Who does Tod Burnett think he is? Saddleback Prez imposes prayer at commencement

     (See update HERE)
     AS YOU KNOW, recently, the district settled “Westphal v. Wagner,” the lawsuit that challenged the board's arrogant imposition of prayer at college and district events. According to the settlement, invocations would cease at Chancellor opening sessions and at Scholarship awards ceremonies. Further:

The decision on whether to select a speaker to deliver personal remarks in the form of an invocation, moment of silence, or opening and/or closing message, not to exceed two minutes, at important District and college events [e.g., commencement] shall rest within the sole discretion of the event planners, whether they be students, faculty, administrators, classified employees of the District, or a combination thereof. (From the resolution)

     I have made inquiries, and it is clear that, at Irvine Valley College, the terms of the settlement have been followed with regard to the decision whether to have an invocation. The committee (I’m assured) was in no way pressured or instructed to choose an invocation. (They did choose an invocation and a speaker, Mark Whitlock.)

     I have it on good authority, however, that matters are quite different at Saddleback College. I’m told that President Tod Burnett views himself as the ultimate decision-maker regarding commencement and that the preference of Saddleback’s commencement planning group (reportedly to go with a “moment of silence” instead of an invocation/prayer) is a mere recommendation that, evidently, he feels he need not follow.

     But read the above verbiage. Decide for yourself.

     To see the actual Settlement Document and its Resolution, go here.

* * *

     A few days ago, a Lariat article made a cryptic reference to an alleged “loophole” in the settlement (see The future of invocations at college ceremonies after settlement). The article did not make clear what that loophole is supposed to be.
     In the very same article, Ayesha Khan, chief attorney for plaintiffs in “Westphal v. Wagner,” denied that there is any “loophole” in the settlement:

"There's nothing ambiguous here about graduation; the Agreement is clear that the decision is no longer up to the Board of Trustees, but will be made by the planning committee at each college."

     Somebody better tell Tod Burnett.

* * *

     The notion of a “loophole” first arose in an April 12 OC Register article:

     Though a settlement has been reached, [defendants’ attorney, John] Vogt pointed out a potential loophole.
     Language in the settlement prohibits the colleges from holding invocations at scholarship ceremonies, but it's possible for the tradition to continue if the colleges' foundations – private, nonprofit entities who were not party to the lawsuit – resumed planning the events, Vogt said, since "nothing in the settlement would preclude the foundations." Vogt said the foundations historically planned the ceremonies until 2008.
     [Ayesha] Khan disagreed with Vogt's interpretation of the settlement agreement.
     "Neither the South Orange County Community College District, nor its colleges ... shall include an invocation on the program at any future scholarship ceremonies," Khan said, reading from the agreement. "I think they'd be skating on really thin legal ice."

See update HERE

More slush

     [Latest: HERE.]
     The Voice of OC updates the “kickback scheme” story:

More Schools Involved in Kickback Scheme, Couple Alleges

     An Irvine couple now says coaches from at least 63 high schools and colleges throughout Southern California participated in an elaborate kickback scheme orchestrated over 16 years by the owner of a sports apparel and equipment company.
     Teresa and Geoff Sando compiled documents from Laguna Hills-based Lapes Athletic Team Sales – dating from 1992 to 2008 – that they say implicate coaches from the Southern California counties of Orange, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, Ventura, and San Bernardino, and one school in Placer County in Northern California.
     The couple alleges that their most recent tally shows coaches and employees from dozens of high schools, eight community colleges and San Diego State University had access to at least $800,000 held in slush accounts.
     They say much of that money was taxpayer dollars paid to the company by school districts.
     "Coaches were purchasing uniforms, apparel and sports equipment for their local sports programs, mainly football, and it appears that prices were inflated in order to fund the money for slush accounts," Geoff Sando said.
. . .
     Here are the ten schools with the largest slush accounts, according to the Sandos:

Capistrano Valley High School (Mission Viejo, Orange County) -- $162,321.54
Murietta Valley High School (Murietta, Riverside County) -- $122,102.65
Tesoro High School (Las Flores, Orange County) -- $87,304.60
San Clemente High School (San Clemente, Orange County) -- $83,915.12
San Diego State University (San Diego County) -- $54,486.59
Truckee High School (Truckee, Placer County) -- $41,751.57
Saddleback College (Mission Viejo, Orange County) -- $25,255.68
Segerstrom High School (Santa Ana, Orange County) -- $21,559.25
Scripps Ranch High School (San Diego, San Diego County) -- $19,917.73
El Toro High School (Lake Forest, Orange County) -- $19,275.90

     School districts have largely declined to be interviewed for this story. Capistrano Valley Unified School District, Saddleback Valley Unified School District and Saddleback College are conducting their own investigations….

• University of California weighs varying tuitions at its 10 campuses (LA Times)

• Abandon Hope, All Ye Who Enter Here (TOP-ed)

     Developmental education in California’s community colleges is a study in unintended consequences. The very courses designed to assist students who need a little help climbing over the ledge from high school to college level work will more than likely send them tumbling off the college path. “Of those who enroll in developmental education, particularly those who have to enroll at the lowest level, they actually have almost no chance of earning a credential,” says Mary Visher, a senior associate with MDRC, a nonprofit, nonpartisan education and social policy and research organization that’s about to publish an overview of the current research on remedial education….

Sculpture: the Bi-Annual Outdoor Sculpture Invitational at Irvine Valley College

I WAS on campus (Irvine Valley College) today for my Friday morning class (3 hrs. of philosophical yammering!), and, for once, I brought my camera to take some pics after class.

Yesterday, the School of Fine Arts installed some new sculptures on campus, and that was a big hit. It was part of BOSI: the Bi-Annual Outdoor Sculpture Invitational. Lisa Davis Allen and Co. presented the latest participating artists, who hailed from all over the country: Oregon, New York, etc. LDA gave a tour of the installations. (Video)

This piece (at left) stands outside the entrance of the new Chem Lab building. ("The Column")

Click on graphics to enlarge them.

This one's out in front of the PE building. I can just see those PE kids puzzling over it. ("It's Not About the Scrolls")

That's IVC's Performing Arts Center in the background. In between the sculpture and the PAC is another construction project: an outside amphitheater (or some such thing). Right now, it's just lots of dirt, fenced off.

CARE

I came across a lunch for participants in the CARE program, which is under EOPS (Extended Opportunity Program and Services). CARE (the Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education program) provides services for single parents on government assistance. 

A good time was had by all, it seems. I grabbed a veggie sandwich.

The view from this part of campus is fine. A bit o' old Irvine. They're growin' strawberries or something. Who knows.

The Student Services Building gets pretty quiet on Fridays.

The Library. Check out the artwork in the foreground. ("Compression")

This piece at right ("Elements in Motion"), like the yellow one above, has been on campus for a year or two (BOSI). I do believe that both of these have been purchased by the college.

This one's hard to miss, now towering above the lawn area in front of the Student Services Center. ("Stack")

This, too, is situated in the vast area in front of the Student Services Bldg., near B100. Very cool. ("An Incomplete Life")

This replaced a work that had been sitting in the middle of the A Quad. (I think this one's called "Balance.")

EL TORO

On my way home, I looked for old buildings in what used to be El Toro. This one is very near El Toro Rd. and the railroad tracks. It's ensconced among towing and other businesses. A bit of a rough part of town.

From the overpass over the railroad tracks.

I took this as I drove past Cook's Corner, four or five miles up the road.

Near the entrance of Lambrose Canyon Road, on Live Oak Canyon Road. That's where I live.

The coach "kickbacks" story (original report on PBS SoCal last night)

Saddleback College reportedly is involved in this scandal to some degree, though it is not among the greatest "offenders." That is, evidently, some coaches received kickbacks in the form of money not reported to the IRS or to the college/district.

Coach kickback scheme touches Saddleback College?

Widespread Kickback Scheme Among Local High School Coaches Alleged (Voice of OC)

     Thursday, May 5, 2011 | Records obtained by PBS SoCal indicate that for nearly a decade high school and college coaches throughout Orange County received kickbacks from a local sports apparel and equipment company that did business with area school districts.
     Between 2000 and 2008, the Laguna Hills-based Lapes Athletic Team Sales (LATS) put as much as $700,000 in taxpayer money into secret slush funds, some of which was given directly to coaches, according to records uncovered by Teresa and Geoff Sando, an Irvine couple who took over the now defunct company.
     The Sandos say the records show coaches from 29 schools in Orange County received kickbacks, including those from Irvine High School, El Toro High School to Saddleback College. However, they said coaches from Capistrano Unified received the most money from the company.
     Coaches at Capo Valley High School, Niguel High School, Dana Hills High School, Tesoro High School and San Clemente High School were all involved, according to the Sandos.
     Several school districts have launched investigations into the allegations. The Orange County Sheriff's Department completed one investigation into the claims the Sandos had against Lapes, but Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas declined to prosecute…. (Continued)

SEE ALSO PBS: Coaches got cash, gifts from slush fund (OC Reg)

...Saddleback College in Mission Viejo also is implicated in the report....

Watch the full episode. See more Real Orange.

Just add an "r" and it's all better

High-School Seniors’ Civics Knowledge Has Dropped, Report Says (Chronicle of Higher Education)

Commonly used placement tests poor tools?

Report Questions Use of Placement Tests in Community Colleges (Chronicle of Higher Education)

     A new report by the Community College Research Center at Teachers College at Columbia University raises questions about how placement tests are used in community colleges. The report, “Assessing Developmental Assessment in Community Colleges,” reviews findings from more than 50 research reports, surveys, and other sources. Among the report’s conclusions is that placement tests appear to be more successful in placing academically prepared students than in placing academically underprepared students.

From the report:

     Placement exams are high-stakes assessments that determine many students' college trajectories. The majority of community colleges use placement exams—most often the ACCUPLACER, developed by the College Board, or the COMPASS, developed by ACT, Inc.—to sort students into college-level or developmental education courses in math, reading, and sometimes writing. More than half of entering students at community colleges are placed into developmental education in at least one subject as a result. But the evidence on the predictive validity of these tests is not as strong as many might assume, given the stakes involved—and recent research fails to find evidence that the resulting placements into remediation improve student outcomes....

Remembering trustee John Williams

Somebody give Scott Baugh a dictionary!

      It’s another banner day for Neanderthal (i.e., Orange) County.

     LOCAL REPUB LEADERS DON'T KNOW WHAT "INTENTIONALLY" MEANS. Apegate (aka Chimpgate) opened a new and perhaps final chapter today. According to the OC Reg,

     The Orange County GOP official who sent an email portraying President Barack Obama as a chimpanzee was censured this morning by the county party’s executive committee in a 12-2 vote.

     The censure of Marilyn Davenport, an elected member of the county GOP’s governing Central Committee resulted from the finding that she violated bylaw provisions prohibiting action that “intentionally cause(s) the embarrassment” of the party. It is the strongest step the county party could take under its bylaws. According to state law, it was not an offense that qualified for her removal from the committee.

Baugh

     She intentionally caused the party embarrassment? That means that she acted, knowing that her action would cause embarrassment to the party.

     Does anyone believe that? Don’t think so.

     So either these local Repubs don’t know what “intentionally” means, or they’re just making shit up—that Davenport had an intention that, obviously, she did not have—for whatever reason. Um, what could that be?

     Luckily, Party Chair Scott Baugh explained the committee’s action:

     “She was censured because she knew the email she was sending out was controversial,” Baugh said after this morning’s vote. “After it went out, she downplayed it as a joke. Instead of owning up to her error, she immediately sought to blame others. ¶ “That resulted in a three-day barrage of negative media attention.”

     OK, there is evidence that Davenport passed around an email that she knew was controversial. Among her many goofy remarks in the days after the email surfaced, that admission was included, although, as I recall, she also said she refrained from sending the email to those among her friends she thought would be upset by it. But knowing that it is controversial and knowing that it will cause controversy and embarrassment are two very different things. Perhaps she knew that it was controversial. We have no reason to think she knew that it would cause a major controversy and that the controversy would embarrass the party.

     The Reg reminds us that, at first, Davenport was defiant, and generally pointed a finger of blame at others. A couple of days later, she issued an evidently sincere apology.

     According to Baugh (says the Reg), thing then took a turn for the worse:

“Her subsequent press conference and media tour only served to reignite the controversy,” he said.

Davenport

     Well, I guess that’s true. But reigniting controversy is not the same thing as intentionally causing embarrassment. Davenport reignited controversy because she is clueless--she clearly has trouble understanding what was offensive about her email--and she is not ready for prime time, what with her daffy loose-cannon allusions to her birther beliefs.

     According to the Reg, Davenport’s handler, Tim Whitacre, declared that Baugh and Co. had misinterpreted the GOP bylaws. How so, we’re not told.

     Whitacre takes a swipe at Baugh:

     “Once again, Baugh and company totally misuse the bylaws to extract their ounce of blood from their target,” said Whitacre, who unsuccessfully challenged Baugh for the chairmanship in January. “I think he perceives this as sending a message to people to not step out of line and that it deflects criticism of his leadership. But this censure means nothing coming from him.”

     The Reg notes that GOP anti-Muslim poster girl Deborah Pauly  and Zonya Townsend voted against censure. Natch. 

Baugh: "a three-day barrage of negative media attention."

     MORE "SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE" ACTION. The OC Reg also reports that a “local activist” in Los Alamitos—J.M. Ivler—objected Monday night to the City Council’s practice of beginning meetings with “prayers that address ‘heavenly father.’”
     According to Ivler, the prayer is pushing Christianity in a setting that is supposed to be “secular,” what with our nation’s embrace of the principle of separation of church and state:

     "We are not a Christian nation any more than we are an Islamic one, we are a secular nation," Ivler said. ¶ "I understand that you may be people of faith, and that you may rely on that faith to lead you in your decisions on the dais," he told the council during Monday's oral communications. "But public displays of piety specifically those that follow Christian dogma do not belong in this secular hall. In doing so you are teaching our children a lesson that something that is very wrong is okay and the law is to be flaunted [sic]. And our children are learning that wrong lesson."

     OC Reg readers lived up to their reputation with such comments as

• If you don't like what is going on in the room just leave the room, but don't make everyone stop what they are doing because you don't like it...
• J.M.Mer [?] should remove himself from the chamber if prayer offends him. I do believe the majority still rules.
   As far as I know America is still a Christian Country, but does not condemn other religions nor deprive them from practicing what they believe. So why does he want to deprive the Christens??
• I hope this idiot gives up all their money since it says "In God We Trust". [?]