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Misplaced Priorities I am a longtime parent volunteer and active supporter of Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) schools. I, like many others, have dedicated time to serve the students and staff of CUSD. As a resident of Mission Viejo I can say I have never believed Trustee Draper had any interest in the condition of the schools or the children of my community. I have heard her talk a lot about the schools and children in San Juan, but in the past three or four years I have not heard any level of interest about other communities in CUSD, and I attend every board meeting. Trustee Draper does not seem to understand the impact she has on the schools outside her own city. I recently wrote to her about two comments I continually hear her make that led me to my conclusion, but she did not respond. Capistrano Valley High School (CVHS) is the only high school in the district without a performing-arts facility. Trustee Draper constantly states that the reason CVHS does not have a theater is because funds have not been available. This statement is false. CVHS, a 30-yearold school, has no proper facility because she and her fellow board members made a choice to not build one many times over the years. In 1993 CUSD opened Aliso Niguel High School (ANHS). Much of the student population was moved through boundary changes to ANHS from CVHS. The school was partially funded with $34.7 million from 87-1, a Mission Viejo/Aliso Viejo Mello-Roos fund. That money could have built a theater at CVHS but instead was put into a pool and performing arts facility for ANHS students. In 2001, CUSD opened Tesoro High School (THS). Much of the student population was moved through boundary changes to THS from CVHS. Though I don’t have all the numbers on how this school was funded, Trustee Draper and her fellow board members chose to build a pool and performing arts facility for Tesoro students. Between 2004 and 2007, CUSD installed five synthetic fields and all-weather tracks on its existing five high school campuses, at a cost in excess of $6 million. Many of these tracks and fields were funded from Mello-Roos 87-1 or Measure A, both funds that could have been used to build a theater at CVHS. Are they nice? Yes. But it was still a choice. In 2006, CUSD opened a district office partially funded with more than $13 million from 87-1. That was money that could have built a theater at CVHS but instead was used to build a palatial office complex for district administrators. Additional millions will eventually be paid out on that building, all money that could have been spent on schools. In 2007, CUSD opened San Juan Hills High School (SJHHS). Much of the student population was moved through boundary changes to SJHHS from CVHS. The school was partially funded with $24 million from Measure A funds. That was money that could have built a theater at CVHS but instead was put into a luxurious performing arts facility for SJHHS students. Trustee Draper has been on the board since 1988, and Trustee Benecke has been on the board since 1992; therefore, all of the above-mentioned choices were theirs to make, so the trustees need to stop saying there was no money and acknowledge they chose to not place a performing-arts facility at CVHS for the thousands of students who have attended the school. During multiple board meetings, Trustee Draper has stated that the budget cuts were kept as far as possible from the classrooms. She apparently has no idea what impact her vote is having on the classrooms. She supported the current budget cuts, as well as prior cuts, that have had a devastating impact on our students’ schools and classrooms. Under the current budget, staffing at secondary schools was changed to provide staffing of teachers based on ADA as opposed to actual enrollment. This has resulted in an increase in class size for the third time since 2001. She also supported a reduction in custodial staff multiple times in recent years, making it impossible for our kids to learn in clean classrooms and schools. Additionally, she supported a reduction of campus supervisors and assistant principals, both of which create safety issues on the school campuses. Finally, she has cut so deep into the support staff at the schools parents are now helping in the attendance office, the activities office and are copying and funding much of the classroom materials for teachers. These are just a few examples of the draconian cuts she supported that directly impact our children’s classrooms; yet, in the district office there are three employees working at the reception desk, and many of the senior administrators have personal assistants and secretaries. Cuts have not been kept away from the classroom. Perhaps some of the district office personnel can be moved to the schools sites to directly serve the students and their families. Trustee Draper needs to take responsibility for what she has done. I have read every word of the Orange County grand jury testimony. In that testimony she blamed the staff, she blamed Fleming, and she blamed the attorneys. When she couldn’t blame someone else, she just couldn’t remember. Her own words indicate she violated her duty to the taxpayers, the students and the constituency. She should be ashamed, but clearly she is not. It is time for her to step down so we can have trustees that will put the dollars back into the children’s classrooms. In June 2008, the trustees will again vote on a budget. CUSD has already acknowledged that an additional $9 million in cuts will have to be made. We must have trustees who will truly keep those cuts away from the classrooms and schools and provide equitable facilities for all students, and Trustees Draper and Benecke have shown us it is not them. Sharon Campbell |
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