Next meetings set for March 28, April 4, 5, and 11

By Leon Thompson

March 27, 2016 (La Mesa) – Turnout was light at the first of five county hearings March 17^th on a controversial redistricting plan proposed by the Grossmont Union High School District.  Members of the San Diego County Office of Education ‘s Committee on School Reorganization emphasized that they hope to see more public turnout and hear from a broad cross-section of the community at the upcoming four hearings.

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:

Hear our interview with Rev. Kenneth Anderson, originally aired on KNSJ Radio:  https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

March 19, 2016 (San Diego) – East County Magazine intern Tasha Matthews interviewed Rev. Kenneth Anderson, director of three prominent gospel choirs at the University of California San Diego, Grossmont College and the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Choir. He’s led choral tours and performances across Europe including at the Vatican. His gospel choir class at UCSD is consistently the most popular course on campus.  He’s also the fifth highest rated university professor in the nation, according to Rate My Professor.

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.

East County News Service

March 10, 2016 (El Cajon) -- As a result of the Morgan Hill Concerned Parents Association (MHCP) vs. California Department of Education case, Senator Joel Anderson (R-Alpine) sent a letter (full text below) to MHCPA, urging them to take precautions in protecting former and current student’s data and identity: Parents and former students over the age of 18 can object to the court’s ruling before April 1, 2016. More information can be found on the California Department of Education’s website: http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/di/ws/morganhillcase.asp.

East County News Service

March 9, 2016 (Alpine) –  The Governing Board of the Alpine Union School District has selected McPherson & Jacobson, L.L.C Executive Recruitment & Development to assist the Board in its search for a new Superintendent. Executive Director Anita Johnson is working with the Board on the search process. The Board wishes to extend an invitation to all parents and members of the community to meet with Ms. Anita Johnson to help identify the specific traits, skills, abilities, and experience desired in the new Superintendent. The meeting will be held on:

East County News Service

March 4, 2016 (Alpine) – The Alpine Union School District is seeking input from stakeholders on developing the profile for the future Superintendent of the Alpine Union School District.

By Miriam Raftery

Correction:  A prior article in ECM stated that Senator Anderson supported construction of Sunrise Powerlink. His office indicates he took no position on the project. We regret our error.

February 29, 2016 (Alpine) – “Keeping constituents safe is my top priority,” Senator Joel Anderson states  in a letter today to Supervisor Dianne Jacob.  “I want to make sure all available and appropriate state resources are deployed so that my constituents are provided answers to their questions about the electric and magnetic field (EMF) levels in our community.”

Senator Anderson’s letter indicates he has contacted three state agencies regarding the EMF concerns, including the California Department of Health (CDPH), which advised him that they will review measurements taken by local governments to see how they compare with other schools that were surveyed by the CDPH in a previous study.  

By Miriam Raftery

Controversial plan outrages Alpine voters, Chaldeans and other district residents

Priscilla Schreiber (photo, left) will be forced off board

February 25, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Grossmont Union High School District voted 4-1 to ditch district-wide elections and switch to electing trustees from each of five districts. (View map)  The board also voted to ask the San Diego County Committee on School Board Reorganization to waive a requirement that would ordinarily allow the public to vote on redistricting. (View map at bottom of this article)

East County’s largest school district inappropriately used at least $27,000 in bond money to pay a public relations firm to combat what it called a “barrage of misinformation” on its Alpine legal fight.  

Reprinted with permission from Times of San Diego, a San Diego Online News Association member.

Photo: Scott Patterson (inset) is deputy superintendent of business for the Grossmont Union High School District.

View video: https://youtu.be/uGyrxCXcGO0

By Ken Stone

February 25, 2016 (San Diego's East County) - Documents obtained through a Public Records Act request and official statements confirm that Proposition U bond funds for Grossmont Union High School District projects were used to pay Apex Strategies, led by prominent local PR agent Tony Manolatos.

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.

An open letter to the Grossmont Union High School District Board regarding its ban on any public citizen speaking over 3 minutes total for all agenda items combined

By Nick Marinovich, former member, Citizens Bond Oversight Committee for the Grossmont Union High School District

February 20, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- As a Citizen who actively participates in the governance process, I have indicated at several board meetings my frustration with not being able to adequately make my points when there is a three minute total time any one Citizen can speak at a regular board meeting. Government Code Section 54954.3 states:

(a) Every agenda for regular meetings shall provide an opportunity for members of the public to directly address the legislative body on any item of interest to the public, before or during the legislative body’s consideration of the item, that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body, provided that no action shall be taken on any item not appearing on the agenda unless the action is otherwise authorized by subdivision (b) of Section 54954.2.

 (b) The legislative body of a local agency may adopt reasonable regulations to ensure that the intent of subdivision (a) is carried out, including, but not limited to, regulations limiting the total amount of time allocated for public testimony on particular issues and for each individual speaker.

 (c) The legislative body of a local agency shall not prohibit public criticism of the policies, procedures, programs, or services of the agency, or of the acts or omissions of the legislative body. Nothing in this subdivision shall confer any privilege or protection for expression beyond that otherwise provided by law.

GUHSD Superintendent Ralf Swenson to retire on July 1, 2016

Source:  Grossmont Union High School District

February 19, 2016 (El Cajon) – GUHSD Superintendent Ralf Swenson will retire on July 1, 2016. The Governing Board of the Grossmont Union High School District has selected Dr. William E. Diedrich and Dr. John L. Roach of Dave Long & Associates Executive Search Services, as its advisers to assist the Board in its search for a new superintendent.

By Mike Allen

February 15, 2016 (Santee) -- Santee teachers will receive an immediate four percent raise retroactive to July 1 of last year and get an additional four percent salary bump starting July 1 as part of their new contract, which is expected to be ratified by the board of the Santee School District on Feb. 16.

By Miriam Raftery

February 14, 2016 (San Diego) -- Should teenagers be allowed to vote?  Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez thinks so – at least in some cases.