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Open superintendent position to be discussed at Monday's board meeting
August 16, 2007 - 5:13PM
Staff Writer
The Hesperia Unified School District school board will take up the question of replacing the district superintendent at Monday's board meeting, almost two weeks after the formal departure of Hank Richardson and a week after the beginning of the 2007-2008 school year.
The issue of an interim superintendent has been placed on the agenda for the closed session meeting prior to the 6 p.m. board meeting at Sultana High School.
"They may have a decision Monday, I don't know for sure," Mark McKinney, the district's Assistant Superintendent of Personnel, said Thursday. "Or they may say 'we're going to begin a search and here's how we're going to run the district in the interim.'"
"We're just trying to put together the stuff to see how we're going to put together the overall search for a superintendent," board member Lee Rogers said Thursday. "We are considering an interim until we can find someone who can fit the community."
Richardson, who worked in the HUSD for 12 years until the board signed his early retirement agreement on August 7, effectively left office on July 16, when he was placed on administrative leave by the school board.
In the meantime, the district's three assistant superintendents, including McKinney, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services George Landon and Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Jovy Yankaskas have been dividing up the superintendent's responsibilities between them.
"If there's something I can take care of, I'll take care of it, or Jovy or George," McKinney said, noting that things like paychecks for the Victor Valley's single largest employer will not be affected. "It truly is a team effort."
"Quite honestly, they're doing an excellent job," Rogers said. "They've formed an excellent team there, and they're doing really, really good."
The next regular board meeting will be held August 20 at 6 p.m. at Sultana High School.
Beau Yarbrough can be reached at 956-7108 or at beau@hesperiastar.com.
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Reader's comments
| Libel and slander are legal claims for false statements of fact about a person that are printed, broadcast, spoken or otherwise communicated to others. Libel generally refers to statements or visual depictions in written or other permanent form, while slander refers to verbal statements and gestures. The term defamation is often used to encompass both libel and slander.
In order for the person about whom a statement is made to recover for libel, the false statement must be defamatory, meaning that it actually harms the reputation of the other person, as opposed to being merely insulting or offensive.
The statements alleged to be defamatory must also have been published to at least one other person other than the subject of the statement and must be of and concerning the plaintiff. That is, those hearing or reading the statement must identify it specifically with the plaintiff.
The statements alleged to be defamatory must also be a false statement of fact. That which is name calling, hyperbole, or, however characterized, cannot be proven true or false, cannot be the subject of a libel or slander claim.
The defamatory statement must also have been made with fault. The extent of the fault depends primarily on the status of the plaintiff. Public figures, such as government officials, celebrities, well-known individuals, and people involved in specific public controversies, are required to prove actual malice, a legal term which means the defendant knew his statement was false or recklessly disregarded the truth or falsity of his statement. In most jurisdictions, private individuals must show only that the defendant was negligent, that he failed to act with due care in the situation.
A defamation claim, at least one based upon statements about issues that are matters of public interest, will likely fail if any of these elements are not met. |
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| Define Libel - Aug 22, 2007 07:57:19 AM | Remove Comment |
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| I can't speak for what happens or doesn't happen on the Daily Press letters page, but it is rare that the Hesperia Star will not run a non-libelous letter to the editor. Due to our early deadlines, sometimes they get bumped a week, but we do try to run them. That said, sometimes things have gotten lost in the shuffle, simply due to the large number of e-mails and faxes we receive at the paper on a weekly basis. |
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| Beau Yarbrough - Aug 21, 2007 09:30:34 PM | Remove Comment |
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| Please citizens, teachers, parents, do not lose sight of the real issue here, the issue is the poor decisions that have been made on the part of the three new board members. It is obvious they vote in favor of all items HTA. Listen to them, read the minutes, educate yourselves, and then ask, are they making decisions in the best interest of HUSD's students? The answer is clearly no. The decision of Mr. McKinney was clearly agreed upon by the union bosses, I have no doubt he will do a good job. Mr. Richardson also would have done a good job and the district could have used the near $400,000 for the students that they chose to use to buy his contract. Makes no sense. RECALL! |
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| Concerned Citizen - Aug 21, 2007 08:15:56 PM | Remove Comment |
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| quick fix coming from the board members. they had another puppet to use so they picked on little Mr,McKinney to do there dirty work for them. He is such a nice man now they make him go over to the darkside, that stinks he will be on the hit list next, well I guess the board members can sleep better now they have someone else the public can pick on and take the focus off them. What a shame and shame on them chickens. |
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| well I hear - Aug 21, 2007 07:55:56 PM | Remove Comment |
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| Yes, it makes me feel better. |
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| extemist - Aug 21, 2007 07:46:49 PM | Remove Comment |
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| Well if it makes you feel better . It is your opinion but I think you cross the line as far as the forum guidelines go. IMHO of course. |
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| Parent - Aug 21, 2007 07:34:39 PM | Remove Comment |
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| No one is taking a hit out on anyone here, and I do not wish ill on Mr. Bentley nor anyone else I disagree with. There simple comes a time when one has to stand up for what is right and speak out against wrong. Mr. Bentley is a representative of that which is hurting our kids and our district right now. |
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| extremist - Aug 21, 2007 07:33:18 PM | Remove Comment |
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| In addition, this very newspaper refused to publish his writings for months due to his groundless accusations and ridiculous ramblings. I would guess he is not the most popular person at the HUSD district office because of his constant complaining and difficult demeanor. Enough? |
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| extremist - Aug 21, 2007 07:28:31 PM | Remove Comment |
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| The constant ridicule of Mr. Bentley and the board members named in the recall is appalling . What ever happened to manners. I think you missed my point. I have read more than one person here complain about punctuation/grammar etc. yet think nothing of rude language. What ever happened to love they neighbor? |
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| Parent - Aug 21, 2007 07:25:03 PM | Remove Comment |
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| Parent, Chris Bentley does not have the best interests of this school district at heart. He says he does, but the rest of his words and actions contradict that. If you don't believe what I'm telling you think about this- he crticizes everything good in HUSD, touts the party line of Huey, Louey, and Duey, involves himself in so many things that he knows very little about, and because he puts a coherent sentence together thinks he needs to have a say in all things HUSD.
I could go on forever. |
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| extremist - Aug 21, 2007 07:22:51 PM | Remove Comment |
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| Parent, when asking people to use real names when criticizing someone perhaps you could use yours. |
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| amused - Aug 21, 2007 07:12:03 PM | Remove Comment |
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| I can not believe what I read here. How easy it is to mock and vilify Mr. Bentley all while hiding behind a screen name. You have a right to disagree with others but who gives you the right to post to a public forum and ridicule those you don't agree with. |
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| parent - Aug 21, 2007 06:34:52 PM | Remove Comment |
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| After attending last night's board meeting, it looks like Bentley has moved on. Apparently he's looking to solve the ongoing Cinnamon Roll Scandal that's been keeping our kids from getting a proper education. I'll rest easier now, knowing that we won't have to worry about cinnamon rolls in the teachers' lounge. Thank you, Mr. Bentley, for exposing this evil plot to take over the district one calorie at a time. You are a hero. |
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| Hesperian - Aug 21, 2007 09:51:04 AM | Remove Comment |
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| And the clock is still ticking on the Bentley watch, where he's expected to provide a simple yes or no to a given question. The question again is, "Do you believe Mr. Richardson's retirement was entirely voluntary." We're on DAY THREE of waiting. |
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| Tick Tick Tick - Aug 20, 2007 12:34:13 PM | Remove Comment |
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| I downloaded the agenda for the meeting this morning at 6AM and indeed there is an item to give themselves a 5 percent increase in monthly wage. I'll be at the meeting tonight. |
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| JeB - Aug 20, 2007 12:23:06 PM | Remove Comment |
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| I find it interesting that any time Chris Bentley is asked for a reply to a question or his "facts" are refuted, he has no response. I found this out myself when I wrote that he owed Dave Long an apology for his libelous remarks earlier this month. Whenever he's backed into a corner, he conveniently disappears. I wish he would find a cause that would really help the students. |
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| CTaxpayer - Aug 19, 2007 07:00:48 PM | Remove Comment |
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| Oh where, oh where has Chris Bentley gone? Oh where, oh where can he be? With his facts all wrong and singing the union song, oh where, oh where can he be? |
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| Yes or No? - Aug 19, 2007 04:02:23 PM | Remove Comment |
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| Mr. Benteley, also fails to mention anything about the former HTA Boss who actively campaigned for the three who is now being paid to stay home. How come? |
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| Concerned Parent - Aug 19, 2007 07:35:49 AM | Remove Comment |
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| Be afraid union gangs because Bruce will be in charge. |
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| Minton in charge - Aug 18, 2007 10:42:24 PM | Remove Comment |
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| I'm all for free speech, but in Mr. Bentley's case, it is simply ridiculous. Anyone with a brain knows perfectly well that Mr. Richardson did not retire. Why is Mr. Bentley so concerned about Mr. Freeman working at home and getting paid, but he does not seem to care that Mr. Richardson was "paid" to stay home? Hank did not ask for this. Mr. Bentley should get a job. Or a life. Maybe if he is so disatisfied with Hesperia's school district he should just move. Quit spewing little bits of partial information with no hard facts or figures to back it up. |
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| HTR - Aug 18, 2007 10:38:16 PM | Remove Comment |
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