Foothills Sentry January 2020

Foothills Sentry January 2020 Page 11 N. TUSTIN By Scott Logue Notes It’s the New Year! Time to Start that Hair Loss Treatment! PLATINUM STRANDS SPECIALIZES in Hair ReGrowth with our Laser Light Therapy Schedule Your Appointments for Treatment TODAY! With Dawn or Derek! Purchase a Package of 8 Sessions of Cool Red Laser Light Therapy for Stimulation of the Follicles for $250with FREE growMD Shampoo and Follicle Stimulator Spray (products valued at $210) Platinum Strands Salon & Spa 3443 E Chapman Ave, Orange, CA 92869 714-532-2633 Add’l Sessions are Available for Discounted Purchase at First Visit to OUSD. The local teachers union president Greg Goodlander pushed for a “no” as did OUSD teachers, students and parents. OCCA supporters, many from other school districts, cit- ed the need for charter schools to balance the tyranny of pub- lic schools. “Everything wrong in America is due to public schools,” one OCCA advocate asserted. “People are leaving the state because they can’t get into good schools here,” said another. Several speakers noted OUSD’s shortcomings, which included low test scores and a teachers union that “cared about its own self-interests, not students.” Charter opponents argued that parents wanting “choice” could already find it in OUSD, that it teaches the classics, offers lan- guage immersion programs, and meets the needs of a diverse stu- dent population. Several students countered the claims made by a few OCCA advocates that they were intro- duced to sex toys and pornogra- phy as part of the state’s "Healthy Youth" curriculum. “There were no toys or pornography in class,” one said. “I would certainly re- member that.” Night owls The charter school debate was preceded on the agenda by two hours of other business. It didn’t get underway until almost 9 p.m., and the board discussion didn’t begin until after 11 p.m. John Ortega, named board president earlier that evening, started the proceedings by motioning to ap- prove the charter petition. Rick Ledesma offered a quick second. Ortega advised that, “you have to look at the evidence in front of you and put it in context.” He took issue with the charge that OCCA was “teaching religion.” “We teach religion in public schools,” he offered, “it’s nothing new.” He also noted that OCCA had provided rebuttals to the staff report that would fix the identi- fied problems, and “that was evi- dence to be considered.” Deligianna-Brydges agreed that the rebuttals were satisfac- tory. She cited a shift in state edu- cation from literature to informa- tional texts and liked that OCCA planned to focus on classical ma- terial and Latin. Lebsack, calling education a “big tent,” said there was room for choice. “This is a fabulous program,” she asserted. “It is not parochial, it’s conservative. Education should not be monopo- lized. That’s why we have capi- talism.” Cut to the chase Kathy Moffat addressed the charter petition as it stood. “There are deficiencies in special ed,” she noted. “They will have to ac- cept special ed students, but they have no budget or plan to accom- modate them. Their focus is on Western Judeo-Christian values. The education code does not give permission to teach religion in public schools. These petitioners are not educators, but ideologues. The application is an affront to the idea of charters.” She concluded her comments by decrying the “intense pres- sure” placed on the board prior to the meeting by “high-ranking partisan officials.” Andrea Yamasaki also ex- pressed alarm at the political spin. “People are drawing lines based on ideology or political party,” she said. “I didn’t come to this board for politics. I’m a parent. I have concerns, not because this is a charter, but because of what it is. Our staff spent 500 hours look- ing at this. There are problems here that can’t be ignored.” “This is a big deal,” Kris Er- ickson declared. “Our decision will impact taxpayers and our credit rating. This school is a fiscal nightmare, a curriculum nightmare.” She noted that the two county-sanctioned charters in OUSD were having financial problems. One of them overesti- mated enrollment and now has to repay $200,000 in state money to OUSD. About-facing facts Ledesma dismissed Erickson’s comments, noting, “The flaws in the proposal are opinion. Staff did not make the right assumptions. The staff report is one-sided.” Superintendent Gunn Marie Hansen suggested that if the board wanted to approve the charter, it should do so conditionally, to al- low the flaws in the petition to be corrected. Ledesma did not think a con- ditional approval was neces- sary, citing the district’s ultimate oversight and the modifications OCCA had offered in its rebut- tal. He asked attorneys for the district and the school to work things out then and there. Instead, the OCCA attorney advised that OCCA would not accept a con- ditional approval, that it would rather be denied so it could appeal to the Orange County Department of Education. Ledesma announced that he didn’t want to “lose them” and that a conditional approval was off the table. Rush to judgment “I’m trying to protect the dis- trict and our students,” Hansen responded. “The charter does not align with state standards.” “Does that matter?” Ledesma challenged. The superintendent read aloud from the education code to explain why it mattered. Ledesma was unswayed, refer- ring again to OCCA’s rebuttal, the modifications contained therein, and his belief that everything could be corrected via OUSD oversight. “Let’s approve this as is and move into oversight,” he said. Erickson, an attorney, attempt- ed a crash course in contract law. “The rebuttal is not a legal docu- ment,” she explained. “They can promise anything, but they are not bound by it. They are bound only by what’s written within the petition. It’s the contract. If the board approves the petition as written, then that’s what you get.” Just after 1 a.m., the board vot- ed, 4-3, to accept the charter peti- tion as submitted. "OUSD" continued from page 1 In our ongoing efforts to en- sure that our residential neigh- borhoods are protected from intrusive uses, the Foothill Com- munities Association (FCA) has continued its participation in the review process for the “Orange is the New Green” amendment to the Orange County zoning code that began back in May 2016. The greater North Tustin area is by far the largest residential area that would be affected by this amendment. FCA representatives have attended workshops on these zoning concerns and commented on all drafts. Orange County per- sonnel have been responsive to our comments and, in most cases, receptive to our suggestions. The FCA urged that the pro- posed tree preservation ordinance not apply to nearly built-out areas of North Tustin because it would be a burden to homeowners. It now will only apply to the can- yon areas. Senior living facilities were removed as an allowable use in our residential areas. Ad- ditionally, community assembly "Orange is the New Green" facilities, cultural institutions, and commercial entertainment venues are limited to what is cur- rently allowed within the exist- ing zoning code. Most recently, the final zoning code amendment draft also removed health care facilities from North Tustin resi- dential areas. FCA expects the zoning code amendment to go before the Or- ange County Board of Supervi- sors in March or April. The FCA will continue to monitor and par- ticipate in this important process to preserve and enhance our high- ly-valued living environment. FCA is a nonprofit organization of neighbor-volunteers represent- ing an area in unincorporated Orange County of approximately 10,000 homes. Plan to attend the annual FCA meeting in early March. Details TBA. Please vis- it, donate to, or join us at FCA- Home.org. To learn more about “Orange is the New Green,” visit ocpublicworks.com . Orange Elks Lodge 1475 kicked off the holiday season with a Thanks- giving dinner at Eli Home. From left, Elks Danny Salas and Kristen Kosakura; Eli Home staff Kim Tulleners, Rita Chastain, Executive Director Lori Galloway, Abbigail Daniels and Jose Vargas. The Orange Park Association will hold its annual meeting on Sat., Jan. 18 from 8-10:30 a.m. at Salem Lutheran. The meeting will include a recap of 2019 accomplish- ments, a preview of 2020 and the elec- tion of three OPA Board directors. Orange Elks Lodge 1475 spent December delivering Christmas presents, orchestrating its Shop with a Cop program, honoring veterans, preparing close to 200 Christmas baskets, holding a Hoop Shoot and hosting a Christ- mas party for kids. The seasonal business began with the Elks hosting a Thanks- giving dinner at Eli Home, a shel- ter for abused children and their moms, followed in December with Christmas gifts. The Elks donated $2,000 and partnered with Walmart, Village at Orange, Buffalo Wild Wings and Kay Jewelers for the Shop with a Cop program, taking 30 children to dinner and shopping. The Christmas Baskets pro- gram provided families with food Elks busy over holiday season and gift cards. Several families were given a new bicycle. The Elks National Hoop Shoot, a free throw contest for boys and girls ages 8 – 13 was hosted at Youth Centers in Orange. The top shooters will qualify for the Or- ange Coast District finals. The lodge donated $2,100 to honor veterans via Wreaths Across America and prepared mac and cheese trays for the Orange Ameri- can Legion’s Bob Hope USO/John Wayne National Guard luncheon.