New School Board Members Shipped Off to San Fran Indoctrination
Even before they were elected, the superintendent let the Fullerton School Board candidates know that tickets had been reserved for them at the 2010 CSBA conference in in the Bay Area, which starts today.
Presumably the California School Boards Association will introduce the new adherents to the ways of the educational bureaucracy. Topics will include unconditional respect, union coddling, collaborating, achievement gapping, revenue generation, tax enumeration and the proper operation of trite awards ceremonies.
Check out the program:
CSBA 2010 Annual Education Conference and Trade Show Guide
It’s loaded with ads for lobbyists and political consultants eager to help young board members navigate the challenges of passing new school bonds and local property taxes.
So will our new school board members drink in the delicious Kool Aid of California’s educational establishment? Or will they withstand the temptation of vacuous adoration from their new group of friends, holding their promises of independence above the cheap thrill of being “liked” by their peers.
I suppose we’ll find out soon enough.
Help me…. They gave me such a nice bag. Must….resist….Kool Aid…
If the swag doesn’t do it maybe all of the kumbaya singing will…
Mr. Thompson, please tell us you did not join this junket.
Coddling and collaborating… Yep more of that…
Here’s the real catch. Appointed and elected office holders must go through ethics training (like anyone pays attention to that class) and so lobbyists have figured out how to offer it during these conferences, thus taking the burden of payment off the shoulders of the board or its members, while holding members captive at the rest of the event, where they are shmoozed by those that ethics training should be indoctrinating them against. If there’s a way to game the system, special interests will find it.
Thanks for the insight, Colony.
Kumbaya is right. Look at that graphic on the cover. Blank paper cutouts holding hands. That says it all.
Hollis, I fought it and relented to do 1 of 4 days at the sincere urging of the Super. 2 hours in however, I am having to pop Gaviscon. The indoctrination is coming fast and hard. Currently listening to how far below average California spending is. Haven’t heard much about the challenges of managing schools as a result of CTA power. In fact, the current Consultant just complimented the CTA’s passage of prop 98. To be honest Hollis, I’m glad I’m hearing this once just to confirm that it is as biased as I assumed. The sense of entitlement is just staggering.
Maybe you should pay attention when being sent to these functions. You weren’t voted in to sit back and be a blogger for Tony. This all seems to be a joke to you but it’s not a joke when it comes to my kid’s education. This was my biggest fear having a blogger voted in to any position. All you want is the approval of your beer drinking friends. Pay attention and do your job when your supposed to. What a waste of money if you only went to 1 of 4 days.
Concerned, what does this idiotic indoctrination session have to do with your kid’s education?
Oh, right! Nothing! It’s about spending a few days in the City on the taxpayer’s dime and getting one’s mind right – just in the off chance that it wasn’t right to begin with.
And you think going for all 4 days was the only way to get the taxpayer’s money’s worth?
Ha. Haha. Hahahahaha!
P.S. Going to conferences isn’t Thompson’s “job.” His job is to deliver a responsible and accountable education system to the citizens of Fullerton.
We get it. To bad the educrats don’t. Not yet, anyway.
do they get to smoke weed at the conference?
Live blogging from the CSBA! Chris, can we get a report when you are back (with pictures)?
Gee, it’s only his first day and Thompson is already providing us with unparalleled transparency into the machinations of our beloved educrats.
Well done sir!
Thanks Just. Hollis had me racked with guilt. Travis, why don’t you post the picture of my beautiful new CSBA bag? I’ll try to get a shot of the rubber chicken.
Glad I voted for Thompson now to get more people just like him on the School Board!
To Mr. Thompson: So much for going into it with an open mind…
Oh yes. Too bad Thompson didn’t mentally erase all the years of bullshit peddled to him by the educratic system. That would have been ever so helpful.
Thompson needs to kick ass. Personally I wouldn’t have even gone to that love fest as a sign of defiance. But Thompson has an opener mind than I do.
Shouldn’t the voters decide ethics for board members instead of idiots who doesnt even live in a school district?
Why spend the money on this junket?
Tell CSBA to take a hike and fold the organization…save Taxpayers money…now there is a new novelty!
Sanity…..open as in please continue to overpay hero teachers no matter the economy?
Just curious? I know the last time a conversation like this ended, you hid behind the fact that the super and the board agreed to the terms on the contract. So now your throwing Mr. Thompson some sort of insult by stating he should have an open mind……while attending an agenda filled event.
Open your mind……enough is enough.
Chris, here is your lovely bag.
I wonder if you have to claim it as a gift?
Concerned, you can rest assured that I am as serious as a heart attack about this. Know that the District was able to pay only for the event I attended and one night at the hotel. I will move that we discontinue our relationship with this organization as its advocacy seeks a short sighted cure (more of our money) which will kill the patient. As for blogging at the event, I felt comfortable turning my attention to my Blackberry as the CTA cheerleader was explaining that fellow board members will draw conclusions based upon the tone of my voice and the look on my face rather than the words that I use. I chose the more valuable use of my time at that point.
Incidentally, I should have sent a shot of that lovely bag giving credit to the company which provided it. Piper Jaffray – School Finance.
The CSBA fights to raise taxes and supports legislation which makes it easier to take our money. A quick review of the parcel tax and bond election results for California’s November 2nd election reveals that passage of Prop 39 in 2000 cost voters $1.4 billion in new taxes (Just in Tuesday’s election) as a result of the 28 bonds that passed under the lower 55% threshold which would not have passed under the old 2/3rds threshold. A mere 55% of voters are allowed to tax only property owners. Tragic. The data is gleaned from the California School Boards Association website at: http://aec.csba.org/sitecore/content/Home/NewsAndMedia/Publications/CASchoolNews/BondElectionResults/2010November.aspx
How long until Chris runs for Congress?
That’s not funny.