Do you remember the controversy over Harry Potter books in Ventura County Schools? The issue for some conservative parents was sorcery. You have to read the article for some outlandish quotes.

Click here for the article.

Well, it isn't nearly as exciting but a former Simi Valley School Board Member was reading the Ventura County Star and noticed that a club for Republican women donated books in honor of First Lady Laura Bush's efforts to promote literacy. He looked up a review of the book on Amazon.com and wasn't pleased with the results.

Click here to see the story from the Ventura County Star.

To see his guest entry on the subject click on continue reading.

I like libraries to be appealing to many different students and to hold a wide variety of views. I don't teach elementary school and I am not sure what the guidelines for books are at that level.

I don't like to comment on books that I haven't read and I won't be fitting this book into my schedule anytime soon so I will reserve most of my comments to myself.

But I will say that a way to see if this argument is moot is to find out how many kids checked out the book. Remember that card in the front of books? If kids aren't interested enough to check out the book then the issue seems rather small.

UPDATE:

Here is the purpose of the book according to the author:

"The book is designed to educate young girls about being a Republican Woman and to help recruit the next generation of of NFRW members".

Stephen, if that doesn't would you consider this book a fair compromise?

In his guest blog entry you will see the school district was responsive and had a clear policy to deal with the issue.

To see Stephen Hogg's guest blog post click on continue reading. But remember the opinions expressed are his and not necessarily mine.

If you would like to write a guest blog entry send me an email.

( Rep. Barney Frank wielding the gavel.)

Do you read the letters to the editor in local papers? This letter from former Simi Valley School Board Member Greg Stratton was in The Acorn and in The Star.

What goes around comes around. So Janice DiFatta and Debbie Sandland are shocked that Debbie was passed over for president of the Simi Valley Unified School District board. Obviously, their definition of "recent memory" does not go all the way back to 2004, when they broke protocol and denied me and Carla Kurachi our turns as board president and clerk. They taught Rob Collins well that the leadership decision is purely political. I'm sure he remembers back that far.
By the protocol, Eric Lundstrom should have been clerk last year. Apparently, they forgot that part of it then, but now they conveniently remember the rules. I don't know how they each can make the statements they made without being afraid of being struck by lightning for twisting the truth.
It gives me some hope to see the board escape from the path those two have chartered. We have a good district, but it needs leadership to make it what it can be -- a great district. That means change, and the two of them have been there so long they don't even understand the need for change. They have become so embedded in the status quo that they take any suggestion for change as a personal affront. Well, times have changed, and the district needs to as well.
So, congratulations to President Lundstrom, and keep up the good work. You can now chart a new course for the district that will improve it for years to come. Good luck.
-- Greg Stratton, Simi Valley
(The writer was a board member from 2002 to 2006. -- Editor)

As a matter of disclosure I am a teacher in Simi Valley. That being said I really don't know how who is the president or clerk of the School Board influences local schools. I haven't paid attention to this issue jut as I don't normally pay attention to who the Mayor Pro Tem of a city is currently. I guess it helps people when they run for office and want a title to put by their names, but what else is there to the title?

Mayor Stratton, ( I assume, like president you get to keep the title) can you fill us in? In your letter you said : "So, congratulations to President Lundstrom, and keep up the good work. You can now chart a new course for the district that will improve it for years to come. Good luck." How does a board president chart a course for the district? Is there something in the bylaws, special committees they are assigned to, or do they become the go to person for staff?

Anyone else know the powers of a school board president and clerk? If they are running a meeting it seems they would work with the other board members on schedules and the like anyway. If the position was truly powerful, why would it be rotated anyways?

None of this should be construed to say I have a strong opinion on who the board president should be.

Click here for Mike Chandler's opinion on the issue. Mike writes the blog votesimivalley.com. He blogs often about Simi Valley. If you know something that needs to be covered send him a message.

The email below came in from Brad Jashinsky, former School Board candidate, regarding a problem he is facing in his neighborhood. He lives a few blocks away from a nightclub in Simi Valley along the route of an exit from the place. He is going to speak to the Simi Valley City Council this Tuesday night. I have not investigated the accuracy of the claims, nor do I know the full story. But I am look forward to hearing from all sides in this case.

Here is the email from Brad Jashinsky:

At 2am on Saturday November 29th I heard a loud explosive noise, and ran outside to see what had happened. I came out to see my sister's car in the condition above with the obvious drunk driver getting away up the street. Since the accident my anger has turned to outrage as I learned of more neighbors who had their driveways blocked, a brick wall hit by a driver, and a driver go across their lawn. Despite all of these accidents the CandleLight Night Club, where we assume these drunk drivers are coming from, has refused to help with the investigation. We found parts from the other car and tracked them down by serial number to belonging to a Mercedes c230, but CandleLight refuses to hand over surveillance tapes or drivers license records they have from that night. This information would almost certainly lead to an arrest, criminal prosecution, and civil prosecution. Without their help a presumed drunk driver continues to drive the Simi Valley streets believing that they won't be caught, and we have to foot the bill for a few thousand dollars of repairs. Going beyond this one incident our city and citizens are in danger from being more serious cases. This Tuesday, December 8th, I will be speaking to the city council, and I hope if you have a similar concern to share you will be there to show the city council that Simi Valley Citizens will not stand for this behavior by a business in our community

Brad, I know you obviously spoke to the police at the scene, but who else have you spoken to at the city, the police station, or the nightclub? What response have you been given?

( The candidates discussing an issue that doesn't seem to come up much in Simi Valley: Vouchers. The question is more of an ideological litmus test when you consider that this isn't going to be on the agenda of the board. A more pertinent question would be about expanding charter schools or relations with the Ventura County Board of Education. 4 of of the 6 candidates were clearly against vouchers. What questions do you want these candidates to answer?)

I went to the Simi Valley School Board debate tonight at city hall.

First, sorry about getting the time wrong. It was at 5PM. I apologize if I caused anybody to miss it.

On the way in I saw Ray Cruz's bus and van in the parking lot. Here is a photo:

As I got closer I snapped a photo of some Ray Cruz supporters standing outside with his signs:

Inside city hall chambers it was a pretty tame affair. Nothing too unexpected was said from the candidates.

Here is a brief run down of a few statements or ideas from each candidate:

Brad Jashinsky:

We need new technology. Schools are archaic and look like something out of the 1950's or 1960's. Brad spoke about schools using webgrades ( which some schools do ) and posting homework online ( which some schools do ) as a way of connecting schools and families. He is a strong supporter of protecting and expanding programs at Santa Su High School.

Rob Collins:

Ron said he has the experience we need and this is no time for on the job training. The current board is working together unlike it has in the past and wants to continue as a team. Really against vouchers.

Janice Difatta:

The current board has worked together on many issues and looks forward to working with them. Grimaced a few times at statements from other candidates, including Brad's comments about a "new" energy savings plan. I put new in quotes because they disputed how long the district has been doing it. I know there has been an energy czar position for a few years, but I don't know if he was talking about something else.

Debbie Sandland:

She has been on the board for many years and would like to continue with the current board and is thankful for the opportunity it has given her. She takes many trips to see the many schools in the area. She is strongly against vouchers. Debbie also explained that she is in favor of the current options for 6th graders. She ran in an earlier campaign when that was a top priority.

A candidate that didn't get his candidate statement in:

I will put in his thoughts when he gets his candidate statement sent into me. The program for the night said he didn't submit a statement. Maybe I am being harsh, but if you want to have us take the time to discuss your policy views, then show us you are taking this seriously. I will post your candidate statement, website URL, and any videos you have as soon as you send them in. I look forward to posting them for you. You have many talents that will serve you well in life. Make sure to stay involved after the election.

Raymond Cruz:

Ray has refocused his campaign from divisive social issues like creationism that came up in the last election and is instead focusing on the drop out rate and the expulsion rate. He does support vouchers and was criticized by many of the other candidates for this position. He brochure mentions his involvement in Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley and the endorsement of the Ventura County Republican Central Committee.

I found it odd he hasn't switched the words he uses like much of the conservative movement in America. Many supporters of teaching creationism now call it "intelligent design" and many supporters of vouchers now call it "school choice".

I spoke with Ray outside the event very briefly and although we likely don't agree on very many policies, he is very friendly. His involvement in church life shows in his daily life. In his last election I took a few videos of him that I have posted below.

Ray did show up with the most supporters by far. The parking lot had a bus, a van, and more vehicles with his campaign signs on them. He looks like he is putting much more effort into his campaign this time.

I talked to a few candidates about campaign finance and they directed me to the county government website to learn more. Click here to see some of the campaign finance reports. I tried using it to look up current information but I am done with it for now. The information seems to be out of date and not organized in an easy to use way. The most recent report has been downloading for a few minutes and at this rate I will finish the entry before it is done. What's wrong with html reports? If you find anything interesting in there let me know.

There were many responses to questions I am not going to write about. If you went to the debate and want to share what I left out, by all means post a comment. I saw a few people that post on my blog there including Mike Chandler of VoteSimiValley.com. Mike, I know your video quality is much higher than mine. I use a digital camera with a video feature whereas you actually have proper equipment. Do you have the ability to post the debate in full? I am going to leave it up to you and others to share their thoughts on the debate. My report is not meant to be conclusive.

Do you know how you are going to cast your three votes? This is a unique blog entry. Instead of a writer trying to convince you to support a cause or a candidate I am asking you to convince me.

I have my thoughts on the different candidates and I am familiar with most of the issues that they bring up. But I haven't finalized my three votes. Please leave your suggestions and picks as a comment. Make sure to explain how you are going to vote and why.

Thanks for the help.

I like to look at the bumper stickers on cars in the parking lots of debates. I don't know if they were attending the debate but I saw this Mike Judge supporter's vehicle which included a McCain/Palin sticker, a NRA sticker, and a Mike Judge sign showing his unique URL: JudgementSV.com

Mike, feel free to put up a link to the entry where you answered questions here on this blog.

The candidates for Simi Valley Unified School Board ( SVUSD ) will be debating at Simi Valley city hall Tuesday night at 6:30 PM.

Are you going to be there?

The above video is of Mike Chandler of Vote Simi Valley interviewing school board candidate Brad Jashinsky. Go to votesimivalley.com to see his other entires about Simi Valley politics.

Mike, are you going to be interviewing other school board candidates? Have you emailed them?

This graphic appeared at the top of a recent flyer being distributed in Simi Valley. For the rest of the flyer click on continue reading.

Brad Jashinsky is going on the offensive in his campaign to get elected to the school board. His is targeting the incumbents for what he sees as a lack of progress with the bond money.

Here are two upcoming events for voters:

10/15/08
Chamber of Commerce event
Lost Canyons Golf Course 11am to 1pm.

10/21/08
School Board Candidates' Forum from 5pm to 6:30pm.
Simi Valley City Council Chambers

Are any of you going to either event? I plan to go and submit some questions. I will also be asking candidate's to do short interviews. Any specific questions you want me to ask?

Brad, I saw this on your website:

This led to other issues coming my way including gay rights, school safety problems, overly aggressive teacher policies, and the false promises made by the school board about when the projects would be completed across the district.

What was your involvement with gay rights and what are your thoughts about tolerance in Simi Valley schools? Do you think there is dramatically more that teachers, administrators, and the school board could do to increase an atmosphere of respect and safety for all? There is room for improvement in every school, but do you see gay rights, tolerance, and respect as a priority if you are elected?

Also, does your URL indicate you are a Batman fan?

For more information:

Click here to see Brad Jashinsky's website.

Click here to see his "Ask a candidate entry" where he answered many questions from readers.

If you have information about any other school board candidate, a mailer or flyer they are using, or a photo of a campaign sign send it in and I will post it.

Simi Interviews at Regal - Part I

The crew over at votesimivalley.com is putting together some great stuff. If your campaign wants them to record a debate or other event they have the creativity and the skills required.

Click on play and prepare to be entertained.

Mike, could I get a link?

A new candidate for Simi Valley School Boards has appeared. Brad Jashinsky is young but in talking to him I can tell you he is dynamic, motivated, and is intelligent. I don't know if he is ready for the school board but I am looking forward to seeing his answers to our questions. Here is his opening statement:

"As a current college scholar and business owner, Brad Jashinsky, believes he can bring true change to a Simi Valley school board who in his opinion has made false promises and remains stagnate. Only a year removed from attending high school in the same Simi Valley district he hopes to help run, Brad feels he has the unique insight into the students, parents, teachers, and school district administration that no other candidate has. Currently Brad attends Cal State Channel Islands on a full scholarship after attending Katherine Elementary, Valley View Middle School, Simi High School, and Santa Susana High School. Brad is excited to begin finding out the issues that blog readers are concerned about this election year, and is happy to answer questions posted on this blog post."

I have a few questions to get Brad Jashinsky started and then it is time for questions from my readers.

Here you go:

1. Who are some of the most influential teachers in your life? How did they influence you?

2. What do you think about the process to fire a poor performing teacher? Do you think it is too easy, reasonable, or too hard to fire a teacher?

3. Have you attended many school board meetings?

4. Do you support the expansion of fundamental schools like Vista and Hollow Hills?

5. What local politician do you respect for the work they have done for our community?

When I get a candidate to agree to answer questions I tell them that questions will come in over a number of days and I don't expect them to answer every question the day it comes in. These candidates aren't getting paid and don't have paid staff. If you can't deal with waiting for a response I don't know what to tell you. They are running for local office, not the presidency.

A new group of educators has been put together and will be organizing events for Hannah-Beth Jackson in East County. Their next event is a fundraiser. Click on continue reading for details.

The list includes 3 school board members from Simi Valley and past county board of education candidate / education activist Donna Prenta from Simi Valley. Donna, the press release mentions that Hannah-Beth Jackson has the support of many education board members throughout the county. Is there a place where we could view the names? Have you been calling on Hannah-Beth Jackson's behalf to help the campaign?

Getting educators together to support a candidate isn't anything new. But what about the idea of getting together a group of students to support a candidate? That would be impressive locally because of the lack of political participation and organization of the parties.

( Raymond Cruz Simi Valley School Board candidate)

I heard that former school board candidate and current Ventura County Republican Central Committee Ray Cruz picked up papers to run again.

If elected should he resign from the central committee? I haven't thought it through all the way yet but I was curious about your input.

Ray Cruz has a long resume of helping out various causes in town. If I recall correctly he is in the financial services industry and active in his church. He also teaches a Bible Class. I only mention his church life because he has brought it in his past campaign.

UPDATE: Two people I respect went after me because I mentioned that Raymond Cruz is active in his church and that he has taught classes on the Bible .

1. I know Raymond Cruz is very much pleased to share his role in his church with the wider public.
2. In his past campaign he citied his church involvement.
3. He listed himself as an educator. His education background includes teaching people about financial services and teaching at his church. If he was running as an educator it makes sense to mention how he is involved.
4. He has brought up religious issues as part of his platform and not just creationism. About creationism he said: "We should teach creationism and give that an equal balance with evolution." Click here to read the article.

But now with all that being said the other parts of his contribution to our community should be shared more. When he starts putting out a detailed list I will post it. But off the top of my head and with an assist from Google he is also heavily involved with Rotary, The Cultural Arts Center, and the Vino Jazz Festival.

I know I am missing much more about his involvement but I will update it again as the campaign unfolds.

After all the years you have know me and my beliefs, including my religious faith, I think you should apologize for trying to make it look like I was going after him for being a Christian. That is just as unfair and uncalled for as if I actually did.

( If I was on a board I would consider every school playing this on the last day. Maybe not.)

Is your local School Board interesting or boring? Would you rather have it the other way?

A maxim has been attributed to the Chinese as "May you live in interesting times". Read this interesting article for insight on the quote.

The top three school boards that attract the most political attention include Conejo, The County Board, and Camarillo.

To read an update on Camarillo schools click on continue reading. Otherwise consider this an open thread about local schools.

My suggestion: Instead of slagging people down tell us who you really want to run again for a school board seat or who you want to run for their first time as a school board member.

Nominate someone!

Raymond Cruz is running for Simi Valley School Board. I met up with him outside city hall and had a chance for him to explain on video why he is running plus some other issues.There are several videos but I will start with the obvious "Why are you running" question. I will be posting the rest of the videos between here and the election. You can also read about him on Tim Keaney's blog. Tim and I might not agree on many issues but we both agree voters need to know more about our local schools.

Watch the video and then leave questions or comments for Mr. Cruz. If you want to leave questions for other candidates that have been interviewed please leave questions for them on their entries.

If you want to read previous candidates' entries click on the following:

Steve Gould's second video
Steve Gould'a first video ( Simi Valley School Board)
Thurlow Partridge ( Simi Valley School Board)
Jeanne Davis ( Simi Valley School Board)
Tim Camarillo ( Simi Valley School Board)
Mark Van Dam ( Moorpark City Council)
Jim Dantona ( Ventura County Board of Supervisors)
Peter Foy ( Ventura County Board of Supervisors)
Charles Watson ( County Board of Education)
ML Peterson ( County Board of Education)
Donna Prenta ( County Board of Education)
Rev. Jill Martinez ( CA-24 House of Representatives )

I want to thank all the candidates that have sent in their press releases, made videos, and most importantly have answered questions left by citizens in the comments section. It shows your respect for our system where a candidate is really going through a really tough interview. I know it can be hard to be a candidate with all the hits coming your way, the constant campaigning, asking for money, and trying to get your voice heard. I appreciate your efforts for our community and the readers do too.