Foothills Sentry March 2024

Foothills Sentry Page 4 MARCH 2024 Circulation … 40,000 Published on the last Tuesday of each month and distributed to residences, businesses, libraries and civic centers. Printing by Advantage, Inc. 714-532-4406 Fax: 714-532-6755 foothillssentry.com 1107 E. Chapman Ave., #207 Orange, CA 92866 © Foothills Sentry 2024 Publisher/Editor Anita Bennyhoff 1969-2013 Editor Tina Richards editor@foothillssentry.com Sports Editor Cliff Robbins sportseditor@att.net Graphic Designer Jef Maddock graphics@foothillssentry.com Advertising Sales Andie Mills advertising@foothillssentry.com 714-926-9299 nj˚٪ƤƲ٪tƇǾƇǍƲȯ Kathy Eidson ȉnj˶ ڑ ƤƲǼƇǾƇǍƲȯۧnjȉȉɅǕǛdzdzȷȷƲǾɅȯɬ ى com Parents write Dear Editor: I am a parent of two OUSD stu- dents, and appalled at the claims of the “No Recall” group. I have been an active volunteer with the Recall, and can attest that the volunteers working on the Recall campaign are made up of OUSD parents, teachers, grandparents and community members. We are not a group of “local cronies,” as the “No Recall” group would have you believe, and we are not being controlled by “Sacramento politicians.” We are a group of volunteers who have given our own money and countless hours of our time in order to save our district from this destructive board majority. Many of the volunteers, includ- ing myself, are participating in a FDPSDLJQ IRU WKH ¿ UVW WLPH , ZDV inspired to be an active volunteer by my shock at the clear lack of ¿ VFDO UHVSRQVLELOLW\ DQG ODFN RI support for public schools, teach- ers and students by this board majority. They claim to support parents’ rights, but they only sup- port a minority group of parents’ rights. Rick Ledesma has been on the board for 20 years, and has over- seen the hiring of personnel and implementation of curriculum and policies that he now claims to be opposed to. Madison Miner brags that she visited all of the 286' VFKRROV LQ KHU ¿ UVW \HDU RQ the board and sang praises of ev- ery school, yet claims that OUSD is a failed district. As a proud par- ent of two OUSD students, I am constantly impressed by the ser- YLFHV DQG SURJUDPV R൵ HUHG ZLWKLQ OUSD. Certainly, there is always URRP IRU LPSURYHPHQW EXW ¿ ULQJ a superintendent in the middle of a school year, spending money on SURMHFWV ZH FDQ¶W D൵ RUG DQG IR cusing on policies that equate to political theater, and have noth- ing to do with academics, are no way to improve OUSD. I will be voting YES to recall Rick Ledes- ma and Madison Miner! Sarah Kustra Orange Dear Editor: I am a mother of two children in OUSD schools. I am a home- owner and taxpayer. I am native to the City of Orange, born at St. -RVHSK +RVSLWDO , DP D QRQSUR¿ W Human Resources Director in our neighboring city of Santa Ana. I attend a local church in Orange. My family has made Orange our home since 2010. My children initially attended private school -- my oldest through 8th grade --before they transitioned to high school, and our youngest through 6th grade before they transitioned to middle school. I believe in school choice. Thanks to open enrollment, my children attend the schools of our choice. I never paid a lot of attention to the business of OUSD before we decided, as a family, that our oldest would go to a public high school. I believe in public schools, and I had heard so many wonderful things about OUSD schools. Our private school no ORQJHU ZDV D JRRG ¿ W IRU RXU family, and we desired to make a change. It wasn’t until I started reading some things online in ear- ly 2023 that I became interested in what might be going on within OUSD leadership. I have been an active Recall volunteer since the summer of 2023, signature-gathering and now canvassing, talking to local voters about what is happening DW 286' 7KLV LV WKH ¿ UVW WLPH LQ my life that I have ever become involved in a political campaign; it has been a very rewarding ex- perience. I have enjoyed meeting other parent volunteers in the dis- trict, while walking and talking to voters. They, like me, care deeply about their children’s education. I am gravely disappointed at the decisions being made by the board majority: decisions they make that have a direct impact RQ WKH ¿ VFDO KHDOWK RI WKH GLVWULFW open us up to litigation for dis- criminatory policies, that focus on pet projects, that focus on non- OUSD charter schools, and are overly focused on what conserva- WLYH ¿ QDQFLDO EDFNHUV ZDQW WKHP to accomplish. They have demon- strated their desire to place priori- ties in the wrong places, hurting OUSD students and families. The No Recall group would have you believe that I am some type of “radical” with a negative connotation. What I can say is, that I believe that I am a reason- able mother and citizen of Or- ange who is demanding better for my children. I believe in school FKRLFH ¿ VFDO UHVSRQVLELOLW\ UH spectful/thoughtful leadership, parental rights for all parents re- gardless of belief system, access to age-appropriate books, diver- sity/equity/inclusion… I could go on and on. Watch a meeting for yourself. Take the time to make an in- formed decision. Please vote Yes on March 5. Jennifer Medina Orange Dear Editor: Despite owing OUSD approxi- mately $1 million, the board ap- proved a long-term license with the Financially strapped OCCA. 7KLV LV FOHDUO\ D FRQÀ LFW RI LQWHU est and self-dealing because Mad- ison Miner's kids attend OCCA. (OHFWHG R൶ FLDOV DUH RIWHQ VHQW to prison for self-dealing and FRQÀ LFW RI LQWHUHVW WUDQVDFWLRQV There is not a commercial land- lord in the world that would sign a new lease with a tenant that owes them $1 million. Addition- ally, the OUSD board will allow OCCA to put debt on the Peralta site that is currently debt-free. This arrangement will be an un- mitigated disaster for the district and taxpayers, should OCCA de- fault on a future loan. The OUSD board ignored Or- ange Lutheran's interest in the 3HUDOWD VLWH 2/X KDV VWURQJ ¿ nancial resources, and its pro- posed use of the property would KDYH EHQH¿ WHG WKH HQWLUH 2UDQJH community, instead of just one group. It is incumbent on the OUSD board to make decisions that ben- H¿ W WKH FRPPXQLW\ DQG DUH WKH EHVW ¿ QDQFLDO RSWLRQ 7KH 2&&$ deal does neither. The Orange County Board of Education has oversight respon- sibility for OCCA, but did not in- WHUYHQH ZLWK WKH ¿ QDQFLDOO\ TXHV tionable OCCA/Peralta transac- WLRQ 7KH UHDVRQ IRU LWV KDQGV R൵ DSSURDFK LV VLPSOH -H൵ DQG 0DUL Barke are the founders of OCCA, and Mari Barke is a trustee on the OC Board of Education. This is yet another example of the cor- UXSWLRQ DQG FRQÀ LFW RI LQWHUHVW with OUSD, OCCA and the OC Board of Education. Steve Palmer Orange Dear Editor: As a product of OUSD, as an Orange homeowner, as a trustee of our local libraries, as an OUSD Recall volunteer, as an EMHS Nature Center volunteer, I am ap- palled at the unprofessional and R൵ HQVLYH EHKDYLRU QRW MXVW DO lowed, but encouraged by OUSD Board Members Madison Miner and Rick Ledesma at district board meetings. Outsider far-right activists in- vaded and disrupted the board meeting as early as September 2023. These individuals are not community members, but im- ported chaos builders. They were invited to cause chaotic distrac- tions, and interrupt legitimate board business. Board Member Kris Erickson, while trying to conduct legitimate board business, was screamed at, threatened with violence and not allowed to speak. Furthermore, these criminals continue to threat- en Erickson online to this day! Every member of the public who speaks to the board is re- quired to complete their com- ments within three minutes. This right-wing hoodlum was not re- strained, detained or chastised in any way for not following board protocol, but was allowed to disrupt the meeting in excess of 10 minutes. President Ledesma, gavel in hand, did nothing. Miner looked on in glee. This behavior has continued for six months, allowing outsiders to delay legitimate district business, threaten board members, disrupt meetings by screaming and yell- ing and STILL the board majority allows/encourages this behavior. Do you want these incom- petent, grandstanding, foolish and dangerous “leaders” on our school board? I do not! Vote Yes on the Recall Peggy L. Calvert Orange Dear Editor: , DWWHQGHG WKH 2UDQJH 8QL¿ HG School Board meeting on Feb. 8, and sat in the front row next to a row of YES on Recall parents. After the pool supporters left the meeting, the rows behind me ZHUH ¿ OOHG ZLWK WKH XVXDO DWWHQG ees that show up at every meet- ing in support of OCCA. How do I know this? I have watched every single meeting since Jan. 5, 2023. This time, the topic on the agenda was the "license" use of Peralta instead of the blatant takeover attempt of Esplanade. I am writing to express my outrage at the vile and obscene comments I heard uttered, some louder than others, behind me from the OCCA supporters about every single speaker who spoke against the OCCA "license." We've heard over and over the past year how OCCA teaches "moral character and civic virtue." Their students may model it in their eloquent speeches, but their parents and VXSSRUWHUV GH¿ QLWHO\ GRQ W DQG should. Although my list of reasons is long, I'm voting Yes on the Recall primarily because I want board members who prioritize the needs of ALL OUSD stu- dents above petty projects and VSHFLDO LQWHUHVWV , ZDQW ¿ VFDOO\ responsible board members who work in the best interest of equal and inclusive education for ALL OUSD students. Not those who have WASTED thousands of dol- lars, dollars that should have been spent on classrooms, thanks to WKHLU ¿ ULQJ RI RXU DZDUG ZLQQLQJ superintendent without cause and without notice. Dr. Hansen was MY superintendent for many years, and she was hired quickly by a neighboring district. Who am I? I'm a retired OUSD teacher of 22 years, a former parent, a cur- rent grandparent, and a taxpayer that has lived in Orange for over 30 years, who pays attention -- and I know I'm not the only one. VOTE YES to recall Ledesma and Miner. Teresa Andrade Orange Dear Editor: I am writing to give my full VXSSRUW WR WKH 5HFDOO H൵ RUW WR UH move Rick Ledesma and Madi- son Miner from the Orange Uni- ¿ HG 6FKRRO 'LVWULFW %RDUG $V D parent and resident who didn't give much thought to the board before, I have been both shocked and dismayed at the behavior of this current board majority. They DUH ¿ VFDOO\ LUUHVSRQVLEOH LQFOXG ing rushing through a leasing deal GLUHFWO\ EHQH¿ WWLQJ 0LQHU V IDP ily, who did not recuse herself from discussion or voting. The sweetheart deal could ultimately SXW WKH GLVWULFW LQ ¿ QDQFLDO MHRS ardy. They do not follow their own rules of order, and have in- vited outside agitators to disrupt and intimidate OUSD parents and stakeholders at the meet- ings. They talk about "parent's rights" while trampling the rights of the parents they disagree with. I don't want anyone other than a TXDOL¿ HG OLEUDULDQ DQG RU WHDFKHU choosing books for students. I don't want teachers or adminis- trators to become "the gender po- lice." Let teachers do their jobs, and let kids learn in a safe envi- ronment. Yes on the Recall. Kat Schroeder Orange Dear Editor: 7KH 2UDQJH 8QL¿ HG 6FKRRO District (OUSD) is at it again. At the last board meeting, they voted to “license” the former Peralta school site and turn about 25% of the area over to a charter school called Orange County Classical Academy (OCCA). The Save Peralta group has great concerns about this agree- ment. The group was formed to stop a similar back-room type deal hatched by the OUSD. The community organized to focus on proper land use for the former Peralta school site. The issue at hand is that OUSD is using a “license agreement” for up to 25 years, which only requires a majority vote. The li- cense was approved with a 4 to 3 vote. This avoids a higher vote count than would be required to approve a similar “lease agree- ment.” There are currently not enough votes on the OUSD Board to pass a lease. This ap- pears to many people to be an end run around what should be required of a school board that truly represents the community’s best interest. The Peralta site warrants a much larger community-based discussion to determine the best long-term use for this site. This is not an issue limited only to those within the North Tustin Street Corridor focus area. That site im- pacts the entire City of Orange. I’ve had several people say that our “opposition will hurt the kids.” My response is, “which kids?” I’ve heard it said that OCCA will be paying about half the rent, as compared to the prior occupant, Olive Crest. This hurts OUSD budgets, programs and much-needed school renovations, and it certainly hurts OUSD kids. The OUSD Board was elected to represent the best interests of OUSD, not a charter school called OCCA. Is OCCA a good risk? The li- cense agreement appears to con- tain tremendous risk. If you go to the OCCA website and listen to its online video, it talks about KDYLQJ ¿ QDQFLDO WURXEOHV ,W V DQ ticipated that OCCA will prob- ably tap the value of the license agreement with some sort of a loan, as per the terms buried in the license agreement. It was stated at OUSD’s board meet- ing that OCCA owes OUSD ap- proximately $1.5 million and a payment of $700,000 is due shortly. Will OCCA get a loan against a possibly below market license agreement and repay the $700,000 due OUSD with money from what has been described as a below market deal? Could a ORDQ EH XVHG WR SD\ R൵ GHEW FUH ated at their other charter school location? It is said that the Per- alta site could be worth $50 mil- lion. Is there a limit to how much money OCCA can borrow on the value of their license? If this charter school fails, will Orange 8QL¿ HG EH OHIW KROGLQJ WKH EDJ LQ some way? And how could the “license DJUHHPHQW´ D൵ HFW WKH YDOXH RI WKH Peralta site? Because of my back-