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iPads are great for porn and video games
I just checked Susan's article of Feb. 23, 2012, written immediately following the board meeting of Feb. 21 when the board--Bertha Lopez the lone dissenter--passed the iPad purchase. Cost $4.3 million. $1.8 from Prop O, $1.5 from Mello-Roos, $0.5 Federal Grant, $0.5 textbook funding. So we are both right--and so was Bertha Lopez.— November 6, 2014 7:24 a.m.
iPads are great for porn and video games
I guess Ed's boast that his friends would always protect him is correct--but that doesn't make it right!— November 6, 2014 7:18 a.m.
iPads are great for porn and video games
One main reason the iPads were not introduced on the west side first is because they were purchased with Mello-Roos funds--which the west side was not supposed to have at their disposal. But then again, Mello-Roos funds are only supposed to be used for items with a 5 year or more lifespan, which pretty much eliminates the iPads anyway. Just one more bend in the river of deceit, thanks to the Sweetwater administration.— November 5, 2014 4:28 p.m.
It takes a Village card room…
Spot on, anniej. Once Bertha Lopez recognized that "business as usual" was not in the best interest of the students, she really worked to change how things were done. Her reward from the superintendents and other board members was to be treated with outright contempt and disrespect. John McCann, that would be you I am talking about. He turned off Bertha's microphone when she was speaking, because he didn't like what she was saying! Ed Brand would deliberately not supply Bertha with the necessary documents to prepare for meetings, documents that all the others would get. I could go on and on. It shows what levels of insidiousness existed within the Sweetwater administration, and almost everyone else played along, not wanting to have Gandara or Ed Brand turn on them. Bertha used great courage to do what she did, and her personal sacrifices should be recognized. Repeatedly, the "Great Triumvirate" of McCann, Cartmill and Ricasa would do all they could to keep Ms. Lopez shut down and out of the loop. It is a great pity Brand, Gandara, Cartmill, Ricasa and especially McCann were never charged with those offenses. They were interfering with Ms. Lopez as she was legally trying to do her job!!— November 5, 2014 12:51 p.m.
iPads are great for porn and video games
Prime example of the Ed Brand era of education in Sweetwater: lack of intelligent planning, possibility of something unethical in the selection process, students running with the opportunity to play video games and watch porn. Is it any wonder that the public, the teachers and the taxpayers have not been happy with Sweetwater's administration? So many areas need looking at in Sweetwater. I hope all the results of corruption, ineptitude and laziness will be eliminated from Sweetwater--Ed Brand wanted a legacy, looks like he got one, and it isn't a good one.— November 5, 2014 11:33 a.m.
It takes a Village card room…
So can anyone tell me why a judge can plead ignorance of the law and that's just fine, but for anyone else, the phrase is "ignorance of the law is no excuse!"?— November 3, 2014 2:16 p.m.
It takes a Village card room…
So again, why would Tom Calhoun be in such a big hurry last November and December and again this Fall to declare properties surplus and go forward with these projects? Because change is in the air, and he wants to seal the deals before the election throws him off or out of his game? And, one more time, who is Tom Calhoun serving with all of this? It just does not look like the school district is the beneficiary of all these deals. Has Calhoun been promised anything by any of the outside interests, such as a job? Why work so diligently when the work does nothing for your employer?— November 3, 2014 9:57 a.m.
It takes a Village card room…
CV_Parent, did you find what you were looking for? Is it possible there could have been a "quiet" change, so that a misdemeanor conviction or admission would no longer be enough to keep someone off the board, or from running?— November 3, 2014 8:50 a.m.
It takes a Village card room…
One more thing, as Columbo used to say...the attorneys and real estate people who end up making money on all these deals probably prefer as many deals as possible, while *we, the people* prefer fewer deals--but deals that make sense. I am sure there are some real estate people and developers who would be absolutely delighted for Sweetwater's taxpayers to pay for properties to be bought and sold continually and continuously...but that is really not what this school district needs. We need responsible, intelligent behavior, start to finish. No more sleight of hand deals, shady arrangements and borderline illegal activities. Tom Calhoun, are you taking note? Dr. Glover, you have my respect; yet, there is still an enormous amount of work to do to curtail all these outside influences. These outside influences are only in it for themselves, not the schoolchildren. David Malcolm's name is cropping up rather often. That might well indicate that some mega-deals are being planned, deals that will not benefit Sweetwater school district or the taxpayers. Deals that will benefit David Malcolm, and perhaps Ed Brand, via some of his shell organizations. If business people want to make money, great! Make your money honestly in the business world. Don't try and siphon off hard-earned tax and bond funds at the expense of public education. Just a small word of advice from no one in particular, merely one who pays taxes regularly.— November 2, 2014 8:06 p.m.
It takes a Village card room…
I am tending to think that outside business interests have been driving these deals all along. What the school district needs has been merely an afterthought. Silly us for thinking that our tax dollars would go to the schools and the kids. Meanwhile, Cartmill has been in on all this for 18 years yet pretends to know nothing. McCann was on the Chula Vista city council and the Sweetwater board, yet he acts as though his mind were a blank slate. We know *they know more than they are telling.*— November 2, 2014 6:44 p.m.