45 replies to this topic

[billsfan]

I was just wondering what people thought about splitting the Folsom Cordova School District?

I've been doing a little research today and found the following report - http://www.cde.ca.go...aug04item01.pdf that provides an in-depth analysis from the California Department of Education.

The 1994 public vote on the matter failed because the majority of Rancho Cordova residents voted against the split. If this was put up to public vote today, maybe the Rancho residents would be in favor because they are now a city and may want to have their own school district? They have quite a bit of new development planned in Rancho Cordova which should help fund their new district. I assume most of the Folsom residents would be in support of a seperate district?

I really don't have any experience in this area, but now that the School Board is not supporting the split, could the residents petition it be put to vote again?

[cybertrano]

We had the same discussion awhile back. I supported the split, so were many other Folsomisters.

[EDF]

Billsfan..

how long have you been here....

To answer your question... we did just that... there was a petition that had over 25% of the registered voters sign it...

When you get that many voters to sign it... it is guaranteed to get a State hearing...

What happened back in the 94-96 era was that the State Board allowed a vote... however... they let Folsom AND Rancho vote on it... even though we were the petitioners...

When the State did that, instead of suing to have Rancho taken off... the goo-goos that took charge of the effort didn't want to "piss off" the Rancho voters because they thought they could "reason" with them...

What a joke... Rancho voted 90% against... the Educrats used the "race" card... I mean the "poverty" pimps were everywhere on that issue...

and let me answer your question about "can we afford it"...

The answer is YES... YES... YES...

If Rancho and Folsom were to split today, each new district would be larger than 80% of the other school districts in the State of California...

So, if that is the case... don't you think we'd be viable as a Folsom Only School district....?

[valdossjoyce]

EDF explained the first effort. The effort that the current board just killed goes back just a few years. Many of us lobbied our board members to a split on the agenda while Folsmites made up a majority on the board. Two such members felt the timing wasn't right. At the following election we were successful in electing two Folsomite who made it their mission to get split back on the agenda. That's how it wound its way through the state process. It takes many years. And just about when it might have come to fruition, the current board, now made up of a majority of Rancho residents, killed it.

I've come to the conclusion that a split will never happen. The law is just so cumbersome and it takes so long that if a change in the make-up of the school board doesn't kill it, the kids of the parents who have an understanding of the issue and feel passionate about it finally graduate from high school and the parents get tired and apathetic.

Then comes a new crop of parents asking eagerly, can we get a petition going? Good luck.

[bettyemahan]

It should have happened a long time ago!!!

EDF and Val are right and have worked to get Folsom it's own school district.

We need it!!! So, do what you can----a lot of people would be in favor.

Why don't you ask Sara Myers why we don't have oour own school district? She is on the FCUSD school board!!!

[camay2327]

I don't think Sarah is for it ????

[billsfan]

EDF - I've been here 2 years but have read up on the vote in 94.

It's really unfortunate to hear about the school board's change in supporting the split. It looks like the new members Shaw and Shore both sided with Benton to not support the split petition. How were these guys elected with that position? It also looks like they both have Folsom addresses? So that leaves 4 members on the board from Folsom. How did this happen then?

When the board vote happened in August was there much public input or discussion? I'd really like to see where the citizens of Rancho Cordova stand on this now that they are an incorporated city.

So what recourse do the voters have now. Sounds like a difficult process to get this to a public vote again?

[EDF]

Billsfan...

To answer your question regarding the two stinking School board members and also Folsom residents that voted against the split... well my good friend.. like Teresa said.. one of them was a former teacher and principle... so he's part of the establishment.. the other guy heck I don't know... he's just another goo-goo up there who thinks "bigger is better"...

You ought to ask Teresa babe, how many of the school staff make over $100k a year...?

This campaign to split the district has been a very emotional one... The "educrats" just don't want it...

I am especially angry at Teresa because she stalled this issue in favor of getting more bond money... the same bond money that the "educrats" said we would not need IF WE WERE TO KEEP THE STATUS QUO..!!! what a bunch of liars...

First thing they did after the election and the split failed was to start the idea of a new school bond.... I think the National Education Assocation, The California Teachers Association and the Folsom Cordova Education Association are basically evil... and self serving...

But Billsfan... there are a bunch of folks in town, about 40%, that think its a bad idea to split... because most of them don't know the issue and since they don't know, they will vote it down... especially if they have young kids in school...

My kids are grown... so I don't feel the need to fight this battle anymore... except to say that I have total and utter disdain for the "educationi" establishment...

For all the accomplishments that Teresa Stanley wrote about... we are a mediocre school district when you compare us with other schools of the same demographic...
I think it costs too much for what we get from public schools... Maybe you should ask how much the district spends on kids that have "special" needs... but your kid... if he's normal... he gets lots less...

All they want is the money... but if we the people want something... like our own school district... why heck... that's racists... or "irrespossible"... or... and I love this one...."Just not good for the kids"... a favorite "Benson-ism"....

Oh... but its ok for the "educrats" to let your kid leave campus without your knowledge or permission to get "drug" counseling... or an abortion...

After all..."they are the professionals"... which is what one principle told me when I pitched a complaint... "and they know best"....

Give me a break...

[dave]

[quote=EDF,Sep 24 2004, 08:21 PM]
I am especially angry at Teresa because she stalled this issue in favor of getting more bond money... the same bond money that the "educrats" said we would not need IF WE WERE TO KEEP THE STATUS QUO..!!! what a bunch of liars...

So angry, so much hostility, EDF. Too bad you can't enjoy life a little.

There are many state mandated criteria in order to form a new district(s), Ed. One of them is that the new district has adequate financial resources. It was clear that without the bond money the district had no chance to pass the test and split.

So your cute little "gives us our own district and we'll show you the money" saying was backward.

Of course, I realize that you know better and we should listen to you and follow your words exactly, almighty Ed.

[EDF]

No Dave... its you and the wife that know best...

and I know all about the stinking criteria.. probably much more than you.....I was involved in the split... never heard of you or Teresa during that time...

The fact is that your wife would rather "get along" than be a leader... All she stands for in my opinion is "re-election"... her comments about those of who tried to make a difference are very telling...

One of the things that I know is that you get governments' attention when you withhold the money dude... we did stop two bond elections...

You know Dave.. I think I've just changed my mind... I don't think it makes one stinking difference if we put Teresa back in or not... might as well put a Rancho guy in or the teachers union candidate that your wife disdains... Thanks for the help... maybe I'll help that poor union lady get on...at least I know where she stands...

The facts are that your old lady stalled the split and now its going to take another stinking petition to get it back on the front burner... but... I don't think I'll be seing you or Teresa babe doing anything to move it along... will I...? god forbid that I see the two of you out in front of a store collecting signatures...

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Moderator's note: EDF, I've only mildly edited the above post. Your opinions are welcome on the Forum, but the insults are not. Our webmaster's "no personal insults" rule applies even to a member whose spouse is a candidate for public office. Thank you.

Edited by forumreader, 26 September 2004 - 09:30 PM.

[billsfan]

OK now that we got the infighting out of the way, I'd like to hear from others on what they think about splitting the the Folsom Cordova school district. The concerns seems to be related to financial costs, financial aid related to funding based on API scores, and ethnic diversity...

[randb]

Thanks EDF, I appreciate your passion and agree with you on this subject.

[dave]

[quote=EDF,Sep 25 2004, 09:05 PM]
No Dave... its you and the wife that know best...

There you go, Ed. That wasn't so hard, now was it?
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One of the things that I know is that you get governments' attention when you withhold the money dude... we did stop two bond elections...

But you lost the war. We have your money now. It helps you as well as the kids.
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You know Dave.. I think I've just changed my mind... I don't think it makes one stinking difference if we put Teresa back in or not... might as well put a Rancho guy in or the teachers union candidate that your wife disdains... Thanks for the help... maybe I'll help that poor union lady get on...at least I know where she stands...

I don't believe that when you get in the voting booth that you will get yourself to vote for a newcomer who was driven by the union rep to the FCUSD office and had her ballot statement paid for by the union.
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The facts are that your old lady stalled the split and now its going to take another stinking petition to get it back on the front burner... but... I don't think I'll be seing you or Teresa babe doing anything to move it along... will I...? god forbid that I see the two of you out in front of a store collecting signatures...

She only stalled it to get it a better shot at passing. Without the bond the chances of splitting were near zero. After the bond the chance went up to maybe 25-50%.
I don't recall seeing you at any FCUSD meetings to help it along. Nor were you at the county level meeting. Nor at the state.


Randb: I agree with you or anyone who thinks Folsom would be better off in the long run with our own district. Passion is one thing. Ed's blind hatred and misguided intentions are another.

Billsfan: You have read up on the subject well. Unfortunately the current make-up of folks on the various boards that could allow the split seem disinclined to do so. Our best shot was back in 1996.

Unfortunately for us, some loudmouth from Folsom told someone in RC that there was nothing that they could do about the split. Subsequently that person became very active in fighting it. She started the process that mandated that RC could vote on the split. She then fired up Cordovans so they voted 9 to 1 against it. I suspect EDF is that loudmouth. Sound like it fits? There are two other people it could be, but my money is on Ed.

[EDF]

OK... Dave...

The only reason you don't like me is because of my position against Teresa...I remember another School Board member's husband calling me on the phone when I was displeased with her and telling me that he was going to make it tough for me to get business... needless to say I didn't vote for her either...

And you know what, you are wrong... I am not going to vote for Teresa... and I just might campaign against her.... A black friend of mine told me years ago once... He was going to vote for Lester Maddux in Georgia..., not because he liked him.... but only because he knew where he stood with Maddux... The same thing with Kerry... you don't know where you stand with him... he'll say and do anything to get elected...

So what's the difference here between your wife Teresa and the rest of the school board candidates...? They all want the best "for the kids".... right...?

Maybe we should allow the school board to be controlled by the "kooky" goo-goo liberals and Rancho Cordova. Let them run the district down, we might get enough people mad enough to do something...

Lets set the record straight Dave... I wish I could take credit for getting the Rancho crowd all mad at us... But since you are "ill informed" let me give you some history facts....

RANCHO CORDOVA WAS MAD AT US, BECAUSE THE STINKING EDUCRATS LIED TO THEM AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT THE SPLIT WAS A BAD THING...

They called us "racists"... Bigots... mean spirited and "bad for kids"...

They used our own kids against us... keep in mind folks, that these education people see your kids more hours than you do almost...

I remember one particular occasion.... It was the 2nd County Hearing at the Rancho Cordova High School... The "educrats" had the place packed with kids from the high school... They booed us when ever anyone of us got up to speak... and the County Board didn't do a thing to keep it down...

One "old bat" in particular got up there and said..."The reason that the people in Folsom don't want to be part of this district is that they want to create a gated white bread community and deny the richness of the ethnic diversity experience for their children"... The crowd went absolutely nuts then... Didn't remember you sitting there with us Dave...

So please spare me your insinuation that it was me alone that made Rancho angry...

Regarding the Bonds and the split.... you forgot buddy, that I did attend some school board meetings... but I was there to urge the board to MOVE THE SPLIT FORWARD... then I would be in favor of the bond money.... I did all I could to stop two bonds...

WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE BONDS PASSED...? What did Teresa do to move the split along... she still stalled it.... her heart wasn't in it... she would rather get along because you guys have a couple of kids in school... and if you make waves they take it out on your kids... this is what one of the school board members told me in private...

And by the way Dave... lets set this straight... You don't know me at all... Anybody that does will tell you that I am an outgoing, funloving guy with a positive attitude and gratefull for everyday that I am above ground... I don't hate anybody...Although I sure reserve some severe disdain of you....

What I don't like is hypocracy... that is probably the one thing that will turn me against someone... and your wife Teresa has done just that... she's been on there 8 years and I think that's enough...

One of the problems we have here in town is what Bob Holderness told me once... Because this town is growing, the new people that come here have no idea of how we got to the place we are at now...

Your wife has done NOTHING to educate Folsom Residents as to why its a good thing for us to have our own school district....

She can sure pitch a complaint about the dog crap on the trail sides though... I've noticed her loud and vocal position on that... never on the the SPLIT OF THE DISTRICT.... why is that Dave....?

[Teresa Stanley]

For those of you who still have an open mind and an interest in the real issue, I will ignore the bickering and respond to you.

There are two ways you can change the boundaries of a school district. One is to do a petition that is brought by the registered voters in the affected district(s). That petition would have to be signed by a certain number (not sure what it's up to now) of voters to proceed from there. This was how Measure O first got started. EDF and Val have been in favor of a split since those earlier days, so you can understand their frustration some twelve years later when there is still no split.

The other way to start a petition is for the board(s) of the affected district(s) to do the petition instead of the citizens. This is the way that we did it the last time, sending it to the county nearly two years ago.

Both the early voter petition and the school board petition went on to the County Committee on District Reorganization (elected county board members). The county voted both times to recommend that the state deny the petition because they believed several of the nine criteria had not been substantially met by the petitioner. (There are nine criteria for district reorganization, and we all use those since the State will use those to evaluate any petitions.)

Both times the petition moved on to the State Board of Education, along with the county's recommendation to deny it. Both times the State Board's staff analyzed the nine criteria independently, and both times they recommended that the State Board reject the petition and not put it to a vote of the public.

The citizens' petition was approved by the State Board despite the recommendations of the county and its staff. It went on to a vote of both Rancho Cordova and Folsom. Folsom approved it with 60+% vote, and Rancho rejected it at approximately 90%. Rancho had more registered voters at that time than Folsom, and the petition was voted down.

The State Board never got the chance to vote on our board's petition. Ed Short, who lives in Rancho (Mather), and Richard Shaw, a longtime Rancho teacher and principal, joined with Roger Benton (lifetime Rancho resident) to pull the petition back from the State Board. Thus, the State will not have the opportunity to put the matter to a vote of the people.

Despite EDF's and Dave's arguments about what I do or don't believe about splitting the district, I did join in an analysis of the nine criteria that showed that two new districts would be able to live strong and prosper. I voted to send that petition to the State, and I did not vote to pull the petition back from the state. Sara Myers and I were on the short end of that vote.