Comments on: It figures – no one gets fired for Santa Ana College fire alarm fiasco

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 18:01:00 +0000

Pedroza – your attempt to turn a facilities management blunder into a racist issue is off the mark – an unrealistic stretch. You might just as well have claimed it was an uncaring attitude about the many southeast asian students in the college, or the women, or the senior citizens, all of which are found in the classrooms. You are guilty of trying to fabricate news, in this case seeking to whip up racial tensions for what can only be some kind of warped personal agenda.

By: Art Pedroza

Art Pedroza — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 23:40:00 +0000

Dear readers,

If you want to contact the local Hispanic press regarding the Santa Ana College fire alarm fiasco, you may use my letter below as a point of reference.

You can send your comments to La Opinion, a very large Spanish newspaper, at: http://www.laopinion.com/corporate/form/comentarios.php.

Here is my letter to La Opinion:

Esta semana el peri

By: Art Pedroza

Art Pedroza — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 22:51:00 +0000

#5,

I have no idea who you are – and I don’t care. Wait until the students and parents get a hold of this story. They will be royally “offended” that the lame Rancho Trustees allowed the Santa Ana College students to be exposed to a major risk of death and NO ONE got fired over this.

You think I am making a big deal about this? Well, you are really going to hate the fact that I am sending information to every Latino TV, radio and newspaper in Southern California about this scandal. Wait until this blows up on Spanish media…you will NOT be happy about that!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 22:20:00 +0000

I am deeply and personally offended by your statement that my views on this topic would be impacted by the ethic composition of the students. You have reached an all time low in making such a statement about someone who you do not know – in this case, me.

By: Art Pedroza

Art Pedroza — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 21:50:00 +0000

#3,

Shame on me? No. Shame on the Rancho Trustees. They obviously don't value the lives of their Latino students at Santa Ana College.

Take a look at the Rancho Board of Trustees. You will find six white trustees! And only two Latino trustees - including Al Amezcua, a guy who started out as a Latino activist only to end up being a lapdog to Mike Metzler, the director of the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce.

These Trustees are clearly either a) racist; b) inept'; c) or both.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 18:47:00 +0000

Art, shame on you. Your response to me was reading as heartfelt and sincere, then you throw in a racist accusation from left field that makes an otherwise strong and believable statement of opinion laughable. You blew this one, amigo. Keep to the topic. I think an apology by you is in order regarding that last sentence.

By: Art Pedroza

Art Pedroza — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 03:32:00 +0000

#1,

The lives of young people obviously do not matter to the bureaucrats at SAC and at Rancho. Let me be clear about this - these violations absolutely were firing offenses. I work in safety. I manage safety and workers comp for an $80 million contractor. Believe me, if I screwed up as much as these people did, I would be gone. Period.

This was not a minor issue. This was a mistake that exposed the college to millions of dollars of liability. A mistake that exposed the student body to a fiery death. A mistake that clearly has been mishandled by the Rancho Trustees.

The Times article also mentioned that President Martinez actually had an alarm SHUT OFF because it kept going off and annoying her. How in the Hell has this incompetent kept her job?

As I have stated, it is outrageous that no one was fired. What do you have to do to get fired at this college, kill someone? These bumbling incompetents almost did.

Maybe it does not matter to you because the students are mostly Latino?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 03:15:00 +0000

What is to be gained from firing someone for this? A screwup that should result in no raise for a year or two, a “needs improvement” evaluation rating, etc. yes, but firing? Besides, the problem may be an organizational weakness that failed to fix responsibility for matters such as this, in which case there is a lot of blame to go around. Fix it so it cannot happen again, and move on.