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Letter to the Editor - July 15, 2008
July 15, 2008 - 7:38PM
Apple Valley
During the O J Simpson trial Johnny Cochran gave an impassioned speech to the jury and coined a phrase that has since become a part of the American lexicon, "Rush to Judgment." We need a similar orator to speak before the Hesperia School Board about their "rush to purchase."
At the early July board meeting, Kirk, Lee Rogers, and Hardy Black voted to purchase fifteen acres of land from a local developer. Despite the fact that another suitable and cheaper parcel was available nearby, the three voted for it over the objections of Bruce Minton, who wished to delay the purchase until the land was checked out.
Well, Mr. Minton checked on the property since then and exhibited pictures of what he found to the board and the audience. Despite claims made by the developer, the property was littered with old debris from cars and the like. In addition, a wash that the developer claimed was minor appears to be rather large, making part of the land unusable. So why didn't Kirk, Rogers, and Black wait to check on the land? Why did they rush to buy property that wasn't going to be used until 2014? And why did they purchase from this developer when another was far cheaper? This board seems to make a habit of trying to work with developers and construction firms that cost more than anyone else. I suspect that, at least with the current purchase, campaign contributions make a significant impact on the board's decisions. And isn't that a conflict of interest that should be investigated by the district attorney?
Can the school district get out of this contract, given that the claims made by the developer were not true? Perhaps the district can use their very expensive lawyer to see if they can get out of this deal. If not, then maybe they should look into hiring a public relations firm to help their image.
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Reader's comments
| How about all of the very hateful comments concerning Chris Bentley? That doesn't seem to bother 'em either. |
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| duh - Jul 23, 2008 08:16:23 AM | Remove Comment |
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| Fed up, have you read the hostile and flaming comments that have been posted here regarding the Kirk, Black, and L. Rogers? Guess in your mind it's OK to be hostile to these people but not to your friends. It would be a nice change to see dialog that actually dealt with the issues instead of spreading hateful thoughts. |
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| you\'ve got to be kidding - Jul 23, 2008 06:18:11 AM | Remove Comment |
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| Get a Life, read the blog guidelines. It says do not be hostile and no flaming. |
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| Fed up - Jul 22, 2008 07:53:05 PM | Remove Comment |
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| Hey Buckwheat, could you please clrify yourself once in a while and list a few of the selfish intrests of the school board. By the way have you ever met or even seen Ms. Irwin. Compared to her a prune has no wrinkles and vinegar is sweet. |
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| Get a Life - Jul 22, 2008 05:57:35 PM | Remove Comment |
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| Yeah Right, You don't seem to know how many schools actually have been built in Hesperia during the last twenty years. A few you seem to have forgotten are Eucalyptus, Lime Street, Hollyvale, Carmel, Ranchero Middle School, Sultana High School, Topaz, Mesquite Trails, Oxford Academy, Cypress Academy, Cedar Middle School, and Mission Crest. The new board has closed Mesa Academy and Desert Trails, and changed Cypress Academy to a choice school. Surely you didn't do your research. |
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| HS Teacher - Jul 22, 2008 01:40:29 PM | Remove Comment |
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| If anyone has analyzed the directions and actions this current board has taken better, I'll eat the chapeau I've taken off to Ms. Jennifer K. Her postings were those of a person who did the reasearch and helped clarify much of the behaviors of Black, Kirk, and Ella Rogers. I only hope we can elect people who have the best intentions of representing the community, not their own selfish interests. With Anthony Riley being supported by the Kirks, I'm afraid he'll just be more of the same. |
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| Buckley - Jul 22, 2008 01:19:49 PM | Remove Comment |
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| I can see one thing that looks and smells fishy. If there were some questions that could be answered and facts brought to light on purchasing the property, then why couldn’t the board wait a meeting or two to do some more research? Why did the deal need to be done that night? |
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| DR - Jul 22, 2008 11:43:00 AM | Remove Comment |
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| The person that is “Yeah Right” is totally out of bounds. None of the comments made by you are even close to being correct. 1. There has been no school or property purchased by the current board that was not already in the planning. 2. In the last 20 years a lot of schools have been built. And I can name them. 3. If you are saying we have corrupt administrators, where are your facts to back this one up? 4. Show me vision and research to back up the clearing the record and paying off of one of the new boards campaign supporters and contributor Lee Samuels. 5. Show me what principals, beside the Sultana principal that were hired that were not already administrators? 6. I doubt that you even know Mr. Richardson or Mr. McKinney to make a comparison. Please do your research before coming back to talk to us again. |
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| Jennifer K - Jul 22, 2008 11:29:38 AM | Remove Comment |
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| Principals? The only one I can think of that was actually hired was the Sultana Principal and he came from Silverado. At the time I questioned that, but he seems to have done ok so far. The rest have all been promoted from within which means the previous board actually hired them initially. I dont know if Im 100 percent correct. If someone has better information let me know. |
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| Principals - Jul 22, 2008 09:46:59 AM | Remove Comment |
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| Cypress, Cedar, Mission Crest, Oak Hills, Krystal are all schools that were started by the previous board. The new board had to just stay out of the way and they have had a hard time with that. Mesquite Trails is over 20 years old? It will be the same thing when the Gallagher land finally has a school on it. It wont really be that boards accomplishment, it will be this boards accomplishment for getting the land having the plans drawn up, and obtaining the funding. There is no reason that the new board should get the credit for those schools previously mentioned. |
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| Not Right - Jul 22, 2008 07:32:35 AM | Remove Comment |
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| I would settle for you to tell me what school the new board has built? All of the schools including Oak Hills, that isnt competed yet, was started, by the old board. WHAT SCHOOL HAS BEEN BUILT BY THIS NEW BOARD! |
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| Fact - Jul 22, 2008 07:26:51 AM | Remove Comment |
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| Hesperian you are right. It is some agenda this new group has. It seems they built more schools in a year and a half than had been built in the previous 20 years. Their policies scared off all the corrupt administrators who were afraid to have their self serving practices exposed to public scrutiny. It even seems like they have a vision backed up achievable goals with quantifiable objectives for the first time ever at HUSD. You can not name better Principals that those that have been hired since last year. Hank Richardson was not half the Superintendent Mark McKinney is. |
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| Yeah Right - Jul 21, 2008 11:24:34 PM | Remove Comment |
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| Careful, hesperian is NOT Hesperian. I happen to believe Ms. Irwin has backbone enough to stand up to those who have taken over the district. I support Ms. Irwin in her opinions because I absolutely agree with her. I support everyone having their opinions, however I do NOT support those who were selected to represent us pushing their agenda down the throats of voters and citizens. To be elected means to represent others, not your own personal agenda. This board needs some training in what oversight means. |
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| Hesperian - Jul 21, 2008 08:48:27 PM | Remove Comment |
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| You are right HS Teacher, I didn't
sign my name. I also didn't call
others cowardly either. My point is,
if you expect others to be brave then
so should you. |
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| Be Brave - Jul 21, 2008 08:16:49 PM | Remove Comment |
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| HS teacher has done more policing and chasting others for making their opinions than anybody else. Can you say, hypocrite? |
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| r. burris - Jul 21, 2008 08:10:52 PM | Remove Comment |
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| Be Brave, I didn't notice you signing your name either. I believe it is everyone's right to decide whether or not to sign their name. Let me know when they put you in charge of making rules for this blog. |
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| HS Teacher - Jul 21, 2008 06:42:54 PM | Remove Comment |
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| The facts always seem to escape Edie. She forgets that the Old Board had already spent two years and $130,000 in San Diego lawyer fees on the acquisition of this Gallager property before it was ever presented to the New Board. That does not even include the environmental fees, the State Department of Architect fees or any apraisal or engineering fees. If other adequate land existed in the same area, why was it not sought out long before the purchase of the Gallager property? Were the tax payers supposed to sit back and pay another $100,000 to the San Diego lawyers because the Board was asleep at the helm? Get a life. |
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| Get Real - Jul 21, 2008 05:16:10 PM | Remove Comment |
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| Hey HS teacher, I do agree with what you said but if you are calling others
cowardly, why didn't you sign your real name? Easier said than done I quess. |
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| be brave - Jul 21, 2008 03:13:37 PM | Remove Comment |
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| We are truly going miss Helen Rogers.
She was a great teacher and board
member. She was the only board member
that does't do back room dealing. |
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| Helen Fan - Jul 21, 2008 03:06:12 PM | Remove Comment |
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| If Mr. Minton wouldn't have done his homework and shown us what was going on, none of us would have known. What will happen when he and Helen Rogers are gone? I'm sure things will only get worse when those three are left unchecked. |
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| teacher - Jul 21, 2008 09:42:19 AM | Remove Comment |
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