Parental Outrage Over Neighborhood Council Elections: Don't Use Their Children As Political Pawns In Your Election Racketeering!

From Zuma's Inbox (ZumaDogg@gmail.com)
In a message dated 6/11/2008 11:21:36 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time

Hello,

My name is (Parent). I am writing this tonight because I am extremely upset about a note card that my children brought home from school. In regard to the upcoming GEPENC elections. Where I understand you want to reach as many people as possible, I am upset that these candidates went through the children.

They are not allowed to vote, but yet you will use them as vehicles to solicit votes for your slate cam pain. No I did not spell that incorrectly, this is a pain. There is no reason why my children need to be involved in bringing home such political solicitations. It would be one thing if it was information about everyone involved with the elections.

Also I feel like you are falsely representing yourselves, as the "tireless community workers" You are saying that you, and you alone are the only few who work tirelessly for our community. That makes me think that you are saying that others who are running do not met that criteria.

WRONG! I have seen others in action, and boy do they tirelessly work their tails off, yet... no mention of them on this flyer. This is wrong, to use my child is wrong, and shows lack of moral character and integrity. There are some of you on this said flyer who were totally against a new school in our neighborhood, yet, here you are using an existing school to your advantage! Wrong, Wrong, WRONG!

I want what's best for my community, I would have preferred a note on my door. A hand shake, something directed to me, the voter! Where are your ethics? Did it ever occur to you, that you could have taken the time to go to the school, met with the parents personally? There was no reason to have these distributed in school. Wrong, Wrong, WRONG! This is the first time I have ever received anything political directly from the school. I certainly hope it is the last.

Wow, Can't believe that the same people known as the "Right Side Coalition" Peters/ Kaiser/Garsten, who are against Educating your/my kids are using the school, exploiting the same kids they refuse to serve. The location of the school is in a community rich with people of color, yet all I see again is a hand picked Anglo-Saxon slate that does not represent our community! Fair is to have all candidate info passed out not just the selected few, better yet don't pass political stuff out at the elementry level.

Signed, (Parent)

ZumaTimes.com

Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Press Conference on DWP Rate Increase

CITIZENS' ALERT: NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL PRESS CONFERENCE OVER DWP/CITY COUNCIL SHADY RATE INCREASE: Representatives of the 75 Neighborhood Councils in LA will have a Press Conference on March 17th, at 1:00 PM on the LA City Hall Spring Street steps/patio to address their position on why the City Councilmembers should implement the City Charter Section 266a

ISSUE: Before City Councilmembers make any decision to accept a DWP Rate Increase, the overdue DWP Industrial, Economic and Administrative Five Year Survey must be completed, analyzed and presented to the Mayor, Controller, Councilmembers and the general public.

EVENT: NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL PRESS CONFERENCE
At City Hall, Spring Street Steps
At 1:00 PM

Contact Person:

Soledad S. Garcia, Chair
Neighborhood Council/LADWP Oversight Committee
Email: ssg15@juno.com

Recent stores on LA Daily Blog.com.

Greuel, Brewer & Moore Invite You To Public Safety Meeting: ASK THEM ABOUT MT. GLEASON MIDDLE SCHOOL! (See post)

Now this is a meeting that no-one will want to miss!

COUNCILWOMAN - WENDY GREUEL (Who will be attending for a short time)

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPUTY CHIEF - MICHAEL MOORE (Commanding Officer- Operations, Valley Bureau )

LAUSD SUPERINTENDENT - DAVID L. BREWER III

Invite you to attend: "Public Safety through Neighborhood Empowerment"

Please attend this important event to discuss Public Safety Issues in your neighborhood and find out about resources to help you get involved in making your Neighborhhod cleaner, safer, and a better place in which to live.

Thursday, February 28, 2008 6:30-8:30 p.m.
All Nations Church
10000 Foothill Blvd.
Lake View Terrace , Ca. 91342

********************************************************

Zuma Dogg has posted several stories about Mt. Gleason Middle School

The teachers and most of the staff are incredible and if it weren't for them the school would be too unsafe, in my opinion for the students to attend.

Now as the STNC Education Representative, I would like to share a few of the things that I have supported Students and Parents with during the last Year and a half at our local Middle School:

A Student reported that she had been "Touched by a Substitute Teacher" School Response: Child was not put into protective custody, Parent was not notified.
Police were not notified and were only contacted by the LAUSD school administration five (5) days later. Both of the non-reporters were promoted.

Administration forced 700 female students to share a restroom with only four (4) working toilets for "lunch and nutrition" for over 5 months. 4 toilets sat with no doors or stalls.

School Response: A half-assed quote to the local paper stated " The girls don't want to use the restrooms, They are too busy talking to their friends."

Parents have removed students from the school for fear of their Safety.

The boys are being forced to use the Girls restrooms at both after-school programs.

Students report that there are fights almost Daily. I often get calls from parents confirming this.

Last week I witnessed a fight on campus, through a locked fence. I broke up the fight with a neighbor. He said there all fights all of the time. that the Students climb over the fences to get out. As his house is close to the fence, the kids often climb the fence and jump off of the roof.

I spend a ridiculous amount of time on the phone with the District trying to deal with Safety Issues. I have Spoken to Julie Korenstein and appreciated the help that I get.

I have attended LAUSD Safety Commitee Meetings with Numerous reports regarding Safety issues.

Our Neighborhood Council is setting up a School Communication System and education committee for local school oversight.

The Response from the School /District has been to send a "Posse" (A Quote from the Teacher's Union Rep) to the Neighborhood Council Meetings to keep me and other Parents Quiet.

If they hear Something they don't like they call us liars.Not one update, or nice thing is ever said by them. they just all sit and glare at us.

Oh, did I forget to mention Irma Good the District Director over the Principal also attends the Neighborhood Council Meetings? Yes, she is the one that insinuated to Zuma Dogg, that the Wwapon that was picked up on campus and turned over to the District could have easily been made by the parent, rather than express concern over the handmade weapon found on school grounds.

I have gone to Wendy Greuel's office to talk about the School Safety Issues, but have been told that the schools aren't her problem and that I need to go to the District.

I go to the District, but a Principal, that is not providing a safe school environment per Federal law, remains on campus.

The Neighborhood Council has representation on School Committees, but nothing the School is doing is making sense and the Parents and the Community are not being notified of Changes

So...I Thought Neighborhood Councils were set up to support Neighborhood Empowerment

Now We have a Meeting to attend, Is this going to be the "Here we are the Ready to help You Brigade?"

Well, I certainly hope so, because in my opinion this continued throwing up road blocks in front of the Neighborhood Councils, and not really helping to solve the issues, is getting old.