Capo School Update

A group of parents residing primarily in San Juan Capistrano continues to make headlines by opposing the Capo school board. That’s not unusual in the politically charged district. Following the announcement the group would launch an effort to recall CUSD Trustees Mike Winsten and Ken Lopez-Maddox, an attorney for the two trustees said on Jan. 26 that the proponents will be sued if they don’t drop their effort.

The attorney for Winsten and Lopez-Maddox wrote in a 10-page letter that proponents will be liable for payment of attorney fees and other costs. As the basis for the lawsuit, the attorney states that proponents made false and misleading statements with regard to grounds for recalling Winsten and Lopez-Maddox, and proponents also failed to serve notice properly. According to the letter, the recall notice was handed to the board’s recording secretary instead of Winsten and Lopez-Maddox. The letter demands a response from proponents by Feb. 3.

 Mission Viejo resident who attends board meetings reacted by distributing an email message. From the email: “I go to board meetings because I support education. The San Juan Capistrano group of parents adopted the name ‘Children First.’ No one even pretends the current action is about children.”

The Capistrano Dispatch http://www.thecapistranodispatch.com/ posted an update on Jan. 25 about teachers picketing the Capo district office. The group has also marched on the homes of trustees. One trustee who is a target of the group has five young children. The news of a crowd of picketers showing up at someone’s home makes a bad impression on constituents who would otherwise be neutral on politics.

This blog’s survey of CUSD constituents in Mission Viejo who supported previous Capo district recalls found that they would not support another recall effort.