He was relentless (try 10 minutes of loud meowing). Family and friends learned the only way to shut him up was to give him food. For their own peace, they did.
It reminds me of your paid petition-gatherers. They relentlessly knocked on doors and persisted with noncomplying parents to get signatures. Parents were presented with convenient truths. The petition-gatherers out-smarted many. But not for long.
Parent voices will still be heard and their wishes honored – even if it takes time.
Everyone can get along in support of our kids. Let’s just not step on the cat’s tail! Everyone’s gonna run!
Looks like this Thursday has the agenda item to determine if the petition is “valid”.
The superintendent is not making the normal recommendation to approve (or even disapprove). Ironically the next item on the agenda is to seek a “waiver” to cut TK hours below the state requirement.
There are parents who made the choice not to sign the petition. Do they not have the right to stand united and do what they feel is in the best interest of their children? Or are they not from hard working families who deserve a voice? So am I to assume only the parents who agree with the trigger actually care about the well being of their children? The parents are divided as a result of this petition. How is that the fault of any union?
How unfortunate for you to live life only seeing issues from one perspective. I realize this is simply a blog and not investigative reporting, so you aren’t required to validate any facts; however, in my opinion, I still find it irresponsible.
Every parent gets a choice, the choice to put their child in the new charter school or the choice to keep their child in a failure school with teachers that resist any attempts at improvement and instead file grievances against principals who try to turn a failing school around, with administration that won’t listen to them, and with a board that will cut off their microphones and retreat to a “closed-door” special meeting to plot against them. With the new charter school, every parent gets a choice.
Ah yes, it’s been too long since you reminded everyone that this is all about that poor principal who did so much to turn the school around. What exactly did he do again?
The principal got removed and demoted because unionized teachers exerted their power. If you blame anyone, blame the unionized teachers at Palm Lane. They had a chance. They made their choice.
The teachers at Palm Lane demoted the principal? You’re delusional.
I’ll bet there are teachers everywhere who would love to know how to “unionize” to get rid of their principal. Wouldn’t this happen all the time if it was that easy?
[Editor’s note: after publishing many comments from “John,” his comments have spiraled downward into crudity and false, malicious personal attacks. Therefore, “John” is no longer allowed to comment here. Contrary viewpoints are not prohibited, but the kind of behavior exhibited by “John” is.]
John’s responses are considered crude, but Free Food for Hungry People’s comment is left up? Okay then.
Actually, I hadn’t seen that very offensive comment. But thank you for calling it to my attention so I could take it down. Whoever that is is now barred from commenting here.
It has been noted well publicly “shared” that multiple ACSD board members have shared this event or posting of the upcoming event on their facebook accounts coincidence who knows for sure? It will only be a matter of time before things get unravelled. Also Mr.Cunningham (and people who have answers) if the parents would of select the option to restart the school with completely new teachers and administration wouldn’t they have had the opportunity to put Dr.Baeza in the principal position again? And If Palm Lane does become a charter do you think, [the outside agency that conducts the teacher and administration hiring] will extend an offer for Dr.Baeza to be principal. My reason for asking is, it seems to be noted the parents enjoyed Dr.Baeza and the school was supposedly doing better when he was there, and it seems the ACSD could have avoided this whole mess if they wouldn’t have demoted Dr.Baeza.
You have posed a very interesting question Halleri. Would Baeza be willing to leave his school district job, with its union protections, to take a possibly lower paying job with big business that has no protections. Dr. Baeza?
I think the more interesting point is that the “ACSD could’ve avoided this whole mess if they hadn’t demoted Baeza.” Makes it seem like this is about him…not the kids or the school. It is so sad that a disgruntled employee is using the students of Palm Lane as a pawn. I’m sorry, but why isn’t anyone wondering more about what exactly he did to get removed?? Of course he’s going to tell the world he’s innocent. Everyone on death row is too. Oh, and like just about every law abiding employer, the District can’t release personnel information. How convenient.
To Chuck:
It makes sense to stay within the ACSD due to him having more of a job security, but i do think he would be paid more than he makes right now as a teacher to become a Charter school principal.
To K.S.:
I do not know your opinion or stance on the ACSD but I would like to educate you in certain things;: “[ACSD could’ve avoided this whole mess if they hadn’t demoted Baeza.] Makes it seem like this is about him…not the kids or the school.” obviously I did ask about him so it is about him. Also “I’m sorry, but why isn’t anyone wondering more about what exactly he did to get removed?? Of course he’s going to tell the world he’s innocent. Everyone on death row is too. Oh, and like just about every law abiding employer, the District can’t release personnel information. How convenient.” does innocent till proven guilty ring a bell. As stated in multiple articles involving Dr. Baeza not even he knows why he got demoted or what his investigation was about. (e.i. http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2014/05/anaheim_educator_roberto_baeza.php) also if you even looked at all the Archived articles about Palm Lane it even mentions the school was getting back on track with the parents actually enjoying him as principal (http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2014/06/robert_baeza_anaheim_principal_jose_moreno.php). In another note Dr.Baeza has a track record of getting under performing schools back on track (he became principal of benito juarez in the year of 08-09 to 12-13 in that time span the overall API only went up from 2008-757, 2009-766, 2010-776, 2011-816, and 2012-820 http://api.cde.ca.gov/reports/API/APISearchName.asp?TheYear=&cTopic=API&cLevel=School&cName=juarez&cCounty=&cTimeFrame=S) also granted the Principal doesn’t “teach” but executed a plan very well. I don’t know him personally but if you followed this story since the beginning its easy assume why i asked that question instead of just saying nonsense that he some sort of vendetta against the ACSD.
I believe your intent was to enlighten me; however, it will take more than reading through a few opinion blogs.
With regard to getting the school back on track, I’m not sure how it is possible to turn around a school people are claiming was off track for 12 years in the 5 minutes he was there. The interim principals accomplished more for the school than he did.
The API data provided is from a test that isn’t even being used anymore. It is as irrelevant as the archived blogs.
Vendetta against the district? Absolutely. To say otherwise is comical. Ask anyone who does know him. Hell, ask him. If he has one ounce of integrity, he will at least be truthful about that.