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January 10, 2006
Woops - NEVERMIND...
Sometimes it's best to leave well enough alone. I've been accused of many things, but in my
last post, one of the commenters suggested that I had ignored the Daily News Story on Simi's C4 bond because it was a positive story on the bond progress.
Well, it's true that I didn't comment on the story. Because I hadn't seen it. I am now REALLY glad this person (you know who you are) pointed it out to me!
If this is a positive story, I am a svelte, 18 year old International signing sensation.
Puff Piece? Yes! District Press Release with a follow up question or two? Perhaps.
Positive Bond Story? I don't think so.
Let's look at some facts in the story:
1. In two years, they say they've spent $17 million out of $145 million.
That's 11%, or 5.5% a year on a 10 year package. With costs escalating
out the chute, they are not moving fast enough to use the dollars, meaning
they will leave serious tonnage of dollars on the table.
They will have to compress their timeframe both because costs are escalating, AND
because they are not keeping up with them.
2. It is clear now that MANY projects on the list of projects will never see the
light of day. What are they? The Trustees have known for quite some time that costs
were escalating, and yet all the public gets is more of the same stories.
3. There is no mention of state matching funds. One of the driving factors behind
passing the bond, was that the community was told the district would be in line for
state matching funds. So how much has SVUSD qualified for?
4. Not one member of the Independant Citizens Oversight Committee was quoted in the article.
The watch dogs have been effectively silenced.
OH, and then there is that pesky matter of the Oversight Committee's web site. This same
paper, the Daily News reported months ago that the district had contracted for a $10,000
web site for the ICOC. Has the money been spent? Where is the web site with the facts
that refute these writings? Now that the ICOC has been re-organized, the excuse of
"members not showing up" is a non-starter. Where is the web site, or perhaps a better
question is: "Where is the $10K?"
I guess this is why I am a blogger, and not some reporter who puts their name on a press
release and calls it a story. Puff Piece? YES. Positive C4 Bond Story?
I think not.
In tomorrow's blog...
Tim's review of the Ventura County Star article on the bond (hint - think Puff piece redux)
Later in the week - A review of the Daily News Monday articles - Successful Charter Schools! Boy am I glad I was told to read the Daily News again!
Comments
I see the Star has another positive story today of the Bond and makes no mention of any problems (As did the Acorn, they said all issues had been cleared up). Tim and Chris should hurry and write some Letters to the Editor saying, "Pay no attention to what is actually going on, these reporters are making it up! All the good things going on are not real. They can't be! If they are we have lost our only campaign issue! Please cancel your newspaper subscriptions! Please only read this blog!!!!!" Or something to that affect.
Posted by: Arleigh Kidd at January 10, 2006 11:10 AMArleigh - don't live in denial. There are so many election issues it's ridiculous. We sure don't need any more. In fact I could cut and paste from this blog and have more than enough ways to bury the incumbents.
Posted by: C Hamilton at January 10, 2006 12:45 PMThe part that is utterly laughable (ok - there is a lot that is laughable) is:
1. Why would I give up the blog to run for the school board? If I'm going to work for free, at least I am going advocate for ideas and solutions (I never see a school board member doing that). I would bet more people read the blog, than actually watch school board meetings (not that that is a huge number mind you!)
2. It's laughable that this has to be about elections, instead of providing better schools for our community and more educational opportunities for our kids. Nope, it's GOT to be because we want be on the school board!
3. We're suppose to believe everything in the press? Those are impressive critical thinking skills! Why is it that when I quote a news soure, they're "idiots", but when The Star or Daily News prints something, it's fact! Everyone knows that good PR can get newspapers to print what they want printed - these are not gotchya stories, they are feel good stories.
I, though, don't feel very good about them.
Tim
Posted by: Tim Keaney at January 10, 2006 01:29 PMChris, somewhere there is a fantasy land looking for you, or perhaps you would rather live in North Korea or China, places where civil rights are ignored and everyone believes the propaganda put out by the rulers. Please cut and paste away, it has helped you so much in the past. Why is it no one but Tim published your last press release from the ICOC? Tim, face it, you only blog about the negative in education when it come to SVUSD.
Posted by: Arleigh Kidd at January 10, 2006 03:24 PMYet more proof that all Arleigh's wires aren't connected too tight. How are your comments relevant to the issues I was addressing? Oh, never mind. I forgot, in your world they don't have to be relevant - Just keep muttering and hopefully that will make your views accurate and realistic.
Posted by: C Hamilton at January 10, 2006 04:47 PMWell, Chris has made it abudantly clear he'll be seeking union support for his campaign.
Posted by: Dr. Benson at January 11, 2006 07:40 AMGee, you think?
Thanks for the laugh.
Posted by: C Hamilton at January 11, 2006 09:30 AMSimple questions Chris. Why was it only Tim posted your last Press Release? Why did you send it to Tim in the first place? Why would they print press releases from the District and not the ICOC? Do you think it is a conspiracy that the Daily News, Star and Acorn all said that every issue the ICOC brought up has been cleared up? Dr. Benson you have to understand that Chris ran for School Board and lost, he blames the "Union" because we did not endorse him, this happens a lot, they come to us and ask for an endorsement, if we don't give it to them, and then if they lose, they blame us, not themselves for running poor campaigns, having poor ideas or generally being unqualified to serve on a School Board.
Posted by: Arleigh Kidd at January 11, 2006 01:05 PM
Couldn't agree more.
Information distributed to the ICOC has trickled down to 2 sheets of paper per week by year-end. Before Pinnacle One was fired the committee was receiving a minimum of 50 pages per week of information. The two pages oer week now are meaningless fluff.
Any semblance of bond oversight is over. There is no longer even any pretense of cooperating with the statutory letter or intent of bond oversight.
Gotta love the local media who will happily print stories that are really fluff press releases but ignore significant evidence of big problems with the bond and the school board.
Posted by: C Hamilton at January 10, 2006 09:06 AM