CUSD Update
Editorial staff

It’s been several weeks since information emerged about a jet-fuel pipeline located near San Juan Hills High School, the new $150-million school in San Juan Capistrano. Some administrators probably knew about dangers of the pipeline before the school was built, but the information was recently uncovered by a CUSD constituent. It’s the latest bombshell to rock top officials, including Supt. Woodrow Carter and four old-guard majority trustees brought together by former superintendent James Fleming.

A summary of the latest problems was posted on an Or. Co. Register discussion board, http://talk.ocregister.com/showthread.php?t=23726&page=466&pp=15. The post followed an April 18 CUSD facilities subcommittee meeting. Here are key points:

• Carter admitted the need for additional land at SJHHS, which conflicts with his statements to newspapers [including the March 29 Or. Co. Register].
• Carter admitted that the need for land must be discussed publicly, which indicates the March 24 closed-session discussion violated the Brown Act.
• Carter revealed a verbal $6-million agreement with developer Gage/Concorde. A real estate agreement must be agendized, voted on and in writing to be legal.
• The revelation indicates a secret, back-room deal hidden from three new trustees.
• Carter said Gage has reneged on the agreement.
• Evidence shows a 16-inch high-pressure jet-fuel/gasoline pipeline is near SJHHS.
• Data indicated the old regime falsified reports prior to building SJHHS.
  The SJHHS EIR prepared by Trustee Marlene Draper’s daughter of Culbertson Adams and Associates did not reveal the high-pressure pipeline or its risks.
• Discussion of the pipeline dangers is causing talk about closing SJHHS.
  Carter admitted the D.A. is aggressively investigating the new revelations.
• Carter acknowledged he and others were recently interrogated by the D.A.
• Carter said parents of SJHHS students will be informed of the pipeline a.s.a.p.
• Trustees have agreed to stop spending on SJHHS, investigate legal issues and call former administrator David Doomey (who allegedly destroyed or took documents about the development of SJHHS) to answer questions.

The post concluded by thanking CUSD constituent Jim Reardon (an aerospace engineer) for the research leading to the revelation of the pipeline. Parents demanding reform also deserve credit for their tenacity in pursuing the issues and calling the D.A., who was slow and/or reluctant to investigate alleged crimes and cover-ups at CUSD.

Following the revelations about the pipeline, some sports fields at SJHHS were closed pending an investigation. The pipeline, which carries jet fuel and gasoline from Los Angeles County to San Diego County, is approximately 1,000 feet from a SJHHS sports field. California Department of Education approvals of the school appear to have been based on false information.

As a follow-up regarding felony charges against former CUSD administrators James Fleming and Susan McGill, both were back in court on April 18. A judge postponed their trial from April 28 to August 12. Fleming and McGill were indicted for their involvement in forming an “enemies list” of their political opponents. The delay was granted after the D.A. last week subpoenaed 500 pages of data from the district, which will be used as evidence. A pre-trial hearing will be held July 11.