And the U-T
endorsement
goes to ...
By San Diego Union-
Tribune
April 28, 2010
...But just who is the
editorial board,
anyway? And how are
its endorsements
decided? The board is
composed of
Ed Moss, the
publisher;
Jeff Light, the editor;
William Osborne,
the managing editor for
editorials and opinion;
Dialogue editor Pat
Flynn,
editorial writers Chris
Reed,
Ruben Navarrette
Jr. [Maura Larkins' note:
Navarrette was fired shortly
after this was written] and
Don Sevrens;
and editorial cartoonist
Steve Breen.
Ultimately responsible for
virtually everything at the
Union-Tribune, Moss pays
attention without playing a
heavy hand. Light does not
tell the board who or what
to endorse so much as he
insists we have clear and
transparent standards for
our endorsements. This
explanation, in fact, was
his good idea.
The decisions the board
makes are based largely
on these questions:
• Is the candidate
qualified? What is his or
her educational and
occupational background
and how would that help in
understanding issues and
the workings of
government?
• Has the candidate been
actively involved in volunteer
organizations,
demonstrating a
commitment to his or her
community?
• Does the candidate have
solid knowledge and an
understanding of the
issues that he or she
would be deciding if
elected?
• If a candidate is an
incumbent or has
previously held public
office, what did he or she
accomplish? Did they
serve their constituents
well, responding quickly
and diligently to complaints
and questions?
• In community
organizations or in office,
has the candidate
demonstrated integrity and
a sense of ethics,
leadership and an ability to
work with others across
philosophical lines?
• Particularly if the
candidate is a political
newcomer, has he or she
done the political spade
work necessary to
demonstrate public
support giving him or her a
chance to compete, or is
the candidate merely
seeking attention or a
soapbox?
• Finally, what is the
candidate’s core political
philosophy? Regardless of
party affiliation, is he or she
in the philosophical
mainstream, or on the
fringe?
In some nonpartisan
races, the board may
decide not to endorse any
candidate, or to defer an
endorsement until the fall
general election. In the
statewide partisan races,
as well as the campaigns
for congressional and
state legislative districts
covering San Diego
County, the board will defer
all endorsements until the
general election.
For an ongoing look at
Union-Tribune
endorsements for the
primary election on June 8,
please go online to
uniontrib.com/election2010.
— William Osborne
Managing editor/editorials
and opinion
San Diego Education
Report
|
San Diego Union-Tribune
La Prensa
Sept. 17, 2004 School
Board Demonstration by
Castle Park Five
Search committee had Escobedo subordinates
Two members of superintendent selection group are employees of the sole
finalist
The Watchdog Blog, San Diego Union-Tribune
By Ashly McGlone
August 4, 2010
1988-1993: Teacher at Imperial Beach Elementary School in South Bay Union School District
1993-1996: Assitant principal at Berry Elementary in South Bay Union School District
1996-2000: Principal of John A. Otis School in the National School District
2000-2005: Principal at the charter Feaster-Edison Elementary, now known as Feaster
Elementary in the Chula Vista Elementary School District
2003-2006: Regional vice president of achievement and operations for the educational
management firm Edison Schools
2007-2009: Principal research analyst for the American Institutes of Research
2006-present: Assistant superintendent of educational leadership at South Bay Union School
District
Journalism that upholds the public trust, regularly
[Maura Larkins comment: Journalism that upholds the public trust? This
story did not uphold the public trust, failing to note that Lowell Billings
was hired without any search at all, and that Lowell Billings, who is a
board member at The Accelerated School in Los Angeles (TAS), hired his
boss, former CVESD board member Patrick Judd. In addition, Billings
and the TAS board are conducting a search for a TAS superintendent--in
secret! The SDUT has an obligation to give this pertinent information
about the person it is quoting so liberally regarding the process of
hiring a superintendent.]
Chula Vista superintendent candidate had inside track
The sole finalist to be the superintendent of Chula Vista Elementary School District had more
than one of his employees involved in the selection process.
The parent representative on the five-person search committee, Glendora Tremper, is an
employee at South Bay Union School District, where she works as student support service
coordinator, The Watchdog has learned.
Tremper reports to Russell Coronado, an administrator at South Bay who is also the
president of the Chula Vista elementary board.
As The Watchdog reported Monday, Coronado reports to Francisco Escobedo, 49. Both men
say there is no conflict of interest in Coronado’s advocacy to have his South Bay boss take
over as superintendent at the Chula Vista district.
Also on the search committee is Harborside Elementary Principal Matt Tessier, who was vice
principal of Feaster-Edison Elementary Charter School when Escobedo served as principal at
that Chula Vista Elementary school from 2000 to 2005. The school is now known as Feaster
Charter School.
According to outgoing Superintendent Lowell Billings, the principals selected Tessier as their
representative at a principals-only meeting. As for Tremper, she was selected by the
Superintendent Parent Advisory Committee. She did not return a phone call.
The board is not required to have a search committee, Billings said, but throughout the
process, “It was their desire to be inclusive and reach out to the community.”
Escobedo said he was unaware of how the search committee members were selected.
Anthony Millican, spokesman for the district, said that everyone at his workplace was aware of
the ties between Escobedo and the members of the search committee. He said none of them
saw any reason the relationships would be newsworthy.
But Joanne Marugg, 70, of Alpine, is concerned about the web of connections, given that the
public was not informed about them until The Watchdog report. Marugg taught in the district
for 40 years, most recently at Mueller Charter School 10 years ago. She said she and her
retired colleagues were outraged to learn about the relationships between Escobedo and the
search committee members.
Marugg said she knows one of the candidates who was left out in the cold and says he was
highly qualified.
“You’d like to see the district knowing that another person that was a qualified candidate was
considered,” she said. “It just seems like this got punched through. This isn’t right.”
According to a timeline posted on the district website, the new superintendent will start work
in September, but Billings won’t actually depart until the end of December.
The pay for the new superintendent has not been set, but Billings is paid $247,000 a year. At
that rate, he would be paid $82,000 to serve concurrently with his replacement.
Marugg said the redundancy is inexcusable given the district’s budget situation.
“They are going to be collaborating together for four months, and yet we have these budget
constraints out there now and we have people out in the classroom directly affecting children
who have been pulled out of their positions because you don’t have the money,” Marugg said.
“To say we’ve got to save money because of cuts in the budget, but on the other side the
superintendents have those outrageous salaries, its’ not right.”
Jim Groth, former teacher’s union president for the Chula Vista Elementary District, said “I am
very concerned at the overlap. That is a very uncommon process. You have some overlap. But
four months, especially someone already familiar with the district, that’s totally, completely
uncommon and unnecessary,” he said. “How can you justify raising class sizes, employees
working in the district give up five furlough days, but then the district turns around and says we
have money for two district superintendents for four months?”
Billings said the overlap is not abnormal and brings benefits in terms of an orderly transition.
“Too often, districts end up with the wrong person and end up with more tumultuous results,
and public buyout and a tremendous waste of public money,” said Billings. “[Escobedo]
understands the culture of this district and how it operates. But he has been away for a
number of years.”
During the district’s search for Billings’ replacement, input was also requested from the
community via a survey and two community forums that asked what qualities were important
in a superintendent. Indicated to be of utmost importance was having “the courage to fight for
what’s right for our children.”
“I think [the Board’s] interest is to make sure this is a very smooth and easy transition. We are
a $185 million dollar business. Now is not the time where one wants to make missteps,
because those are very costly in the academic well-being of the children,” Billings said.
The board plans to hold a special meeting to consider Escobedo’s appointment some time
before the regularly scheduled meeting on Aug. 17.
Even though Coronado has participated all along, and said there is no conflict of interest, the
board president said he plans to abstain on the board’s final consideration of whether to hire
his boss.
After the initial Watchdog report, Escobedo said he’s moving on.
“I am really concentrated on doing an excellent job in Chula Vista, so that is where my focus is
at,” he said.
*
*
[COMMENTS]
socaljack [Moderator] 1 day ago
If Escobedo is truly a "highly qualified" candidate - found after an exhaustive search for the
best, as put forward - then why in the world would he need to hold Dr. Billings hand for 4
months! That is completely insane! If he (or any other candidate for that matter) is the best
and most qualified candidate out there, shouldn't he/she be able to start after a short
transition of, say 2 weeks?
Paying double quarter million dollar salaries for 4 months is simply saying that the new
candidate needs on the job training - thus not worthy of being a superintendent. If they're
qualified, they're qualified. Can wait to see the vast wisdom to be handed down from the mind
of Dr. Billings. BTW, was the public ever told of the costs of the "search?" I think that should be
publicly stated. Even with the shaky ethics involved with the choice of Escobedo, I believe that
he is the best choice when compared to the other 2 finalists - they were not good!
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1 person liked this. Like Reply Reply
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sosocal [Moderator] 3 days ago
"Understands the culture" of this district...but needs babysitting for 4 MONTHS? Really? Will
Billings be cutting up his food and feeding Escobedo as well? And we need to pay two
overblown salaries at the same time? I think not. Time for massive change. Time for the
teachers in the Chula Vista Elementary School District to stand up for themselves and their
students. They have had to take pay cut after pay cut--this is horrific!!!
Flag
5 people liked this. Like Reply Reply
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twolips [Moderator] 4 days ago
"Anthony Millican, spokesman for the district, said that everyone at his workplace was aware
of the ties between Escobedo and the members of the search committee. He said none of
them saw any reason the relationships would be newsworthy."
"newsworthy"?! how about ETHICAL or LEGAL? how about just plain dumb.
ms. mcglone, be nice to see a followup story which includes comments from the fppc. don't
let go of this one too soon. thank you-
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dwolfe [Moderator] 4 days ago
And his Brother earl and his other brother Earl and his second cousin on his mother's side
named Earl, and the comedy of errors runs AMUCK in the south bay education system. Is this
guy by any chance related to Lowell Billings too??? Seems like he's related to everybody else.
Flag
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CVblogger [Moderator] 4 days ago
This just smells of political payback. Coronado and his employes have benefited from
promoitions and raises given by Escobedo, which means BIG future pension retirements.
Now these two employees are helping their boss get a promotion himself.
If there is no conflict, why didn;t these people just make the relationships public BEFORE they
selected him, or why didn't they chose other unrelated people for the selection committee???
IT'S TIME TO START OVER AGAIN!!!!
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ChallengetheStatusQuo [Moderator] 4 days ago
This is a conflict of interest, pure and simple. It violates both the spirit and the letter of the law
designed to prevent even the perception of influence in the decision process. The search
process should be restarted. If not, the Fair Political Practices Commission should
investigate.
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twolips [Moderator] 4 days ago
okay, now that the lights have been turned on it'll be interesting to see what all the
cockroaches do.
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2 people liked this. Like Reply Reply
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kch69 [Moderator] 4 days ago
Only thing I don't like is having two supts. on at the same time.
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3 people liked this. Like Reply Reply
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sunnysd92101 [Moderator] 4 days ago
You just can't please all of the people all of the time...
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cvpvfan1 [Moderator] 4 days ago
Correct me if I'm wrong, but once Escobedo has this new position, he will resign from South
Bay Union School District, so there will be no potential conflicts. Also, who better to judge his
capability for this position than those who have worked directly with him.
Flag
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dwolfe [Moderator] 4 days ago in reply to cvpvfan1
According to the original article about this selection, you are right and need to be corrected
because you are wrong. The original article said that he would hold both positions at the
same time. That is what made me question how that is possible since the 2 districts
compete for State and Federal funding, grants, ect.
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cvpvfan1 [Moderator] 3 days ago in reply to dwolfe
dwolfe, I just re-read the original article & did not see any indication that he intends to work
both concurrently. Could you please copy & paste what you read here. Thanks.
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dwolfe [Moderator] 3 days ago in reply to cvpvfan1
I couldn't pull up the old article, but it was earlier this week I believe, if you know how to search
for it.
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sosocal [Moderator] 4 days ago in reply to cvpvfan1
Ordinarily I would agree with you,but if you take a closer look at this gentleman's resume, you
will see that he held two positions simultaneously for a few years!! You can't just assume
people will act in what is generally considered to be the normal and responsible way.
Unfortunately.
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chulababy [Moderator] 3 days ago in reply to sosocal
Ultimately, due to the ethical violations, it is time for the Chula Vista Elementary School District
and community of Chula Vista to take a hard look at the process and determine if this is the
type of dishonesty they wish to passively agree to by not disputing it. If we are willing to be
lead by a President, Mr.Coronado, who is dishonest enough to think he would not get caught
in this violation, then we are in big trouble. We cannot let it die down and ignore it, we have at
least four months to find another candidate. By the way, aren't Board Presidents supposed to
live in the community they serve? Check that one out, and dig deep.
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cvpvfan1 [Moderator] 3 days ago in reply to chulababy
Chulababy, I'm not sure what you're trying to insinuate, but the Board President lives in Chula
Vista--in the district--& has since before he was elected to the Board. It's not difficult to locate
that info. Also, I recall his campaign literature which said he was the only candidate for the
board that year with children attending a school in the district. If you have something to say,
don't beat around the bush--tell us.
San Diego
Union-Tribune
I apologize for my
August mistake about
how the SDUT
published comments.
I've erased this page,
and am working on a
full explanation. I
mistakenly thought I
posted a comment on
one web page of the
SDUT, but I had
actually posted my
comment on another
page. I kept looking
at the first page (the
one that had
everyone else's
comments), waiting to
see my comment, and,
of course, my
comment never
appeared.