GUHSD redistricting

SUPERVISOR JACOB CITES "PUBLIC DISTRUST", CALLS FOR PUBLIC VOTE ON GUHSD REDISTRICTING

 

Public encouraged to send letters to state and county decision makers

East County News Service

April 10, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Supervisor Dianne Jacob has sent a letter to the County Board of Education President Gregg Robinson PhD urging support for a public vote to determine the outcome of the Grossmont Union High School District’s proposal for “by trustee” area elections. The GUHSD board majority is seeking a waiver from a state requirement that would ordinarily require a public vote on any redistricting proposal. 

But Jacob writes, “The importance of representing the people through elections is paramount to the political process. Normally, election `by trustee’ is a fair way to ensure that constituents are being properly and proportionally represented. GUHSD’s proposal to move to a `by-trustee’ area election method is not something that is generally considered unusual, however, recent actions and decisions by GUHSD’s Board of Directors has created a sense of public distrust.”


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NEW HEARING ON GROSSMONT REDISTRICTING ADDED IN LEMON GROVE APRIL 6

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 31, 2016 (Lemon Grove) –The Lemon Grove/Spring Valley area would have its own district to elect a trustee to the Grossmont Union High School District’s board under a plan that the GUHSD approved, but  that must next be approved or rejected by the County Office of Education’s Committee on School District Organization.

The County committee previously announced five hearings on the redistricting plan. Now, the committee announces a sixth hearing to be held on Wednesday, April 6 from 6-8 p.m. at the Lemon Grove Library community room, 3001 School Lane in Lemon Grove. (Map)

Other upcoming hearings will be held in Lakeside, Alpine and Jamul. For a full list of all hearings and rules for public comment, click here.   

To view data on the GUHSD redistricting plan including demographic details and maps, click here.


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READER’S EDITORIAL: CALIFORNIA VOTING RIGHTS ACT (CVRA)

 

By Jim Stieringer, Member, Governing Board, Grossmont Union High School District

March 31, 2016 (San Diego’s East County)--Like my board colleagues I enthusiastically endorse the concept of the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) and our unanimous vote to implement it in the Grossmont Union High School District.

I recall that our board members’ decision to implement “area” election precincts was engendered solely by a desire to implement CVRA and to obviate a threatened lawsuit if we failed to do so. I believe that no one was motivated by a desire to deny a colleague an opportunity to compete in the 2016 election. Further I am unaware of any direction to our demographers other than to create a minority district that gave consideration to all communities of interest. Each of the three proposed maps accomplished those goals.


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READERS EDITORIAL: STOP GROSSMONT'S GERRYMANDERING! SPEAK OUT AT COUNTY’S ALPINE FORUM APRIL 4

 

 

By George Barnett

March 19, 2016 (Alpine) – Grossmont Union High School District Trustees are in the process of gerrymandering its voter district. Grossmont intends to move from a process of electing trustees on an “at large” basis to a re-districting to a by-trustee basis.  This means that individual communities such as that across Alpine, Blossom Valley, Harbison Canyon – for example – could elect their own chosen representative on the Grossmont board.  Grossmont is being forced into re-districting by threat of separate law suits. 

Fundamentally, it is a sound idea.  However, Grossmont also decided to do this without voter input or approval.  The scheme of re-districting that Grossmont has selected is gerrymandering and results in:


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HEAR OUR RADIO INTERVIEWS: OPPONENTS OF GUHSD REDISTRICTING PLANS SPEAK OUT

 

Hear our interviews with Craig Beswick, Nick Marinovich and Priscilla Schreiber:  https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

East County News Service

March 16, 2016 (San Diego's East County) --  The Grossmont Union High School District Board majority's proposed redistricting plan is among the most controversial actions taken by a board long mired in contention over a variety of issues -- many of which stand to be influenced by the outcome of redistricting.  East County Magazine's radio show on KNSJ sat down with several individuals who have voiced strong opposition to the plan approved by the board and now awaiting action by the County Department of Education's Committee on School District Organization.

Click the link above this story to listen online now to a podcast of  our interviews and comments from trustee Priscilla Schreiber, Diego Valley Charter Net principal Craig Beswick, former Citizens Bond Oversight Committee member Nick Marinovich, and Chaldean Chamber President Ben Kalasho on this important issue (originally aired on KNSJ 89.1 FM radio).

The County's committee plans five upcoming hearings to get public comment on the proposed redistricting plan, as well as the GUHSD's request to waive a public vote. The five hearings are set for March 17 in La Mesa, March 28 in El Cajon,  April 4 in Alpine,  April 5 in Jamul, and April 11 in Lakeside.  The public can testify at the meetings and also submit written comments up until April 7. 

Audio: 

Opponents of GUHSD redistricting speak out: Craig Beswick, Nick Marinovich, Priscilla Schreiber, Ben Kalasho

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ALPINE HEARING ADDED ON GUHSD REDISTRICTING: APRIL 4

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 15, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – In response to an East County Magazine inquiry asking why Alpine was excluded from a list of upcoming hearings on the proposed Grossmont Union High School District's controversial redistricting plans, The County Committee on School District Organization has announced it will hold an additional hearing in Alpine on April 4 at 6 p.m. at Joan McQueen Middle School.

The County had previously scheduled four hearings in other locations,  to get public input on the Grossmont Union High School District’s proposed shift to electing governing board trustees by districts. 

For Alpine, the stakes are high. Alpine stands to lose its only advocate for an Alpine High School, Priscilla Schreiber, who would lose her seat under the plan approved by the GUHSD.  Alpine would be represented by Jim Kelly, a vocal opponent of the Alpine High School, an issue currently in litigation that has also led to unification efforts in which Alpine parents are seeking to break away from the GUHSD.

For the full schedule of meetings slated across East County set by the County Office of Education, rules and details, click "read more" and scroll down.


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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

CHALDEAN CHAMBER PRESIDENT THREATENS LAWSUIT IF “GERRYMANDERING” SPLITS CHALDEAN VOTERS IN GUHSD

 

 

District board expected to vote on redistricting plan today at 4 p.m.

"...Our Chamber will not accept any gerrymandering or divisive planning for political purposes and would be readily committed to engage either legally or politically to ensure a fair and equitable approach for the betterment of our community.” -- Ben Kalasho, Chaldean American Chamber president

By Miriam Raftery

February 25, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Ben Kalasho, president of the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce in East County, has issued a press release calling on the Grossmont Union-High School District board to be “transparent and pragmatic” in its decision on how to transition from at-large to district elections. A vote on which map to approve is expected at today’s GUHSD board meeting at 4 p.m. at the East County Regional Education Center, 924 East Main St. in El Cajon.


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IS IT GERRYMANDERING? FINAL VOTE THURS. ON GROSSMONT REDISTRICTING: ALPINE AND CHALDEAN ADVOCATES OBJECT, ASK PUBLIC HELP

 

By  Miriam Raftery

February 23, 2016 (San Diego’s East County)—Grosssmont-Union High School District’s board is expected to cast a final vote Thursday at 4 p.m. on controversial redistricting maps. The board will also vote to seek a waiver from the state from a requirement that would ordinarily requiring putting the redistricting measure on the ballot, and waiver from a state requiring that new trustee area plans be in effect at least 120 days before the next election in November.  (View meeting notice. The meeting will be at the East County Regional Education Center, 924 East Main Street, El Cajon.)

The district contends it has acted appropriately in response to a threat of legal action over alleged voting rights violations. But critics say the plan would oust the board’s most outspoken dissenting member, Priscilla Schreiber, leave Alpine represented by an opponent of the Alpine High School, and divide Iraqi-Chaldean residents into multiple districts, diluting their power as a voting block.  It also carves out a new district in the Lemon Grove/Spring Valley area with no trustee currently residing in that district, which does have a history of representing people of color.


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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.