The Call to Literacy wrote on Oct 10, 2008 12:39 AM:It is vital that the main focal point of this forum was to understand that if Johnny can't read, he can't succeed. We can talk all day long until the cows come home about how to fix the problems in VUSD, but until you address the main issue there is no point. These three candidates, Patty Anderson, Eileen Fernandez, and Dr. Stephen Guffanti are doing just that, addressing the main issue of illiteracy. If you want lower crime rates, less drop outs, and improved test scores - you must teach ALL children to read, write, and speak English. Vote on November 4th for Patty Anderson, Eileen Fernandez, and Dr. Stephen Guffanti who will continue to keep the momentum going.

Not what they say but what they do wrote on Oct 10, 2008 6:15 AM:Jaka and Chunka want better communication with the parents, but they kicked the superintendent's representatives out of their PTA meeting. They seem more interested in dictating than listening. Listening is a vital part of communication and they aren't interested in listening to anyone else, but the union.

The VTA needs to better educate its candidates wrote on Oct 10, 2008 6:48 AM:No Ms. Chunka we don’t need to promote schools we just need to TEACH KIDS!!
Teachers and PTA parents need to stop meddling and start focusing on kids then VUSD would have a better reputation. Have you been keeping up with the news? The market crashed and homes prices have bottomed across the country. Frankly VUSD will always have a problem with real state prices because of the high illegal population in Townsite.

San Marcos was able to turn things around with HIGHER EDUCATION STANDARDS. Now San Marcos home prices are considerably higher than Vista or Oceanside. When school districts set higher educational standards for kids and hold parents accountable for homework, being on the school campus daily and on time, learning English etc. Lazy parents move to more hassle-free school districts.

Amy wrote on Oct 10, 2008 7:04 AM:Too bad this forum was not advertised I sure would have taken time of my schedule to see the candidates. While I am not familiar with Anderson I like her bio. I do have a few questions for her though. This is the second time she is running and I never got to see the candidate the first time she ran and I have not seen her visibly the second time either.
We truly don’t know much about her and I have never seen her at any school board meetings. I wonder if she is elective if she will elude her constituents?

Also if she is a professor at Mira Costa College I wonder how she feels about the Palmgate scandal? How does she feel about the astronomical beading of billable hours at VUSD by the same law firm from the Palmgate scandal?

The same billable hours question can go to Lilly though he is visible at VUSD board meetings he is not approachable to the parents that elected him. This is a turn off he is too stuck on himself and if Anderson is like this we don’t need any more “PROFESSORS’ elected to K-12 boards. We need to elect people that are available to great and meet parents not elude parents.

As far as Guffanti is concerned he needs to go out the door with Hubbard.

Question wrote on Oct 10, 2008 7:10 AM:Jaka has been claiming to be a retired day care worker for many years now. I understand she is in her early 50's. I guess being a day care worker must be a darn good profession with regard to retirement benefits if she could retire before she was 50! Has anybody checked her credentials/claims? If she is going to be trusted with our children and tax dollars, should we know the truth about the number of years she actually worked as a day care worker before retiring? I'd be willing to bet she only uses that "retired" title to try and woo the voter. Don't be fooled!

To Amy wrote on Oct 10, 2008 7:23 AM:Anderson is Adjunct at MiraCosta and thus remains out of the political scene there. She is also Adjunct at CSUSM. If you want to see her all you need do is take a class from her or go to one of these two schools and look her up. She is also a mother with two small children. But, as far as being approachable I've never seen her run from any of her students. In fact, of all the adjunct at MiraCosta I've never seen someone as dedicated to her students and their success as Anderson. Approachable: YES, VERY! Will she listen, you bet!
As for going to VUSD School Board meeting: In the past, if you've been to as many as I, you'd know it has typically been a waste of everybody's time. The VTA has no time limit and takes the majority of the time to yell and shout about a lot of nothing, while parents and community members are limited to no more than 5 minutes! And the VTA claims they are not running the District? Why do they get free rein, while the taxpayer and parent get told to shut up and sit down?

By the way, what do you have against professional educators? Isn't that what we want in our classrooms? Why not on the board too?

Realist wrote on Oct 10, 2008 8:06 AM:So, the top priority is to teach the kids to read and write in english...Am I living in a foreign country? It must be my mistake that If you do not read or write in english, you do not slow everyone else down in order to teach the "minority" that cannot keep up with their peers. As far as raising test scores, do what the union suggests by teaching to the test. The kids won't learn anything, however the test scores will skyrocket. After all, the candidates are also "experts" in the economics of cities and say, "higher test scores bring higher property values". Well, heck! Just kick out the illiterates and keep the kids that already know how to read & write in English. This would likely solve another issue, which is really the issue. Let's all start the chant, "No New Taxes".

To Realist wrote on Oct 10, 2008 8:48 AM:I guess you are one of those who would agree that VUSD should be allowed to spend all your tax dollars in the dark and never have to open their books. You seem to think that illiteracy is ok, and that it has no impact on the economy. Though it may be true that other things impact the economy, illiteracy allows the elites to do the many things they have done here recently to destroy our economy. It is the simple fact that Americans have been dumbed down over the years and don't know how to evaluate what they read (if they can read), hear, and see. Critical Thinking is very CRITICAL to a FREE country ,and READING and Speaking in a Common language helps the Communication that is spoken of by some of these candidates. A Failure to focus on the Basics in our primary Education systems is a sure way to relegate our children to having to do the jobs Americans won't do, and being forced to hire foreigners to the Jobs Americans CAN'T DO!
Anderson, Guffanti, and Fernandez seem to be the only candidates who understand this simple, basic, FACT and its association with the security of this nation and its economy.

Kathy wrote on Oct 10, 2008 9:06 AM:I attended the forum last night. I went with an open mind and was looking forward to hearing what the candidates have to offer VUSD. I was stunned by Dr.Guffanti's behavior. He appeared to doze off several times and out of the 10 questions asked, he had to ask that five of them be repeated, these were not difficult questions. I encourage everyone to attend the next forum. Please make an educated decision, and don't make a decision solely on reading a candidates bio.

Amy wrote on Oct 10, 2008 10:13 AM:Why would I want to take a class at MCC or CSUSM to see or speak with Anderson? This is ludicrous I am not the one running for BOD she is. SHE is supposed to seek voters and SHE is the one who needs to be visible for the VOTERS not me!!!

I did not ask if she was “adjunct” to the political scene if you knew about the Palmgate scandal you would know otherwise. Bleeding MILLIONS of dollars in billable hours and the theft of PUBLIC FUNDS is a serious concern. Apparently no one running for BOD has addressed this waste why?

My guess is that you will all become puppets of these “self-insured” insurance companies and rubbers tampers for the insurance company lawyers.

OK so if the candidates agree on everything and going to school board meetings is a waste of time than why are you all running for this, “waste of time” seat?

I certainly don’t find these meetings to be a waste of time; in fact they are required and mandated by law. Why structure a school board if it is a waste of time?

Yes maybe these shouting forums should be held at political debates not at board of directors meetings. Ironically at political forums you all have a great time and agree with everything and at VUSD board meeting you shout at each other.

Maybe none of you should get elected since you don’t even know the difference between a political forum and a board of directors meeting.

To Kathy wrote on Oct 10, 2008 11:14 AM:Did you do your homework before you attended the forum? Did you know that Dr. Guffanti is a practicing MD and that he spends a great deal of his time working to saves lives? This forum was held during a time he would normally have been getting some sleep before he returns to the ER.
As for asking that questions to be repeated: Even the "Great" Obama asks that questions (even simple questions) be repeated. If you had any experience or knowledge about forums you'd know this.
Finally, you comments don't reflect any decisions based on the answers given by the candidates, only on the actions of one. Did you really go with an open mind or are you simply making more false claims like the Union supported candidates?

By the way, many of us didn't know about this forum, nor about any of the forums to come. Are these intentionally being kept from us so that one side can stack the deck as is so often the case in these things?

To Kathy wrote on Oct 10, 2008 11:20 AM:"don't make a decision solely on reading a candidates bio."

I have read these Bios and would have to agree with you on this statement. Three of these candidates have very week Bios, little or no formal education. The other three have plenty of formal education. Two are Professional Educators. All 6 are parents. Two are Union Members, though only one of those is supported by the Union.
Yes, the Bios tell us plenty, but if you take time to dig into the facts about these people then you will know the truth. And TRUTH is something the Union, and their candidates, wants kept shut behind closed doors!

Voter wrote on Oct 10, 2008 2:21 PM:To Kathy- you are making an interesting point you say that Guffanti is an MD working in a ER right? So where does he work? For what hospital? Where?

I want to know because if he puts this information down in the register of voters pamphlet than we have the right to know where he works. Right?

So North County Times since you endorsed Guffanti do you even know where he works? By the way what is the name of his non profit organization?

voters have the right to know this much, so how about it Stacy tells us?

Check out the endorsements wrote on Oct 11, 2008 10:02 AM:The endorsement list speaks for itself.

Chunka, Jaka, and Lilly are endorsed by Vista Mayor Vance, Vista City Council, Vista Fire Fighters, Vista Teachers, Vista Classified employees... and the list goes on and on.

It's time to end the childish behavior on the VUSD board. Enough is enough.

Vote Chunka, Jaka and Lilly.

Kathy wrote on Oct 11, 2008 10:23 AM:To post 11:14 A.M

I did do my homework. I was aware that Dr. Guffanti is an M.D. It is still not an excuse to doze off in the middle of a community forum. It was disrespectful to the candidates, the moderator and all those in attendance. I did go with an open and mind and my claims were not false, they are facts.

Taxpayer wrote on Oct 11, 2008 5:20 PM:Unfortunately a prior commitment prevented my attending the forum. I did receive a thorough recap from one that did attend and will start by saying that according to my source the attendance was disappointing. My source also said that one of the candidates made some comments about the BOC that were incorrect. Each month’s minutes are on the District’s web site and if you will take the time to read them I believe that you will realize that the BOC was not set up right in order to protect the taxpayers’ money. One candidate spent four years on the BOC and in my opinion was, along with several other members, responsible for not insisting that the BOC be given more over sight instead of accepting the way it operated. Some might say that the BOC did not have such power but no BOC member even suggested asking the Board that it be allowed to do more. Why not?

The next forum wrote on Oct 11, 2008 8:18 PM:I, too, wanted to go to this forum, but read about it in the paper after the fact. Does anyone know when, where, and at what time the next VUSD forum will be held?

Question wrote on Oct 11, 2008 8:27 PM:About Dr. Guffanti dozing off. A later comment gave the fact that he is an ER doctor, and the time of the forum as his resting time before returning to the ER as the explanation for his dozing. Wasn't the time of the forum the same time that School Board meetings are held? Why would this community elect someone to a post as important as this if it interfered with his or her napping time? Why is he even running for this seat if his first priority is to save lives? It doesn't make sense.

Amy wrote on Oct 12, 2008 9:29 AM:The next forum- there probably wont be a next forum. it is not like if they wanted the VOTERS and TAXPAYERS to actually attend one. There was no official announcement for the PUBLIC. They just wanted the media there to make an appearance of some sort of democratic process.

I read their bio's on the voters pamphlet and they are very weak. I mean everyone's including TCMC. What have we come to choosing between dumb or dumber. I wondered if 5th graders were writing them?

They keep talking about literacy... maybe they should take the advice and apply it to themselves. Have plans and objective on what they want to do, where they need to improve, what they would like to see change.

I read nothing about any real substantial issues and the blogs don't address real issues either.

As a voter I don't have a lot to choose from.....

Lisa wrote on Oct 12, 2008 10:18 AM:To Amy,
You sound so bleak. I can give you a few simple guidelines... which candidates have or had kids in public schools? Do they believe in public education? Which candidates are or have been active in school programs and the like... which candidates will keep ALL kids in mind when making decisions? What are each candidates resons for running for school board?Who are the candidates endorsed by? That's a very important quality. Keep the faith, if you answer just a few of these questions your choice will become very clear.

vusd mom wrote on Oct 13, 2008 1:42 PM:The next forum is the PTA forum on Wed, Oct 15 at VAPA. Start time is 6 or 6:30 pm.

Its at 630 wrote on Oct 13, 2008 8:22 PM:So are all of the six candidates going to be present at this forum, or are there some that are opposed to the sponsor, the PTA? Not a good move, in my opinion.