Tina Park swearing in ceremony
Tina Park gets sworn into her new office as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Los Angeles Community College District. Congratulations, Tina.
Here is her statement from her website....
Dear Friends,
When I first made the decision to run for the LACCD Board of Trustees, I frankly wasn't sure what to expect. For all my experience in the financial industry and my commitment to improve our education system, I was a relative newcomer to the realm of politics. I did not have the benefit of high-profile supporters with political influence, nor was I particularly astute in the fine art of campaign tactics. Indeed, there have been times when I wondered whether our campaign could truly outshine those of the other candidates.
During those times of doubt, I constantly found myself reassured by the outpouring of support from each and every one of you - whether in the form of generous donations or letters of encouragement - because this meant you were identifying with our message based on financial transparency, local sovereignty, accountability and elimination of waste. The grassroots support during our past several months of campaign has been nothing short of incredible, reaffirming time and time again that you were ready and eager for a new candidate, with all of the practical experience and none of the politics-as-usual attitude, to help bring about real change to our educational system.
During the March primary and again at the May 19th run-off election, you made your voices heard and entrusted me with the opportunity to bring to fruition my vision of affordable, quality education for everyone. For this, I cannot adequately express my gratitude to all of you – my supporters, advisors, contributors and voters. I can only say that I am humbled and honored by your decision to place your confidence and faith in me, and that it has been a privilege to have Ms. Angela Reddock as my opponent in this campaign. Ms. Reddock is a hardworking, qualified candidate committed to helping improve our community, and I wish her the very best in all of her future endeavors.
While it may be tempting for us to bask in our victory, I fully realize the gravity of the responsibilities that have been placed upon me. There are serious, difficult tasks that lie ahead in our effort to provide efficiency, motivation and value to our students, and to remove the bureaucratic red tape and corporatism that plague the current system. In this regard, I will work tirelessly and conscientiously with my fellow board members, Chancellor Drummond, and the presidents of our 9 community colleges. As an auditor, I will work to oversee and streamline the LACCD budget, cut out wasteful spending for our taxpayers, and ensure that students, educators and school administrators have the tools and incentives to improve their performances dramatically, both in and out of the classrooms.
Once again, thank you for your continued support on this amazing journey. As trustee, I will do my utmost to exceed your expectations and improve the quality of education for all of our current and future students in the Los Angeles district.
Sincerely, Tina Park
Posted by Phil Jennerjahn @ 7/18/2009 07:14:00 PM
9 Comments:
Tina got an earful at her first meeting.
And ABC Channel 7 was there recording the proceedings. ABC is sitting on about three scandal stories that blew into the open at one meeting:
First, about 60 students from Los Angeles Trade Tech raked the Board and administration over the coals for having the school's accreditation downgraded to PROBATION. They were shouting for the immediate dismissal of the administrators of Trade Tech who embarrassed the school.
One activist brought audible gasps when she told the Board that they had warned the Board they did not want a recycled chancellor in the form of Dr. Mark Drummond. She screamed, "Everyone knows he's an alcoholic and a womanizer." She described the rumor running around campus that Acting Chancellor Berrera and another staff member went to Drummond's place because he did not show up at a budget meeting. Apparently, at 10 am he was completely incapacitated by a drunk binge, she said. Then she pointed out that Drummond had gotten his wife (now ex) a vice presidency at LA Trade Tech. Then she claimed that Drummond had gotten one of his girlfriends a Presidency of one of the colleges. Drummond "retired" effectively at the end of this month.
Is there a reason Dr. Jamillah Moore, the new president of Los Angeles City College, looked a little grim the rest of the meeting? Was it because City College was also on probation? Or something else?
Another woman stood up and claimed that although she holds a position that is not eligible for retirement, she received a notice from PERS informing her that she had a retirement account and had withdrawn all $30,000 from the account. She claimed that after she began investigating her phantom retirement account that she did not know she had, and who took the money, she was shut down and retaliated against by administrators.
Then, in a highly controversial vote that appears to violate the bond fund restrictions, the LACCD Board, under extreme pressure from the Los Angeles Mayor's office, all voted to rubber stamp a proposal to turn over a new community college building at the Northeast Van de Kamps site to a charter high school. Activists from Atwater and Glassell Park are of the opinion that several faculty and union types have waged a multi-year campaign to avoid ever having a Van de Kamps satellite campus. This giveaway to the Mayor's favorite charter school stinks to high heaven and fulfills the faculty/union's goal of avoiding a satellite campus. The Mayor's enforcer came to the LACCD Board meeting to testify and make sure everyone voted the way the Mayor wanted.
Jesus christ! What do these losers do for an encore? Could it get much worse?
And Tina. Fighter for accountability. First meeting. Voted to give away the community college campus to the charter high school for FIVE YEARS. Nice start.
Whoa. Is Channel 7 running a story on any of this?
Good Luck Tina Park. You will need it. I hope you are a fighter to do what is right.
Mark Drummond did not resign, he was fired.
It is also rumored that during the closed session, the board discuss buying out Mark Drummond's contract somewhere in the amount of $600K to 1 million dollars. Asked for but have not received a copy of his contract, rumor again says there is some type of codicil regarding his drinking problem stating they have the right to fire him.
Phil "I will stop short of officially endorsing Zuma Dogg." Thank you. Without your endorsement ZD's chances are far greater.
Why would LACCD have to buyout Chancellor Drummond's contract if he was terminated for cause? I thought LACCD was broke.
Not so broke to buy out Drummond's contract for no good reason, but "broke" to the point that they must hand a brand new community college building over to the Mayor's favorite charter school operator for 5 years. Hmmmmm.
FROM THE LA Times:
Staffers within the LACCD are appalled by the political game playing of the Board of Trustees. Word within LACCD is that the Mayor's office intimidated the LACCD Board and the Mayor is totally behind shoving the private charter school into this community college building for 5 whole years. At the end of the 5 years, the building not be returned to LACCD because certain faculty and union leaders do not want a satellite campus. The intrigue and the thieves are thick on this one.
At the Board meeting, one public commenter blamed the LACCD Board for bringing back Mark Drummond as Chancellor. Drummond abruptly retired by she alleged that LACCD staff went to his home and found him incapacitated mid-morning. She alleged that the Board knew he was an alcoholic and womanizer. She claimed Drummond installed his ex-wife as a vice-president at Los Angeles Trade Tech and that he got one of his girlfriends a presidency of an LACCD college. Would that be Dr. Moore at Los Angeles City College?
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/07/los-angeles-community-college-district-trustees-today-agreed-to-lease-part-of-the-historic-van-de-kamps-bakery-property-to-a.html
Mark Drummond was fired, not because of his drinking, but because he was trying to clean up corruption in the district's bond program. the Board was afraid that this corruption, which involves some of them personally, would be ended by Drummond's efforts and they have too much money at stake.
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