SBWomanBy Denice
Non-profits occupy rent-free, tax-paid building space on school campuses, and employ staff who have direct unsupervised, independent access to students and student records without informed parental consent.
Should parents be informed of which non-profit organizations (NPOs) and non-district employees have access to their child and their child’s records when enrolled in a public school? Are schools authorized by CA law to provide tax-payer provided space on campus to NPOs? Who is responsible for NPO employees?
School Districts and ESPECIALLY Administration(s) have lost sight of their job descriptions. Prepare our young-soon-to-be ADULTS with the education that will provide them to succeed in our society…(be productive members of society by working, paying taxes and taking personal responsibility for their lives). Period.
Reading-writing -arithmetic – all are getting short-changed in K-12 today
Very well stated, Denice. There is lots of support for everything you have the courage to report. Thank you for your sustained efforts. The cause is worthy for all our children in SBUSD.
California Ed Code controls use of school property for community organizations. Providing public access to student records is also under very strict controls. Interesting to learn more about this intersect – on campus private parties granted access to protected public records.
There’s no ax to grind, only curiosity, legitimate inquiry, about changes in SBUnified District policy since my kids were on the SBHS campus. Tax-payers need to know what we are paying for; what NPOs we are subsidizing, and our legal – financial exposure to litigation . Late last night, I read Jerry Robert’s article emailed to me on the MAD Academy, the NPO that hired the campus employee central to the scandal – who had access to students, and also viewed on KEYT a Hospice Ad featuring a salaried SBHS Athletic Director /employee as spokesperson for Hospice (an independent NPO) filmed on the campus. Combined as a package I wondered ‘what has changed, and is it in the best interests of students?’ Only 40% of graduates are proficient at DPHS,, 38% proficient at SBHS; and 28% at SBHS. Not an impressive ROI for taxpayers who shell out hard earned dollars. Students of all colors are not hitting 100% proficiency – the majority have failed, when handed a diploma so let’s ask WHY? Perhaps you and others are numb or too overwhelmed with life to inquire. If NPOs can rent space or be given free space on campus, we need to be noticed via media to allow competing non-profits to bid. If the NPO is directly affiliated with the school program, then what is the policy to vet and supervise non-District employed staff for the protection of students? Something apparently went wrong within the MAD Academy, which had a stellar reputation in 2010. Dan WIlliams created and grew a program for student engagement and pathways. Something happened at MAD, and is happening at the District level. Facts promote learning to find ways to improve. The Blame Game is counterproductive. Privilege is the color Green: accomplished via education, skill attainment, network, and/or other factors including being at the right place at the right time.. There is no disagreement that there are systemic structural barriers that must me eliminated. There is no argument that Native Americans were here first; the Viking Nordics and Spaniards came be sea followed by the English. There was slavery, and blacks today earn significantly less as a racial group and are disproportionally incarcerated . These are serious problems to be fixed. Homelessness is a problem to be fixed. Schools must remain focused on their business of instructing and mentoring to increase student proficiency. Proficiency: academic and skill attainment to be better prepared for life and civic duties.
GATE is a special needs program under LCAP. Students are tested in Spanish or English. High performing underrepresented Latino and Latina students and others of color who speak other languages and/or simply may not test well are given access. There’s a difference in brain function. The District allows students to move between so-called remedial, college-prep, honors tracks. Any student may enroll in AP Classes and take the AP Exams at no expense to the student.
PITMIX: No deception intended. I’m an open, direct, transparent parent. You asked, “Can you please outline your efforts to help these kids that make these other programs unnecessary?” Yes. I can and will answer your question by example of what was tried at Cleveland; and later successfully by the late JoAnne Caine’s and other principals at Adams Elementary.
At Cleveland in 1997, some students were regularly reading the same book while waiting for pickup. I asked, Why? I was told because their parents wanted them to be smart, successful adults as defined as earning and achieving more than their parents, so they read the only book they had. After going with the parents to the principal, we were told not to worry because these were “clean, straight A, nice students”. What? They can’t read or do math. With parent authorization, Cleveland students were enrolled in Kumon math, tested and then tutored by generous teachers at Cold Spring and MUS, held back a year, enrolled at Hope School (a different District) under “can-do” leadership! Some were later admitted on scholarship to private local middle schools, others into Honors or GATE at SBJr and Sr High Schools. We taught financial literacy during summers and weekends. Then onto college, some now with graduate degrees. All are approaching age 30 , all have good jobs., some have bought homes locally, other close to making down payments. One even owns rental property! These are examples of determined tenacious poor brown skinned kids with dedicated parents willing to learn with their students. All these young students needed was opportunity, quality assessment, one adult to believe in them, and personalized instruction to be launched. The Eastside Boys Club set up tutoring in the library.. students were incrementally recognized for documented academic and skill achievement instead of simply for playing soccer. Parents at the Boys Club cheered these kids forward. It takes a village and mentors to help find the right path. High achievement can be done without pitting one ethnicity or race against another. All of these kids remain forever bonded to each other as Americans, playing it forward to others. I’m confident these young leaders will find a way to break down structural barriers for more to attain the American Dream of upward mobility. Concurrently at Adams Elementary, Principal Caine’s had uncompromising standards and requirements of the SBUnified District: deliver what she needed or else. Every student was treated as her own. Failure unacceptable. Inside trading wrong, to be exposed. Adams entered the Math SuperBowl on her terms with a student took first place. She knew what it takes to be be proficient and admirably, courageously advocated for her every student.
A-1558645054: describe what “privileges are granted” to all white children by our local public schools that are withheld from minority children. That’s totally unacceptable, unfair, and offensive to everyone in Santa Barbara. Tell us some specific examples.
SBWOMAN – huh? I read, and re-read, your post at 3:16 and can’t understand what you are saying. I’ll ask again, what are some specific examples of NPOs on campus that have access to student records? The GATE program is not an NPO.
Posted: “being white still affords us privileges that people of color do not have in this country.” Provide local examples in SBUnified schools.
@3:28: From one white person to another, its best to educate yourself on white privilege and white fragility. These are deep and systemic. Here’s a great article to start with. Take a deep breath, drink a glass of wine and look inward: https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/a-sociologist-examines-the-white-fragility-that-prevents-white-americans-from-confronting-racism
Please share The basis for your opinion. “It’s my opinion the “Fair Education” group is racist (which you support), and it’s run by right-wing, white “Christians.”.
By right-wing do you mean Constitutionalist? Locals who reference The CA Constitution, Ed Code, and US Constitution? Supporters are non- Christian, Christian, unaffiliated or members of other faiths or no faith. Some supporters are people of color, some are Latino or Hispanic. All support public noticing, open bidding, transparency, and compliance with the law. The goal is to ensure equity of opportunity be offered to ALL students, to unite versus fragment students, to allow students to freely associate to achieve their potential. Inside trading is wrong as the late successful Principal Joanne Caine’s taught. Schools are funded to instruct students to be independent, critically thinking, proficient Americans capable of life-long learning to be self-sufficient witching individual capacity. What’s racist about that? Racist is a plug word in an effort to intimidate. FairEducation has identified structural wrongs. I support correcting substantiated wrongs. The Court will decide if complaints are valid to order corrections.
This “open forum” is quickly turning into Denice aka SBWoman’s personal blog.
I was utterly confused by this question and had to read through the comments to understand exactly what school/group of schools and what non-profits the poster was talking about. While is perfectly understandable to want to know who and what groups are working with your child, it’s interesting that the original poster has indicated she has no actual children in the school system, she presents no evidence of confidential student records being shared without parents being informed, and since she has identified herself, is an known advisor to the Californians for Population Stabilization (CAPS) a group that was label a hate group in 2018. So one has to wonder if the concern is a safety issue or a money issue, or if the concern stems from a discriminatory point of view. Seems that these concerns, whatever they may be, should be directed at the school district.
Well said.
Denice S. Adams is referencing Just Communities because she’s part of the “Fair Education” group that’s suing the SB unified school district. The issue is, “Fair Education” isn’t very fair and is only suing on behalf of white Christian kids and not supporting lower income children of color. Very right wing and thinly veiled racist organization who has a political agenda against Just Communities (who tries to empower minority children who aren’t granted the privileges that white children are).
The question is neutral – no reason to add additional issues – the question is about use of publicly funded school real-estate for outside organizations – are they offered at fair market value after a neutral selection process or are they favoring one organization over another. Good question. What goes on at taxpayer funded schools that is not strictly K-12 education related. Who gets favored and who gets rejected if these taxpayer funded spaces are allocated to outside organizations at under market rates.
This question is not neutral, she definitely has an axe to grind and was deceptive in not identifying the issue she is concerned about. The answers to your questions are: Yes, Yes, and the memo of understanding signed between the school district controls how the employees are supervised and how to address issues that come up. I’m sorry you are threatened by attempts to help kids that are under-represented in GATE classes, college, and good-paying jobs. Can you please outline your efforts to help these kids that make these other programs unnecessary?
So many examples this week explain why parents are flocking to private elementary and high schools. Ugh, just give my kids and education and leave ALL of this nonsense out of academia.
Denice S Adams here to respond as both falsely, slanderously accused and as requested . I have been a 4-decades long local advocate / donor of equity, expanded opportunities, and access to high quality instruction and mentor opportunities to ALL students, particularly those from challenged homes and lower economic classes because that’s my personal childhood background. I came from the working class with an 8th grade drop-out first generation immigrant parent forced to walk to work in Inglewood, then South Gate, CA. I am not part of the FairEducation.org lawsuit. I do fully support the lawsuit for multiple reasons having done extensive research on SBUnified contracting and hiring practices, data mining of family information via students without parental knowledge or consent, and because of personal knowledge of student harm including embarrassment to kids, who I love as my own. Kids go to school to learn, to belong, to feel welcomed, safe and secure in order to focus and make diverse friendships in class, at recess, in music, theater and sport . It’s their school: their home away from home. As stated on the public record multiple times over the decades, I DO NOT SUPPORT the District’s goal of “cultural proficiency” versus “academic proficiency”, skill training and teaching kids the love of lifelong learning. I do not support the District’s changed vision and mission statements, and Trustee GroupThink. I do not support Just Communities’ divisive instructional methods of Identity politics, which has been proven for a decade to NOT REDUCE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP. This long standing achievement gap is inexcusable! I have been an activist for decades to motive student outcomes. The competent superintendentsc like Michael Caston and Debbie Flores got it – they knew what needed to be done – but left our area. The existing huge achievement gap can be significantly reduced, and had been reduced by proven methods starting with competent leadership from principals, high expectations, teacher support, smaller class sizes, , community mentors, teacher information of home circumstances to provide essential students support, and TRAINED PARENT INVOLVEMENT. Learning math and reading is sequential.
Secretly contracting with any organization outside of the lawful open bidding and public review process is inside trading. My son was an initial Implicit bias JCCC student trainee while st SBJrHigh in 2005-6,. He learned info about his long time Boys Club friends that he did not want to know, and did not need to know in violation of their personal privacy making them anxious and fearful that he knew and that he could possibly share info to their detriment at any time. Not good or necessary. As a parent, I was clueless until enlightened by Boys Club Leadership and coaches. Just Communities is a PRIVATE NPO for parents to hire and for scholarships to be awarded. If it helps promote understanding, it’s like other things to be learned about life. I’m a proponent of unifying students, skill training, academic proficiency, upward mobility and parent support. There are known structural inequities and barriers to be addressed collectively and removed. As a wealthy community we must prepare every student to access “The System” as my mother did for me.
SBUnified FAILS the majority of ALL ELEMENTARY STUDENTS. 10% proficient at McKinley, 13% at Cleveland. WHY!? It’s not because of skin color or parents: the principal at Cleveland is Latino,. Cleveland is surrounded by multi-million dollar homes. Cleveland parents want The Best for their childreb. They want to know “how the system works”. I know Cleveland parents. I attend their graduation following a 6-week training. Over dinner the 35 of them asked: “Where are the other 350 parents?” They wonder with me WHY? Why doesn’t SBUnified Exec Management at Headquarters give a damn about kids at Cleveland by my psrentboutreach as per one of many campus examples. Support Cleveland parents and teachers and there will be a positive increase in student achievement.
I support unifying our SBUnified Community to enable EVERY student to be able to attain proficiency with critical thinking skills to successfully access life to become a non-hyphenated AMERICAN who feels duty, loyalty, pride, and belonging. . I do not support teachings identity politics to a captured audience. Let’s work to help all students achieve their potential.
SBUnified provides on campus building space to private non-profit organizations. I’ve no idea why, or how selections are made. Of which NPOs are approved. In turn, these NPOs have Staff on campus with access to both students and confidential student records, not even accessible to parents as per Ed Code. I’m 66 years old with no child in the system. However, I visit campuses for events, listen to current students and parents, and view ads on TV promoting NPO groups on campus such as Hospice, CALM. CASA, mental health support groups, etc. This is a new trend to my knowledge. Are parents and District tax-payers aware? I’d like to know more. .
I always find it interesting when white people discuss their own family immigration as if that means they don’t still have white privilege. Yes, the majority of us are descendants of immigrants and come come varying socio-economic backgrounds, but being white still affords us privileges that people of color do not have in this country. Also, there was nothing slanderous in my post. It’s my opinion the “Fair Education” group is racist (which you support), and it’s run by right-wing, white “Christians.” Just because they fall on the right side of the MAD academy scandal doesn’t mean they’re doing the right thing by *attempting to* take down Just Communities, a helpful and needed resource in this town.
@8:48 – the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) has also labeled CAPS a hate group.
https://www.adl.org/news/article/californians-for-population-stabilization-ramps-up-its-activities
2:14 p.m. the ADL is repeating what SPLC is pushing. Basically because CAPS wants sane immigration and population growth rules they are being accused of being xenophobic or racists. These are two different issues. Do you have any evidence that CAPS is racist other than the fact that they don’t want more people? Birth control, population planning, education for parenting and preparation for raising a stable family and a stable nation seem desirable to me. Sort of like Planned Parenthood’s purposes.
Not true at all. Very diverse membership. Very centrist. Fighting bigotry and discrimination of all kinds. Fighting to stop the district from bucketing millions to their buddies in non profits while the facilities are a dump. Sick of the corruption and sick of the bullying, terrible for our children. Clearly you know nothing about this case. BTW some schools in the district are at an 80% failure rate for proficiency at grade level while others are barely at 50%. We need more more teachers for reading, writing, math. Not social justice garbage.
Not true. Quick question. Do you work for Just Communities. Have you taken their courses? I have seen the course materials and have spoken to teachers. I have a close family member who has taken the course twice. It is racist to say what you say. Fighting racism does not make one racist. Just Communities was a program put in place with no vetting, no transparency, no measured results and plenty of teachers who went through it feeling abused. If it is so great it should be transparent and put through the competitive bidding process like it should be. Then we will see who the racists are. I know plenty of people who have been through the course and they felt it was a scam. Hire more teachers for core subjects and pay them a living wage. Quit wasting money on all non profits bilking money out of the district. It is wrong and they should be ashamed of themselves. BTW I am a Jew. It is my opinion that this program is very-very racist. It is the first time anybody has called into question what this organization teaches and its ridiculous amount of taxpayer funding that should be for our kids and teachers and facilities.
I have seen the course materials and have spoken to teachers. I have a close family member who has taken the course twice. It is racist to say what you say. Fighting racism does not make one racist. Just Communities was a program put in place with no vetting, no transparency, no measured results and plenty of teachers who went through it feeling abused. If it is so great it should be transparent and put through the competitive bidding process like it should be. Then we will see who the racists are. I know plenty of people who have been through the course and they felt it was a scam. Hire more teachers for core subjects and pay them a living wage. Quit wasting money on all non profits bilking money out of the district. It is wrong and they should be ashamed of themselves. BTW I am a Jew. It is my opinion that this program is very-very racist. It is the first time anybody has called into question what this organization teaches and its ridiculous amount of taxpayer funding that should be for our kids and teachers and facilities.
I agree with everything 4:11 posted except the cheap shot at CAPS. The labeling of CAPS by the Southern Poverty Law Center was based on the long past hiring of two people with bad records of posting anonymous xenophobic stuff. They were fired when this became known. SPLC is, by the way, now suffering its own credibility problem for misconduct of its famous director. Sort of the pot calling the kettle black type thing.
A very important dialogue is going on right now and we should all be open to the documented problems in our local schools. This is not a time for blame; it is a time for dedicated solutions for the benefit of all our students. Education comprises the largest portion of our state tax dollar expenditures. Prop 98 guarantees 50% of all state general revenues go automatically to public education Local voters commit to bond issues and parcel taxes all promising improved outcomes for our local students. Yet California K-12 ranks close to the bottom nationwide in student outcomes. Ans we have withering proof year afer year of local student outcome failures. This is exactly the time to be asking what are we getting for this huge public investment in public education. Thank you Denice for your sustained efforts – you do walk the walk and prove that things can and should change.
Organizations and NPOs like Just Communities are bilking the system and there’s no doubt school kids are being baited and indoctrinated with political beliefs. All of it wrapped up in a nicely presented present and cute bow. Of COURSE it looks clean and pristine and beautiful on the outside. Of COURSE the core message sounds wonderful. In another situation right now, it’s called “grooming”. What do you expect of those selling you something? They offer something that incites the naive to believe. Mark my words: This entire experiment is a train wreck approaching the cliff at explosive speed and will backfire upon the community. Good luck to the next iteration of this school board who’s job it will be to clean up the current coalitions mess.