{"id":23415,"date":"2019-06-01T22:58:45","date_gmt":"2019-06-02T06:58:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.richgibson.com\/blog\/?p=23415"},"modified":"2019-06-01T23:09:23","modified_gmt":"2019-06-02T07:09:23","slug":"rouge-forum-dispatch-abbreviated-finals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.richgibson.com\/blog\/rouge-forum-dispatch-abbreviated-finals\/","title":{"rendered":"Rouge Forum Dispatch: Abbreviated–Finals!"},"content":{"rendered":"

We Say Fight Back!<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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New Haven teachers strike moves into second week, no deal reached over holiday weekend(no solidarity from CTA or NEA)
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The historic New Haven teachers strike has moved into its second week Tuesday, as no contract deal was reached with school district management despite multiple marathon bargaining sessions during the holiday weekend, officials said.<\/p>\n

Negotiators for the New Haven Teachers Association and the New Haven Unified School District met for more than 12 hours Monday in an attempt to hammer out a salary contract, and at times, the union indicated the impasse could be easing, but by late Monday night, talks ended without a pact.<\/p>\n

The work stoppage, the first in the district\u2019s history, will continue at least through Wednesday, as the next bargaining session is set for Wednesday afternoon, the union said.<\/p>\n

The teachers union \u2014 which represents nearly 600 teachers, nurses and counselors striking since May 20 \u2014 and the district both revised their offers Monday.<\/p>\n

The union\u2019s bargaining team had been pushing for a 10 percent raise over two years, but on Monday, revised its offer to nearly 7 percent over two years; a 3.7 percent cost-of-living increase in the current 2018-19 school year, followed by a 3.26 percent increase for the coming year, based on the projected cost-of-living increase in the state.<\/p>\n

The district has offered less: a 3 percent one-time bonus for the current school year, and a 2 percent salary increase for the coming school year to be implemented halfway through the year, making it an effective 1 percent increase for 2019-20, and it would increase to a full 2 percent raise the following year.\u00a0 www.mercurynews.com\/2019\/05\/27\/new-haven-teachers-strike-negotiations-continue-on-memorial-day\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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Union Report: The National Education Association Just Lost Another Large Local Affiliate. Could More of These Union Walkouts Reshape the Labor Landscape?<\/h1>\n

The latest in a series of local affiliates to drop their connection to state and national unions is the Blue Valley Education Association<\/a> in Kansas. It represents some 1,800 certified staff in the state\u2019s fourth-largest school district.<\/p>\n

BVEA cut its ties to the National Education Association and Kansas NEA in May 2018. As is their usual policy in such cases, the state and national unions created a new, competing affiliate, called Blue Valley NEA.<\/p>\n

BVEA\u2019s independence would have been short-lived if it had failed to maintain its status as exclusive representative for Blue Valley teachers. But the Kansas Department of Labor held a mail-in ballot election this month, and BVEA defeated Blue Valley NEA by a count of 904 to 104.<\/p>\n

Blue Valley teachers are still free to join either union, or none, but BVEA will negotiate the next teacher contract.<\/p>\n

Kansas NEA can ill afford the defection. The state union lost more than 12 percent<\/a> of its active membership between 2012 and 2017.<\/p>\n

Disaffiliations, once rare within NEA, are now happening more frequently. In the past six years, the union has lost the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly<\/a>, the Memphis-Shelby County Education Association<\/a>, the Carmel Teachers\u2019 Association<\/a> in Indiana, the Santa Rosa Professional Educators<\/a> in Florida and the 20,000-strong bargaining unit of the Clark County Education Association<\/a> in Nevada.\u00a0 www.the74million.org\/article\/union-report-the-national-education-association-just-lost-another-large-local-affiliate-could-more-of-these-union-walkouts-reshape-the-labor-landscape\/<\/a><\/p>\n

The Little Red Schoolhouse<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

www.theswcsun.com\/three-lawsuits-settled-after-years-of-racial-tension-on-campus\/<\/a><\/p>\n

…Racial tensions have bubbled under the surface for decades at SWC. With a campus that has been predominantly Latinx since its opening years, black faculty and staff have felt the discrimination has long been ignored.<\/p>\n

This feeling of neglect has since seeped into the student body.<\/p>\n

On May 2, Murillo cancelled the Associated Student Organization\u2019s annual election after learning about a fake Instagram post that made it appear a slate of black candidates was attempting to incite racial violence against their predominantly Latinx opponents.<\/p>\n

The black candidate slate, known as Team Elite, denied any knowledge of the post, which called to \u201cchop the heads off of the euro-centrist white supremacist mexicans of the campus,\u201d and accused the predominantly Latinx slate, known as Team Green, of creating the post in attempt sway the election in their favor.<\/p>\n

Prior to the Instagram post, Dimitrius Loa, a Team Green member, had been accused of making racist comments made by a Team Green member about directed toward Team Elite. Black students reacted with outrage after the ASO Election Board imposed a punishment on Loa that they felt was too lenient.<\/p>\n

Murillo called for investigations into both the Instagram post controversy and issues relating to the Loa situation. In addition, she said a cultural shift needs to happen to address the pain felt throughout the campus.\u00a0\u00a0 www.theswcsun.com\/three-lawsuits-settled-after-years-of-racial-tension-on-campus\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Below, Southwestern College Prez, Kindred Murillo<\/p>\n

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$330,000 salary for VP of HR\u00a0<\/a><\/h1>\n

Southwestern College is paying Rose DelGaudio a salary of $330,000 to work as the vice president of human resources, making her one of the highest paid community college employees in the state of California<\/em><\/h2>\n

Edmund Guerrero, chief union steward of CSEA and an instructional computer technician said the decision made at the board meeting was demoralizing for classified employees. Now that the votes have gone through, some changes will be made in how the union leadership approaches negotiations with the district.\u00a0<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/header>\n

www.theswcsun.com\/330000-salary-for-vp-of-hr\/<\/a><\/p>\n

The “Aztecs” Monty Montezuma, the racist images live<\/p>\n

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SDSU’s Campanile Foundation dinged by auditors<\/h1>\n

A company owned by a campus faculty member improperly included the university name in its name, and the company obtained a deeply discounted facility rental rate from [Associated Students], which appeared to be a conflict of interest,\u201d said an August 2016 audit regarding an unidentified university staffer. \u201cFor a one\u2010year period from August 2014 to August 2015, this resulted in a discount of $12,116, which appeared to be a conflict of interest in which the faculty member obtained a personal benefit because of his association with the campus.\u201d<\/p>\n

The same report also called out Campanile for going easy on six-figure donors who failed to come up with contributions as promised. \u201cIn four instances, collection and follow\u2010up activity was not documented to facilitate collection of delinquent pledges receivable,\u201d the audit noted. \u201cThe delinquent pledges receivable, totaling $275,000, were outstanding from 410 to 2,035 days.\u201d Added the document, \u201cInadequate control over delinquent pledges receivable and pledge write\u2010offs reduces the likelihood of collection, negatively impacts cash flow, and increases the risk that receivables will not be accurately reflected in financial statements.\u201d<\/p>\n

The non-profit\u2019s board promised to do better, but a new report released May 20 by CSU shows that despite the previous warning, auditors have continued to question Campanile\u2019s collection practices.\u00a0 www.sandiegoreader.com\/news\/2019\/may\/29\/radar-sdsus-campanile-foundation-dinged-auditors\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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East County superintendent placed on leave amid fraud investigation<\/h1>\n

The Dehesa School District Board voted 4-0 Friday afternoon to place their superintendent on paid administrative leave amid a fraud investigation.<\/p>\n

Earlier this week, the San Diego District Attorney\u2019s Office charged Superintendent Nancy Hauer with one count of misappropriating public funds.<\/p>\n

She was one of 11 people charged in a statewide scheme, in which the DA says two men siphoned more than $50 million in state money through a network of 19 charter schools.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe defendants sought out small school districts with limited experience in oversight and proposed they authorize online charter schools to earn additional public funds in the form of oversight fees,\u201d the DA\u2019s Office wrote in a summary of the charges.<\/p>\n

At Friday\u2019s special Dehesa School District Board meeting, the board spent an hour and a half in closed session with legal counsel discussing Hauer\u2019s employment.\u00a0 www.10news.com\/news\/local-news\/east-county-superintendent-placed-on-leave-amid-fraud-investigation?fbclid=IwAR1NX0N52GhbUKF7zmVP6u3jp9C8J1wYoqQRUPCU_shYoYWNX6gL3odMMaI<\/a><\/p>\n

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The Learning Curve: The Basics on Southern California\u2019s $50 Million Charter School Scam<\/h1>\n

Astounding details have emerged of an alleged charter school scam that netted some $50 million in taxpayer money by falsely enrolling thousands of students in summer school, according to an indictment<\/a> obtained by the Union-Tribune.<\/p>\n

The scheme focused on enrolling student athletes into summer credit recovery programs. The students didn\u2019t take any classes, but the owners of A3 Education still got money from the state on their behalf. A3 operates more than a dozen online charter schools, three in San Diego County. One of the company\u2019s owners is likely on the run in Australia<\/a>, said District Attorney Summer Stephan, according to the U-T.<\/p>\n

The owners, Sean McManus and Jason Schrock, pushed employees to falsely enroll as many students as possible, prosecutors allege. Those employees then earned bonuses for hitting certain benchmarks, according to the indictment.<\/p>\n

On top of the explosive allegations, the indictment also contains some juicy details.<\/p>\n

One employee texted another about a dream she had: \u201cYou were running around my office, drinking champagne, throwing money everywhere, yelling \u2018I love bonuses,\u2019\u201d the indictment reads.\u00a0\u00a0 www.voiceofsandiego.org\/topics\/education\/the-learning-curve-the-basics-on-southern-californias-50-million-charter-school-scam\/?utm_source=Voice+of+San+Diego+Master+List&utm_campaign=625e323fe0-Learning_Curve&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c2357fd0a3-625e323fe0-81862829&goal=0_c2357fd0a3-625e323fe0-81862829<\/a><\/p>\n

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San Diego Unified dumps anti-Islamophobia initiative<\/h1>\n

On March 7 a group of parents represented by San Diego attorney Charles S. LiMandri, chief counsel of the Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund,<\/a> settled a lawsuit \u2014 Citizens for Quality Education v. Richard Barrera<\/em> \u2014 it filed against San Diego Unified School District over its \u201canti-Islamophobia initiative,\u201d which the school district created in partnership with the Council on American-Islamic Relations<\/a>, or CAIR.<\/p>\n

The Council calls itself \u201cAmerica\u2019s largest Islamic civil liberties group.\u201d<\/p>\n

The conflict started July 26, 2016 when San Diego Unified trustee Kevin Beiser<\/a> put forward a resolution to develop the initiative. Four Muslim students told the board about their experiences being bullied.<\/p>\n

Hanif Mohebi, then director of the San Diego chapter of the Council, spoke to the board about the relationship the organization had with the district for the prior five years and stated, \u201c55 percent of Muslim students report they were bullied. What we would like to do now is take our relationship with the school district to a next level. We do have a strategy.\u201d\u00a0 www.sandiegoreader.com\/news\/2019\/may\/22\/city-lights-san-diego-unified-dumps-anti-islamo\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>above, Rouge Leader Bill Boyer in a Detroit School<\/p>\n

Nessel sides with children of Detroit Schools in literacy lawsuit<\/h1>\n

ANN ARBOR, MI – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel plans to oppose Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in support of Detroit Public Schools children arguing their access to literacy has been denied due to the district\u2019s poor conditions.<\/p>\n

The attorney general plans to ask the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals for permission to file a brief in the lawsuit advocating for a fundamental right to an adequate education, Nessel\u2019s Spokesman Dan Olsen said Thursday, May 30.<\/p>\n

The decision comes less than a week after Whitmer\u2019s office argued the State of Michigan<\/a> should no longer be a party in the lawsuit after her name was added to it earlier this month.<\/p>\n

In a reply brief filed on May 24 with the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, all defendants in the lawsuit including Whitmer, members of the state board of education, the state superintendent of public instruction and other state officials asked the court to dismiss the appeal on mootness of grounds.\u00a0 www.mlive.com\/news\/ann-arbor\/2019\/05\/nessel-sides-with-children-of-detroit-schools-in-literacy-lawsuit.html<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Westside<\/p>\n

Westside private school gave diplomas to nonstudents for a fee. Then came the college admissions scandal<\/h1>\n
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Stephanie Ellsworth had a problem. She was eager to enroll in a criminal justice program but lacked a high school diploma.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Her predicament didn\u2019t last long. She was told by a for-profit college that she could get a diploma from a Westside private school simply by taking a test and paying $280. She wouldn\u2019t have to do any coursework, or even set foot on the tiny campus of West Hollywood College Preparatory School.<\/p>\n

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So that is what she did. Within a few weeks, the 31-year-old had her diploma signed by West Hollywood Prep\u2019s principal, Elina Dvorskaya.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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That was in 2014 \u2014 five years before the school\u2019s former director, Igor Dvorskiy, was accused of conspiring with William \u201cRick\u201d Singer, the admitted mastermind of a national college admissions scheme<\/a>. Federal prosecutors say Dvorskiy was bribed $10,000 per student to allow a test-taking whiz to doctor SAT or ACT exams for children of the wealthy.<\/a>\u00a0 www.latimes.com\/local\/lanow\/la-me-ln-college-admissions-scandal-west-hollywood-prep-20190528-story.html<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The International Hot War of the Rich on the Poor<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

www.youtube.com\/watch?v=IAZy75RKb84<\/a><\/p>\n

America has spent $5.9 trillion on wars in the Middle East and Asia since 2001, a new study says<\/h1>\n
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Key Points<\/div>\n
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