[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:09]
GOOD EVENING. I'M CALLING THE DECEMBER 19TH, 2024 SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ORDER, PER GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION FOUR 9594. WAIT. 54950 AT SEQUITUR AND EDUCATION CODE SECTION 35140 EXECUTOR AT THE DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL CENTER, 1301 EAST ORANGETHORPE AVENUE IN PLACENTIA AT 401. THE SUBJECT OF THE CALL IS LISTED ON THE AGENDA. CAN YOU
[2. SUBJECT OF THE CALL]
PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, BOTH BORN AND UNBORN. OKAY, I SEE THAT ALL FIVE BOARD MEMBERS ARE HERE TODAY. SO EVERYONE IS HERE. THANK YOU. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA FOR[5. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
TODAY? I'LL MAKE A MOTION. WE APPROVE THE AGENDA FOR DECEMBER 19TH, 2024 SPECIAL MEETING.SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION BY MRS. BUCK AND A SECOND BY MRS. QUINTERO. ANY COMMENTS? I HAVE A COMMENT. MARILYN ANDERSON NEEDS TO RECUSE HERSELF FROM THE CLOSED SESSION AGENDA ITEMS. AS WE AS A BOARD SHOULD NOT APPROVE THIS AGENDA. AND WE SHOULD MOVE FOR IMMEDIATE, IMMEDIATE DISMISSAL OF THIS BOARD MEETING ON TUESDAY NIGHT AT THE BOARD MEETING, MARILYN ANDERSON WAS DISHONEST TO THE BOARD ABOUT HER HR CLAIMS. IT'S PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. DOCTOR TURNER SAYS AN HR CLAIM AGAINST HER FROM MONTHS BEFORE, AS WELL AS ANOTHER ADMINISTRATOR IN OUR DISTRICT.
THE CLAIM WAS A HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT. MARILYN ALSO STATED IN HER CAMPAIGN LITERATURE THAT $1.9 MILLION WAS TRANSFERRED FROM THE VALENCIA KITCHEN TO UC, AND THAT WAS DEEMED NOT TRUE.
DOCTOR TURNER HAS FILED A DEFAMATION HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT LAWSUIT AGAINST ANDERSON. ON 12, 18 AND AT 4 P.M, MARILYN ANDERSON HAD SCHEDULED A SPECIAL BOARD MEETING TO POSSIBLY TERMINATE OR PUT ON ADMIN LEAVE. DOCTOR TURNER AND ISAIAH GATES. THIS IS RETALIATORY IN ACTION AND LEAVES THE DISTRICT OPEN TO MORE POTENTIAL LITIGATION. MARILYN ANDERSON HAS SENT PALOS VERDES USD A PR, A PR, A REQUEST FOR DOCTOR CHERNUS AND A PREVIOUS PALOS VERDES EMPLOYEE. THERE WAS A CONFIDENTIAL MATTER INVOLVING ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES NAMED MARILYN WAS NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO DID A PR REQUEST. MARILYN APL PRESIDENT LINDA MANION.
FORMER EMPLOYEE RICHARD MCCLENDON, AND PYLUSD INFO SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE ALSO MADE THE SAME REQUEST USING THE SAME LANGUAGE AND DURING THE SAME TIME FRAME. IT IS TO BE NOTED THAT RL, RR, WHICH IS ON OUR AGENDA FOR APPROVAL TONIGHT, IS ALSO THE FIRM. PALOS VERDES USD IS IN CONTRACT WITH. I'M CALLING FOR AN IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION INTO WHO FROM PALOS VERDES USD, THE LAW FIRM OR ANOTHER FIRM. THE SUPERINTENDENT AND INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT, OR A BOARD MEMBER IN QUESTION WHO LEAKED THE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION EITHER TO MARILYN ANDERSON, LINDA MANION, RICHARD MCCLENDON, OR THE PYLUSD INFO PAGE. MARILYN ANDERSON HAS POSSIBLY BEEN COLLUDING WITH CURRENT EMPLOYEES, PAST EMPLOYEES, AND A POSSIBLE, POSSIBLY LAW FIRM TO FIND INFORMATION ON DOCTOR CHERNUS IN ORDER TO ATTEMPT TERMINATION. I'M ASKING UNTIL WE KNOW THE DEPTH OF MARILYN ANDERSON'S RELATIONSHIP WITH RICHARD MCCLENDON AND LINDA MANION, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT AND DONATED 40 TO $50,000 TO HER CAMPAIGN OR PUT IT TOWARDS HER REELECTION THAT SHE RECUSES HIMSELF FROM WHATEVER IS ON CLOSED SESSION PERTAINING TO RICHARD MCCLENDON, DOCTOR ALEX CHERNUS AND DOCTOR ISAIAH GATES. I WOULD LIKE AN IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION INTO POSSIBLE COLLUSION. FURTHER, THE NIGHT OF THE BOARD MEETING ON 1217, A SOURCE REACHED OUT AND SAID THAT THERE WAS A BOMB ABOUT TO BE DROPPED IN OUR DISTRICT. I KNOW WHAT SITE, WHAT SCHOOL SITE. I KNOW THE TEACHERS. I KNOW EVERY BIT OF THIS INFORMATION. AND SO WHAT IS THE BOMB THAT DROPPED? THE BOMB DROPPED YESTERDAY? THEY STATED THIS WAS ALL GOING TO HAPPEN ON WEDNESDAY MORNING, JUST AS IT DID. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT ON 1212 AND 1213, CARRIE BUCK AND MARILYN ANDERSON ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE LAW FIRM ATKINSON, ANDELSON, LOYO, LOYA, ROMO AND RUDD ON THE AGENDA WITH WITH THE CONTRACT TO TODD ROBBINS, A FORMER ATTORNEY IN THE DISTRICT. THIS DID NOT GO THROUGH THE NORMAL RFP PROCEDURES, AND THE CONTRACT WAS SENT DIRECTLY FROM CARRIE BUCK TO DOCTOR CHERNUS. THIS REQUEST FELL OUTSIDE THE TEN DAY WINDOW FOR BOARD MEMBERS TO PLACE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. WHEN DOCTOR CHERNUS REFUSED TO PLACE THE
[00:05:03]
ITEM ON THE ON THE ON THE AGENDA, PER OUR BOARD BYLAWS, CARRIE BUCK DEMANDED HE DO SO AND STATED SHE WAS GOING TO ACCUSE HIM OF INSUBORDINATION IF HE DID NOT. AND THIS IS ALL ON EMAIL. THIS WAS INAPPROPRIATE, IN VIOLATION OF OUR BOARD BYLAWS. AS TO ONE BOARD MEMBER CANNOT DIRECT. THE SUPERINTENDENT. CARRIE WAS ADVISED SEVERAL WEEKS AGO THAT SHE WAS BREAKING BOARD BYLAWS ONCE AGAIN, WHEN SHE ALSO ATTEMPTED TO DIRECT THE ACTION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT WITHOUT BOARD ACTION OR AUTHORITY. TODD ROBBINS AND RL RR WERE REMOVED AS OUR LAW FIRM IN 2023. WE FOUND ILLEGAL CONTRACTS, WE HAD CONSISTENT GOVERNMENT CODE VIOLATIONS, AND HIS DEMEANOR IN THE BOARD MEETING TOWARDS CONSERVATIVES WERE LESS THAN PROFESSIONAL. THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY IS IN RECEIPT OF POSSIBLE GOVERNMENT CODE VIOLATIONS, 1090 VIOLATIONS, AND ALSO OTHER INCIDENTS, AND IS CURRENTLY AT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE BEING EVALUATED. DOES ANYONE FIND IT STRANGE THAT THEY WANT A CHANGE IN LAW FIRM TO THIS ATTORNEY FROM THE PAST? ON THE SAME DAY THAT AN EMPLOYEE TURNS IN A POTENTIAL CLAIM? THIS APPEARS TO BE A COORDINATED ATTACK, AND I'M CALLING FOR AN IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION INTO LR. CARRIE BUCK, MARILYN ANDERSON, THE TEACHERS UNION, AND THE EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE BEEN NAMED IN OUR DISTRICT TO HAVE BEEN COLLUDING WITH THESE PARTIES.THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ORCHESTRATED EVENT. FURTHER, WE SHOULD NOT APPROVE ANY LAW FIRM TODAY UNTIL WE HEAR FROM THE DISTRICT'S ATTORNEY OFFICE THAT THE STATUS OF THESE POTENTIAL INVESTIGATIONS ARE CLEAR, AND IF THERE WILL BE AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS ATTORNEY AND THIS LAW FIRM, I WILL BE FILING A STATE BAR LICENSE CLAIM FOR AGAINST TODD ROBBINS, FOR WORKING WITH BOARD MEMBERS WITHOUT A CONTRACT. MARILYN ANDERSON IS ALSO REFUSING TO RELEASE THE NAME OF THE KSBA ATTORNEY, WHO SHE NAMED IN THE DECEMBER 10TH BOARD MEETING, AND WHO SHE CITED IN IMPROPER USE OF EDUCATION CODE THAT ACTUALLY RESULTED IN A VOTE WITH A BOARD MEMBER. I'M ASKING THAT SHE REVEAL THE NAME SO WE CAN ALSO FILE A STATE BAR LICENSE CLAIM AGAINST THE ATTORNEY AND KSBA FOR WORKING WITH BOARD MEMBERS WITHOUT A CONTRACT. AT THE KSBA CONFERENCE, WE WERE NOT IN ANY CONTRACT OR MEMBERSHIP WITH THE KSBA AT THAT TIME OF THEIR CONVERSATION, AND SHE TOOK THIS ATTORNEY'S ADVICE AND BROUGHT IT FORTH IN A BOARD MEETING, WHICH DID AFFECT THE VOTE OF BOARD MEMBERS. ANY MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS AGENDA TONIGHT WILL BE RETALIATORY. AND DUE TO THE EVIDENCE OF POSSIBLE COLLUSION WITH ATTORNEYS, THE TEACHERS UNION LEADERSHIP, EMPLOYEES, FORMER EMPLOYEES, WE CANNOT MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT AN INVESTIGATION. IF WE DO MOVE FORWARD, I AM ASKING THAT MARILYN ANDERSON RECUSE HERSELF FROM THE RICHARD MCCLENDON AGENDA ITEM AND ALSO FROM THE DOCTOR, ALEX CHERNISS AND DOCTOR ISAIAH GATES, UNTIL A FULL INVESTIGATION IS CONDUCTED, WHEN IT HAS COME TO THE STUDENTS IN OUR DISTRICT, MARILYN ANDERSON HAS CONSISTENTLY SAID SHE WANTS TO TABLE PROGRAMS, FORWARD THINKING AND PROGRESS. HER RUSH INTO THIS WILL NO DOUBT CAUSE THE DISTRICT FINANCIAL DISTRESS.
SHE NEEDS TO TAKE HER OWN ADVICE AND TABLE THIS MATTER. LET'S HAVE A VOTE. YOU MIGHT WANT TO ROLL CALL. ARE YOU REQUESTING? ARE YOU REQUESTING A ROLL CALL? OKAY. ROLL CALL, MRS. BLADES. NO. MRS. QUINTERO, I. MR. FRAZIER. NO. MRS. BUCK, I AND I'M ALSO. AND I. SO MOTION CARRIES. OKAY. PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE FOYER. CARDS
[6. PUBLIC COMMENT]
MUST BE COMPLETED AND TURNED IN PRIOR TO THE DESIGNATED TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. PROVIDE A MAXIMUM OF THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. IF TRANSLATION IS NEEDED, AN ADDITIONAL THREE MINUTES WILL BE GIVEN. PLEASE LET US KNOW. IF WE KNOW AHEAD OF TIME WE CAN ENSURE WE ARE PREPARED. CIVILITY POLICY EDUCATION CODE 220 PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF GENDER, DISABILITY, GENDER IDENTITY, GENDER EXPRESSION, NATIONALITY, RACE OR ETHNICITY, RELIGION, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, OR ANY OTHER CHARACTERISTIC THAT IS CONTAINED IN THE DEFINITION OF HATE CRIMES AS SET FORTH IN SECTION 422.55 OF THE PENAL CODE, INCLUDING IMMIGRATION STATUS. SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE. 14, 15, 16, 17 SPEAKERS, AND ACCORDING TO OUR BYLAW, EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN 1.5 MINUTES. SO AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD WILL NOW HEAR PUBLIC[00:10:06]
COMMENT ON THE SUBJECT OF THE OF THE MEETING ONLY. AGAIN, WE CAN ONLY COMMENT ON AGENDIZED ITEMS IF YOU ARE SPEAKING OUT AGAINST SOMETHING OR TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER THING, I WILL ASK YOU TO STICK TO THE AGENDA. OKAY? ARE WE ALL CLEAR? OKAY, WELL, THE FIRST FOUR PEOPLE WE HAVE LINDA COHN. STEVE. SO. SOC IS SAFA. SAFKA. SAFKA, ANDY FALCO AND ANGELA EILERS. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. PRESIDENT ANDERSON, WHAT'S THE EMERGENCY? WHY ARE WE HAVING THIS MEETING? WHENEVER I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BROWN ACT, MY GO TO PERSON IS THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION PRESIDENT, DOCTOR KEN WILLIAMS. HE'S ONLY BEEN THERE FOR ABOUT 26 YEARS. AND WHILE, GRANTED, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WHO MAY NOT AGREE WITH HIS STANCE ON A LOT OF THINGS, HE DOES KNOW THE BROWN ACT, THE AGENDA ITEMS SIMPLY DO NOT MEET THE DEFINITION OF THE EMERGENCY AGENDA ITEM REQUIREMENTS. UNLESS, OF COURSE, THERE ARE CRIMINAL ACTS INVOLVED. THIS MEETING SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN PLACE. LET'S SIMPLY ADJOURN, GO HOME AND GET BACK TO THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS. SINCE I HAVE A FEW SECONDS LEFT, I'D SIMPLY LIKE TO THANK TRUSTEE QUINTERO FOR A STATEMENT THAT SHE MADE THAT I THINK IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. THIS IS A DIRECT TRANSCRIPT OF HER SPEECH ON NOVEMBER THE 19TH, 2024. EXCUSE ME. I HAVE TO SAY, SOMEONE IS AFRAID OF POSSIBLE FIRINGS IS ABSOLUTELY UNFOUNDED. THANK YOU, TRUSTEE QUINTERO. WE TRUST YOU WILL STAND BY THOSE WORDS. STEVE. MRS. ANDERSON, WHAT A BEACON OF LEADERSHIP YOU ARE IN JUST YOUR FIRST WEEK, YOU'VE TRULY EMBRACED THE SAYING POWER CORRUPTS AND ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY. OF COURSE. IT'S JUST NOT YOUR POWER THAT'S AT PLAY. IT'S THE POWER OF THE TEACHERS UNION PULLING YOUR STRINGS WHILE YOU HAPPILY AND NOD YOUR HEAD AND BOB ALONG.SUCH INSPIRED DEVOTION. I MEAN, WHY WASTE YOUR TIME CONSIDERING ALL OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS THAT THIS DISTRICT HAS ACHIEVED UNDER DOCTOR CHERNUS? WHY WASTE TIME LISTENING TO PARENTS, STUDENTS OR TAXPAYERS WHEN THE UNION'S AGENDA IS SO CONVENIENTLY LAID OUT FOR YOU? WHO NEEDS BALANCED LEADERSHIP, ACCOUNTABILITY, OR EVEN THE ABILITY TO THINK FOR YOURSELF WHEN RUBBER STAMPING IS SO MUCH MORE, LESS OR SO MUCH LESS LABOR INTENSIVE FOR YOU? AFTER ALL, WHY SERVE THE WHOLE COMMUNITY WHEN CATERING TO MINIONS, MINIONS SECURES YOUR ALLEGIANCE ALLIANCES? BUT HERE'S THE THING ABOUT POWER IT'S NOT AS ABSOLUTE AS YOU MIGHT THINK. THIS COMMUNITY DOES HAVE A VOICE, AND WHEN LEADERS AND I USE THAT TERM VERY LOOSELY WHEN IT'S APPLIED TO YOU, FORGET THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO SERVE. THAT VOICE TENDS TO GET LOUDER. SO WHILE YOU'RE BASKING IN IN THE LIGHT OF MAKING WAVES TODAY, IT MIGHT BE WORTH CONSIDERING HOW MUCH MORE NEWS YOU COULD MAKE IF YOU WERE TIED TO A RECALL. THAT WOULD CERTAINLY CEMENT YOUR LEGACY, WOULDN'T IT? YOUR ACTIONS ARE DISGRACEFUL, AND THAT'S AN EXTREME UNDERSTATEMENT.
AFTER FOUR YEARS FOR I'M SORRY, AFTER FOUR DECADES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, I'VE LOOKED EYE TO EYE TO CHILD MOLESTERS, RAPISTS, MURDERERS. AND I'M NOT SURE BETWEEN THE THREE OF YOU, QUINTERO, BUCK AND ANDERSON, THAT I'VE SEEN MORE SOULLESSNESS IN ANYBODY ELSE THAN THE THREE OF YOU. YOU HAVE THE BEST SUPERINTENDENTS, THE BEST EXECUTIVE STAFF THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS EVER HAD, MAKING MORE CHANGES, POSITIVE CHANGES, CREATING INNOVATIVE WAYS OF EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN. AND YOU DEMONIZE THEM. QUINTERO HIRES A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR TO FOLLOW ME TO MY CHURCH, AND HAVE ME SERVED IN FRONT OF MY CONGREGATION TO EMBARRASS ME,
[00:15:02]
SHE EMAILS MY PASTOR'S POINT OF ORDER CAN YOU GET CONTROL, PLEASE? MY PASTOR'S THINKING THAT SHE'S GOING TO GET ME TO STOP FIGHTING FOR THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN AND THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN, OR EL. SASSER AND MATTHEWS DID NOTHING BUT TO DESTROY THIS DISTRICT. DOCTOR CURTIS AND DOCTOR GATES AND THE REST OF THE EXECUTIVE STAFF HAVE SAVED THIS DISTRICT, AND YOU ARE ABOUT TO DESTROY IT, JUST LIKE SANTA ANA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT HAVING TO FIRE 351 TEACHERS, JUST LIKE ORANGE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE TEACHERS UNION IS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CLOSE SCHOOLS AND FIRE TEACHERS. YOU ARE DOING THE SAME THING. YOU ARE AN EVIL PERSON. SO IS YOUR HUSBAND. FOR FOLLOWING CAMPAIGNERS AROUND AND THREATENING THEM AND INTIMIDATE THEM AND STEALING BANNERS. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU PLANNED ON DOING. AND I TOLD EVERYBODY THAT TRICIA QUINTERO WAS GOING TO DO THE EXACT THING THAT SHE'S DOING NOW, AND THAT IS A FACT. I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY OF OUR CIVILITY AND THAT WE ARE GOING TO RESPECT EVERY SPEAKER, WHETHER WE AGREE WITH THEM OR DISAGREE WITH THEM. SO IF WE CAN EVERYBODY JUST TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND RELAX. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER. EXCUSE ME.INSTABILITY BACK HERE, PLEASE. WHO CALLED ME AN IDIOT? THIS WOMAN OVER HERE IS CALLING PEOPLE OUT. IS HE? EXCUSE ME. MR. FALCO, YOU ARE INTERRUPTING OUR MEETING. POINT OF ORDER.
THERE'S SOMEONE IN THE BACK HARASSING PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE. CAN WE PLEASE ADDRESS THIS? TRUE, TRUE, TRUE. OKAY. YOU. DO I GET MY TIME OR YOUR. MISS? YEAH. LET'S YOU PLEASE BOTH POINTS OF VIEW. LET'S JUST REMEMBER THAT WE'RE ALL HERE FOR THE KIDS, AND WE ARE TRYING OUR BEST. WE MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT POINTS OF PERSPECTIVES, BUT WE NEED TO HEAR EVERYONE. OKAY, SO AGAIN, EVERYONE TAKE A DEEP BREATH. OKAY. MRS. EILERS. OKAY. MY NAME IS ANGELA EILERS. I'M HERE AS A PARENT, TAXPAYER, SCHOOL VOLUNTEER, AND COMMUNITY MEMBER. I AM NOT PART OF THE TEACHERS UNION, NOR AM I A MEMBER OF THE CABAL OR THE MAFIA THAT ONE COMMUNITY MEMBER LIKES TO THROW AROUND. I'M HERE BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT'S TIME FOR A LEADERSHIP CHANGE. NOT ONLY HAVE PARENTS BEEN BELITTLED, TEACHERS HARASSED AND INTIMIDATED, ALL WITH ZERO TRANSPARENCY, BUT ONCE I SAW AN APOLOGY LETTER WRITTEN TO AN INFAMOUS SET OF PARENTS WHO WERE SUING NOT ONLY OUR DISTRICT, BUT OUR BELOVED TEACHERS AT WALES, I HAD HAD ENOUGH. YOUR JOB AS A SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD PRESIDENT IS TO PROTECT YOUR STAFF AND THOSE STUDENTS THEY SERVE. YOU MADE A SPECTACLE OF YOURSELF AND ALLOWED AND HAPPILY ALLOWED YOURSELF TO BECOME AN ACCOMPLICE IN FRIVOLOUS LITIGATION AGAINST YOUR OWN PEOPLE, COSTING OUR DISTRICT HOW MUCH MONEY? NEXT TIME. NEXT TIME, STAND WITH YOUR TEACHERS AND NOT THE PEOPLE LOOKING FOR THEIR FIVE MINUTES OF FAME. OKAY, THE NEXT FOUR SPEAKERS IS TIM MURRAY. LORI KAYLOR, DAVID DE. AND JUDY DESJARDEN. YES, MR. MURRAY, YOUR FIRST. I AM ALSO SURPRISED THAT WE ARE MEETING AGAIN TODAY. AND TRICIA QUINTERO WAS ELECTED IN AREA ONE WITH OVER 10,000 VOTES. THAT'S MORE THAN ANY OF YOU GOT. TRICIA HAS BEEN A RESPECTED MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY FOR MANY YEARS.
I'VE LIVED IN THIS COMMUNITY MY ENTIRE LIFE. WHEN TRICIA WAS DISPARAGED, I SERVED MR. FALCO CEASE AND DESIST. THAT'S ME. I DRIVE A BLUE TESLA, AND I'M NOT A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR. WHY DID IT TAKE AN ELECTION? TO FIND OUT THAT THERE WERE ONLY 85 ENROLLED IN THE UNIVERSAL SPORTS INSTITUTE. I ASKED THAT QUESTION MANY TIMES. NO ONE WOULD ANSWER ME AT THESE PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THESE MEETINGS. NO ONE TOLD ME. NOW I KNOW IT TOOK A DAY TO FIND OUT. WHY DID WE JUST LEARN ABOUT $45,000 ON CHAIRS? WHY DIDN'T WE KNOW THAT BEFORE? WHERE WAS THAT IN THE BUDGET WE WERE PRESENTED? WHAT MORE ARE WE GOING TO LEARN IN THE COMING DAYS AND MONTHS? WHY WERE WE TRYING TO MAKE A
[00:20:01]
SCHOOL, AN INDEPENDENT CHARTER TO GET IT OFF THE PIO BOOKS? WHAT ARE WE HIDING? YOU OVERPLAYED YOUR HAND WHEN YOU FIRED JOEY DAVIS IN AREA ONE. EL DORADO HAS SPOKEN. THE VOTES WILL CONTINUE TO SPEAK FOR TRICIA. ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES. HAVE FUN.HELLO. I'M A RESIDENT OF ORANGE, BUT I HAVE GRANDCHILDREN IN THE PLACENTIA-YORBA LINDA SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND I AM A TEACHER. I HAVE A BACHELOR'S IN PSYCHOLOGY AND A MASTER'S IN EDUCATION. I WANT YOU TO KNOW, THOUGH, THAT THE UNION DOES NOT REFLECT MY VALUES. I AM AN ADVOCATE FOR PARENTS. I AM A PARENT AND A GRANDPARENT, AND I AM AN ADVOCATE FOR BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENTS WHO ARE ADVOCATES FOR PARENTS BECAUSE THEY ARE THE BEST ADVOCATES FOR THE CHILDREN. IF WE ARE ALL HERE FOR THE CHILDREN, THEN WE NEED TO BE ADVOCATES FOR THE FAMILIES, FOR THE PARENTS. AND I AM SO DISAPPOINTED IN BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE GETTING RID OF OUR OUR PEOPLE ON THE BOARD, THE PEOPLE IN THE SUPERINTENDENT POSITIONS WHO ARE THERE FOR THE KIDS. THIS HAS HAPPENED IN MY DISTRICT, ORANGE UNIFIED. IT'S HAPPENED IN SANTA ANA, AND IT HAPPENS WITH LIES. WE NEED HONESTY, WE NEED INTEGRITY, AND WE NEED TO BE FOR THE KIDS.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE. THANK YOU. SO I WANT TO UNDERSTAND THIS. WE HAD A MEETING. NOT, WHAT, MAYBE TWO WEEKS AGO, WHERE TWO OF THE BOARD MEMBERS SAT UP AND SAID, WE CANNOT VOTE ON THIS BECAUSE IT'S ILLEGAL. YET HERE WE ARE TODAY TALKING ABOUT AN HR MATTER WHERE YOU WERE FILED A LAWSUIT AND WHERE YOUR LAWSUIT WAS FILED AGAINST YOU. WE'RE NOW HERE TALKING ABOUT TAKING RETRIBUTION AGAINST THAT PERSON THAT IS ILLEGAL IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA BASED ON A LABOR BOARD. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF INTEGRITY IN YOUR BODY, YOU WILL NOT TAKE THIS VOTE BECAUSE IT IS ILLEGAL AND YOU ARE THE PEOPLE THAT SAID WE COULD NOT VOTE JUST TWO WEEKS AGO BECAUSE IT WAS AN ILLEGAL VOTE. EVEN THOUGH YOU WERE WRONG. AS COUNCIL COUNCILPERSON BLADES POINTED OUT EARLIER. HI, GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I HAVE TO SAY, I'M VERY SADDENED TO BE HERE AT THIS MEETING FOR THE AGENDA. DOCTOR CHERNISS WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHEN WE HAD THE DECLINE IN ENROLLMENT. HE'S DONE EVERYTHING HE CAN TO BRING FAMILIES BACK INTO THE SCHOOLS, THE STUDENTS, HE CARES ABOUT THEM. WE NEED DOCTOR GATES. HE IS HIS RESUME FOR RUNNING. HR IS A VERY, VERY HIGH. AND IT'S VERY SAD THAT WE ARE TREATING HIM THIS WAY. I ABSOLUTELY THINK YOU NEED TO REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO TRY TO REMOVE DOCTOR GATES AND DOCTOR CHERNISS. MY PREDICTION IS IF YOU DO THIS, YOU ARE GOING TO SEE A BIG DECLINE IN ENROLLMENT BECAUSE THE PARENTS ARE NOT GOING TO PUT UP WITH THIS. THEY ARE GOING TO PULL THEIR KIDS OUT LIKE THEY DID BEFORE. AND HE WAS ALL AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT? WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PULL KIDS OUT? THEN TEACHERS LOSE THEIR JOBS. SO YOU REALLY SHOULD THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING. AND I'M AGAIN, I CARE ABOUT THE KIDS. I CARE ABOUT THE SCHOOL. AND I JUST AM VERY, VERY UPSET ABOUT YOU THINKING YOU'RE GOING TO GET RID OF A OF TWO PEOPLE THAT HAVE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB AND THEIR STAFF. THANK YOU. THESE NEXT FOUR SPEAKERS WE HAVE ED GUNN, MATT WILKERSON, AMBER AND MARK FURY. HELLO. MY NAME IS ED GUNN. NOW THE THREE OF YOU, ANDERSON, BUCK QUINTERO, YOU GUYS ARE HERE
[00:25:12]
FOR THE EMPLOYEES, NOT THE CHILDREN. MR. CHERNUS AND MR. GATES ARE DOING A GREAT JOB, AND I WISH TO SEE THEM CONTINUE THAT JOB. UNIONS ARE FOR PAY, BENEFITS AND WORK CONDITIONS.NOW, THIS UNION RUNS THIS DISTRICT. DOES THIS MEAN THAT UNIONS NOW COLLECTIVELY BARGAIN WITHIN ITSELF THROUGH MINIONS, MINIONS? THE BOARD SHOULD REPRESENT THE PARENTS AND THE UNION SHOULD REPRESENT THE EMPLOYEES. THEN YOU WOULD HAVE ACTUAL NEGOTIATIONS. BY THE WAY, IS LINDA MANION BACK IN THE CLASSROOM YET? CRICKETS. AS UNIONS HAVE INCREASED IN THEIR POWER OVER OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND BOARDS, OUR CHILDREN HAVE SUFFERED AND GOTTEN DUMBER.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MATT WILKERSON, FATHER OF TWO. IT'S REMARKABLE HOW MUCH DAMAGE ONE PERSON CAN DO IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. DURING HIS TENURE, DOCTOR CHERNUS HAS FORCED DOZENS OF TALENTED PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS AND STAFF TO LEAVE THE DISTRICT. HE DESTROYED COUNTLESS CAREERS AND LIVES IN ORDER TO ADVANCE HIS OWN PERSONAL AGENDA. I PERSONALLY WITNESSED DOCTOR CHERNUS LIE REPEATEDLY IN ORDER TO PERSONALLY BENEFIT HIMSELF. HE SPENT THE PAST YEAR HIDING THE TRUE EXPENSE OF THE UC AND THE SEX, AND HE'S ALSO HIDDEN THE TRUE ATTENDANCE NUMBERS OF OUR DISTRICT. HE THEN TOUTED SUPPOSED GROWTH THAT HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR, BUT YET NONE OF THAT WAS ACTUALLY TRUE. I PERSONALLY, PERSONALLY WITNESSED HIS OPEN HOSTILITY TO BOARD MEMBERS WHO TRY AND GET INFORMATION TO DO THEIR JOBS. HE WOULD PROMISE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION BUT NEVER FOLLOW THROUGH. AND THEN WE'VE ALSO LEARNED THAT THE DISTRICT IS NOW OPERATING IN A DEFICIT DUE TO HIS POOR MANAGEMENT OF FAILING STAFF ROLES USING TEMPORARY FUNDS, WHICH IS JUST NOT DONE.
AND FINALLY, THE COUP DE GRAS. HE ATTEMPTED TO ENGINEER THE FRAUDULENT TRANSFER OF THE SCHOOL OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND THE UC TO AN INDEPENDENT CHARTER, THUS DEPRIVING THE DISTRICT OF MUCH NEEDED ADA FUNDS. HIS ULTIMATE GOAL WAS TO CREATE AN UNTOUCHABLE CHARTER SCHOOL THAT HE WOULD LIKELY RUN WITH NO OVERSIGHT. SINCE HE ARRIVED IN THIS DISTRICT, HIS ONLY GOAL WAS TO SERVE HIS PERSONAL AGENDA. IT'S TIME FOR THAT TO END TODAY.
HELLO! I'M HERE TODAY AS A CONCERNED PARENT, COMMUNITY MEMBER AND EMPLOYEE. THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME PERSONAL DIFFERENCES THAT NEED TO BE PUT ASIDE SO THAT BUSINESS CAN CONTINUE. OUR BUSINESS HERE IS TO EDUCATE AND OFFER OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP STUDENTS INTO PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WHEN THE SCHOOL BOARD NEEDED A SUPERINTENDENT, THEY USED A THIRD PARTY TO HIRE. THEY KEPT THE ENTIRE PROCESS ANONYMOUS AND HAD A FULL FIVE ZERO VOTE, UNANIMOUS FOR DOCTOR CHERNUS BASED SOLELY ON HIS SKILLS.
MERIT REFERENCES, HIS GENDER, RACE, RELIGION ALL OF THAT WERE UNKNOWN BECAUSE ALL THAT TRULY MATTERED WAS HIS CHARACTER, ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND GOALS. SINCE HE'S BEEN AT THE HELM, THERE HAS BEEN NO QUESTION THAT HIS GOAL IS KIDS FIRST. DOING WHAT IS BEST FOR THEM, INCLUDING RAISES FOR TEACHERS AND SPECIAL EDUCATION AIDES, AS HE IS WELL AWARE OF THEIR IMPACT ON KIDS.
SO MUCH MISINFORMATION HAS SWIRLED AROUND SINCE THE TEACHERS UNION HAS BEEN ASKED TO STEP BACK INTO THEIR LANE AND DOES NOT HAVE CONTROL OVER EVERYTHING. HOWEVER, WE NEED TO TAKE AN UNBIASED LOOK AT WHAT HAS TAKEN PLACE OVER THESE LAST FEW YEARS AND NOT LET IT ALL GO TO WASTE. SURE, THE PROGRAMS AND UPGRADES MIGHT NOT BE DIRECTLY AFFECTING YOU, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR CHILD, BUT LOOK AT THE STUDENTS THAT IT HAS HELPED. THE MONEY SPENT ON UC HAD TO BE TOWARDS A BRAND NEW PROGRAM. IT COULD NOT BE ON ANYTHING EXISTING, AND MAYBE IT'S NOT THE PROGRAM THAT YOU WANTED, BUT IT IS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS WITHIN OUR DISTRICT. SURE, IT HAS SOME KINKS TO BE WORKED OUT AS ANY NEW PROGRAM WOULD, BUT MY DAUGHTER, WHO IS ATTENDING UC, IS THOROUGHLY ENJOYING HERSELF, GROWING AND THRIVING IN A UNIQUE WAY. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO TURN INTO UNIFIED ORANGE, UNIFIED OR SANTA ANA. PLEASE DON'T TOSS THE WHOLE APPLE CART. MARK. MARK FURY I TOO DISMAYED ABOUT HOW QUICKLY THIS MEETING OCCURRED AFTER JUST TWO DAYS. IF YOU LOOK AT THE BYLAWS, SOMEBODY ALREADY POINTED IT OUT. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE DEFINITION OF AN EMERGENCY, AND THIS MEETING SHOULD NOT BE TAKING PLACE. AND IF YOU ARE TRULY INTERESTED IN THE KIDS, YOU WOULD HAVE NEVER CALLED THIS MEETING. THIS HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH
[00:30:04]
THE KIDS ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS. AND THEN ON THE AGENDA, IT'S REALLY HARD TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU'RE GOING TO HIRE A LAW FIRM TODAY AND THEN GO INTO CLOSED SESSION TO TALK ABOUT RELIEVING TWO PEOPLE OF THEIR DUTIES. WHAT IS THE CURRENT LAW FIRM HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS? DID YOU RUN IT BY THEM TO SEE IF THIS WAS A LEGAL MEETING? YOU CAN ANSWER, SURE YOU CAN. WE DON'T DIALOG WITH THE WITH THE PUBLIC. WE'LL READ THE BYLAWS. YOUR LAW FIRM. OKAY. OUR NEXT FOUR SPEAKERS.RAQUEL FLESHNER, SUE SAWYER. JOCELYN AND EMILY. SORRY, WHICH NAME IS CALLED FIRST? NAME? RAQUEL. OKAY. SORRY. THANKS. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS RAQUEL. I AM AN EDUCATOR AND MOM OF THREE IN THE DISTRICT. THE VOTERS OF PYLUSD HAVE SPOKEN CLEARLY AND DECISIVELY. THEY'VE SENT A MESSAGE THAT RESONATES LOUD AND CLEAR. THEY WANT OUR SCHOOLS TO FOCUS ON WHAT TRULY MATTERS THE EDUCATION AND WELL-BEING OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. THEY'VE REJECTED THE DISTRACTIONS OF PARTIZAN POLITICS, AND REAFFIRMED THEIR COMMITMENT TO A DISTRICT THAT PUTS QUALITY EDUCATION AND STUDENTS FIRST. PART OF RETURNING TO THAT FOCUS IS RESTORING THE SYSTEMS AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT ONCE SUPPORTED AN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION AND STUDENT FIRST AGENDA, AND EXCUSING THOSE WHO HAVE MISMANAGED OUR TAX DOLLARS AND FORCED AN UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS OUT OF OUR DISTRICT, ALL AT THE COST OF OUR REPUTATION AND EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE. I'M IN FAVOR OF REINSTATING OUR PREVIOUS ATTORNEYS, THE ONES WHO WORKED IN ALIGNMENT WITH THIS MISSION, BECAUSE THE VOTERS HAVE SHOWN US THEY VALUE PROVEN LEADERSHIP THAT PRIORITIZES EDUCATION OVER RADICAL IDEOLOGY. LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO BRING THE FOCUS BACK WHERE IT BELONGS ON OUR CLASSROOMS, OUR TEACHERS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, OUR STUDENTS. THAT'S THE CHOICE THE VOTERS HAVE MADE, AND IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DELIVER. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS SUE SAWYER. I USUALLY TAKE MORE TIME TO PREP. CURRENT BOARD IS ACTING IN THE SAME FASHION AS THE PREVIOUS BOARD MAJORITY DID ON DAY ONE. I DON'T THINK PEOPLE HAVE BEEN OPPOSED TO THE CHARTER. THEY'VE BEEN OPPOSED TO THE PROCESS THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE PREVIOUS BOARD MAJORITY HAS TAKEN. DAY ONE, THE PREVIOUS BOARD MAJORIT, BYPASSED 25 YEARS OF TRADITION AND REFUSED TO PUT MARYLAND ON.
AND THEN YOU TRIED TO SAY THAT IT WAS TRADITION TO GET TODD PUT ON ON TUESDAY. LEANDRA BLADES AND DOCTOR CHERNUS DO NOT FOLLOW DISTRICT BYLAWS UNLESS IT'S CONVENIENT. I REMEMBER NO EVIL OF CHERNUS, EVEN THOUGH IT IS REQUIRED BY OUR CURRENT BOARD BYLAWS, BUT LEANDRA CALLS OUT FOLLOWING THE BYLAWS. NOW, DOCTOR CHERNUS HAS BEEN SELF-SERVING AT ALMOST EVERY TURN. HE'S LIED ABOUT METRICS HE'S TAKEN. HE'S LIED TO THE PUBLIC REPEATEDLY, WHICH IS, I BELIEVE, WHY I WAS INVOLUNTARILY TRANSFERRED WHEN I CALLED HIM OUT FOR LYING TO THE PUBLIC. AND I GAVE HIM THREE OPPORTUNITIES TO SAVE FACE, AND HE CHANGED HIS STORY ALL THREE TIMES. AND I HAVE THAT DOCUMENTED. HE HAS REPEATEDLY INVOLUNTARILY TRANSFERRED TEACHERS, FORCED OUT OR FIRED TEACHERS AND STAFF IN ORDER TO CLEAR OUT SCHOOLS. IN MY OPINION, TO CREATE CHARTER SCHOOLS. HE HAS EVEN CALLED THE SUPERINTENDENTS OF OTHER SCHOOLS WHERE EMPLOYEES WERE NOT THE RIGHT FIT HERE, AND THEY FOUND NEW EMPLOYMENT TO BADMOUTH THESE EXCELLENT ADMINISTRATORS, ONE WHO ALSO HAD NOT WORKED IN THE DISTRICT FOR A FEW YEARS. AND HE CALLED THAT THAT FORMER EMPLOYEE SUPERINTENDENT TO TATTLE, THAT HE WAS TEXTING BETH FISHER DURING THE DAY. WHO DOES THAT? NOT A GOOD LEADER. THANK YOU. MARILYN. MARILYN, IS THIS WHAT AN OLIVE LEAF LOOKS LIKE? I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED. I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT BEFORE. IF THIS IS WHAT AN OLIVE LEAF LOOKS LIKE, IT'S A MINI OLIVE BRANCH. MARILYN. TWO DAYS AGO. MARILYN, CAN YOU NOT LOOK AT ME? YOU MAY NOT TALK TO ME, BUT I REQUEST THAT YOU HAVE EYE CONTACT WITH ME. TWO DAYS AGO. JUST RELAX. MARILYN. TWO
[00:35:06]
DAYS AGO, YOU TOLD US WHEN QUESTIONED, IF YOU COULD WORK WITH DOCTOR CHERNUS, THAT YOU COULD WORK WITH HIM, AND THAT YOU HAD EXTENDED AN OLIVE LEAF. SO EITHER YOU WERE LYING TO US THEN, OR YOU'RE IMPULSIVELY TRYING TO FIRE OR REMOVE DOCTOR CHERNUS NOW. SO WHICH IS IT? YOU'VE SUCCUMBED, MARILYN, TO THE FLATTERY OF A SECRET COMBINATION. THAT'S WHAT IT IS, MARILYN. IT'S SO DISAPPOINTING. AND, YOU KNOW, WE SHARE. I THOUGHT WE SHARED SOME OF THE SAME VALUES, BUT CLEARLY, YOU'VE SUCCUMBED TO FLATTERY, TO A SECRET COMBINATION. OF. YOUR MOTIVES ARE ARE DIRTY. THEY ARE MOTIVATED BY YOUR HATRED AND DISDAIN. FOR. EMILY. GOOD AFTERNOON. EMILY COULDN'T MAKE IT, SO I'M SPEAKING ON HER BEHALF. BEN STUBBS, JUST TO GIVE SOME CONTEXT ABOUT JOCELYN, THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER, SHE JUST. EXCUSE ME. DID YOU TURN IN A CARD? I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF EMILY. AND IF YOU TRY TO HAVE ME NOT SPEAK FOR EMILY, THAT'S IN VERY INAPPROPRIATE. CARD. THERE'S OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT. HE CAN TALK LATER. THERE'S PUBLIC COMMENT ON CLOSED SESSIONS. IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK, THEN I'D BE HAPPY TO SPEAK NOW FOR EMILY. I WOULD BELIEVE THAT IS AGAINST OUR BYLAWS. YOU NEED TO HAVE YOUR OWN CARD AND TURN IT IN ON TIME. NO, THAT'S NOT TRUE. YOU'LL NEED TO TURN IN YOUR OWN CARD BEFORE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THAT PARTICULAR TIME. DO YOU STAND BY THAT? YES. AND SO WE HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC COMMENT COMING LATER. IF YOU WANT TO PUT YOUR NAME IN FOR THAT, YOU CAN DO THAT. YEAH. IF YOU WANT TO ADDRESS CLOSED SESSION ITEMS AT THAT TIME, YOU CAN. ARE YOU ADDRESSING ME? ARE WE ADDRESSING EACH OTHER. IS THIS DIALOG. BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT ACCORDING TO THE BYLAWS. WHAT WE DO THAT'S NOT WHAT WE DO. ACCORDING TO THE BYLAWS FOR INSTRUCTION, WE SUPPORTED YOU BACK IN 2020. YOU BETRAYED US. THAT'S THE SENTIMENT THAT JOCELYN EXPRESSED. OKAY. LAST SPEAKER, JOHN HANSON. SECOND. EVERYBODY'S BACK. JOHN HANSON, 45 YEAR RESIDENT, YORBA LINDA, PAST SUPPORTER OF MARILYN ANDERSON, SAT IN HER LIVING ROOM. LISTEN TO ALL OF HER VALUES, ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS SHE STOOD FOR. SADLY, FOUR YEARS LATER, I FIND OUT MARILYN IS A FRAUD. AN ABSOLUTE FRAUD WHO HAS NO VALUES, DOES NOT STAND FOR ANYTHING BUT WILL FALL FOR EVERYTHING. POWER MONGER AND JUST A DISGUSTING PUBLIC SERVANT, I'M SORRY TO SAY. AND YOUR AND YOUR SIDEKICK OVER THERE WITH THE LITTLE SMIRK ON HER FACE, WHO HELPED THE DISTRICT BORROW $46.5 MILLION SO THAT WE CAN PAY BACK 44. WERE YOU QUIET THE CROWD, PLEASE.QUIET THE CROWD. IS THAT. DO I GET ADDITIONAL TIME? CAN WE RESTART THIS TIME, PLEASE? NO.
CAN WE GIVE HIM 15 SECONDS? ADDITIONAL? SO MAKE IT 45 SECONDS. YOUR SIDEKICK THERE, WHO SITS THERE WITH A SMIRK ON HER FACE, WHO HELPED LEAD US DOWN A PATH TOWARDS DISTRICT BANKRUPTCY AS WE BORROWED $46.5 MILLION THAT WE, AS TAXPAYERS OF THIS DISTRICT, WILL PAY BACK $439 MILLION. AND YOU PEOPLE SUPPORT HER AT THE TWO OF THEM. AND YOU TALK ABOUT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, THE EPITOME OF FISCAL IRRESPONSIBILITY IS CARRIE BUCK, WHO SITS THERE TODAY AND RECEIVES THE ADULATION OF LINDA MANNION'S MINIONS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED HER. THIS IS A DISGUSTING KANGAROO COURT. POINT OF CLARIFICATION THERE IS NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT BASED ON
[00:40:06]
THE AGENDA, CORRECT? I WENT BACK AND LOOKED THROUGH. THERE IS NOT. BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO SUBMIT YOUR BLUE CARD BEFORE WE START. OKAY ON MY NOTES. SO ALL IN THE PAST WHEN PEOPLE HAVE COME UP IN THE MIDDLE OF PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEY'VE ACCEPTED AND BROUGHT THEM OVER THERE, THAT'S NOT BEEN TRUE. IT HAD TO BE BEFORE PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY, LET ME BE CLEAR. WE ARE HAVING ANOTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ON NOTHING YOU SAID WAS ON THE AGENDA. YES, YES, IT IS CLOSED SESSION AGENDA ITEM, WHICH WE NORMALLY ASK IF ANYBODY WANTS TO COME UP AND SPEAK TO THAT. SO THEY WILL WE WILL DO IT. IT'S IN MY NOTES. OKAY. SO EVERYBODY JUST RELAX, OKAY. IF IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, CAN WE DO IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA. WE NORMALLY I DON'T CARE ABOUT NORMALLY IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA. THE CLOSED SESSION BEING BEHIND. IT'S ACTUALLY REQUIRED TO HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE CLOSED SESSION. WE'VE DONE IT EVERY TIME, BUT IT'S AGENDIZED, CORRECT. CLOSED SESSION IS AGENDIZED. YES. YEAH. AND THEN THE SESSION BEING AFTER AN ACTION ITEM MIGHT CAUSE THE PUBLIC TO BE CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING. RIGHT. SO THEY'LL BE THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SPEAK ON THE CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. THEY WON'T NEED A CARD. THEY'LL JUST BE ABLE TO SAY, THAT'S RIGHT, THEY WON'T NEED A CARD. SO YOU WON'T NEED A CARD TO SPEAK BEFORE CLOSED SESSION.YOU JUST COME UP AND TALK. CORRECT. COOL. JUST MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEAR, OKAY? OKAY. WE
[7. ACTION ITEMS - GENERAL FUNCTIONS]
NEED A MOTION FOR. WE'RE AT GENERAL FUNCTIONS. I'LL MAKE A MOTION. WE APPROVE THE AGREEMENT FOR LEGAL SERVICES WITH ATKINSON, ANDELSON, LOYA, RED AND ROMO EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 19TH, 2024 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2025. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION BY MRS. BUCK AND A SECOND BY MRS. QUINTERO. WHY DO WE NEED NEW COUNCIL? I ASKED TO HAVE NEW COUNCIL PUT ON THE LAST AGENDA TWO DAYS AGO, AND I WAS DENIED THAT. THE REASON WHY I'D LIKE THEM ON THIS AGENDA, OR I WANTED THEM ON THAT AGENDA, WAS BECAUSE I WANTED THEM TO REVIEW THE CHARTER THAT WE HAVE COMING UP AT THE JANUARY MEETING, HAVING THEM REVIEW THAT AGENDA. WE DIDN'T HAVE A MEETING BEFORE THAT AT REQUESTING THEM TO PUT ON THAT TWO DAYS AGO, WOULD HAVE AVOIDED HAVING A CLOSED A SPECIAL SESSION TO DO THIS. THEY REFUSED TO PUT IT ON THERE. WHEN I ASKED IF AND THEN AND THEN, BUT HOLD ON. YEAH. I THEN WAS TOLD THAT ONE PERSON CAN'T PUT IT ON THE AGENDA. SO I CONTACTED MARILYN AND ASKED HER TO CONTACT TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA AS WELL. I WAS TOLD NO BECAUSE THE SUPERINTENDENT PULLED THE BOARD MEMBERS, INCLUDING SEAN YOUNGBLOOD, NOT TRICIA QUINTERO, REGARDING THAT MEETING, WHICH HE WASN'T AT. IT WAS HER AGENDA ITEM OR HER AGENDA. SO SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PULLED BUT WASN'T. SO IT COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED ON TUESDAY. BUT THAT DOESN'T ANSWER MY QUESTION. WHY DO WE NEED NEW COUNCIL? BECAUSE I WANT THEM TO REVIEW THE CHARTER SCHOOL PETITION THAT WE'VE GOT THAT'S COMING UP. WE HAVE TO DECIDE ON IN JANUARY.AND BASED ON THE ISSUE WE HAD WITH THE 15 DAY REQUIREMENT NOT BEING TOLD TO US THEY HAVE A COUNCIL ON. IT WAS AN MOU THOUGH, SO IT WAS DIFFERENT. BUT GO AHEAD. BUT STILL TO HAVE THEM REVIEW IT. THEY HAVE A COUNCIL ON THEIR IN THEIR FIRM THAT IS GOOD AT LOOKING AT CHARTER SCHOOLS AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT. OKAY. SO ARE THEY GOING TO BE ACCOMPANYING US TO CLOSED SESSION. THEY WILL AT THIS POINT, YES. SO THIS IS SO THIS IS MY QUESTION IS THE SAME AS SOMEBODY POINTED OUT. HOW ARE THEY READY IN FIVE MINUTES TO GO BACK THERE AND TAKE ALL THESE CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. UNLESS YOU GUYS HAVE GIVEN MATERIAL OVER TO THEM WITHOUT A CONTRACT, COMPLETELY ILLEGAL, COMPLETELY ILLEGAL. AND ANOTHER THING TOO IS YOU DID NOT PUT IN THE WITHIN THE TEN DAYS FOR BOARD BYLAWS, WE ARE HELD TO THE SAME STANDARDS AS THE COMMUNITY.
TRICIA QUINTERO WAS NOT SWORN IN ON THE THURSDAY THAT YOU ASKED FOR THE POLLING OF THE BOARD.
SHE WAS SWORN IN ON THE TUESDAY OF THE BOARD MEETING, SO IT WAS ABSOLUTELY IT WAS ABSOLUTELY OKAY TO ASK SEAN BECAUSE HE WAS STILL TECHNICALLY THE BOARD MEMBER UNTIL THAT TUESDAY MEETING. HE WASN'T. THEN WHY DID YOU TELL HIM THAT? THAT CHERNUS WAS IN FOR INSUBORDINATION AND YOU MADE THOSE THREATS TO HIM OVER EMAIL? WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO DISCUSS EMPLOYEE MATTERS THAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE LITIGATION AND TALKED ABOUT IN CLOSED SESSION. SO I WON'T BE ANSWERING THAT. WELL, BUT YOU DID IT ON YOU DID IT ON PUBLIC EMAIL. SO IT COULD BE PR. SURE IT CAN. SO ONCE AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK THERE AND WE'RE GOING TO GO AND VIOLATE AND DO SOMETHING ILLEGAL BECAUSE YOU TWO HAVE PROBABLY GIVEN INFORMATION TO OUR ATTORNEYS, AND THEY'VE BEEN SUBJECT TO STUFF IN OUR DISTRICT WITHOUT OUTSIDE OF A CONTRACT. WELL, AND IF THEY'VE BEEN HIGHLY
[00:45:06]
ILLEGAL, IF THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE COUNSEL. THAT'S NOT ILLEGAL. IF THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE COUNSEL AND THEY HAVE NOT AND THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED INFORMATION, THEN THEY'RE GOING TO BE WE'RE GOING TO BE WASTING TIME AND MONEY OF THEIRS FOR THEM TO REVIEW IT IN CLOSED SESSION. SO EITHER WAY, IT'S A BAD DEAL. LIKE THIS IS NOT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT OUT HERE. WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT IN CLOSED SESSION. WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE ATTORNEYS, ABOUT THE HIRING AND HOW THE TIMING IS GOING TO GO. THAT JUST DOESN'T WORK. SO I STILL HAVEN'T GOT AN ANSWER ON WHY WE NEED IT OTHER THAN YOU LIKE THEM. BECAUSE THESE ARE NOT ATTORNEYS WE CURRENTLY HAVE ON STAFF, AND WE HAVE THINGS COMING THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY HAVE THE CURRENT ATTORNEYS WE HAVE IMPACTED. SO WE ACTUALLY WHAT'S THAT? WHAT WHAT WERE THEY? AGAIN, THIS IS A CLOSED SESSION ITEM THAT WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT. WHAT THIS IS, IS THEY WANT TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY. A QUESTION WAS ASKED, HOW COME OUR CURRENT LEGAL COUNSEL IS NOT GOING BACK THERE WITH THAT? BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO GET THE ANSWER THAT THEY WANT. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE DIRECTION THAT THEY WANT. SO THEY WENT AND THEY HIRED TODD, TODD ROBBINS OR WHOEVER THESE PEOPLE ARE. THAT USED TO BE WHO WE'VE HAD ILLEGAL CONTRACTS WITH, WHO WE HAVE A 1090 VIOLATION WITH. WE HAVE ALL THESE ALLEGED THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN TURNED OVER TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. AND NOW, YEAH, SO WE HAVE ALL OF THIS STUFF GOING ON, BUT YOU WANT TO BRING HIM IN BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU THE RESULT THAT YOU WANT, BECAUSE IN THE PAST THEY HAVE DONE THAT. THEY HAVE ALLOWED GOVERNMENT CODE VIOLATIONS. YES, THEY HAVE, BECAUSE WHEN ELLSASSER AND WHEN I THINK YOU WERE PRESENT OR MAYBE KAREN FREEMAN, THIS WHOLE NOT ALLOWING BOARD MEMBERS TO PUT THINGS ON THE AGENDA, THAT'S AN ED CODE VIOLATION, RIGHT? LIKE YOU DIDN'T LET ME PUT IT ON. OH, YOU COULD PUT IT ON ANYTHING YOU WANTED ON, HOWEVER. RIGHT. POLLING OF THE BOARD. NO. YOU SEE, CAN YOU GET CONTROL OF THIS? YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO PUT IT ON BECAUSE YOU WERE NOT WITHIN THE TEN DAYS, AND YOU WERE VIOLATING THE BOARD BYLAWS. WHAT HAPPENED WAS, IS AT THESE AT A BOARD MEETING, THEY DID A POLLING OF THE BOARD FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, AND YOU HAD TO HAVE THREE BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAD TO APPROVE THE ITEM TO GET ON THE AGENDA. THAT IS A BROWN ACT VIOLATION. IT IS POLLING OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND IT IS ALSO A GOVERNMENT CODE VIOLATION. AND TODD ROBBINS WAS THE ATTORNEY AND HE ALLOWED IT TO HAPPEN. AND SO YOU WANT TO GO HIRE HIM BECAUSE HE WILL DO YOUR BIDDING, AND HE HAS COME OUT AGAINST CONSERVATIVE SCHOOL. THAT'S A LOT OF THREATS THAT YOU'RE THROWING AT ME AND THROWING IT WHEN YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. HE HAS COME OUT AGAINST CONSERVATIVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. HE HAS COME OUT AGAINST PARENTS WHO BELIEVE IN PARENTS RIGHTS. HE'S DONE ALL THIS. AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE A PARTIZAN ATTORNEY WHO IS A POLITICAL ACTIVIST IN HIS FREE TIME, AND THEY'RE GOING TO HIRE HIM WHEN WE HAVE COUNSEL AT THE READY TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION. BUT THEY KNOW THEY WILL NOT DO WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO ASK HIM TO DO. AND TODD ROBBINS WILL. AND FURTHERMORE, OKAY, I HAVE A VIDEO OF TODD. WELL, WE'RE NOT GOING TO STAND HERE AND PLAY. THIS IS PART OF IT. A PARENT OF THREE STUDENTS IN RIVERSIDE, MRS. BLADES, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY INAPPROPRIATE. AND OUR ATTORNEY ACTUALLY KNOWS WHAT'S HAPPENING. YES. OUR CURRENT ATTORNEY, IF YOU WOULD LET ME SPEAK, I THINK I COULD CLARIFY A LOT OF THINGS. FEWER AND FEWER SCHOOL BOARDS. SOPHISTICATION. NO, YOU CAN'T TURN OFF THE MIC. OKAY. I'M GOING TO EXPLAIN. I HAVE CONTACTED OUR CURRENT LEGAL MR. HOFF. WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE AGENDA ITEMS. OKAY, SO WE DISCUSSED THE AGENDA ITEMS. I ASKED HIM IF ALL THAT WAS IN ORDER FOR TODAY'S MEETING. HE SAID YES, HE REVIEWED IT. I ASKED HIM IF HE WOULD BE AVAILABLE TODAY DURING THE MEETING, AND HE SAID HE WOULD.HE ALSO AGREED THAT WE NEEDED TO HIRE NEW LEGAL COUNSEL TO HELP US WITH THESE ISSUES. BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS, BUT I CAN'T REALLY DISCUSS MUCH ABOUT THAT. WE CAN DISCUSS THAT MORE IN CLOSING. WELL, I TALKED TO HIM TOO, AND HE HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING TO GO ON BACK THERE UNTIL THE AGENDA CAME OUT YESTERDAY. SO WHY DON'T WE ASK, GET HELP ON THE PHONE AND WE'LL ASK HIM. SO I TALKED TO HIM YESTERDAY, SO DID I, AND TODAY AND TODAY I DID TOO. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? YES I DO BEFORE WE TAKE THIS. MEETING DOWN. YEAH. THIS IS ILLEGAL. HE IS. EXCUSE ME. I'M JUST. MR. HANSON, IF YOU SPEAK OUT AGAIN. OKAY. PLEASE. I DO NOT WANT TO KICK ANYBODY OUT
[00:50:04]
OF THIS ROOM. THIS MEETING IS OUR MEETING, AND YOU GUYS ARE OUR GUESTS. AND YOU GET TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC COMMENT. BUT WE NEED TO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO YOURSELF. EXCUSE ME.I'M NOT SURE WHO SAID THAT, BUT. OKAY, THIS IS YOUR WARNING. WHO IS THE NAME? SAFKA. THAT'S YOUR WARNING. AND, MR. HANSON, YOU HAVE ALSO BEEN WARNED. OKAY, MR. FRAZIER, WOULD YOU KNOW TRICIA WAS FIRST. OKAY, I AM JUST OBVIOUSLY LEARNING ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.
SINCE I WASN'T PRIVY TO THIS BEFORE MY SWEARING IN. BUT AS I'VE TAKEN NOTES AND KIND OF LISTENED TO EVERYTHING, I'M JUST SAYING, OBVIOUSLY, AS A LAW FIRM, YOU CANNOT BE PARTIZAN. SO I'M ASSUMING THAT WHOEVER WE HIRE, WHETHER WE KEEP THE PERSON WE HAVE NOW OR ARE THE FIRM WE HAVE NOW, OR GO TO A NEW FIRM, OBVIOUSLY I'M ASSUMING THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE SWAYED IN EITHER WAY. THEY'RE GOING TO FOLLOW THE LAWS, AND I HAVE TRUST IN THEM THAT THEY WILL.
BUT I JUST FIND IT VERY CONVENIENT THAT LEAKED INFORMATION AND ACCUSING PEOPLE OF LEAKED INFORMATION IS COMING OUT, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S BEEN MANY VIDEOS MADE OF LEAKED INFORMATION TO OTHER PEOPLE, AND I GUESS IT JUST IS NOT CONVENIENT TO THE SUBJECT AT HAND. BUT WE'RE NOT SPEAKING OF OTHER LEAKED INFORMATION, SO I'M LIKE, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE WHOLE. I GUESS, I DON'T KNOW, I'M JUST KIND OF JUST CONFUSED AND JUST SURPRISED THAT I GUESS IT'S THINGS ARE LAWS ARE CONVENIENT TO WHEN THEY WANT TO BE USED. AND I DON'T SEE THIS AS THROWING ACCUSATIONS BACK AND FORTH IS NOT AFFECTING IT. IT'S NOT HELPING ANYTHING AT ALL.
WELL, YOU HAVE TO BE HONEST, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE ATTORNEY AND HE HAD NO CLUE YESTERDAY. HE HAD NO CLUE. HE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE AGENDA. AND HE SAID SO HE WAS IN COURT ALL DAY. AND HE SAYS, I'VE HAD FOUR PEOPLE CALL FROM PLACENTIA-YORBA. LINDA, I'M ASSUMING SOMETHING'S GOING ON. SO YOU NEED TO BE HONEST. DID YOU REALLY CALL DAVID HUFF AND DID YOU? I REALLY DID CALL DAVID HUFF, AND I REALLY DID TALK TO HIM YESTERDAY. RIGHT. SO THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU? SO WHY DIDN'T YOU ASK HIM TO COME IN AND SOLICIT OUR CLOSED SESSION? IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE YOU HAD ALREADY TALKED TO ATKINSON, AND YOU HAD ALREADY TALKED TO THEM, AND YOU GIVEN THE INFORMATION OVER WHICH IS AGAINST THE LAW. OKAY, SO ALL OF THAT ASIDE, AND I THINK IT'S VERY STRANGE THAT WE'RE HIRING A LAW. ARE THEY GOING TO BE BACK IN CLOSED SESSION WITH US? YES, YES. OKAY. JUST I'M CONFIRMING ANYWAYS. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE CONTRACT, THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS IN THE CONTRACT THAT I REALLY DISAGREE WITH. AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO END UP COSTING US ACTUALLY A LOT MORE MONEY THAN OUR CURRENT CONTRACT. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE CONTRACT ON PAGE, WELL IN SECTION THREE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, IT LISTS THE PRICES, THE HOURLY RATES FOR ALL OF THE PARTNERS AND ASSOCIATES AND THINGS, WHICH IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN OUR CURRENT RATES WITH OUR CURRENT ATTORNEYS. HOWEVER, IT'S ONLY ABOUT 4% DIFFERENT OVERALL.
HOWEVER, THERE IS A STATEMENT RIGHT BELOW THE COST THAT SAYS A LAW FIRM SHALL BILL IN QUARTER HOUR INCREMENTS. NOW THAT MEANS 15 MINUTES. OUR CURRENT FIRM BILLS IN 10TH HOURS, WHICH IS SIX MINUTES. SO IF YOU MAKE A PHONE CALL OR ANY SORT OF COMMUNICATION THAT TAKES LONGER THAN A MINUTE, WITH THIS NEW CONTRACT, WE'RE GOING TO BE CHARGED FOR 15 MINUTES. AND WITH OUR OLD OUR CURRENT FIRM, WE WILL BE CHARGED SIX MINUTES. SO THAT'S A WHERE'S MY WHERE'S MY CALCULATION HERE. THAT IS A 15% POINT OF ORDER INCREASE. WHOEVER YELLED THAT OUT, YOU'VE BEEN YOU'VE BEEN WARNED. LET'S FIND THEIR NAMES. OKAY. EXCUSE ME, MR. FALCO. MR. FALCO, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. SO BACK TO WHAT I WAS SAYING. BILLING RATES ARE IMPORTANT. AND HOW YOU BILL MAKES THINGS VERY DIFFERENT. THEY'RE CHARGING AT AT QUARTER HOURS INSTEAD OF 10TH HOURS.
THAT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE. SO YOU ADD THAT. PLUS IF YOU CONTINUE DOWN AND THE NEXT SECTION IN SECTION B, IT SAYS. IN ADDITION, THE DISTRICT HEREBY AGREES TO PAY A 5% PER MONTH ADMINISTRATION CHARGE CALCULATED ON AND BASED ON MONTHLY FEES BILLED TO COVER RELATED OPERATIONAL EXPENSES INCURRED BY THE LAW FIRM. SO THEY'RE GOING TO CHARGE US 5% ON TOP OF WHATEVER THEIR BILLING IS FOR ADMINISTRATION, WHICH I THINK IS EXCESSIVE. AND THEN IF YOU CONTINUE DOWN, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL THERE ARE ADDITIONAL THERE'S A 1% CHARGE FOR PAYING LATE, WHICH THAT'S FINE. TOTALLY OKAY WITH THAT. HOWEVER, IN SECTION FIVE, SPECIALIZED LEGAL SERVICES FOR SPECIALIZED LITIGATION AND TRANSACTIONAL SERVICES IN THE AREAS OF
[00:55:03]
CONSTRUCTION, WHICH WE HAVE A LOT OF PROCUREMENT, WHICH WE HAVE A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY, WHICH WE HAVE ÖSSZES, WE HAVE A LOT OF PREVAILING WAGE, REAL PROPERTY, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, MITIGATION, SCHOOL AND COLLEGE FINANCE. TITLE NINE THE DISTRICT AGREES TO PAY THE LAW FIRM AT RATES HIGHER THAN THE STANDARD HOURLY RATES FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS OR PARTICULAR SCOPES OF WORK. SO THERE'S SECRET FEES THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT. OKAY, SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GOING TO BE. SO WITH THE NUMBERS THAT WE DO KNOW WITH A 15% INCREASE IN BILLING RATES FROM 10TH OF AN HOUR TO A QUARTER HOUR, PLUS THE 4% INCREASE IN RATES, THAT GIVES US ABOUT A 24% INCREASE IN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE 5% ADMINISTRATIVE FEE. AND WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING ESSENTIALLY 20% LESS WORK FOR THE SAME COST OF A LAW FIRM THAT I DON'T KNOW IS GOING TO DO ANY BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAVE. SO UNLESS THERE'S SOME COMPELLING REASON TO SAY WE NEED A NEW LAW FIRM BECAUSE OUR CURRENT LAW FIRM ISN'T DOING A GOOD JOB AT WHAT THEY'RE DOING, THEN I DON'T SEE WHY IN THE WORLD WE'RE BRINGING A NEW LAW FIRM IN. I UNDERSTAND THE CLOSED SESSION ITEMS AND HAVING ATTORNEYS PRESENT, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHY IN THE WORLD WE'RE CHANGING LAW FIRMS, IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. OKAY, SO THERE'S NO ANSWER TO THAT, IS THERE? I JUST IS THERE ONE OF THE REASONS WOULD IT BE LIKE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, BECAUSE THIS LAW FIRM HAS WORKED WITH THE EMPLOYEES BEFORE, OR IS IT? NO, THERE IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. IT IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, A POTENTIAL. YEAH, YEAH. SO THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN THERE IS MORE. AND I WILL SAY THAT THE ORBACH, HUFF AND HENDERSON CONTRACT THAT WE APPROVED IN JUNE HAD A NOT TO EXCEED $200,000, AND THIS ONE HAS A NOT TO EXCEED $120,000. SO THERE IS 20% LESS WORK, JUST TO BE CLEAR. BUT WE'RE NOT LETTING OH GO. WELL, THIS IS SPECIFIC FOR SPECIFICS OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING WHEN WE NEED THINGS DONE IN CLOSED SESSION, AND THAT WE CAN'T DISCUSS AND HAVE HUFF REPRESENT. CORRECT? CORRECT. SO THEN THE CURRENT LAW FIRM WOULD BE THE PRIMARY LAW FIRM, AND THEN THIS WOULD BE FOR SUPPLEMENTAL AS NEEDED. THE NEW LAW FIRM. THERE'S WE WOULD HAVE TO DECIDE. I MEAN THERE'S NO. SO I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT IF TODD ROBBINS IS GOING TO BE OUR ATTORNEY, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS CONTRACT, THEN WE HIRE TONY DEMARCO INSTEAD, BECAUSE I HAD TO REACH OUT TO STEVE ANDELSON BECAUSE TODD ROBBINS WHILE HE WAS AT OUR ATTORNEY. UNLIKE THE WAY THAT THIS LAW FIRM WORKS AND WE CAN ALL JUST PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL THE ATTORNEY, IT WAS EITHER THE SUPERINTENDENT OR THE BOARD. PRESIDENT WAS THE ONLY PERSON WHO WAS ABLE TO GET ON THE PHONE WITH THE ATTORNEY. AND SO I DON'T THINK I EVER RECEIVED MAYBE ONE INDIVIDUAL EMAIL FROM TODD ROBBINS THE WHOLE TIME THAT HE WAS OUR BOARD ATTORNEY. BUT SINCE HE HASN'T BEEN OUR BOARD ATTORNEY, HE DECIDES TO EMAIL ME FREELY AND ACCUSE ME OF THINGS AND THEN ACTUALLY, LIKE, CONTRADICT HIMSELF. AND IT COMES OUT THAT HE'S JUST HARASSING ME.SO I'VE ALREADY CONTACTED STEVE ANDELSON AND I'VE ASKED THAT TODD ROBBINS STOPS EMAILING ME AND STOPS HARASSING ME. SO IF WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE THIS LAW FIRM, LET'S GET TONY DEMARCO. IF TONY DEMARCO IS A LITTLE BIT EXTRA, I MEAN, HECK, WE'RE ALREADY GOING. HOW MUCH EXTRA? 20%? TODD LET'S BRING IN TONY DEMARCO, WHO DOESN'T HAVE A HISTORY WITH OUR BOARD, A NEGATIVE HISTORY WITH MANY PEOPLE. AND LET'S GO FROM THERE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THESE INCIDENTS THAT ARE AT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED ARE POSSIBLY I'M NOT SAYING THEY ARE GOING TO BE INVESTIGATED, BUT THEY'RE POSSIBLY GOING TO BE INVESTIGATED. AND SO AT LEAST IF WE'RE GOING TO USE THIS LAW FIRM, WE COULD START FRESH WITH A DIFFERENT ATTORNEY. ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS WHAT YOU JUST SAID, CARRIE, THAT IT'S 200,000 NOT TO EXCEED ON THE CURRENT CONTRACT. THAT'S FOR A FULL YEAR, 120 NOT TO EXCEED FOR THIS CONTRACT WAS HALF A YEAR. SO TECHNICALLY, IF WE DO THE MATH, WE'RE STILL OVER OVER EXCESS OF WHAT WE HAVE WITH OUR CURRENT LAW FIRM. SO I JUST TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH CHANGING LAW FIRMS RIGHT NOW. AND I DON'T SEE ANY. WE'RE NOT CHANGING. WE ARE ADDING A NEW LAW FIRM TO DEAL WITH. IN THE LAST YEAR, WE'VE ADDED HARBOTTLE. WE HAVE ADDED TEO AND ROSSINI. I MEAN, IT'S A WE'VE ADDED WE'VE ALWAYS SPECIFIC, WE ALWAYS HAD HARBOTTLE, WE ALWAYS HAD HARBOTTLE. WELL WE'VE USED THEM, WE'VE HAD HARBOTTLE. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ON CONTRACT WITH US.
OKAY. CAN I ACTUALLY ANSWER THE QUESTION? ARE WE HAVE HAD HARBOTTLE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, BUT NOW WE HAVE USED THEM FOR ADDITIONAL THINGS, INCLUDING HR, CONSTRUCTION, EVEN BOARD POLICIES, BECAUSE I'VE TALKED TO MR. HARBOTTLE ABOUT THAT. WE ADDED TEO AND ROSSINI FOR CONSTRUCTION, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE OH-H-H, THAT'S THEIR SPECIALTY. WE'VE ADDED F3 FOR H.R. SO WE'RE JUST ADDING ANOTHER ATTORNEY TO OUR DISTRICT. WE'RE NOT REPLACING ANYBODY. AND THERE WAS ANOTHER POINT I HAD, BUT WELL, LET ME ASK IF THEY HAD ILLEGAL CONTRACTS WITH US IN THE PAST AND THEY HAD THESE TYPE OF ISSUES, WHY WOULD WE REHIRE? IF
[01:00:01]
THEY WERE ILLEGAL CONTRACTS, WE WOULD HAVE HAD SOME SORT OF LITIGATION AS A RESULT OF THAT.JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE WITHOUT ANY BEARING ON IT, WITHOUT PROOF OR WITHOUT ANY ACTION. THAT'S JUST MAKING THINGS UP. NO, BECAUSE THIS IS RECTIFIED. THE ISSUE. DAVID, STOP TALKING OVER. DAVID HUFF RECTIFIED THE ISSUE. AND SO YES, WE DID HAVE ILLEGAL CONTRACTS AND DAVID HUFF RECTIFIED THE ISSUE. OKAY. I'M READY TO CALL FOR THE VOTE. I WOULD LIKE TO GET ON THE PHONE AND ASK IF IT'S ILLEGAL FOR US TO ACTUALLY GO BACK FOR THE VOTE, MRS. BLADES.
NO. MRS. QUINTERO, I MR. FRAZIER. NO. MRS. BUCK. HI. AND THERE IS AN EYE FOR ME. MOTION CARRIED THREE, TWO. OKAY, NOW WE WILL BE ADJOURNING TO CLOSED SESSIONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF
[8. ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION]
DISCUSSING THE FOLLOWING MATTERS 9.1 CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL. EXISTING LITIGATION.SIGNIFICANT EXPOSURE TO LITIGATION PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH 2 OR 3 OF SUBDIVISION D OF SECTION 54956.91. CASE MCCLENDON VERSUS PYLUSD. NUMBER TWO CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL.
ANTICIPATED LITIGATION, SIGNIFICANT EXPOSURE TO LITIGATION PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH 2 OR 3 OF SUBDIVISION D, SECTION 54956.9. EXCUSE ME TWO POTENTIAL CASES COMPLAINTS AGAINST SUPERINTENDENT AND DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT. 9.3 PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT DISCIPLINE, DISMISSAL, SUSPENSION, RELEASE. LEAVE ASSIGNMENT. NON REELECTION. NON REAPPOINTMENT.
RESIGNATION. REINSTATEMENT PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE 54957. AND I JUST WANT TO PUT THIS NOTE HERE THAT PURSUANT TO EDUCATION CODE SECTION 35150, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IS PROHIBITED FROM TERMINATING THE SUPERINTENDENT OF ANY OR ANY ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT WITHOUT CAUSE AT A SPECIAL BOARD MEETING OR WITHIN 30 DAYS AFTER THE FIRST CONVENING OF THE GOVERNING BOARD. AFTER AN ELECTION AT WHICH ONE OR MORE MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING BOARD ARE ELECTED OR RECALLED. SO OUR BOARD, WE ARE FULLY AWARE OF THE LAW AND WE PLAN TO FOLLOW IT. 9.4 PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT APPOINTMENT POSITION TO BE CONSIDERING ACTING SUPERINTENDENT IF NECESSARY. IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS ANY OF THESE ITEMS? JUST CLOSED SESSION.
OKAY, MRS. PODOLSKI. TRICIA, I APPRECIATED. IS THIS ON? HOLD ON, HOLD ON. THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. HOW MANY TIMES, HOW MANY? HOW MANY SPEAKERS? ONE. TWO. THREE. FOUR. FIVE.
SIX. SIX. SEVEN. SEVEN. EIGHT. EIGHT. OKAY. EIGHT SPEAKERS. SO THAT BRINGS US INTO THE THREE MINUTE. YOU GUYS ALREADY. I'LL BE STARTING. SO I DON'T THINK I'LL NEED THREE MINUTES, BUT THAT'S NICE. TRICIA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR HONESTY. WHEN YOU JUST TOLD US THAT YOU WERE CONFUSED AND YOU'RE CLEARLY JUST TRYING TO PIECE TOGETHER ALL THE SHOW THAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH ALL THIS LACK OF INFORMATION AND CONFUSION. YOU I REQUEST THAT YOU ABSTAIN FROM VOTING TONIGHT IN CLOSED SESSION. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU COULD IN GOOD CONSCIENCE CAST A VOTE TO REMOVE ANYBODY FROM A POSITION WHEN YOU HAVE SUCH LIMITED EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE ON THE ON THE CASE. SO I HOPE THAT YOU'LL CONSIDER THAT AGAIN. MARILYN, I ASK YOU THAT YOU REEVALUATE YOURSELF AND LOOK AT YOUR MOTIVES FOR THE NEW ROLE OF POWER AND CONTROL THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO EXERCISE DOMINION THAT IS BEYOND THE MEASURE OF YOUR ORIGINAL INTENT TO BE HERE.
HI. GOOD EVENING, BEN STUBBS. I WANTED TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM TONIGHT. I WANTED TO DEFEND DEFINITELY THE PROFESSIONALISM AND THE EXCELLENCE THAT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR DISTRICT BY BY
[01:05:02]
DOCTOR CHERNISS. AND I'M A POLICY PARENT, AND I REGRETFULLY WANT TO SAY THAT THE NEW UNION BACKED MAJORITY THREATENS THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE UNDER THE NEW LEADERSHIP OF OUR EXCEPTIONAL SUPERINTENDENT, DOCTOR ALEX CHERNICK, AND DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT ISAAC GATES. THE DOCTOR, CHERNISS, UNCOVERED A SCANDAL INVOLVING APPLE UNION PRESIDENT LINDA MANION, WHO HAD BEEN IMPROPERLY PAID HER FULL TEACHER SALARY FOR OVER 20 YEARS DESPITE NOT STEPPING A FOOT IN THE CLASSROOM. THE PREVIOUS CONSERVATIVE BOARD MAJORITY CORRECTED THIS BY PHASING OUT HER CONTRACT AND ENSURING THAT APPLE, NOT TAXPAYERS, WOULD COVER HER SALARY. NOW, IN RETALIATION, THE UNION BACKED MAJORITY IS SEEKING TO REMOVE DOCTOR CHERNISS AND MR. GATES.THIS ALARMING POWER PLAY IS NOT ONLY UNETHICAL, BUT IT ALSO JEOPARDIZES THE STABILITY OF OUR DISTRICT AND DIRECTLY IMPACTS STUDENTS. DOCTOR CHERNISS AND MR. GATES HAVE OUR COMMUNITY'S FULL SUPPORT. LET'S STAND TOGETHER TO PROTECT THEIR LEADERSHIP AND SECURE A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR OUR STUDENTS. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. TO FURTHER ILLUSTRATE THE COORDINATED EFFORT OF APPLE AND THEIR ENDORSED BOARD MEMBERS, TRICIA QUINTERO AND MARILYN ANDERSON, TO UNLAWFULLY FIRE DOCTOR CHERNISS AND DOCTOR GATES. HERE ARE THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS APPLE SPENT ON THEIR POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS. $15,000 580 15,580 USD TO MARYLAND AND ANOTHER 15,580 USD TO TRICIA, BROKEN DOWN AS FOLLOWS. HERE'S THE COPIES. IS THIS ABOUT A CLOSED SESSION? IT IS. IT IS. OKAY. SO FOR YARD SIGNS AND BANNERS, YOU RECEIVE $4,373.89.
BOTH OF YOU FOR SUSTAINABLE CHANGE STRATEGIES. SO THE CAMPAIGN MANAGER MANAGEMENT COMPANY THAT YOU USE, $2,666. THAT'S SOME SORT OF A FUNNY NUMBER RIGHT THERE. 66 AND ALSO FOR DIGITAL ADS AND OTHERS. $8,541. SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY HERE IS FOLLOW THE MONEY.
YOU HAVE BEEN BOUGHT BY APPLE AND NOW YOU'RE DOING THEIR BIDDING. THANK YOU. THANK. YOU.
HI, MY NAME IS HADIYA. I WANT TO SPEAK ON TWO ISSUES. ONE, I HAVE. I'M PART OF A BLENDED FAMILY. WE HAVE FIVE KIDS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. MY DAUGHTER, I HAD TO PULL OUT OF EL DORADO HIGH SCHOOL. SHE WAS GETTING HIGH IN THE BATHROOMS, AND TWO KIDS OD'D BEFORE HER AND I WENT TO THE I WENT TO JOEY DAVIS, AND THEY WOULD NOT PROPERLY POLICE THE CAMPUS. TWO BOYS THAT SHE WAS DATING GOT IN FISTFIGHTS AND WERE EXPELLED. NEARLY DIED FROM THE BEATING THAT THEY RECEIVED. AND NO ONE BROKE UP THAT FIGHT. AND I HAD TO PULL MY DAUGHTER OUT TO GET HER HELP BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T POLICE THE BATHROOMS ENOUGH FOR THE KIDS TO STOP GETTING HIGH. SO THE SCHOOL WAS VERY POORLY MANAGED. I HOPE YOU APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT IT NEEDED NEW LEADERSHIP AT EL DORADO. TWO I JUST I JUST WANTED TO I JUST WANT TO. I SPENT 20 YEARS AS A FEDERAL CONTRACTOR DOING MASS TARGETED VIOLENCE AND TERRORISM, AND I WANTED THE HOSTILITY IN THIS ROOM AND THE, THE, THE ENMITY REALLY WORRIES ME THAT WE MAY HAVE AN INCIDENT OF VIOLENCE THAT OCCURS. AND I REALLY WANT TO INVITE YOU ALL TO DO SOME KIND OF RECONCILIATION WORK, BECAUSE I'M REALLY WORRIED THAT THIS IS RIPPING OUR COMMUNITY APART. AND I REALLY RECOMMEND THAT WE DO. WE GET A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM, WE BRING IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, WE BRING IN THERAPISTS, AND THAT WE HAVE SOME ATTEMPT AT RECONCILIATION BECAUSE THIS IS TEARING OUR COMMUNITY APART. LOOK AT THE ANIMOSITY AND THE HATRED IN THIS ROOM. IT'S POISONOUS. AND I'D LIKE US TO SEE DOCTOR CHERNUS IS REALLY ALL MY INTERACTIONS WITH HIM HAS PROVEN THAT HE REALLY HIS HEART IS IN THIS. HE WANTS TO DO GOOD THINGS. WE HAVE ONE KID AT OCS THRIVING, WHO WAS ACTUALLY EXPELLED FROM HIS FORMER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND HE'S ABSOLUTELY THRIVING AND LOVES THIS SCHOOL. I JUST HOPE THAT WE CAN HAVE AN OPEN HEART AND AN OPEN MIND TO TRY TO SEE WHAT'S ACTUALLY GOOD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT AND TRY TO FIND COMMON GROUND. WE HAVE TO WE'RE LOOKING TO YOU GUYS TO BE ABLE TO FIND THAT COMMON GROUND AND WORK TOGETHER FOR THE BEST, FOR THE BEST OUTCOME OF OUR KIDS, NOT FOR THE NOT FOR THE TEACHERS UNION, BUT FOR THE KIDS AND FOR THE TEACHERS AND FOR THE FAMILIES, I IMPLORE YOU. MY NAME IS MARK. I CERTAINLY CONCUR WITH
[01:10:04]
THAT. THE HATRED AND IMMATURITY AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT HAVE GONE ON IS SIMPLY JUST UNBELIEVABLE, TRULY. BUT I HAVE WATCHED DIRTY POLITICS FOR A LONG TIME. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I SAW IT FIRST HAND AND WATCHED THE CORRUPT, LYING, SLANDERING, HORRIBLE, ROTTEN TACTICS OF THE UNION BEHOLDEN MACHINE THAT DARKENED THIS COMMUNITY WITH THEIR HATE, VITRIOL AND VANDALISM, LIES, DECEPTION, AND UTTER LACK OF INTEGRITY TO WRESTLE POWER ONLY TO LOOK FOR THEMSELVES OUT FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR BUREAUCRAT POLITICAL ORGANIZATION THEY CALL A TEACHERS UNION. ALL THEY REALLY DO IS STEAL MONEY FROM THE COMMUNITY AND FROM MEMBERS, OFTEN WITHOUT CONSENT, AS TO WHAT THEY FUND TO BUILD THEIR POWER AND ELECT FAR LEFT CORRUPT POLITICIANS. NOT GIVING ONE F ABOUT THE CHILDREN. THEIR WHOLE PURPOSE IS TO RULE OVER THE ASHES AS THEY DESTROY THIS DISTRICT, AS THEIR CORRUPT, HATE MONGERING, LYING COUNTERPARTS IN ORANGE IN SANTA ANA HAVE DONE. THEY USE THEIR DIRTY POLITICS AND SLANDER TO TAKE OVER BOARDS ALL OVER CALIFORNIA TO GIVE THEMSELVES IMMEDIATE RAISES. GETTING PATS ON THE BACK FROM THEIR OWNER UNION THUG BOSSES AND BANKRUPTING THE DISTRICT THAT IS BLEEDING ENROLLMENT JUST AS THE GAGGLE OF THIEVES WILL DO HERE, DESTROYING ALL PROGRESS WITH THE FORMER WONDERFUL MAJORITY AND SUPERINTENDENT CHERNISS WAS MAKING, I ASSUME WE WILL NOW ANTICIPATE THEM TURNING IT ALL TO CRAP AS THEY USE ALL THE FUNDS FOR THEIR UNION, POLITICIANS AND CRAZY AGENDAS AS USUAL. WHAT A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS IN THIS COMMUNITY. WHAT I HAVE WITNESSED IN THIS ELECTION ARE SOME OF THE WORST PEOPLE I'VE EVER SEEN. WHINING AND CRYING AND ACTING LIKE CHILDREN AS THEY SPREAD THEIR HATE AND LIES AGAINST PEOPLE THAT I'VE KNOWN FOR A VERY LONG, THAT ARE GOOD PEOPLE AND PARENTS AND HAVE CHILDREN IN THIS DISTRICT. IT'S TRULY SICKENING TO EVEN KNOW THAT WE HAVE THIS IN THIS COMMUNITY. THANK GOD THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO BE AROUND IT ALL THE TIME IN THESE JERRY SPRINGER LIKE MEETINGS FULL OF SELF-SERVING PSYCHOS. GOD HELP OUR CHILDREN. GOD HELP OUR CHILDREN FROM THESE THIS LOW INTEGRITY. AND MAY THE COMMUNITY WAKE UP AND MAY THE DAY FOCUS ON TEACHING OUR KIDS TO BE GOOD, SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE AND NOT POLITICAL PAWNS AND ACTIVISTS. AMEN. GOD. IS THERE ANYBODY LEFT ON THE SIDE? YEAH. OKAY. YOU WANT TO GO FIRST? OKAY. YOU KNOW, TODD, I REALLY WISH YOU HAD BEEN THAT NITPICKY ABOUT NUMBERS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $3.4 MILLION FOR 84 STUDENTS IN IN UC, AND I AND I AND LEANDRA, I THINK THAT YOU HAVE EXPOSED YOURSELF AND SHOWN WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE SO UPSET ABOUT. MR. TODD ROBBINS POSSIBLY COMING BACK BECAUSE HE WOULD STAND UP AGAINST YOU AND OR HE WOULD ACTUALLY TELL YOU WHEN HE THOUGHT YOUR PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS WOULD MOST LIKELY BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL, ON CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. OKAY, MISS LEE, SORRY. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HIRING POSSIBLY A NEW LAW FIRM, RIGHT? THAT'S THE. NO. TO BE CLEAR, IT'S THE CLOSED SESSION.ITEMS WERE ABOUT CASES WITH ANTICIPATED LEGAL LITIGATION AND LAWYERS AND. YEAH, SO I'M COMMENTING ABOUT OKAY LAWYERS. SO FINE. SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO HIRE LAW FIRMS THAT DO HOLD OUR TRUSTEES ACCOUNTABLE AND WILL BE HONEST WITH YOU AND FORTHRIGHT ABOUT WHAT'S LEGAL AND WHAT'S NOT. I THINK THAT IN THE PAST WITH THE CURRENT ATTORNEYS, THEY HAVE LET TOO MANY THINGS GO WITHOUT AND BEING WITHOUT OR BEING YES, MEN INSTEAD. AND SO IF WE LOOK AT EVEN JUST OUR HISTORY OF DOCTOR CHERNISS AND WHY HE'S BEEN INVOLVED IN SO MANY MULTIPLE LAWSUITS, I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE ARE AWARE, BUT IN PALOS VERDES PENINSULA UNIFIED CHERNISS IN BOTH HIS. LAWSUITS AND IN BOTH HIS OFFICIAL AND INDIVIDUAL CAPACITIES, WAS NAMED AS A DEFENDANT IN SEVERAL LAWSUITS FILED BY STUDENTS AND PARENTS AGAINST THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THESE CASES INCLUDE ACCUSATIONS OF CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AND OTHER GRIEVANCES IN SAN MARINO UNIFIED. WHILE SERVING AS SUPERINTENDENT, CHERNISS WAS INVOLVED IN A LAWSUIT. EXCUSE ME. CAN YOU PAUSE FOR A SECOND? POINT OF ORDER. THIS IS NOT. WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP ANYONE ELSE WHO WAS NOT TALKING ABOUT THE CLOSED SESSION? WHY DIDN'T YOU? MISS? MISS. MISS BLADES. MISS BLADES, WHY WEREN'T YOU CONCERNED ABOUT ANY OTHER COMMENT? THAT WAS NOT. HONESTLY, LET ME HANDLE THIS.
MRS. BLADES, PLEASE DO NOT INTERRUPT THE SPEAKERS. SHE IS TALKING ABOUT DOCTOR TERNUS AND PAST THINGS, WHICH IS IN PALOS VERDES. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS DISTRICT. THIS DISTRICT. RIGHT.
[01:15:02]
AND I WANT TO SHOW THAT THERE'S, THERE'S A PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR IN EVERY DISTRICT. SO THIS IS WHY WE NEED CHANGE NOW. WE HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY HERE BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A PROBLEM EVERYWHERE HE GOES. OKAY. MORE TIME. YEAH. CAN WE GET OUR TIME BACK? BUT. 130, 130. IN SAN MARINO, WHILE SERVING AS SUPERINTENDENT, CHERNISS WAS INVOLVED IN A LAWSUIT FILED BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CHRIS NORGAARD. THE LAWSUIT ALLEGED CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, INCLUDING DEFAMATION IN THIS CASE. OKAY. AND THEN LET'S SEE, THERE'S ALSO BEEN A NOTABLE LAWSUIT AGAINST CHERNISS INVOLVED IN HIS DECISION TO TERMINATE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL EMILY SHAPIRO. SHAPIRO CLAIMED HER FIRING WAS RETALIATORY, RESULTING FROM HER REPORTED REPORT OF ALLEGED MISCONDUCT BY CHERNISS AND OTHER ADMINISTRATORS. OKAY. THIS CASE BROUGHT SIGNIFICANT ATTENTION TO ISSUES OF ADMINISTRATIVE ACCOUNTABILITY AND EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEE PROTECTIONS WITHIN SCHOOL DISTRICTS. FREE SPEECH AND RETALIATION CASE. ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT LAWSUIT WAS FILED BY A GROUP OF PARENTS AND STUDENTS AGAINST THE PALOS VERDES PENINSULA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. THIS SUIT ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, ACCUSING CHERNISS AND OTHER DISTRICT OFFICIALS OF RETALIATING AGAINST THOSE WHO CRITICIZED DISTRICT POLICIES.THE LAWSUIT HIGHLIGHTED CONCERNS ABOUT FREE SPEECH AND ADMINISTRATIVE OVERREACH WITHIN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. MORE CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS. CHERNISS WAS NAMED IN MULTIPLE CIVIL RIGHTS LAWSUITS DURING HIS TENURE AT PALOS VERDES. THESE LAWSUITS WERE INITIATED BY VARIOUS PARTIES, INCLUDING STUDENTS AND PARENTS. AGAIN, STUDENTS PARENTS WERE WORRIED ABOUT PARENTS RIGHTS, RIGHT? ALLEGING DISCRIMINATION AND OTHER CIVIL RIGHTS INFRINGEMENTS, THE REPEATED NATURE OF THESE LAWSUITS UNDERSCORES ONGOING TENSIONS AND CHALLENGES WITHIN THE DISTRICT'S ADMINISTRATION AND GOVERNANCE. THESE LAWSUITS REFLECT RECURRING LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE CHALLENGES DURING ALEX CHERNISS CAREER AS A SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT, INVOLVING ALLEGATIONS RANGING FROM RETALIATION AND SAFETY VIOLATIONS AND BROADER CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUES EVERYWHERE HE GOES.
IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO LISTEN TO THAT. ALL THE ALLEGATIONS BUT NOT MENTIONING WAS HE FOUND GUILTY OF ANY OF THOSE, RIGHT. OKAY, SO THERE ARE LAWSUITS EVERYWHERE AND MEANS NOTHING UNLESS THEY'RE FOUND GUILTY. SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY A COUPLE OF THINGS. THIS IT WAS VERY NOT DISHONEST, BUT TO TALK ABOUT THIS LEGAL FIRM. AND THEN DURING THE CONVERSATION, SAY YOU TWO ARE THE EXPERTS ON PICKING THE LAW FIRM WITHOUT ANY OTHER CONSIDERATION FOR OTHER LAW FIRMS TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING. IS THE CHARTER SCHOOL RIGHT? NEVER MENTIONED THAT IN ANY OF THE AGENDA ITEMS. WHY? YOU'RE NOT GOING TO ANSWER IT. BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMETHING IS ON THE AGENDA AND IT'S AGENDIZED ITEM, YOU HAVE A PERFECT RIGHT TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC THAT'S IN THE BYLAWS. IF IT'S GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT WHERE IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, THEN YES, YOU DON'T HAVE TO CONVERSE, BUT IT IS YOUR RIGHT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS TO THE PUBLIC. READ THE BYLAWS. THE OTHER THING ON THE YOU CAN REPRESENT SOMEBODY. SO WHEN YOU TURN THE OTHER GUY DOWN SAYING HE WANTED TO REPRESENT EMILY, YOU CAN SIGN THE CARD AND YOU WRITE DOWN WHO YOU'RE REPRESENTING ON THE CARD BYLAWS ON THE CARD. AND. OKAY, THIS THIS PAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE HEARD A LOT FROM THE UNION BACK PEOPLE ABOUT OVERSPENDING, OVERSPENDING. AND NOW I'M HEARING THAT ONE OF YOUR FIRST ACTIONS IS TO OVERSPEND ON THIS ATTORNEY, TO GO IN THIS BACK ROOM, TO GIVE YOU ANSWERS THAT YOU WANT. I FIND IT ODD. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OVERSPENDING AND ESPECIALLY THE UNION TALKING ABOUT IT, YEAH, WELL, IT WAS ABOUT THE ATTORNEY AND THEN AND THEN OF COURSE THEN THERE'S THEN THERE'S DOCTOR CHERNISS. NOW, DOCTOR CHERNISS IS DOING A GREAT JOB. NOW, 2027 IS WHAT HIS CONTRACT GOES THROUGH, RIGHT? SO IF YOU DECIDE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT HIM NOW, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY HIM THROUGH 2027.
THAT'S WASTING MORE MONEY. THAT'S THAT'S WASTING MONEY. JUST LIKE WE WASTED ON LINDA MANION AT 130,000 BUCKS A YEAR FOR SITTING IN A UNION OFFICE, WASTING ABOUT 3 MILLION BUCKS OVER HER TENURE. OVER THE THREE MANNION MINIONS. I MEAN, YOU GUYS SPENT 5000 BUCKS DOING MANEUVERS, TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, GET DOING LAWSUIT MANEUVERS TO TRY TO GET A RESTRAINING ORDER
[01:20:03]
TO STOP THE CHERNISS CONTRACT. THERE'S ALSO THERE'S ALSO THE $48.5 MILLION THAT CARRIE BUCK WAS PART OF BORROWING, THAT US PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THIS AREA ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY BACK ALMOST HALF $1 BILLION THAT THE PEOPLE HERE ARE GOING TO BE VERY ANGRY WHEN THAT HAPPENS IN 2042.NOW, THIS, THIS ATTORNEY THAT YOU'RE PAYING THIS EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF MONEY TO. WHY? BECAUSE HE'S A LAPDOG AND A LEFTIST ACTIVIST. I REALLY WONDER IF AT THESE MEETINGS, I THINK LINDA MANNION SHOULD, SHOULD BE ABLE TO COME UP HERE AND HAVE 25 MINUTES TO TALK. AND THE REASON I WANT HER TO DO THAT IS BECAUSE THEN SHE CAN EXPLAIN TO US HOW SHE'S OPERATING THIS BOARD, WHAT HER AGENDA IS, BECAUSE SHE IS RUNNING THIS AND SHE IS SHE'S PART OF THIS CHERNISS ATTACK AND THIS GOETZ ATTACK BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T WANT TO GO BACK TO THE CLASSROOM. SHE KNOWS SHE'S IN THE WRONG SITTING IN THAT UNION OFFICE ALL OF THESE YEARS AND NOT BEING IN THE CLASSROOM HALF THE TIME, WHICH BUCK WOULD HAVE BEEN PART OF ALL OF THESE YEARS? YEAH. WASTING MONEY AND ATTACKS FROM THE UNION ON CHERNISS. THAT'S A PART OF THE AGENDA. NOW YOU'RE GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION. WHY AREN'T WHY ISN'T JOHN MADSEN PART OF CLOSED SESSION? HE'S ONE OF YOUR UNION HACK TEACHERS WHO WAS STEALING SIGNS ON YOUR BEHALF. THANK YOU. MARILYN. I'M GOING TO SPEAK, AND PLEASE. COME ON. OH. THANK YOU. JUST REMEMBER, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. OKAY, JUDY DESJARDIN AND I AM AGAINST THE NEW LAW FIRM. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT ANY TIME THERE ARE CHANGES, THERE IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE PUSHBACK. IT NOT ONLY HAPPENS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. ANYTIME SOMEONE LIKE DOCTOR CHERNUS IS PUTTING IN NEW THINGS, THERE'S GOING TO BE PUSHBACK. IT HAPPENS IN THE CORPORATE OFFICE. IN THE CORPORATE WORLD ALSO. SO I THINK THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT. AND AGAIN, ON ON THE PUSHBACK, YOU KNOW, THE LADY THAT CAME UP AND SPOKE ABOUT ALL THE LAWSUITS, BUT WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME? TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THEY HE WAS FOUND INNOCENT. SO AGAIN, PLEASE THINK ABOUT THE PUSHBACK THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THEY PEOPLE NORMALLY DO NOT LIKE CHANGE. MARILYN. THEY DON'T LIKE IT. CARRIE AND QUINN THEY DON'T LIKE CHANGE. AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE WANTING TO PUSH BACK. BUT MANY TIMES THEY MAY DECIDE THAT THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO GO ELSEWHERE. AND THAT'S THEIR CHOICE. SO MANY OF THE TEACHERS THAT LEFT, THAT WAS THEIR CHOICE TO LEAVE. AND I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE TEACHERS THAT LEFT, HE WAS A YOUNG FATHER WITH CHILDREN, AND HE DECIDED TO TAKE A JOB IN GARDEN GROVE SO HE COULD BE CLOSE TO HIS CHILDREN'S SCHOOL. SO PLEASE, AGAIN, I KIND OF AGREE WITH HETTY. WHEN SHE CAME UP TO LET'S REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE ARE HURTING OUR CHILDREN, THE KIDS, THE STUDENTS HERE, TEACHERS AND THE COMMUNITY. SO PLEASE, I'M JUST REALLY ASKING YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING WHEN YOU WANT TO ELIMINATE OR PUT DOCTOR CHERNISS ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE. PLEASE. AND ALSO, DOCTOR GOETZ, WE NEED A NEW A GOOD HR PERSON. LOOK AT THE SITUATION THAT HAPPENED OVER AT THE KRAMER MIDDLE SCHOOL. THAT THE PREVIOUS HR MAN DID. JUST DIDN'T WANT TO EVEN ADDRESS IT. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR LETTING ME SPEAK. AND I DO CARE. AND I JUST HOPE THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER. SO PLEASE, I'M JUST ASKING YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF YOUR HEART TO PLEASE AND ALSO TRUSTEE QUINTERO AGAIN, I THINK AGAIN, YOU NEED TO HAVE A LOT MORE KNOWLEDGE. SO I MEAN,
[01:25:03]
NOT I DON'T MEAN THAT DISRESPECTFUL. I JUST MEAN THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES HERE.THANK YOU. YEAH, SHE'S GOT NOTHING. LINDA TOLD HER HOW TO VOTE. HI. MY NAME IS SCOTT KIRBY, AND I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF YORBA LINDA SINCE 1989. MY KIDS WENT TO THE FIRST CLASSES AT BRYAN RANCH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. DEBBIE SILVERMAN WAS A FRIEND OF MINE. YOU KNOW, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT DOCTOR SURENESS AND HOW THE IMPACT THAT HE'S BROUGHT, THE TREMENDOUS THINGS HE'S DONE. AN EARLIER SPEAKER, I THINK, TALKED ABOUT PATTERNS. WE'VE HAD A PATTERN OF DECLINING SCHOOLS IN YORBA LINDA IN THIS DISTRICT. AND I'M YOU KNOW, TRICIA MENTIONED EARLIER, SHE'S CONFUSED. I'M CONFUSED AS WELL AS WHY WHEN IN THE FACE OF IMPROVING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT SCORES AND IMPROVING ENROLLMENT, THAT WE FEEL LIKE NOW IS THE RIGHT TIME TO MAKE THAT CHANGE.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IS AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN UNDER DOCTOR CHERNISS IS A FOCUS ON READING, WRITING, ARITHMETIC. AND I THINK AS A, AS A REAL ESTATE OWNER AND A, AND A LONG TIME CITIZEN OF THIS, OF THIS TOWN, I DON'T HAVE A REAL DOG IN THIS FIGHT ANYMORE. MY KIDS HAVE GONE ON.
THEY'VE HAD THREE OF THEM COME UP THROUGH THE SCHOOLS AT DIFFERENT TIMES. BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO US AS A COMMUNITY TO HAVE TRULY STRONG SCHOOLS. I LOOKED TONIGHT JUST TO MAKE SURE I WASN'T OUT OF LINE. I HAVEN'T SEEN A BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL AWARDED HERE SINCE 2018. THAT'S GOING ON SEVEN YEARS. WE USED TO HAVE A LOT OF THEM, AND I THINK THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT THE TYPE OF LEADERSHIP WE HAD PRIOR TO THE CURRENT REGIME THAT WE HAVE WITH DOCTOR CHERNISS AND LEANDRA BLADES. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT QUICK. IF WE DO, OR IF THE BOARD DECIDES THAT DOCTOR CHERNISS IS NOT NOT SOMEONE THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE WITH. CAN WE JUST MAKE SURE WE DO A FAIR EVALUATION? AND THAT GOES FOR BOTH SIDES, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS WELL IS THIS COMMUNITY. STOP POSTING THINGS ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA, VIDEOS, ATTACKS, PEOPLE ATTACKING, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS COMMUNITY MEMBERS. AND IT AND IT HAPPENS BOTH WAYS. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THINGS DOCTOR CHERNISS HAS BROUGHT TO THE DISTRICT THAT MAYBE WE NEED TO REVIEW, THAT IF IT WAS MORE TRANSPARENT IN THE PAST, WHICH I HAVE TOLD BOTH OF YOU, THEN WE COULD HAVE PROBABLY NOT BEEN AT THIS POINT. YOU GOT TO THIS POINT IN AERIAL ONE BECAUSE OF ACTIONS. AND, YOU KNOW, TRICIA PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE RUN IF THERE WEREN'T SOME THINGS THAT WEREN'T ALWAYS TRANSPARENT. AND I CAME TO THIS MEETING SO MANY TIMES ASKING FOR IT. I'VE HAD BEERS WITH FEW OF YOU ASKING FOR IT. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I THINK THIS COMMUNITY DESERVES. I'VE LIVED IN THIS COMMUNITY MY WHOLE LIFE. I'VE NEVER SEEN IT LIKE THIS. AND YOU'RE BRINGING PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, AGAINST EACH OTHER. AND IT'S NOT JUST THE UNION. AND I HEAR YOU. I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S YOUR PERSPECTIVE, BUT IT'S. IT'S BIGGER THAN THAT. IT'S THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE DIVIDING US. AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF IT'S POLITICAL, SOME OF IT'S JUST THE FACT THAT WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE. BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS, IS THIS COMMUNITY HAS TO HEAL ITS WOUNDS. AND IT'S BEEN SAID BY BOTH SIDES. A LOT OF SPEAKERS HAVE SAID THE SAME THING. SO WHATEVER HAPPENS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, I JUST HOPE IT'S A FAIR EVALUATION. AND IF THERE IS CAUSE, TODD, YOU SAID YOU WOULD VOTE FOR IT. YOU SAID EVEN IF IT'S FOR ONE A SUPERMAJORITY, I WILL VOTE FOR IT. IF THERE'S CAUSE. IF THERE'S NOT CAUSE, THEN I THINK WE SHOULD CONTINUE WITH DOCTOR CHERNISS. IF THERE IS CAUSE, I HOPE TODD WILL KEEP HIS WORD. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SARAH, AND I'M A CURRENT PYLUSD EMPLOYEE. I'M INCREDIBLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBLE REMOVAL OF DOCTOR GATES FROM OFFICE. I THINK CURRENTLY IT IS GENUINELY EMBARRASSING TO BE A PART OF THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT RIGHT NOW. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THIS DISTRICT'S BOUNDARIES. I ATTENDED WOODSBORO ELEMENTARY, BERNARDO YORBA MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND ESPERANZA HIGH SCHOOL, AND I WAS TAUGHT BY SOME INCREDIBLE TEACHERS. SO INCREDIBLE, IN
[01:30:01]
FACT, THAT THEY INSPIRED ME TO BECOME A TEACHER AS WELL, TO TRY AND IMPACT THE LIVES OF STUDENTS THE WAY THEY IMPACTED MINE. SO YES, IT IS EMBARRASSING TO BE ASKED WHAT THE CURRENT SCHOOL BOARD DRAMA IS, OR WHAT THE HECK IS HAPPENING IN MY DISTRICT WHEN I WOULD RATHER BE ASKED ABOUT THE WONDERFUL STUDENTS I SEE ON A DAILY BASIS. WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE TODAY IS NOT PUTTING STUDENTS FIRST. SO I ASK WHEN THE LAST TIME WAS THAT YOU WERE AT A SCHOOL SITE CONNECTING WITH THE STUDENTS WHOSE LIVES YOUR CHOICES ARE IMPACTING. DOCTOR GATES IS SOMEBODY I SEE ON A QUITE REGULAR BASIS CONNECTING WITH HER STUDENTS, ASKING THEM QUESTIONS AND SHOWING GENUINE CARE AND CONCERN FOR THEM BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT SHOULD BE DONE. BOOTS ON THE GROUND, WORKING AND FIGHTING TO CREATE AND FOSTER HEALTHY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR THOSE STUDENTS.NOT PLAYING GAMES TO TRY AND GET RID OF WHO YOU LIKE AND WHO YOU DON'T LIKE. I KNOW MY COMMENT WILL NOT CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS, FEELINGS OR OPINIONS ABOUT YOUR PEERS, BUT I HOPE IT HELPS YOU REEVALUATE WHY YOU OCCUPY A SPOT ON THIS BOARD. THANK YOU. TWO MORE. MY NAME IS SAM MARKOVICH.
IT APPEARS THAT THE NEW LEGAL COUNSEL WILL IMMEDIATELY ENGAGE EXISTING LITIGATION IN THE MATTER OF TERMINATING THE CONTRACT OF RICHARD MCCLENDON. IN THE CASE OF MCCLENDON VERSUS PYLUSD, RICHARD MCCLENDON HAD BEEN THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF EXECUTIVE SERVICES AND A HIGHLY REGARDED EDUCATOR IN THE PYLUSD FOR 23 YEARS. LAST YEAR, HE HAD TO GO ON MEDICAL LEAVE WITH A SERIOUS ILLNESS WHILE ON MEDICAL LEAVE. THE SUPERINTENDENT CHANGED THE TITLE AND FRAMEWORK FOR THE POSITION MR. MCCLENDON HAD HELD, AND APPOINTED RENEE GRAY TO THE NEW POST. THE SUPERINTENDENT PLACED MR. MCCLENDON ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE SINCE. ONCE HE FINISHED HIS MEDICAL LEAVE WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT HIS CONTRACT WOULD NOT BE RENEWED IN THE DISTRICT FOR THE NEXT YEAR. RECONFIGURING THE POSITION OF MR. MCCLENDON, THE POSITION THAT MR. MCCLENDON HAD HELD WHILE HE WAS ON MEDICAL LEAVE WAS A DISINGENUOUS WAY OF FIRING HIM.
WHILE HE WAS ON MEDICAL LEAVE. THIS THIS REPRESENTED NUMEROUS CIRCUMVENTIONS OF STATE LAW THAT THE PREVIOUS LEGAL COUNCIL AUTHORIZED. THAT HAS PUT US IN JEOPARDY. THAT IS BAD LEGAL ADVICE. MR. MCCLENDON'S CASE AGAINST THE DISTRICT APPEARS TO BE A STRONG ONE, AND MAY PROVIDE THE BROAD CONTEXT FOR UNDERSTANDING THE OTHER COMPONENTS OF THIS EVENING'S SPECIAL BOARD AGENDA. THE SECOND ITEM ON THE CLOSED SESSION AGENDA IS CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL PERTAINING TO ANTICIPATED LITIGATION. THE AGENDA IS QUITE EXPLICIT. THERE ARE TWO POTENTIAL CASES INVOLVING COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE SUPERINTENDENT AND DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT. MIGHT THESE COMPLAINTS BE ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS OF MR. MCCLENDON'S CLAIM THAT TARGET THE CULPABILITY OF THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS AS NAMED PARTIES, RELATED TO THE CLAIMS AGAINST THE DISTRICT? I CANNOT TELL FROM THE AGENDA WHETHER THAT'S TRUE OR NOT. I'M JUST TRYING TO INTERPRET THE AGENDA AS IT WAS STATED. THE THIRD ITEM ON THE CLOSED SESSION AGENDA INVOLVES A POTENTIAL PENALTIES TO A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE WHO HAS VIOLATED THE TERMS OF THE BROWN ACT, THE BROWN ACT. IT APPEARS, FROM THE WORDING OF THE AGENDA, THAT THIS VIOLATION WILL PROVIDE THE FOUNDATION FOR TERMINATING THE SUPERINTENDENT AND DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT WITH CAUSE. THE STATE LEGISLATURE AMENDED SECTION 35150 OF THE ED CODE TO REQUIRE CAUSE AS A BASIS FOR TERMINATION BY A NEW BOARD, BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED TO SUPERINTENDENT MARIE HANSON IN THE ORANGE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT TWO YEARS AGO. THERE, A NEWLY ELECTED EXTREMIST SCHOOL BOARD TERMINATED THE DUTIES OF THE HIGHLY REGARDED HANSON IN AN EFFORT TO FIND A SUPERINTENDENT MORE INCLINED TO ACCOMMODATE THEIR CHARTER SCHOOL OBSESSION AND CULTURE WARS. MANIA INCLUDED ON THE ORANGE SCHOOL BOARD HAD BEEN THE THEN RECENTLY ELECTED AND SUBSEQUENTLY RECALLED MADISON KLOFSTAD MINOR. MISS MINOR IS CLOSE FRIENDS WITH TRUSTEE LEANDRA BLADES. WHO. MY NAME IS SUE SAWYER, AND I HAVE NO PREPARED REMARKS, BUT I WANT TO DISCUSSING THE AGENDA ITEMS FOR CLOSED SESSION. IF WE'RE LOOKING AT POTENTIAL WHATEVER THE LONG LIST WAS FOR TERMINATION, LEAVE, WHATEVER, THEN LEADERS, THEIR SOLE RESPONSIBILITY IS TO TRAIN THE STAFF AND THE ADMINISTRATION THAT IS EDUCATING OUR STUDENTS.
WE HAVE INCREDIBLE STUDENTS AND WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY FREAKING AMAZING SCHOOLS IN THIS DISTRICT. AND WE HAVE ALL ALONG, REGARDLESS OF THE LEADERS, WHETHER YOU LIKE THEM OR NOT, BECAUSE TEACHERS ARE IN THE TRENCHES DOING IT. TEACHERS ARE AFRAID BECAUSE OF THIS ADMINISTRATION. I AM AFRAID IT SCARES THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF ME TO COME UP AND TALK EVERY DAY, BECAUSE I'M AFRAID YOU'RE GOING TO INVOLUNTARILY TRANSFER ME, TRANSFER ME AGAIN FOR SPEAKING OUT, BECAUSE A GOOD LEADER WOULD CALL A TEACHER AND HAVE A CONFERENCE WITH THEM.
[01:35:03]
ISAIAH GATES WOULD GO THROUGH THE CHAIN OF COMMAND, BUT WHEN HE PURPOSEFULLY LEAVES OUT THREE OF THE CHAIN OF COMMAND THAT DOES NOT BUILD INTEGRITY, IT DOES NOT BUILD A BRIDGE TO SUPPORT TEACHERS, TO SUPPORT KIDS. I AM MAKING LEMONADE OUT OF LIFE'S LEMONS TO SUPPORT A GROUP OF KIDS THAT HAVE NOT HAD A VERY RICH LIFE, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS. AND GOOD LEADERS WOULD SUPPORT THEM. THEY WOULD NOT PREVENT THOSE CHILDREN FROM HAVING EQUIPMENT UNTIL TWO DAYS AFTER HE LOST THE BOARD MAJORITY. THAT'S NOT WHAT GOOD LEADERS DO. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH LEADERS THAT HAVE LEFT YOUNG LEADERS WITH SMALL CHILDREN, WHERE ALEX CAME TO THEM DIRECTLY WITHOUT GOING THROUGH ANYBODY AND JUST TOLD THEM, YOU DON'T HAVE A JOB, SORRY, THERE'S NOT A SPOT FOR YOU. AND THEY'RE GONE. AND THEY WENT AND GOT OTHER POSITIONS. BUT THEN LEANDRA SAYS, WE DIDN'T FIRE ANYBODY, BUT YOU FORCED THEM OUT. THEY HAVE SMALL CHILDREN. HE HAD TWO SMALL CHILDREN AND AN INFANT. YOU THESE TEACHERS HAVE FAMILIES. YOU ARE IMPACTING THEIR LIVES. YOU'RE IMPACTING THEIR LIVELIHOOD. WE NEED TO SUPPORT ALL OF THEM, WHETHER WE AGREE WITH THEIR POLITICS OR NOT. AND I DON'T NECESSARILY DISAGREE WITH THE CHARTER. I DISAGREE DISAGREE WITH THE WAY ALEX CHERNISS WENT ABOUT HIDING THINGS, MANIPULATING THINGS, AND NOT BEING OPEN AND TRANSPARENT. AND THEN NEW LEADERSHIP COMES IN. YOU HAVE GOT TO TRAIN PEOPLE. YOU HAVE GOT TO BOOST PEOPLE UP. IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE DO WRONG, WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR THE GOOD THINGS, NOT LOOKING FOR WAYS TO CATCH THEM IN A LIE LIKE YOU DID. TRYING TO CATCH MARILYN IN A LIE THE OTHER DAY. TODD, LIKE, EVERYBODY HAS ISSUES. I DON'T KNOW ANY TEACHERS THAT ARE NOT TRYING TO SUPPORT KIDS, KIDS THAT HAVE DIFFERENT ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS, DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS BACKGROUNDS, DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW, KIDS THAT DON'T STAND UP FOR THE FLAG, SALUTE, KIDS THAT DO STAND UP, KIDS THAT CELEBRATE BIRTHDAYS, KIDS THAT DON'T. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT OUR PERSONAL BELIEFS ARE, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT HIS PERSONAL BELIEFS ARE. WE HAVE TO SUPPORT. OKAY, WE ARE NOW GOING TO[9. CLOSED SESSION]
ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.