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July 18, 2006
Kurachi & Stratton
Are stepping down - will not seek re-election. What are your thoughts on what they accomplished, what their legacy is and who will come next?
As you know, I have never thought the board worked well together, but it's interesting to hear it confirmed by the departing trustees... And what do you make of Trustee Sandland thinking everything is fine?
SVUSD has a lot of work to do to compete... Is it now going to get better, or much worse?
read the article:
Simi school board to lose 2 members
Pair decline to seek re-election
By Jake Finch, Correspondent
July 18, 2006
A former mayor and a longtime school board member said Monday that they won't run for re-election to the Simi Valley Unified School District board in November.
Former mayor Greg Stratton said personal issues influenced his decision to step down at the end of his first four-year term on the board.
Carla Kurachi, who has spent 16 years on the board, said personal issues and frustrations with the five-member board affected her decision.
Monday was the first day that board hopefuls could pick up applications to become candidates, and no one did, according to Maurice McTeague in the superintendent's office. The deadline for filing papers is Aug. 11 unless one of the two incumbents doesn't file. In that case, the deadline will be extended to Aug. 16.
Kurachi's last two years on the board were shadowed by personal tragedies.
Two years ago, her son, Scott, was almost killed in a skateboarding accident and spent many months recovering from severe head trauma.
In October, her husband, Roger, 55, died from a heart attack.
Kurachi said her time on the board was made more difficult by in-fighting among the board members and political retribution she said was aimed at her.
"It was payback politics," said Kurachi, who traces the start of the problems to 2004, when she didn't endorse incumbent Debbie Sandland in a contentious election that had nine candidates competing for three seats.
"Right now, I have to heal my heart; I have to heal my spirit. There's a lot of things I don't have control over, but I have the control not to be around mean-spirited people," Kurachi said.
Sandland, who is board president, said she was saddened by Kurachi's decision. Sandland said she felt that the board members worked well together and accomplished many projects.
"I'm sorry she feels that frustration," Sandland said. "As far as functioning as a board, I think we've done well."
Board member Janice DiFatta said she would not comment on how the board functioned but hoped whoever joins the board would be open to learning about the district and serving the students.
"We are dealing with an entity that needs to be understood before you come in and imagine any change. That's No. 1," DiFatta said. "I hope the motive is pure, in that the interest and intent is to make the best decisions to serve the young people in this community."
Over the past couple of years, the district had a number of high points, including having several campuses named California Distinguished Schools, rising test scores, renovations at the campuses funded by a $145 million bond, successful energy conservation efforts, and receiving huge community donations in cash and computers at the schools.
However, at times, Kurachi and Stratton tried to discuss some issues only to be out-voted or have the issues tabled, or they waited with frustration at never seeing the issues on upcoming agendas as requested.
Issues included boardmanship, how the board members work with one another, Stratton said.
"The board, they are just like everything's nice and wonderful and just keep going," Stratton said. "The world doesn't work that way. Things change. You have to start getting involved. It's very hard to get discussions going."
While Kurachi concedes that her frustration has spurred her decision not to run, Stratton says the opposite. If it weren't that he promised his wife that he'd retire and they could travel more, he'd stay to see some of his concerns addressed.
---end---
Comments
I for one am thrilled that neither of them will be returning. That is not to say that I am in complete agreement with all of the opinions of the remaining board members, but those two need to be gone.
Karachi has continuously used the school board for her own personal agenda. It started when her son was enrolled at Hollow Hills Fundamental School and had problems there. As soon as she placed him in another school, she began her campaign to end the fundamental school program. It got so bad that many years ago she had to apologize to the parents at the fundamental schools, for the comments she made. Let's not forget the toy gun issue she had with that same son. Other students would have been expelled, but not hers. There was also her holdout vote for the bond issue. Unless the board voted to place an electronic scoreboard at the park for the water polo teams (again something her son was part of), she was not going to vote for the bond.
Those are just a very few of the issues she has been involved in that were self-serving.
As for Stratton...While I agree he is a very intelligent man, I do not believe he has the best interests at heart for all the students. He is solely a politician. He really has no idea what is going on in the schools. Out of all the board members, he has by far, made the fewest visits to the campuses. I am at many events throughout the year and have never seen him at all. He is pushing the full year 8th grade science program with no regard to the students. Taking away the standardized test, what is best for them? Do they really need to score high on the test? Will it prevent them from getting into college if they take a semester elective instead? Both of my children attend universities and they both took only one semester of 8th grade science. We need to be concerned with all of the 8th grade students and not just those who are higher academically. Keep it a choice as it is now. Maybe we are disobeying the national standards, but with all the "teaching to the standards" that we are now doing, how about bucking the system and allowing the kids to enjoy their last year before it really counts.
In closing I think a change from Kurachi and Stratton will be a good thing for Simi Valley. Although, I would like to warn everyone that it has been said that Bob LaBelle will be running for a board position. Look out Simi Valley...you really can't do any worse than him!
Posted by: MS at July 19, 2006 05:01 PMI seem to recall Greg Stratton saying his grandson asked him to get rid of the gophers that were plaguing our school's athletic fields. Students were twisting their ankles on the holes during running excercises.
Yes, I remember that Kurachi demanded $250,000 in Bond funding for the fifty students on average in water polo that participate that equals $5000 per student. SVUSD also paid to build a weight training room at the swimming pool even though they could have used the one at RHS.
Posted by: Gophers? at July 19, 2006 05:25 PM
Posted by: gophers? at July 19, 2006 05:26 PMI will believe Kurachi isn't running on August 12th. She is campaigning and receiving free press to grandstand, typical Kurachi.
She wants people to call her and beg her to run to feed her ego. Then she can call the press again and receive free coverage by telling the media that the people persuaded her to change her mind.
The Star should not have run this article until August 12th, they are being manipulated to give Kurachi free press.
Posted by: yeah right! at July 19, 2006 05:33 PMI have also heard that LaBelle is running. What a disaster. He will win because he will have the union dollars and backing. The only good thing to say is that he will fit right in with the current cast of clowns.
Posted by: Oh No!!! at July 20, 2006 04:30 PMGreg,
Could you please get rid of the gophers before you leave, there's more than ever. How many years does it take to eradicate gophers?
Please run for a second term to ameliorate the gopher infestation!
Posted by: Gophers ? at July 20, 2006 06:23 PMIronically, I don't think the gophers are a laughing matter.
Our school grass area was inundated with gophers and the gopher holes were everywhere. During baseball season, we literally had to field the kids differently for little league because certain parts of the field were simply dangerous. Little feat in little cleats could mean big problems for kids when they are running and step into gopher holes.
I'm certain the lack of proper playing fields is contributing to childhood obesity. Yep, that is a CRACK up!
With taxpayer funded schools, do you think it's appropriate that fields are un-useable, or that schools are literally being eaten by termites?
Or gopher, is this more of a district, rather than county problem, and thus, off your radar?
Tim Keaney
Posted by: Tim Keaney at July 20, 2006 11:09 PMObviously I care about the gopher infestation or I would not be bringing it up!
Our kids should be able to run and play without fear. Our field's are being rendered useless.
I was hoping to bring it to the forefront since this is an issue that Greg has championed.
Have a little sense of humor Tim it helps in solving serious issues sometimes.
Posted by: Gopher? at July 21, 2006 08:13 AMI don't know - here's what you said in two seperate posts...
"Could you please get rid of the gophers before you leave, there's more than ever. How many years does it take to eradicate gophers?
Please run for a second term to ameliorate the gopher infestation!"
And...
"I seem to recall Greg Stratton saying his grandson asked him to get rid of the gophers that were plaguing our school's athletic fields. Students were twisting their ankles on the holes during running excercises."
Sounds sarcastic to me, but I'll let the readers be the judge.
Sounded sarcastic to me.
Posted by: Reader at July 21, 2006 11:20 AMSorry Tim and Greg when I reread it, it did seem sarcastic. Please forgive me I did not mean to be rude.
In all seriousness Greg please use the remainder of your term to make the schools' gopher infestation an issue.
One of my children sprained their ankle on a gopher hole.
Posted by: Gopher at July 21, 2006 01:06 PMTo OH NO!!!
There is no way the union will support Bob LaBelle. They realize he is clueless and an all around jerk. He made a mockery of Royal High School his last few years there and had absolutely no interest in anything that did not involve sports.
Posted by: MS at July 21, 2006 07:01 PMGopher...
Thank you.
Tim
Posted by: Tim Keaney at July 21, 2006 07:30 PMHello:
I just want to thank Trustee Kurachi and Trustee Stratton for their service. While I didn't always agree on everything, effort should always outshine partisan attacks and griping.
Public service is a very tough job, so we should always respect those that jump in the ring and work to make our community a better place.
MS: I think it's way too premature to attack Mr. Labelle. To my knowledge, he has yet to even pull papers. I look forward to seeing who our candidates will be and discussing their positions once the filing closes.
Posted by: Scott B at July 22, 2006 09:32 AMTo MS:
Couldn't agree more with your assessment of LaBelle. Your description is right on the money and describes the type of people the union wants on the school board. The more "clueless" they are the better they can be manipulated.
OH NO:
I would doubt highly that MS shares your views on the remaining 3 school board members that they are clueless. I would bet you dollars to donuts that MS and many others consider them very clue-ful.
I personally like Rob Collins, and think he's doing some good things to get additional dollars into the classroom.
Are there other opinions on the remaining school board members in Simi Valley?
Tim
Posted by: Tim Keaney at July 24, 2006 12:28 PM
Difatta's quote succinctly states the culture of the trustees. I'll summarize: Don't be thinking there is going to be any change at SVUSD. If there is any change, it's gonna be because it's my (Difatta) idea and it's been approved ny the union. Of course, she said it better...
Posted by: C Hamilton at July 18, 2006 02:23 PMGood luck to the poor souls who decide they want to run so they can make a "change."
And thank you to Greg Stratton for at least attempting it!