Once again we have had to set up a new SAUSD corruption thread as the last one started to run slow with all the comments on it.
Our schools are in crisis today – not just here in Santa Ana but all over the state. The only thing we know for sure is that we are going to take more budget hits.
I am amazed that the SAUSD hired back all their laid off administrators. How crazy is that? Class sizes are growing, good teachers are laid off, and the union, as usual, is asleep at the wheel.
We will continue to reason through all this here at the Orange Juice blog! We can but hope for the best…
98
You need to make a call to the district benefits office ASAP, I will be doing the same as soon as the bill from the doctor comes in. This is going to be a huge problem, we were absolutely assured that if we paid the deductible during the first 6 months of the year prior to the switch, it would be covered for the remainder of the year. This really didn’t make any sense to me from the beginning because my question (which was never answered) was, “Who is taking the loss?” Is Blue Cross paying Blue Shield, I seriously doubt that or is Blue Shield agreeing to give up the deductible for this year to get the business. My suspicion was always that they would bill us for it and see what they could get away with (we all know insurance companies and we know how incompetent the district is at negotiating these things). Anyone else? If you contact the benefits office, please let us know the response here. Thanks.
Jill wrote:
“The Union leaders will be gone all week apparently and will be in Los Angeles at a workshop. Just who will be fighting for our jobs this week? Paul? Gladys? Just as expected, Mercer wrote and said that 252 still do not have jobs. What exactly is she doing to help? Instead, she is advocating for the people who have paid $10,000 to take classes (Fullerton, Orange) for Special Ed & Math. (You know…the little agreement the district has with those colleges? You scratch my back…I’ll scratch yours.) She wants those people to get positions first. She is in Los Angeles while the 252 are counting on HER to represent them while she isn’t even in town.”
Michelle wrote:
Your union is a mob, your teachers are a disgrace, and your kid’s are less educated than the rich in Mexico.
And you lot are worried about losing your job’s.
God really you all should be ashamed to be in the profession of a teacher in California!
In a few year’s when my kids are older, you will all be making alot less or producing results; “period”.
How are you today, Michelle? 🙂 Stop holding your feelings in Michelle…it’s bad for you.
A quote, “Just who will be fighting for our jobs this week? Paul? Gladys?”
OUR jobs? Dear Ms Quinn, are you a teacher in SA? Of course I’m happy you identify w/ teachers. I didn’t realize you were on a first name basis w/ Paul and Gladys.
Glad that you learned how to use spell and grammar check. I would be ashamed to have had you as a student. But your impotent, incessant, irrelevant, and illogical yapping is amusing. Thanks!
Any word about the meeting last night?
Nothing happened at the board meeting except Ron Murrey and company were not prepared again. John has asked him to bring information about the average teacher salaries (of the laid off teachers) and info on various csr costs, but the man fails to produce the goods. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? John (at the board meeting) said that he is not voting on anything until he has the complete details and I don’t blame him. Murrey also doesn’t include the stimulus money in the presentations. I hope John asks Murrey for a report on what the district has spent the stimulus money on (complete details.) The board will be having a “Budget Retreat” that is scheduled for next Wed. (the 19th) at 5:00 (District Board Room) so that Murrey can produce the documents.
There is also interesting talk going on that positions that are categorically funded are not supposed to accrue seniority during the years they were working “under a grant”. This is a new one. If anyone knows about this…post here. Apparently they are saying that many folks have more seniority than some of the TOSAs and the lists need to be re-reviewed. I encourage everyone to review the lists. ex. Say 2 people were hired the same year. One was a teacher on special assignment for 10 years and the other was a teacher working in the district. The question is now….who is entitled to that TOSA position? the teacher is …(is what they are saying) because the TOSA didn’t accrue seniority while working under a grant/categorically funded position. That is what is going on now. Now, don’t bite my head off…it’s not coming from me…this is the info that was “given to me.”
I have been told by various sources that Susan Mercer said that she will not be representing the mult subj csr teachers because that is pitting one group against the other. She is considered to be, herself, an out of classroom, TOSA…so she should be getting us a lawyer or someone ELSE to fend for us since we are paying them to represent us. She is representing herself, her friends, her own group…not the 252 laid off folks…this is called “a conflict of interest.”
She also has met with each board member individually behind the scenes (except Jose). She is cutting deals behind the scenes and not including us at all or telling us what she is doing. Many folks think that the way she is handling this entire situation is horrendous. She doesn’t call meetings for us, tell us what she plans to do for us and she sends us “cold” “heartless” rif updates as if they were coming from a robot.
Oh Michelle~ You are so cute in your ignorant ways….. Thanks for the reminder that people really don’t have a clue. Once in awhile I assume some of you really do understand the challenges we have to put up with. It’s reassuring to know that the idiots do exist, which is why SAUSD stays in the mess it is in. It all adds up…..
Ignorance + corruption = SAUSD
I am outraged that the district is not providing the board with the information it requests regarding teacher salaries and the stimulus money. How can the district be allowed to get away with using stimulus money for anything other than teacher salaries? This seems CRIMINAL! Is there anybody out there in a position of power who cares about this?
Certainly not Bill Habermehl. If the district were presented with a billion dollars cash, he would find some excuse to tell them to hold onto it. That man is corrupt and incompetent. He obviously cares only about himself, not students and certainly not teachers. I hope he feels the pain of losing his job, and soon.
And Susan Mercer/SAEA. Let’s change the acronym of SAEA to DOA. That’s about as much support as riffed teachers have ever gotten from it.
Unfortunately, things will never change with the district nor SAEA/DOA until new leaders arise. The teachers are like sheep, passive and willing to follow whomever. If the teachers have a corrupt district and union, bad things will happen to them. If new and competent leaders arise, the sheep will follow them. We need to have Richardson recalled and replaced. Hernandez also needs to be shown the way out. We also need Patricia or somebody like her to take the helm at SAEA. The thing is I don’t know how we do those things because the teachers and parents in this district are so darn passive, which is why our district lays off eight years of teachers on a continuing basis and other districts wouldn’t dare. Of course, other districts are also more competent, honest, and well managed. They don’t need the layoffs.
This just becomes more of an outrage every day. Does Jane know what she has done to morale? Would she care if she did know? I think she probably does know and doesn’t care. The real meaning of the district motto is: 1. High placed administrators hanging on to jobs and providing more high paying jobs to their cronies is the standard. 2. Failure of the students is not a concern. 3. F___ the teachers!
Why did I become a teacher 🙁
I spent 4 years in college studying to be one and one year for credentials…I wasted 5 years of my life studying to become a teacher. What do I do now, work at a daycare center for minimum wage…I could have done that without going to college!
Dave
I’m not sure what your individual circumstances are, but I just hope that you are aware that all of this will change eventually. It’s probably not much comfort to you right now since this is probably the worst I have seen in over 20 years teaching. However, people retire, people continue having kids and those kids need teachers. Hang in there and I wish you the best.
This is the NEWLY (revised presentation) posted here:
http://tiny.cc/budgetupdate
QEIA
http://tiny.cc/qeiahelp1
contact Arne Duncan, the Education Secretary (under Obama)
Arne Duncan
(202) 401-3000
Department of Education Organizational Structure and Offices
E-Mail Address: arne.duncan@ed.gov
LBJ EDUCATION BUILDING
400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202
Rm No. 7W311
Please refer to this press release (paragraph 1, last sentence): http://tiny.cc/savejobs
_________________________________________________
You can ALSO write to:
oig.hotline@ed.gov
Deputy Inspector General Mary Mitchelson
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Inspector General
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-1500
or call 1-800-MIS-USED
or go to this link: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oig/hotline.html
__________________________________________________
Thanks tmare,
It is just so disheartening to be a teacher right now. I’ve had to work so hard and take so many tests to prove that I am a good teacher. Now I’m just thrown to side like a piece of trash. And its even more depressing to see teachers with 8 years in the district being laid off.
Support the 2nd Grade Test Ban Bill
http://tiny.cc/bantestingingrade2
Dave #112
Although I am not a teacher I spent nearly 3 decades working for school districts. The last 2 decades with SAUSD. I can assure you not all districts treat staff like SAUSD does.
It sounds as though you are relatively young or new which means you have a long and fruitful career ahead of you. Your distress also makes you sound like a dedicated teacher. SAUSD is not the end all by any stretch of the imagination. You may have to be willing to start over elsewhere with less pay but if you are truly dedicated to your job and teaching it doesn’t matter where you do it.
Some of us at the other end of our careers had to take what ever SAUSD doled out because we had few other options. My advice to anyone who can move on is they should seriously consider it. I’ve watched 3 administrations at SAUSD. Each was worse and more corrupt than the previous one.
While a few here believe they can effect some change at SAUSD, I remain skeptical. Some are driven by revenge for being fired while others truly are dedicated to improve the district but don’t know how. As I see it the only answer is going to take a major revolt rather than just a band-aid approach. As we all know major revolts result in a lot of collateral damage. When push comes to shove most people just won’t commit to that extreme once they realize they may end up worse off than they were before.
Dave, I realize the job market sucks but when you really get down to it the entire state sucks. You haven’t wasted your credentials. If you are a dedicated teacher don’t give up teaching. Doctors don’t quit the first time they lose a patient. Neither should you. Just realize districts are a mechanism. Some are completely self-serving while others are more about what they are supposed to be for, which is to manage a “not for profit service provider”.
No district administration is “for the kids”. Only the teachers and employees are. Once you understand that you can adjust your mindset to your own personal ethics and decide how to move on. I wish you luck.
Finally a chance to complain directly to the Obama administration about the SAUSD!
http://orangejuiceblog.com/2009/08/obamas-director-of-education-for-latinos-coming-to-santa-ana-on-monday/
I think Sepulveda would be interested to know the following statistics:
Basic, below basic and far below basic means students are NOT at grade level.
The percentage of students, districtwide, that fall at Basic, Below Basic and Far Below Basic on the CST for English Language is as follows:
2007-2008 School Year
2nd Grade 65%
3rd Grade 77%
4th Grade 58%
5th Grade 68%
6th Grade 70%
7th Grade 66%
8th Grade 68%
9th Grade 67%
10th Grade 74%
11th Grade 78%
As you can see by the statistics, SAUSD continues to fail to address this horrific problem; they don’t have a handle on the number of students who are socially promoted and CAN NOT READ!!!!!
Can you imagine that 78% of incoming 2008/2009 seniors were not at grade level.
If we were in Irvine, there would be a class action lawsuit!
Please see slide 4 QEIA $11M Cut (they failed to tell you this):
You may have heard rumors circulating that QEIA schools face a funding gap or “hole” because of this action. That is not true. But the funding mix will be different. It is technically accurate that QEIA schools will have their revenue limit funding reduced by the amount of General Fund money they are awarded through QEIA. But ABx4 2, one of the budget bills, also provides the mechanism for the same amount of additional federal funding to flow to QEIA schools in 2009-10. If a district asserts that revenue limits are being reduced that is simply a half-truth propagated by those who wish to undermine QEIA. This one-time change
Good cut it! 480 schools all Title one schools that have been given money up the ying yang and no results, because all this money goes to is hiring bad teachers to supply the union with more dues; plain and simple!
And yes your all bitching about losing your jobs, why were you not all complaining about the 30% drop out rate and the D+ national grading of California teachers??
It is a childs chance for a better life in school for teachers it a paycheck, and your not earning it!
And yeah,I am mad as hell at you all, as far as i am concern you have betrayed your profession and the children for too many years!
Hi Jill,
sorry yes, i like to let it fly:)
Dave –
Stop whinning. It’s not becoming. No one has stripped you of your education. No one can take that away from you. Snap out of your pity party.
Sometimes life gets tough and it’s only then that we find out what we’re made of. No one died. You’re alive.
Gee, I hate to see how you’d crumble if your students didn’t like you.
Oh Michelle, Michelle,
I am terribly confused as to how you are suddenly able to write a coherent sentence. What happened? I still fail to see how you can group all teachers in a bunch and proclaim that they are all failures. At least I can understand what you are writing now.
Michelle,
I don’t agree with a lot of what you say, but you actually make some good points in your anger. There are definitely a lot of teachers who are only in it for the money, not the kids, and schools and society would be better served if they would just leave. Teaching should be a calling, not something you fall into because you want to leach off of the government. But I don’t understand why you deny that there are some, even many, good teachers out there. There are even teachers who would be willing to take a pay cut to keep their jobs or to help other teachers keep their jobs. But you have to admit that teachers should be entitled to make something. Even the best teachers couldn’t teach if they didn’t make enough to meet their mortgage payments and put food on the table. As noble a profession as teaching should be, few could afford to do it for nothing. What exactly do you think a reasonable salary for a teacher is?
You are right that teachers’ unions have heaped disaster on public education in California. But what you fail to understand is that it is only a very vocal handful of teachers who support the union and its activities. The vast majority of teachers are, unfortunately, ignorant of what the union is doing. They quietly pay their dues and go along with the status quo. This is not something that should make teachers proud, but it is not as if public schools, at least in Santa Ana, are hotbeds of union activism.
I have a few more questions for you. If you think schools are as bad as you say, what is your solution? Vouchers? Doing away with public schools altogether? And what are you doing to get your voice heard by the people in Sacramento, who are the only ones who can effect the kinds of fundamental changes in education that you and many others want?
Hello,
I hear all this …mess…about who will sub, who should sub, blaa, blah, blahh.
The union promised the rif’d teachers that they would be first on the sub list.
What about everyone else on the sub list? How are you more special than everyone else already on this list? This list where everyone has made more effort to actually get their name attached than you had to to get hired? And don’t assume that those on the list have less experience, schooling, or credentials.
You were fired. You were let go. It wasn’t fair but it is what it is.
Get use to it.
#122
I understand the frustrations of those already on the sub list and the whole thing is going to create a nightmare for teachers and schools who have a regular sub list they use. The union never promised this to the laid off teachers, the education code did. The only teachers who are assured subbing at their regular rate are non-probationary teachers, this is a fact that the district neglected to figure out until many of the probationary teachers were already counting on subbing. It’s not really that any of these people feel that they are more special than the regular subs, they are just trying to take what was guaranteed to them, I don’t think you can fault them for that.
All of those teachers on the rif’d list. There are some there that have more than 8 years of experience!!! They are hoping to be added to a sub list. They are hoping that this sub list actually precedes the other sub list. They are hoping that all the secretaries will read that list vs. the *other* sub list; the list that has actually been around for a few years. My question is this: why are you more special than any other person on this sub list? Do you have more years of experience? Not probably. Not necessarily. You have no clue about what it actually entails to be a substitute. And you won’t.
Those on the sub list have been specifically hired for this! We have been through an interview. We have been hired for this job of no guarantees, no rights and few social amenities. It’s not a question of why you would want our jobs but why you would think you were entitled
We won’t go into why you would actually want it!!
Those who are feeling very protective of their sub positions should take a moment and try to put themselves in the shoes of those who have been RIF’d. These teachers would rather be in their own classrooms but given the few options they have in this economy for earning a salary that is comparable to what they just lost, it is not hard to understand why they are insisting on what is guaranteed to them by the education code. Just as teachers with more seniority were allowed to keep their jobs, these regular certificated employees of the district are also allowed to keep a position, such that it is. While I have a great appreciation for subs, it should be clear that this position never held any guarantees of work. I am really hoping that it all works out, the teachers get their jobs back and the regular subs can continue to do the job they have been doing, but ripping each other apart is really not the answer.
All I want to do is just teach.
#126
I sincerely hope that you will be able to do that.
#122~ *You* had better get used to it. It’s in the ED code….. teachers get priority subbing and after 20 days we receive our daily rate. I don’t know about anyone else, but I know I can make my bills by subbing at my daily rate. The added bonus being no grading, meetings, paperwork, or report cards! If SAUSD wants to waste taxpayer dollars then let them!
Do teachers get a choice on the matter of who subs in their classrooms or is someone placed? I would prefer someone specifically hired to sub versus a teacher filling in to meet their daily rate.
At my high school, I’ve heard far too many horror teacher-to-sub stories where the following happens: complaining to the students about their situation, criticizing the teachers they are subbing for, accusing newer teachers of taking their jobs, etc. As a result, there were requests that these teacher/subs not be assigned to specific classrooms.
Students do not need to hear the sob story. Subs are there to implement a lesson.
Jill, I wanted to respond to your 106 post about categorical funding. Actually, this isn’t anything new. I know this only because I was one of those types. I should be six years in the district instead of two. However, due to categorical funding status, I didn’t accrue the seniority.
I know quite a few other teachers in the same situation. I completely agree. It isn’t fair, but it’s something that has gone on for quite some time.
Does anyone know if the SAUSD staff email is down? I can’t get on.
#131
Something is definitely wrong with staff e-mail, I just tried and I’m getting that their server is down, what else is new, this happens at my site at least 2 times a week. I’m sure it will be fine by tomorrow.
#129
I specifically asked this question at the last union meeting and the answer was emphatically, no, you will not get to choose your subs. The district will have a list of only those who are RIF’d teachers, I would imagine that once that group has decided if they will take the spots, then it will go to the regular subs. This is going to be a nightmare, but I am not one to deny these people their due.
I have been teaching in SAUSD for 2 years now. I also subbed for 2 years as a long term sub in the Placentia Yorba District. I know what is like to sub and have your own classroom. Subbing was a pain to do, but I did it to get the experience. Now I am told that I can’t sub and make daily rate because I am a prob teacher. By all means I do not want to go back to subbing and making the measly 100 a day. It is not right that we do not even get to have the daily rate. Needless to say, I went in and did all the sub paperwork and was told later that it does not count now. I was told wrong by the district. I have been getting calls from the sub desk and I thought it was for summer school, but summer is over. I finally decided to listen to it and it was a 10 day job assignment. Now it seems to me as though there is no seniority list on who subs and there needs to be. Yes it was nice to get the call, but I did not take it knowing that I do not get the daily rate and I am sure they would take it away from me to get it to somebody else. Something has to be done to know that those teachers who are riff get on a list to sub by seniority. Apparently this has not been the case unless a lot of have not signed up yet for it.
#133
You should call the union just to ask if there is any seniority for assignments for probationary teachers. I kind of assumed that there wouldn’t be since you will not receive your daily rate. I completely agree that you guys have been screwed by the ed code but the district should have known this long ago and not given you the idea that you would be making your daily rate. The pay for subs is pathetic and it has been all along. The problem is that subs have always considered their jobs as temporary while they work towards something else and they’ve never really been organized enough to have a voice.
#130 No, it isn’t fair. Ed Code is so outdated. I am really sorry.
#133 You’re kidding me? The district is obviously NOT going by the list for subbing even.
I feel sorry for regular substitutes who may not be working as regularly, but it is not appropriate to attack laid off teachers. In the first place, most of us would rather have our own classroom, but the Ed. Code provides that we have priority to sub. if we get laid off. We knew this when we are hired and substitute teachers should know this could happen when they are hired. Also, many of us laid off teachers started out as subs. and have just as much or more experience subbing than most of the subs. To say that we are less qualified to sub. than regular substitutes is ridiculous.
As far as I’m concerned, I’d rather have my own classroom, but if the district is dumb enough to choose to use me as a sub. rather than a regular teacher and pay me the same, I am smart enough to say bring it on. Instead of working ten hour days and bringing work home on weekends, I’ll work six hour days and be done. I won’t have report cards, parent meetings, staff meetings, or lesson planning to do. Honestly, even though I’m not, with the unemployment boondoggle over the summer and the opportunity to substitute teach for my regular pay, I should be thankful to be laid off.
There is a board meeting next Wed the 19th. If you want your job back it is imperative that you go to this next meeting and not rely on the same few to speak on your behalf. The board will be making decisions about CSR so you need to be there. Please get parents and as many teachers as you can to attend.
Fred Gomeztrejo = new P.E. teacher at Godinez Fundamental (and praying to be dept. chair of Phys. Ed.)
Apparently, no other district will take Mr. Gomeztrejo as an administrator if he’s accepting a teaching position. This is a serious demotion and significant pay cut.
#136 rif rif~ My sentiments exactly! What is so very sad is the parents of Santa Ana are allowing this to happen to their children!
138 – how can he go into a teaching position? Are there no PE teachers on the RIF list? And, was this a posted position that allowed for others to apply or was this an inside job?
Is anyone able to access their school email from outside the district network? I have been able to all summer and now I can’t.
I have a few more questions for you. If you think schools are as bad as you say, what is your solution? Vouchers? Doing away with public schools altogether? And what are you doing to get your voice heard by the people in Sacramento, who are the only ones who can effect the kinds of fundamental changes in education that you and many others want?
1.
Oversight of teacher’s and their quality, by an independent company or civil group.
2.
Bring the basics back, Steve Perry, Principle at Capitol Prep. An all black and Hispanic Charter school that has 100% success rate with his students all from a very low-income area.
3.
Teachers need to drop the Union, its a corrupt poltical action organization, that uses teachers due’s for a powerful agenda within this country.
Whether you believe in Gay marriage or not, why the hell was a teacher’s union giving 1m to defeat prop 8????
4.
Stop this stupid “No child left behind”, bull, it allows districts to get million’s in compensation for title one schools, “So poor performing schools do better as far as funding than good performing schools”.!!! Infact they have cut many programs from schools all over Orange Country, except in Santa Ana with all the schools with API scores less than 3.
5.
If schools continue to fail, close them! that simple! and allow the parents a tax credit to send their kids to a private school, if they choose!
6.
Hold parents responsible for their kids behaviour!
7.
Uniforms; growning up in Belfast, through all the termoil, it made me feel apart of something. I was proud of my school and the connection my uniform gave me as far as belonging to something!
Uniforms have all sorts of benefits, cost, connection, structure!
As far as what i am doing, i have something in mind. Right now i putting it together!.
140 – My guess is, it’s an inside job. I am NOT happy that Gomeztrejo gets a P.E. position while there are still some on the RIF list (at least one P.E. teacher that I know of is still rif’d). It’s unfair that he came to this district in 2006 as an administrator and NOT a teacher, yet he can take a job away from someone who’s been here longer.
141 – The district e-mail stopped working yesterday evening.
I used the district e-mail today, you have to click a second time on the mail icon after you get the message that it is being worked on.
Good luck, Michelle. I’m not sure you have as much of a handle on these issues as you think you do, but many of the changes you suggest would certainly be for the better, especially getting rid of the teachers’ unions.
P.S. In those Belfast schools, I think you might have been absent on the days they taught about when and when not to use an apostrophe. I hope you are writing to public officials to express your ideas because many of them could bring out powerful change for the positive if they could ever be implemented. To the extent you are doing such writing, you would come across as more credible and less kooky if you could somehow master apostrophes. Here’s a quick primer:
1. Apostrophes are never used to make words plural.
2. Apostrophes are only used to show possession and in contractions.
3. The apostrophe goes after the “s” if you are making a word that is already plural possessive.
Here are some examples from your most recent post:
“oversight of teachers and their quality,” not oversight of teacher’s and their quality.
“teachers’ dues,” not “teachers due’s”
“kids’ behavior,” not kids behavior
I’m honestly trying to be helpful here. Your good ideas will be given more attention if you come across as a better writer. Again, good luck.
I believe the displaced teachers met today to choose positions for next year. Does anybody know how that went? Did the district have enough positions for all of the displaced teachers? Are any teachers in the district still displaced?
A years worth of looking into who is behind it, why and for what, that is all you really need!
And look up who wrote the QEIA grant,and who is running for CDE 2010, and who do you think will fund his campaign???.
Meg Whitman for Gov spoke yesterday and a friend of mine attended. Her plan is to take underperforming schools and make then into charter schools. She also wants to follow a model that they had in Florida (Jeb Bush) grading each school A-F. Florida has the strongest accountability system in the country. Like it or not…that is her plan. Since Florida began grading schools in 1999, the percentage of schools receiving A’s and B’s has more than tripled from 21 percent to 79 percent. The proportion of D and F schools dropped from 28 percent to 7 percent. Florida was the first state — and is still the only one — to grade schools. Apparently, schools who received grades of B or below were made into charter schools. CTA will never endorse her or go for this in a million years.
http://tiny.cc/schoolgrades <--go here for more
brilliant idea!
I wish we could have Priniple Steve Perry come and talk with SAUSD, he is an amazing example of “doing what it takes”.
The unions have got to go, you see the reason charter schools do so well, the ejection of the unions and control of the district.