I meant to post this one when the final transcript arrived. This is the deposition of Andrea Eyring, BCS Board Member and Prop 39 lead. The deposition relates to the facilities complaint for the 2012-13 school year.
As is my practice, I won't provide any commentary, so as to leave the best parts for our lawyers.
One note: Transcripts are technically the property of the court reporter who takes them down. I'm told it's OK to post this, but please do not download it. If you need a copy, you'll need to contact the court reporter.
Transcript of A Eyring
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Legal Filings from BCS (Prop 39 complaint)
I expect that the legal paperwork is going to ramp up quite a bit over the next month or so. I will try to make it clear at the top of each post which legal action the post deals with:
Prop 39 Complaint (2012-13)
Legal Fees (2009-10)
LASD Cross Complaint (semi-private school)
Prop 39 Complaint
We received the BCS filings for the lawsuit against LASD. I remain deeply disappointed that BCS would choose to continue to litigate this matter. I've reviewed the declarations, and as expected, the LASD interpretation of events is materially different from what is stated by BCS. I won't go into chapter and verse here- I'll leave that to the lawyers, and let them decide when to deconstruct the nonsense in these filings. Rest assured that the District will vigorously contest these accusations, and we have a few things we'd like the judge to consider while she's reviewing all of this. I'm grateful that we'll be getting a full and fair hearing on the facts. Thanks, again, to our legal team.
To say that this process is merely "disappointing" takes a great deal of restraint. BCS repeatedly harps on the refrain that they want to be part of the community, that they are only interested in what is best for their kids. I find it hard to reconcile that with the blatant manipulation of facts and the use of children as stage props. BCS takes no responsibility for what they're doing, and then asks why people don't admire them. Reading these declarations, and understanding that they are manipulating the situation and doing so in order to close a high performing school.. well, let's just say that I don't wonder why they aren't beloved.
Plase note that we do not have any of the Exhibits that should accompany these documents. once we have them, I will post them here for everyone to see.
Bullis MPA
BCS Notice of Hearing
BCS Board & Principal
Eyring Decl
Hersey Decl
Medlin Decl
Moore Decl
BCS Teachers
Lanzot Decl
Mok Decl
Stone Decl
Torretto Decl
Gonzalez Decl
Notice of Entry Order
Proof of Service
Prop 39 Complaint (2012-13)
Legal Fees (2009-10)
LASD Cross Complaint (semi-private school)
Prop 39 Complaint
We received the BCS filings for the lawsuit against LASD. I remain deeply disappointed that BCS would choose to continue to litigate this matter. I've reviewed the declarations, and as expected, the LASD interpretation of events is materially different from what is stated by BCS. I won't go into chapter and verse here- I'll leave that to the lawyers, and let them decide when to deconstruct the nonsense in these filings. Rest assured that the District will vigorously contest these accusations, and we have a few things we'd like the judge to consider while she's reviewing all of this. I'm grateful that we'll be getting a full and fair hearing on the facts. Thanks, again, to our legal team.
To say that this process is merely "disappointing" takes a great deal of restraint. BCS repeatedly harps on the refrain that they want to be part of the community, that they are only interested in what is best for their kids. I find it hard to reconcile that with the blatant manipulation of facts and the use of children as stage props. BCS takes no responsibility for what they're doing, and then asks why people don't admire them. Reading these declarations, and understanding that they are manipulating the situation and doing so in order to close a high performing school.. well, let's just say that I don't wonder why they aren't beloved.
Plase note that we do not have any of the Exhibits that should accompany these documents. once we have them, I will post them here for everyone to see.
Bullis MPA
BCS Notice of Hearing
BCS Board & Principal
Eyring Decl
Hersey Decl
Medlin Decl
Moore Decl
BCS Teachers
Lanzot Decl
Mok Decl
Stone Decl
Torretto Decl
Gonzalez Decl
Notice of Entry Order
Proof of Service
Negotiations Update
Tomorrow the District negotiating team will meet with representatives from the Los Altos Teachers Union to continue negotiations on the contract renewal. This year, we are using Interest Based Bargaining, which is proving to be very effective in working through areas of mutual concern. (For a brief overview of Interest Based Bargaining, see my blog post about our training or this Google search)
One of the improvements we've made to the process is that the bargaining teams agree to a joint statement after each session. I think this gives the community some visibility to what's going on, while still allowing the teams to explore options in a creative way. Updates from each session are available on the District website here.
We look forward to working with the teachers to come to a workable solution that works for all of the stakeholders- the students, the teachers, the administration, and the community at large.
One of the improvements we've made to the process is that the bargaining teams agree to a joint statement after each session. I think this gives the community some visibility to what's going on, while still allowing the teams to explore options in a creative way. Updates from each session are available on the District website here.
We look forward to working with the teachers to come to a workable solution that works for all of the stakeholders- the students, the teachers, the administration, and the community at large.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
NASA comes to Gardner Bullis
Actually, the headline is a bit unfair, since our new principal is much more than just a former astronaut. Courtney Cadwell is an exceptional educator who has made a huge impact in each role she has taken on. What is amazing to me is that she has been with LASD for a number of years. It speaks not only to Ms. Cadwell's credentials, but also to the type of district that we are, that we could attract and retain and promote people of this caliber.
Ms. Cadwell brings tremendous experience to Gardner. She joined the District several years ago as a teacher, and had been one of the leaders of the Khan Academy pilot program. From there, she became a math coach in the District and most recently was our STEM coach. I'm somewhat nervous that we will "lose" her skills as a STEM coach, but she assures us that she'll continue to work on district-wide initiatives, and will remain engaged with teachers across all of our campuses.
I mentioned NASA, and that's not a joke. In 2003-04 she was one of 99 finalists selected by NASA for a program to put teachers in space. She maintains a relationship with NASA even now, and her passion for science and math has been a great asset for the District. In speaking with her, I believe folks will also find that she has a fantastic sense of balance- that she's interested in the whole child, and that she is just as passionate about writing and the arts as she is about space and algebra. She currently serves as an adviser to the Gates Foundation, and to the Intrepid foundation (part of the Rockefeller Family foundations).
I've attached the letter Jeff Baier sent to the Gardner parent community, as well as Ms. Cadwell's resume. She is a tremendously talented individual, and we are thrilled to have her as our newest principal in the finest school district in the State of California.
Welcome aboard, Courtney!
Letter from Jeff Baier
Resume, Courtney Cadwell
Ms. Cadwell brings tremendous experience to Gardner. She joined the District several years ago as a teacher, and had been one of the leaders of the Khan Academy pilot program. From there, she became a math coach in the District and most recently was our STEM coach. I'm somewhat nervous that we will "lose" her skills as a STEM coach, but she assures us that she'll continue to work on district-wide initiatives, and will remain engaged with teachers across all of our campuses.
I mentioned NASA, and that's not a joke. In 2003-04 she was one of 99 finalists selected by NASA for a program to put teachers in space. She maintains a relationship with NASA even now, and her passion for science and math has been a great asset for the District. In speaking with her, I believe folks will also find that she has a fantastic sense of balance- that she's interested in the whole child, and that she is just as passionate about writing and the arts as she is about space and algebra. She currently serves as an adviser to the Gates Foundation, and to the Intrepid foundation (part of the Rockefeller Family foundations).
I've attached the letter Jeff Baier sent to the Gardner parent community, as well as Ms. Cadwell's resume. She is a tremendously talented individual, and we are thrilled to have her as our newest principal in the finest school district in the State of California.
Welcome aboard, Courtney!
Letter from Jeff Baier
Resume, Courtney Cadwell
Friday, September 28, 2012
BCS Trial Date
OK, It's not the Super Bowl, or the date of the next Justin Bieber concert. Nonetheless, it's the date we've all been waiting for. The District's attorneys tell me that we have a date in court.
On October 30, 2012, we will actually have two hearings with Judge Lucas. First, there's the attorney's fees from the 2009-10 case. BCS has asked the court to award $1.3M, and the District is seeking discovery so that we can see whether that figure is warranted. Since BCS has refused to provide information we need to make that assessment, we've asked Judge Lucas to compel BCS to comply. She will hear the District's motion on Oct 30th.
And because she loves hearing from us (or, perhaps, because she's going to have all of her vegetables in one sitting), we'll be having a second hearing on the same day. Given that Judge Lucas ruled against BCS from the Aug 30 motion, BCS filed a new lawsuit to complain about their facilities for 2012-13. The Judge rightly decided that she could not evaluate that offer under the sham proceeding that BCS attempted to use on August 30, but that she needed to hear a full set of facts. BCS clearly knew that was the case also, because they filed their new lawsuit before the Judge had even finished ruling on their previous efforts.
This is a hearing I'm really looking forward to having. I strongly believe that the 2012-13 offer is fully compliant with Prop 39, and I look forward to having a judge weigh the facts and confirming what we already know. We also will be bringing a cross-complaint to discuss the semi-private nature of BCS's program, and asking the court to clarify what our obligations are in light of their behavior. The community has been seeking clarity on that question for 8 years, and it's time we get an answer from the courts.
So, mark your calendar. I'll definitely be there, and I look forward to an exciting day!
On October 30, 2012, we will actually have two hearings with Judge Lucas. First, there's the attorney's fees from the 2009-10 case. BCS has asked the court to award $1.3M, and the District is seeking discovery so that we can see whether that figure is warranted. Since BCS has refused to provide information we need to make that assessment, we've asked Judge Lucas to compel BCS to comply. She will hear the District's motion on Oct 30th.
And because she loves hearing from us (or, perhaps, because she's going to have all of her vegetables in one sitting), we'll be having a second hearing on the same day. Given that Judge Lucas ruled against BCS from the Aug 30 motion, BCS filed a new lawsuit to complain about their facilities for 2012-13. The Judge rightly decided that she could not evaluate that offer under the sham proceeding that BCS attempted to use on August 30, but that she needed to hear a full set of facts. BCS clearly knew that was the case also, because they filed their new lawsuit before the Judge had even finished ruling on their previous efforts.
This is a hearing I'm really looking forward to having. I strongly believe that the 2012-13 offer is fully compliant with Prop 39, and I look forward to having a judge weigh the facts and confirming what we already know. We also will be bringing a cross-complaint to discuss the semi-private nature of BCS's program, and asking the court to clarify what our obligations are in light of their behavior. The community has been seeking clarity on that question for 8 years, and it's time we get an answer from the courts.
So, mark your calendar. I'll definitely be there, and I look forward to an exciting day!
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