LASD trustees may snub Bullis Charter Community tonite

Trust this Measure N Citizens Oversight Committee?

Jan. 26, 2015 — Last fall, the Bullis Charter School board endorsed Los Altos School District Measure N, and a number of  BCS community members worked the phone banks for Measure N.  School Board candidates Martha McClatchie and John Swan — who are members of the BCS community —  endorsed Measure N during their campaigns.

LASD seemed to be making some progress in being inclusive of BCS in school district facilities affairs. It included one or more “BCS people” in the 1) Superintendent’s Task Force on Enrollment Growth of 2013,  2) the Facilities Planning Advisory Committee of summer 2014,  and 3) the Facilities Master Plan Committee now in progress.  However, today the staff is recommending a slate for the Measure N Citizens Oversight Committee (COC) that has no BCS community representation.

Failure of Transparency

And there apparently has been a failure of transparency in the COC application process. At the Jan. 7, 2015 FMPC meeting, which Lalahpolitico attended and videoed,  Randy Kenyon explained the time line for bond activities.  At that time he said the trustees were required to select a Citizens Oversight Committee  by a Feb. 13 a deadline.  He also said that applications would start being taken shortly. (See this post, which includes a video of that Jan. 7 meeting. Kenyon speaks at 45:00 minutes.)

Town Crier article with same day Deadline!

But when was the deadline to submit applications for the COC? On Jan. 21, 2015 the Los Altos Town Crier ran an article about LASD bond implementation that included “recruitment” for the COC, but it shockingly reported that Jan. 21 was the last day to submit a COC application.  How many potential applicants did not learn of the COC recruitment till Jan. 21 or after?   How did these LASD public communications get so bungled?

Here was the extent of LASD communications efforts about COC recruitment:

Look Who was Passed Over

But 3 “BCS people” did apply for the COC early – Martha McClatchie, John, Swan, and Buffy Poon (BCS PTA and YES on Measure N worker). And Matt Pear, former Mountain View Council member and property owner of the Target Store parcel – a neutral voice perhaps – also applied early.  None of these were recommended by staff. (We have no info about the fifth applicant who was passed over.)

In the table are LASD Staff picks for the 7 seats of the Measure N Citizens Oversight Committee (COC). It was not true on Jan. 23 that all applications were enclosed.  Two had not been submitted and were technically LATE, beyond the deadline.

Look Who was Given a Pass

And two folks being recommended by LASD staff – Deborah Hope and Sam Harding – apparently didn’t turn in applications as of  Friday, Jan. 23, 5 pm, which is when the board agenda for today’s board meeting was posted as required by the the Brown Act.  Their applications were not included in the agenda attachments.  I’m sure both these people are upstanding, but did they submit applications only verbally? By short emails?   It sure looks funny.  It looks like they got a pass to submit late.  Why?  Perhaps to avoid having to give 2 seats to  “BCS persons” who submitted on time?

Tonight – Hope the Board Unsnubs BCS

Technically this COC list is a staff recommendation. At tonight’s 7pm meeting, the Board of Trustees has the authority adjust the list as it sees fit. It does not have to approve this particular list. They could also postpone the vote till the Feb. 9 meeting allowing more people to apply.

Lalahpolitico urges the trustees to give BCS a seat at the COC table. BCS has over 15% of the total LASD enrollment and seems “morally” entitled to 1/7 of the representation.  Is there no consideration of the BCS community support for their YES on Measure N work? Not including BCS will cast suspicion on the proceedings of the COC and invite close scrutiny by a nervous, perhaps hyper-vigilent BCS community. Can’t we just relax instead?