TJUSD Board Meeting - December 11, 2014

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TJUSD Board Meeting - December 11, 2014

Postby blackturtle.us » Fri Dec 12, 2014 9:26 am

The following are some of the highlights (as I saw them anyways) from the school board meeting last night.

1) Christina Celaya was sworn in as a board member. Deana Garrison was voted in for a second term as board president.
2) Superintendent Contract - The board voted in closed session to give Mr. Olney a three-year contract beginning July 1, 2015. No further details were provided.
3) Alan Tsubota - Talked about two-day iPad training provided for elementary teachers and showed a short video project created during the training by one of the teachers.
4) Mark Goins - Presented a report about the demolition of the Old Elementary site.Of particular interest was the removal of a 5000 gallon fuel tank which contained 3500 gallons of diesel fuel. The tank had been buried sometime back in the 1960s. Mr. Goins also talked at some length about the process of removing asbestos and the many precautions being taken to ensure that no hazardous materials are released into the community. He also warned that workers dressed in white HAZMAT suits may be visible from the highway and that community members should be aware that this is just part of the routine procedures used in dealing with asbestos removal.
5) ROP Funding - There is some uncertainty about the future of ROP funding. Although funding will be provided for at least a few more years, it will be at reduced levels. Royalty money will be used to supplement the funding of existing classes and so the district will continue to offer many career and technology classes for at least the next few years.
6) Financial Reports - Dawn McMillen presented two financial reports, including information about deficit spending, royalties, cafeteria over-spending, and an auditors report.
7) The board also approved several Board Policy and Administrative Regulation updates pertaining to Harassment, Nondiscrimination, and Uniform Complaint Procedures.
8) Next Regular Board Meeting: January 8, 2015
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Re: TJUSD Board Meeting - December 11, 2014

Postby tronagirl » Sat Dec 13, 2014 9:18 am

blackturtle.us wrote:4) Mark Goins - Presented a report about the demolition of the Old Elementary site.Of particular interest was the removal of a 5000 gallon fuel tank which contained 3500 gallons of diesel fuel. The tank had been buried sometime back in the 1960s. Mr. Goins also talked at some length about the process of removing asbestos and the many precautions being taken to ensure that no hazardous materials are released into the community. He also warned that workers dressed in white HAZMAT suits may be visible from the highway and that community members should be aware that this is just part of the routine procedures used in dealing with asbestos removal.

I've noticed some of the demolition work while driving by the area. I'm glad that they are being careful not to release hazardous materials into the community!
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Re: TJUSD Board Meeting - December 11, 2014

Postby wildrose » Sun Dec 14, 2014 8:58 pm

OLD ELEMENTARY DEMOLITION
I found this letter from the school district on the district website. It explains what's going on with the demolition of the old buildings that are no longer being used. It also says that the demolition project is expected to be complete sometime in February.
LINK: http://www.trona.k12.ca.us/images/district/OLDELEM.pdf
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Re: HazMat

Postby twister » Tue Dec 16, 2014 8:56 am

After reading the letter about the demolition of the old elementary I looked up HazMat to find out exactly what it means. The WikiPedia page about Dangerous Goods says that HazMat is short for Hazardous Materials and that it can be abbreviated as HAZMAT or HazMat. It also listed all sorts of different types of hazardous materials and that sort of thing.
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Re: TJUSD Board Meeting - December 11, 2014

Postby a2z » Thu Dec 18, 2014 8:16 pm

Appeals Court Overturns Student's Suspension For Rap Song Criticizing School Employees
Someone else pointed out in another thread that lower courts tend to side with school districts, but when cases like this are reviewed by people who take the law and freedom a bit more seriously the outcome is often quite different. The lesson here is to not back down when you know your rights have been violated. By backing down you allow local authorities to nullify your rights.
Despite this lack of evidence, Bell was suspended from the school and all extracurricular activities and forced to attend an alternative school for nine weeks. The lower court upheld this suspension, granting the school summary judgement and stating these actions did not violate Bell's free speech rights. The appeals court found otherwise, pointing to the lower court's clumsy application of the Tinker Test, a Supreme Court decision that considered where students' free speech rights end and "disruptive speech" begins. According to the appeals court, the school failed to provide evidence that Bell's rap song disrupted school operations.

LINK:
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20141217/10300329467/appeals-court-overturns-students-suspension-rap-song-criticizing-school-employees.shtml
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Re: TJUSD Board Meeting - December 11, 2014

Postby wildrose » Sat Dec 20, 2014 9:03 am

Student First Amendment Rights
Part of what students attending public schools should get out of their education is an understanding of what it is supposed to mean to be a citizen of the USA. Students should not accept treatment which is disrespectful or which diminishes their rights as citizens. Also they should question any excuses school staff uses to justify such treatment.
The freedoms of speech, press, assembly, and petition are often collectively referred to as the freedom of expression, and the U.S. Supreme Court has developed a separate body of case law regarding the free expression rights of students. In defining the free expression rights of students in a public school, the Court has developed three tests from the following landmark cases.
1) Tinker Standard
2) Fraser Standard
3) Hazelwood Standard

READ MORE: http://www.firstamendmentschools.org/freedoms/faq.aspx?id=12991&printer-friendly=y
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Re: TJUSD Board Meeting - December 11, 2014

Postby desertrat » Sat Dec 20, 2014 9:26 am

HORRIBLE! Missouri School PUNISHES 8-Year Old BLIND Boy By Replacing His CANE With Pool TOY!!
Even though all the halfwits on YouTube are criticizing the school, I'm backing the school on this one. The kid hit other kids with the cane. He's using his disability as an excuse to abuse other kids. His dysfunctional parents, rather than support the disciplinary measures taken by the school, are teaching their kid that it's okay to break the rules and that his disability is his free ticket to abusing others and not being held responsible for his actions. The school's punishment is quite reasonable. Two weeks without the cane will teach the boy an important lesson and if his dysfunctional (and probably illiterate, possibly retarded) parents don't get in the way, he will learn that lesson!
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Re: TJUSD Board Meeting - December 11, 2014

Postby panamint_patty » Sun Dec 21, 2014 9:44 am

a2z wrote:Appeals Court Overturns Student's Suspension For Rap Song Criticizing School Employees
Someone else pointed out in another thread that lower courts tend to side with school districts, but when cases like this are reviewed by people who take the law and freedom a bit more seriously the outcome is often quite different. The lesson here is to not back down when you know your rights have been violated. By backing down you allow local authorities to nullify your rights.
Despite this lack of evidence, Bell was suspended from the school and all extracurricular activities and forced to attend an alternative school for nine weeks. The lower court upheld this suspension, granting the school summary judgement and stating these actions did not violate Bell's free speech rights. The appeals court found otherwise, pointing to the lower court's clumsy application of the Tinker Test, a Supreme Court decision that considered where students' free speech rights end and "disruptive speech" begins. According to the appeals court, the school failed to provide evidence that Bell's rap song disrupted school operations.

LINK:
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20141217/10300329467/appeals-court-overturns-students-suspension-rap-song-criticizing-school-employees.shtml

Tinker Test: Did the speech or expression of the student “materially and substantially interfere with the requirements of appropriate discipline in the operation of the school?"
LINK: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Substantial_disruption
The Tinker Test doesn't ask whether the speech or action caused a stir or offended someone. Instead it requires that a material and substantial disruption occur. Something that interferes with the operation of the school. Local officials often act as if an annoyance constitutes a disruption which shows that local officials are often more worried about their own convenience than about upholding the Constitution... hmmmm... don't local officials take an oath to uphold the Constitution? ... seems that they should be fired if they trade away our rights for their convenience! Just sayin' ...
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Re: TJUSD Board Meeting - December 11, 2014

Postby CactusHugger » Sat Dec 27, 2014 9:35 am

Best Teacher Ever! Get A Question Right, She Strips :smokin:
Great way to teach geography!!! This sub keeps kids motivated!!!
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Re: TJUSD Board Meeting - December 11, 2014

Postby CactusHugger » Sat Dec 27, 2014 9:40 am

The Problem with Jeggings :ack:
This guy is like the evil opposite of motivational!
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