Fred Kamper--teacher, principal, board
member--protected by school district and
teachers union
member--protected by school district and
teachers union
Ex-teacher vying for school board
By Anne Krueger
Link
San Diego Union Tribune
A former teacher who is running for the Mountain Empire Unified School District board
was accused in a lawsuit of inappropriately touching a 9-year-old girl in his class.
According to court records, the school district last month agreed to a $30,000
settlement with the girl's family, who said Fred Kamper, her teacher at Clover Flat
Elementary School in Boulevard, engaged in “grossly inappropriate and sexual
behavior.”
Kamper took out papers for a seat on the backcountry school district board Aug. 16,
around the time that district lawyers and an attorney for the girl were working out
details of the settlement. He resigned June 23 after more than 25 years with the
district...
The girl's father, who is not being named to protect his daughter's identity, was
shocked to learn that Kamper is running for the school board...
Kamper hung up Tuesday when a reporter called to ask him about the suit. He did not
return subsequent phone calls or an e-mail.
The district's attorney, Daniel Shinoff, filed a blanket denial of the charges in the
lawsuit. Superintendent Patrick Judd declined to talk about the case, referring
questions to Shinoff, who also declined to comment...
In 2005, Kamper served as president of the Mountain
Empire Teachers' Association, which represents about 90
educators.
According to the lawsuit, he once served as principal of Mountain Empire
Junior/Senior High School. He was demoted in 1987 after he made suggestive
comments to a female student about her perfume and licked her arm, the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit alleges he was a third-and fourth-grade math teacher at Clover Flat
Elementary School when the incidents with the girl occurred between August 2003
and Oct. 4, 2004.
The girl said she felt uncomfortable because Kamper made her sit on his lap, touched
and stroked her thighs, hugged her and rubbed her hand. He engaged in the same
behavior with at least four other female students, the lawsuit said...
Sheriff's Sgt. Jim Walker said detectives submitted a charge of misdemeanor child
molestation against Kamper to the District Attorney's Office, but prosecutors
declined to pursue the case.
[Note: Likely reason: Republicans don't want to embarrass Pat Judd and
Democrats don't want to embarrass the teachers union.]
The girl did not tell her parents because Kamper told her not to tell them about
anything that went on in class, the lawsuit said. Her father said he found out only
when he overheard the girl talking with her brother about Kamper.
After the incident was reported, the girl felt harassed and ostracized by other
students who backed Kamper, the lawsuit said. Her parents transferred her to
another school outside the district.
By Anne Krueger
Link
San Diego Union Tribune
A former teacher who is running for the Mountain Empire Unified School District board
was accused in a lawsuit of inappropriately touching a 9-year-old girl in his class.
According to court records, the school district last month agreed to a $30,000
settlement with the girl's family, who said Fred Kamper, her teacher at Clover Flat
Elementary School in Boulevard, engaged in “grossly inappropriate and sexual
behavior.”
Kamper took out papers for a seat on the backcountry school district board Aug. 16,
around the time that district lawyers and an attorney for the girl were working out
details of the settlement. He resigned June 23 after more than 25 years with the
district...
The girl's father, who is not being named to protect his daughter's identity, was
shocked to learn that Kamper is running for the school board...
Kamper hung up Tuesday when a reporter called to ask him about the suit. He did not
return subsequent phone calls or an e-mail.
The district's attorney, Daniel Shinoff, filed a blanket denial of the charges in the
lawsuit. Superintendent Patrick Judd declined to talk about the case, referring
questions to Shinoff, who also declined to comment...
In 2005, Kamper served as president of the Mountain
Empire Teachers' Association, which represents about 90
educators.
According to the lawsuit, he once served as principal of Mountain Empire
Junior/Senior High School. He was demoted in 1987 after he made suggestive
comments to a female student about her perfume and licked her arm, the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit alleges he was a third-and fourth-grade math teacher at Clover Flat
Elementary School when the incidents with the girl occurred between August 2003
and Oct. 4, 2004.
The girl said she felt uncomfortable because Kamper made her sit on his lap, touched
and stroked her thighs, hugged her and rubbed her hand. He engaged in the same
behavior with at least four other female students, the lawsuit said...
Sheriff's Sgt. Jim Walker said detectives submitted a charge of misdemeanor child
molestation against Kamper to the District Attorney's Office, but prosecutors
declined to pursue the case.
[Note: Likely reason: Republicans don't want to embarrass Pat Judd and
Democrats don't want to embarrass the teachers union.]
The girl did not tell her parents because Kamper told her not to tell them about
anything that went on in class, the lawsuit said. Her father said he found out only
when he overheard the girl talking with her brother about Kamper.
After the incident was reported, the girl felt harassed and ostracized by other
students who backed Kamper, the lawsuit said. Her parents transferred her to
another school outside the district.
Fred Kamper was a California Teachers Association leader and a principal.
So when he was accused again and again of inappropriate behavior with
children, both CTA and SDCOE-JPA defended him. He was even elected (with
CTA support) to the school board, but parents forced him out.
So when he was accused again and again of inappropriate behavior with
children, both CTA and SDCOE-JPA defended him. He was even elected (with
CTA support) to the school board, but parents forced him out.
Candidate was sued over girl's charges
Mountain Empire School District, San Diego County
Attorney Daniel Shinoff, Superintendent Patrick
Judd, SDCOE and CTA once again line up together
against kids and parents
Judd, SDCOE and CTA once again line up together
against kids and parents
California Teachers Association (CTA)
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The Kamper case in Mountain Empire School
District (which shares both Patrick Judd and
Dan Shinoff with Chula Vista Elementary School
District) is remarkably similar to case at a school
I taught at in CVESD.
I came into my school auditorium/cafeteria
where teachers were gathering for a meeting. A
girl who looked to me about eight years old was
sitting on the lap of one of the male teachers in
a position of such familiarity that I did a
double-take. I looked around and saw that
none of the teachers exhibited any concern. I
was new at the school, so I assumed they knew
something I didn't know. I concluded that the
girl must be his daughter, here for an
after-school visit.
Later I mentioned to another teacher that this
male teacher had a cute daughter.
"That wasn't his daughter," she told me. "That
was one of his students."
The principal demanded more appropriate
behavior from this teacher.
The teachers, with support from Chula Vista
Educators big wig Jim Groth, submitted a
petition calling the principal mentally ill.
Jim Groth sent me a message through another
teacher that he was not pleased that I did not
sign the petition calling the principal mentally ill.
I believed that a complaint should consist of
specific allegations, not just name calling.
The principal was fired.
Within months, Bob McCarthy, the
superintendent who fired her, was also fired!
This happened around 1990.
District (which shares both Patrick Judd and
Dan Shinoff with Chula Vista Elementary School
District) is remarkably similar to case at a school
I taught at in CVESD.
I came into my school auditorium/cafeteria
where teachers were gathering for a meeting. A
girl who looked to me about eight years old was
sitting on the lap of one of the male teachers in
a position of such familiarity that I did a
double-take. I looked around and saw that
none of the teachers exhibited any concern. I
was new at the school, so I assumed they knew
something I didn't know. I concluded that the
girl must be his daughter, here for an
after-school visit.
Later I mentioned to another teacher that this
male teacher had a cute daughter.
"That wasn't his daughter," she told me. "That
was one of his students."
The principal demanded more appropriate
behavior from this teacher.
The teachers, with support from Chula Vista
Educators big wig Jim Groth, submitted a
petition calling the principal mentally ill.
Jim Groth sent me a message through another
teacher that he was not pleased that I did not
sign the petition calling the principal mentally ill.
I believed that a complaint should consist of
specific allegations, not just name calling.
The principal was fired.
Within months, Bob McCarthy, the
superintendent who fired her, was also fired!
This happened around 1990.
Dec. 16, 2006
California Teachers Association members are proud of
local affiliate president Fred Kamper, who won a seat
last month on the school board of Mountain
Empire Unified School District in San Diego County,
California.
We do not take kindly to the allegations against our
former union president. We will spend all the teacher
dues necessary to protect union leaders from the
consequences of their actions.
In Mr. Kamper's case, he was persecuted because his
lips accidentally touched the arm of a student
whose perfume he was smelling. He was demoted
from principal to teacher.
Then, the district was sued for allowing Kamper
to repeatedly sit a student on his lap and rub her
thighs. The district apparently thought it had
done enough for Kamper when it vehemently
denied his guilt, and paid off the family of the girl
for dropping the lawsuit.
We don't think that was enough.
They forced him to resign, too!
The teachers union wanted Kamper back, and we
got him. He is now on the school board.
He is still being persecuted by parents, but the huge
majority of teachers support him.
CTA leaders in Burlingame can be counted on to back
us up. Barbara Kerr, David Sanchez and Dean
Vogel care about union leaders. They know we
have to stick together and support union leaders
when parents start moaning about their children.
Can you believe that some parents in Mountain Empire
Unified School District actually had tears of rage in their
eyes when Kamper was seated at his first board
meeting?
Parents seem to expect schools to care about kids, but
school management is on a completely separate
level from the students. It actually has very little to
do with the children and their classrooms.
This separation makes it much easier for board
members to make decisions that might impact
negatively on the classroom.
California Teachers Association members are proud of
local affiliate president Fred Kamper, who won a seat
last month on the school board of Mountain
Empire Unified School District in San Diego County,
California.
We do not take kindly to the allegations against our
former union president. We will spend all the teacher
dues necessary to protect union leaders from the
consequences of their actions.
In Mr. Kamper's case, he was persecuted because his
lips accidentally touched the arm of a student
whose perfume he was smelling. He was demoted
from principal to teacher.
Then, the district was sued for allowing Kamper
to repeatedly sit a student on his lap and rub her
thighs. The district apparently thought it had
done enough for Kamper when it vehemently
denied his guilt, and paid off the family of the girl
for dropping the lawsuit.
We don't think that was enough.
They forced him to resign, too!
The teachers union wanted Kamper back, and we
got him. He is now on the school board.
He is still being persecuted by parents, but the huge
majority of teachers support him.
CTA leaders in Burlingame can be counted on to back
us up. Barbara Kerr, David Sanchez and Dean
Vogel care about union leaders. They know we
have to stick together and support union leaders
when parents start moaning about their children.
Can you believe that some parents in Mountain Empire
Unified School District actually had tears of rage in their
eyes when Kamper was seated at his first board
meeting?
Parents seem to expect schools to care about kids, but
school management is on a completely separate
level from the students. It actually has very little to
do with the children and their classrooms.
This separation makes it much easier for board
members to make decisions that might impact
negatively on the classroom.
Although it is a less serious case than the Truitt case, the Fred Kamper case is interesting as a
typcial example of the attitudes of the San Diego County Office of Education--Joint Powers
Authority, its lawyers (Daniel Shinoff and Diane Crosier), its committee members (Patrick
Judd), and the California Teachers Association (CTA).
The SDCOE-JPA and its lawyers give legal instructions to local school districts, which are often
identical to the instructions that come from CTA: attack the victim, and defend the perpetrator
anytime anybody unimportant makes a complaint about someone important. This policy
applies to more than child molestation cases.
typcial example of the attitudes of the San Diego County Office of Education--Joint Powers
Authority, its lawyers (Daniel Shinoff and Diane Crosier), its committee members (Patrick
Judd), and the California Teachers Association (CTA).
The SDCOE-JPA and its lawyers give legal instructions to local school districts, which are often
identical to the instructions that come from CTA: attack the victim, and defend the perpetrator
anytime anybody unimportant makes a complaint about someone important. This policy
applies to more than child molestation cases.
The powerful people mentioned above work together to oppose victims and to support people
to whom they owe political loyalties. The Fred Kamper case was one of many such cases.
to whom they owe political loyalties. The Fred Kamper case was one of many such cases.
How hard is it to get rid of a child molester in our schools?
Very hard, if the perpetrator has political clout in either the district or the California
Teachers Association (CTA). An example of this is the
Very hard, if the perpetrator has political clout in either the district or the California
Teachers Association (CTA). An example of this is the
Another California Teachers Blog post about
Patrick Judd
Monday, June 18, 2007
Patrick Judd gets it right
Pat Judd, superintendent of Mountain Empire
School District, has made it clear that hazing of
students will not be tolerated. On October 30,
2006, twenty freshman football players were led
into a locker room, and had their heads dunked
into a toilet while it was flushing.
Eight perpetrators were suspended for three days,
and placed on social probation for 30 days. This
cost the school some athletic trophies and
concession income from football games.
Judd was right. Schools do NOT have to win
trophies, but they DO have to teach respect for
other human beings. And they DO have to keep
students safe.
So why does Judd cover up hazing of teachers by
teachers? This type of abuse does tremendous
harm to the education system. Abusive teachers
rule the roost, and excellent teachers are forced
out of schools. Kids see it, and learn from it. Judd
was a leader in the cover-up of Castle Park
Elementary School criminal hazing in 2001. He
used hundreds of thousands of tax dollars to hire
lawyers to cover up wrongdoing.
What's the difference between the two cases?
Judd couldn't cover up the toilet dunking. He
thought he could cover up the teacher hazing.
Patrick Judd
Monday, June 18, 2007
Patrick Judd gets it right
Pat Judd, superintendent of Mountain Empire
School District, has made it clear that hazing of
students will not be tolerated. On October 30,
2006, twenty freshman football players were led
into a locker room, and had their heads dunked
into a toilet while it was flushing.
Eight perpetrators were suspended for three days,
and placed on social probation for 30 days. This
cost the school some athletic trophies and
concession income from football games.
Judd was right. Schools do NOT have to win
trophies, but they DO have to teach respect for
other human beings. And they DO have to keep
students safe.
So why does Judd cover up hazing of teachers by
teachers? This type of abuse does tremendous
harm to the education system. Abusive teachers
rule the roost, and excellent teachers are forced
out of schools. Kids see it, and learn from it. Judd
was a leader in the cover-up of Castle Park
Elementary School criminal hazing in 2001. He
used hundreds of thousands of tax dollars to hire
lawyers to cover up wrongdoing.
What's the difference between the two cases?
Judd couldn't cover up the toilet dunking. He
thought he could cover up the teacher hazing.
Here is a follow-up post from California Teachers Blog:
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
CTA loses a favorite son on the Mountain Empire
School Board
It's a sad thing when teachers go to the polls and elect
one of their own as a school board member, but the
parents of the district just won't have it. The CTA local
in Mountain Empire School District east of San Diego
is mourning the loss of its favorite son, Fred Kamper.
He has resigned from the school board because he
didn't want to face parents angered by several
incidents of inappropriate behavior by Kamper with
female students.
CTA can't understand why these parents take things
like this so seriously. Neither can Patrick Judd, the
superintendent who authorized tax money to be paid
to defend Fred Kamper in a lawsuit regarding
child-abuse allegations. After all, what's a little child
abuse in the grand scheme of school politics? When
the accused is a popular teachers union president,
you can't really expect the teachers union to turn
against one of its own, can you? Let's try to focus on
what's important in education.
Lawyer Daniel Shinoff, who represented Fred Kamper
and Patrick Judd in the recent lawsuit, would be a lot
poorer if he weren't paid public money to attack child
abuse victims.
Don't worry, Dan. Your client might not get to serve on
the school board, but there will be plenty of abused
children for you to demean in the future.
What was that you said about the special education
student who was sexually assaulted in Sweetwater
School District? That she wanted it? Nice work, Mr.
Shinoff.
Thanks, Superintendent Randy Ward of San Diego
County Office of Education JPA (SDCOE-JPA) for
maintaining your secret "gentlemen's agreement" with
Mr. Shinoff to represent local school districts in
lawsuits.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
CTA loses a favorite son on the Mountain Empire
School Board
It's a sad thing when teachers go to the polls and elect
one of their own as a school board member, but the
parents of the district just won't have it. The CTA local
in Mountain Empire School District east of San Diego
is mourning the loss of its favorite son, Fred Kamper.
He has resigned from the school board because he
didn't want to face parents angered by several
incidents of inappropriate behavior by Kamper with
female students.
CTA can't understand why these parents take things
like this so seriously. Neither can Patrick Judd, the
superintendent who authorized tax money to be paid
to defend Fred Kamper in a lawsuit regarding
child-abuse allegations. After all, what's a little child
abuse in the grand scheme of school politics? When
the accused is a popular teachers union president,
you can't really expect the teachers union to turn
against one of its own, can you? Let's try to focus on
what's important in education.
Lawyer Daniel Shinoff, who represented Fred Kamper
and Patrick Judd in the recent lawsuit, would be a lot
poorer if he weren't paid public money to attack child
abuse victims.
Don't worry, Dan. Your client might not get to serve on
the school board, but there will be plenty of abused
children for you to demean in the future.
What was that you said about the special education
student who was sexually assaulted in Sweetwater
School District? That she wanted it? Nice work, Mr.
Shinoff.
Thanks, Superintendent Randy Ward of San Diego
County Office of Education JPA (SDCOE-JPA) for
maintaining your secret "gentlemen's agreement" with
Mr. Shinoff to represent local school districts in
lawsuits.
| A principal was fired in Chula Vista for expressing concern about inappropriate behavior by a teacher |
| Teacher Fred Kamper was a member of the teacher union ascendancy, so immediately the new principal who questioned his actions came under attack. |
| Mountain Empire School District |
| Chula Vista Elementary School District |
From San Diego Education Report Blog:
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Superintendent Patrick Judd keeps trying to
distance himself from those he defended with
taxpayer dollars
Poor Patrick Judd can't seem to figure out why
he has so many problems.
He makes alliances with a small number of
employees, and all too often these friends of
his turn out to be individuals whose behavior
leaves much to be desired. He figures all will
be well, since he is willing to reach deep into
the pockets of taxpayers to defend these
individuals.
Then he thinks he can forget all about these
alliances.
Judd has two jobs: superintendent of
Mountain Empire Unified School District, and
board member of Chula Vista Elementary
School District. His modus operandi seems to
be the same in both districts.
In Chula Vista Elementary School District,
Judd spent hundreds of thousands of
taxpayer dollars to defend teacher Robin
Donlan and her co-conspirators, who
engaged in illegal activity at Castle Park
Elementary. Judd refused to testify in that
case.
Afterwards, the district decided Donlan had
caused enough trouble, and transferred her
to another school.
Here's where Judd's problems started. After
he helped defend the actions of Donlan and
her friends at Castle Park Elementary, he
found that Donlan had become more powerful
than he himself! Donlan, who for many years
has been a close personal friend of Gina
Boyd (teachers union president and
co-defendant in the Donlan case), got Chula
Vista Educators to fight for Donlan's right to
stay at Castle Park.
Pat Judd then spent still more taxpayer dollars
trying to reassert control over Castle Park
Elementary--and lost.
It's not as easy as you expected to leave
behind your alliances with wrongdoers, is it,
Mr. Judd?
Mr. Judd has a remarkably similar problem at
Mountain Empire. He enlisted the services of
Daniel Shinoff, the very same lawyer he hired
in Chula Vista, to defend Fred Kamper, a
teacher who was accused of inappropriately
touching a nine-year-old girl. In addition to
passing out tax dollars to his favorite lawyer,
Judd also paid out $30,000 to the girl's family.
The Union Tribune reports: "The girl said she
felt uncomfortable because Kamper made her
sit on his lap, touched and stroked her thighs,
hugged her and rubbed her hand. He
engaged in the same behavior with at least
four other female students, the lawsuit
said...The girl did not tell her parents because
Kamper told her not to tell them about
anything that went on in class, the lawsuit
said. Her father said he found out only when
he overheard the girl talking with her brother
about Kamper."
Fred Kamper, it turns out, was President of
Mountain Empire Teacher's Association.
It's starting to look like a pattern, isn't it?
When Judd, who is famously anti-union, turns
up in bed with the Teachers Association, it's a
good bet that the reason is that both Judd
and the Association have something they
want to cover up.
It appears that Judd has created another
monster, Kamper, similar to the "Castle Park
family" that he helped create in Chula Vista.
Fred Kamper, with the endorsement of the
East County Democratic Club and the support
of the Teachers Association, won the
November 2006 Mountain Empire school
board race by a landslide! He's now Judd's
boss, until Judd spends enough taxpayer
dollars to get rid of him.
It gets worse.
The San Diego Union Tribune reports that
"after the [Kamper] incident was reported, the
girl felt harassed and ostracized by other
students who backed Kamper, the lawsuit
said. Her parents transferred her to another
school outside the district."
This sort of aggressive behavior has also
been permitted in Judd's other district, Chula
Vista Elementary, where a Heritage
Elementary girl recently left the school as a
result of harassment from supporters of the
school board who were angry at her father
and other parents and community members
who criticized the board. It should surprise no
one that the teachers union, Chula Vista
Educators, was also negative toward the
parents and community members.
I've never met him, but I imagine Kamper must
be a charming guy, and good at playing
politics. Apparently, his inappropriate
behavior goes way back. It appears he was
demoted from his position as principal in 1987
after he made suggestive comments to a
female student about her perfume and licked
her arm.
It is amazing how many school board-teacher
union alliances have resulted in support of
abusers rather than victims. It's also amazing
how many of these abusers in San Diego
County are defended by Dan Shinoff. One
wonders if Shinoff ever defends the innocent.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Superintendent Patrick Judd keeps trying to
distance himself from those he defended with
taxpayer dollars
Poor Patrick Judd can't seem to figure out why
he has so many problems.
He makes alliances with a small number of
employees, and all too often these friends of
his turn out to be individuals whose behavior
leaves much to be desired. He figures all will
be well, since he is willing to reach deep into
the pockets of taxpayers to defend these
individuals.
Then he thinks he can forget all about these
alliances.
Judd has two jobs: superintendent of
Mountain Empire Unified School District, and
board member of Chula Vista Elementary
School District. His modus operandi seems to
be the same in both districts.
In Chula Vista Elementary School District,
Judd spent hundreds of thousands of
taxpayer dollars to defend teacher Robin
Donlan and her co-conspirators, who
engaged in illegal activity at Castle Park
Elementary. Judd refused to testify in that
case.
Afterwards, the district decided Donlan had
caused enough trouble, and transferred her
to another school.
Here's where Judd's problems started. After
he helped defend the actions of Donlan and
her friends at Castle Park Elementary, he
found that Donlan had become more powerful
than he himself! Donlan, who for many years
has been a close personal friend of Gina
Boyd (teachers union president and
co-defendant in the Donlan case), got Chula
Vista Educators to fight for Donlan's right to
stay at Castle Park.
Pat Judd then spent still more taxpayer dollars
trying to reassert control over Castle Park
Elementary--and lost.
It's not as easy as you expected to leave
behind your alliances with wrongdoers, is it,
Mr. Judd?
Mr. Judd has a remarkably similar problem at
Mountain Empire. He enlisted the services of
Daniel Shinoff, the very same lawyer he hired
in Chula Vista, to defend Fred Kamper, a
teacher who was accused of inappropriately
touching a nine-year-old girl. In addition to
passing out tax dollars to his favorite lawyer,
Judd also paid out $30,000 to the girl's family.
The Union Tribune reports: "The girl said she
felt uncomfortable because Kamper made her
sit on his lap, touched and stroked her thighs,
hugged her and rubbed her hand. He
engaged in the same behavior with at least
four other female students, the lawsuit
said...The girl did not tell her parents because
Kamper told her not to tell them about
anything that went on in class, the lawsuit
said. Her father said he found out only when
he overheard the girl talking with her brother
about Kamper."
Fred Kamper, it turns out, was President of
Mountain Empire Teacher's Association.
It's starting to look like a pattern, isn't it?
When Judd, who is famously anti-union, turns
up in bed with the Teachers Association, it's a
good bet that the reason is that both Judd
and the Association have something they
want to cover up.
It appears that Judd has created another
monster, Kamper, similar to the "Castle Park
family" that he helped create in Chula Vista.
Fred Kamper, with the endorsement of the
East County Democratic Club and the support
of the Teachers Association, won the
November 2006 Mountain Empire school
board race by a landslide! He's now Judd's
boss, until Judd spends enough taxpayer
dollars to get rid of him.
It gets worse.
The San Diego Union Tribune reports that
"after the [Kamper] incident was reported, the
girl felt harassed and ostracized by other
students who backed Kamper, the lawsuit
said. Her parents transferred her to another
school outside the district."
This sort of aggressive behavior has also
been permitted in Judd's other district, Chula
Vista Elementary, where a Heritage
Elementary girl recently left the school as a
result of harassment from supporters of the
school board who were angry at her father
and other parents and community members
who criticized the board. It should surprise no
one that the teachers union, Chula Vista
Educators, was also negative toward the
parents and community members.
I've never met him, but I imagine Kamper must
be a charming guy, and good at playing
politics. Apparently, his inappropriate
behavior goes way back. It appears he was
demoted from his position as principal in 1987
after he made suggestive comments to a
female student about her perfume and licked
her arm.
It is amazing how many school board-teacher
union alliances have resulted in support of
abusers rather than victims. It's also amazing
how many of these abusers in San Diego
County are defended by Dan Shinoff. One
wonders if Shinoff ever defends the innocent.
| Does deal let former teacher be on board? http://www.signonsandiego. com/news/education/20061207-9999-2m7kamper.html By Anne Krueger UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER December 7, 2006 Teacher Fred Kamper resigned from the Mountain Empire Unified School District in June after he was accused of inappropriately touching a 9-year-old girl in his class. Next week, Kamper will return to the backcountry district as a newly elected member of its school board. Fred Kamper Kamper got 60 percent of the vote in the sparsely- populated district last month, receiving 1,739 votes against Ralph Davis, a former school board member who received 1,150 votes. He is to be sworn in Wednesday. Kamper, a Mountain Empire employee for 26 years, has a long history of lawsuits and disciplinary actions. With his election, attorneys for the district are studying whether he's eligible to serve on the board. Kamper, 56, did not return phone calls from a reporter, and has previously said he is not allowed to talk about litigation. Superintendent Patrick Judd declined to comment. The Mountain Empire district covers 665 square miles of East County's backcountry. It has about 1,750 students attending six elementary schools, a middle and high school, and four alternative schools. Attorneys for the district are studying whether Kamper's service on the board would violate a resignation agreement requiring him to quit all district committees and organizations. He also agreed not to be a district employee or consultant. AdvertisementKamper agreed to resign from his job at Clover Flat Elementary School after he was named in a lawsuit filed by parents of a girl in his math class. According to the lawsuit, the girl felt uncomfortable because Kamper made her sit on his lap, touched and stroked her thighs, hugged her and rubbed her hand. Sheriff's detectives said they submitted a charge of misdemeanor child molestation to the District Attorney's Office, but prosecutors declined to pursue the case. The civil suit was settled in August, with the school district paying $30,000 to the girl's family. Board meeting The Mountain Empire Unified School District board is to meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Mountain Empire High School, 3291 Buckman Springs Road, Pine Valley. Fred Kamper, Beryl Buchanan, Danny Nunez and Kenneth Northcote are to be sworn in for four-year terms. In a campaign mailer sent to voters just before the election, Kamper said he was the subject of false accusations. He said he stopped teaching for financial reasons, and he couldn't afford to fight the lawsuit. “This would have financially buried my family,” Kamper's mailer stated. “I could not let this happen to my wife and children.” Along with Kamper, park ranger Beryl Buchanan and sheriff's Deputy Danny Nunez were elected to the seven-member board. Kenneth Northcote, a board member for 12 years, was re-elected. Davis, Kamper's election opponent, said he believes Kamper ran for the board to avenge the loss of his job. “Mr. Kamper will be a thorn in the superintendent's side,” Davis said. Davis was a board member for 16 years until he lost in 2002. Board member Trina Ambrose said she thought voters favored Kamper because they didn't want Davis back on the board. “I just don't think people wanted more of the same from Ralph Davis,” Ambrose said. Northcote declined to comment, and other board members did not return phone calls. Despite Kamper's decisive win, several area residents said they were disturbed that he is slated to join the school board. “From what I've heard, I don't think he should be around children,” said Tom Lindenmeyer of Jacumba. Jim Blanks, whose 10-year-old son attends Clover Flat school, said he voted against Kamper after learning of the allegations from a news report. “In a school situation, even if it's not true, there's just too much of that going around,” he said. “But if he's innocent, I hate to see anybody suffer.” The San Diego Union-Tribune obtained a copy of Kamper's resignation agreement after filing a public records request. The agreement noted that Kamper contested the allegations but agreed to resign. The agreement said the district had already reported the incident to the state agency that governs teacher credentialing. Kamper still has a valid teaching credential. A spokeswoman for the agency said she could not comment. The incident that led to Kamper's resignation is the latest in a lengthy history since he began working in the Mountain Empire district in 1980. In 1987, Kamper, then-principal of Mountain Empire High School, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of child molestation, one count of indecent exposure and one count of simple battery. The case fell apart when it went to trial. A judge threw out two charges and jurors acquitted him of the others. Some jurors wondered why the case ever went to court. One count alleged that Kamper licked a 17-year-old girl's arm, although he said his lips accidentally brushed against her. Another charge involved his allegedly making a suggestive comment to a group of girls, and a third alleged that he exposed himself to his secretary when she entered a men's restroom looking for him. After the acquittals, Kamper was demoted from principal to a math teacher at the junior high school. Kamper filed a lawsuit in federal court against the school district and the sheriff's deputy who investigated his case. The school district settled before trial, but jurors rejected Kamper's claim that the deputy violated his civil rights. Kamper again came to the attention of district officials in 1995, when he was suspended after a search for drugs on two boys at the high school, who were ordered to drop their pants and allow Kamper to pat their shorts. District officials said the search was improper. Kamper received a strong reprimand, but said he was told to conduct the search by the school's acting principal. The principal was fired as a result. Kamper was then transferred from Mountain Empire High School to Jacumba Elementary School. Kamper claimed the transfer occurred because he was active in the teacher's union; the school district said the funding for his job at the high school had run out. Kamper successfully appealed to the state Public Employment Relations Board, which ruled that the transfer was retaliatory. The board ordered the district to rescind the transfer and compensate Kamper for the costs of commuting to Jacumba. Kamper filed a lawsuit against the district, claiming it tried to force him from his job. The case was dismissed in May 1999. The district paid no money, but agreed to comply with the state education code regarding the handling of documents in Kamper's file. Board member Ambrose said she couldn't talk about the litigation involving Kamper. She said she'll withhold judgment until he joins the board. “I'm remaining open-minded,” she said. Anne Krueger: (619) 593-4962; anne. krueger@uniontrib.com |
http://www.signonsandiego.
com/uniontrib/20060922/news_2m22kamper.html
By Anne Krueger
STAFF WRITER
September 22, 2006
A former teacher who is running for the Mountain Empire Unified
School District board was accused in a lawsuit of inappropriately
touching a 9-year-old girl in his class.
According to court records, the school district last month agreed
to a $30,000 settlement with the girl's family, who said Fred
Kamper, her teacher at Clover Flat Elementary School in
Boulevard, engaged in “grossly inappropriate and sexual
behavior.”
AdvertisementKamper took out papers for a seat on the
backcountry school district board Aug. 16, around the time that
district lawyers and an attorney for the girl were working out
details of the settlement. He resigned June 23 after more than 25
years with the district.
Kamper's opponent for the seat, gaming inspector Ralph Davis,
first mentioned the lawsuit to a reporter and said he is concerned
that Kamper may want a seat on the board to get back at school
officials.
“He is not a person that needs to be in a position where he's on
the school board,” said Davis, who was a school board member
for 16 years until he was defeated in 2002.
The girl's father, who is not being named to protect his
daughter's identity, was shocked to learn that Kamper is running
for the school board.
“For him to be in charge of decision-making, that would be
terrible,” the father said.
Kamper hung up Tuesday when a reporter called to ask him
about the suit. He did not return subsequent phone calls or an e-
mail.
The district's attorney, Daniel Shinoff, filed a blanket denial of the
charges in the lawsuit. Superintendent Patrick Judd declined to
talk about the case, referring questions to Shinoff, who also
declined to comment.
The Mountain Empire Unified School District serves 665 square
miles of East County's backcountry. It has about 1,750 students
attending six elementary schools, a middle and high school, and
four alternative schools.
In 2005, Kamper served as president of the Mountain Empire
Teachers' Association, which represents about 90 educators.
According to the lawsuit, he once served as principal of Mountain
Empire Junior/Senior High School. He was demoted in 1987
after he made suggestive comments to a female student about
her perfume and licked her arm, the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit alleges he was a third-and fourth-grade math
teacher at Clover Flat Elementary School when the incidents with
the girl occurred between August 2003 and Oct. 4, 2004.
The girl said she felt uncomfortable because Kamper made her
sit on his lap, touched and stroked her thighs, hugged her and
rubbed her hand. He engaged in the same behavior with at least
four other female students, the lawsuit said.
The other students were not named in the lawsuit.
Sheriff's Sgt. Jim Walker said detectives submitted a charge of
misdemeanor child molestation against Kamper to the District
Attorney's Office, but prosecutors declined to pursue the case.
The girl did not tell her parents because Kamper told her not to
tell them about anything that went on in class, the lawsuit said.
Her father said he found out only when he overheard the girl
talking with her brother about Kamper.
After the incident was reported, the girl felt harassed and
ostracized by other students who backed Kamper, the lawsuit
said. Her parents transferred her to another school outside the
district.
Anne Krueger: (619) 593-4962; anne.krueger@uniontrib.com
com/uniontrib/20060922/news_2m22kamper.html
By Anne Krueger
STAFF WRITER
September 22, 2006
A former teacher who is running for the Mountain Empire Unified
School District board was accused in a lawsuit of inappropriately
touching a 9-year-old girl in his class.
According to court records, the school district last month agreed
to a $30,000 settlement with the girl's family, who said Fred
Kamper, her teacher at Clover Flat Elementary School in
Boulevard, engaged in “grossly inappropriate and sexual
behavior.”
AdvertisementKamper took out papers for a seat on the
backcountry school district board Aug. 16, around the time that
district lawyers and an attorney for the girl were working out
details of the settlement. He resigned June 23 after more than 25
years with the district.
Kamper's opponent for the seat, gaming inspector Ralph Davis,
first mentioned the lawsuit to a reporter and said he is concerned
that Kamper may want a seat on the board to get back at school
officials.
“He is not a person that needs to be in a position where he's on
the school board,” said Davis, who was a school board member
for 16 years until he was defeated in 2002.
The girl's father, who is not being named to protect his
daughter's identity, was shocked to learn that Kamper is running
for the school board.
“For him to be in charge of decision-making, that would be
terrible,” the father said.
Kamper hung up Tuesday when a reporter called to ask him
about the suit. He did not return subsequent phone calls or an e-
mail.
The district's attorney, Daniel Shinoff, filed a blanket denial of the
charges in the lawsuit. Superintendent Patrick Judd declined to
talk about the case, referring questions to Shinoff, who also
declined to comment.
The Mountain Empire Unified School District serves 665 square
miles of East County's backcountry. It has about 1,750 students
attending six elementary schools, a middle and high school, and
four alternative schools.
In 2005, Kamper served as president of the Mountain Empire
Teachers' Association, which represents about 90 educators.
According to the lawsuit, he once served as principal of Mountain
Empire Junior/Senior High School. He was demoted in 1987
after he made suggestive comments to a female student about
her perfume and licked her arm, the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit alleges he was a third-and fourth-grade math
teacher at Clover Flat Elementary School when the incidents with
the girl occurred between August 2003 and Oct. 4, 2004.
The girl said she felt uncomfortable because Kamper made her
sit on his lap, touched and stroked her thighs, hugged her and
rubbed her hand. He engaged in the same behavior with at least
four other female students, the lawsuit said.
The other students were not named in the lawsuit.
Sheriff's Sgt. Jim Walker said detectives submitted a charge of
misdemeanor child molestation against Kamper to the District
Attorney's Office, but prosecutors declined to pursue the case.
The girl did not tell her parents because Kamper told her not to
tell them about anything that went on in class, the lawsuit said.
Her father said he found out only when he overheard the girl
talking with her brother about Kamper.
After the incident was reported, the girl felt harassed and
ostracized by other students who backed Kamper, the lawsuit
said. Her parents transferred her to another school outside the
district.
Anne Krueger: (619) 593-4962; anne.krueger@uniontrib.com
Patrick Judd, superintendent of Mountain Empire School District, board member of CVESD, and
SDCOE-JPA committee member, has worked with attorney Daniel Shinoff to attack the victims and defend the
perpetrators policy in Mountain Empire, Chula Vista Elementary, and many other school districts, many of which
now have serious legal problems.
SDCOE-JPA committee member, has worked with attorney Daniel Shinoff to attack the victims and defend the
perpetrators policy in Mountain Empire, Chula Vista Elementary, and many other school districts, many of which
now have serious legal problems.
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| Lawsuits involving Daniel Shinoff |
Here's a link to a Channel 10 television story about Mr. Kamper.
Why This Website
Stutz Artiano Shinoff
& Holtz v. Maura
Larkins defamation
SDCOE
CVESD
Castle Park
Elementary School
Law Enforcement
CTA
CVE
Stutz Artiano Shinoff
& Holtz
Silence is Golden
Schools and Violence
Office Admin Hearings
Larkins OAH Hearing
Stutz Artiano Shinoff
& Holtz v. Maura
Larkins defamation
SDCOE
CVESD
Castle Park
Elementary School
Law Enforcement
CTA
CVE
Stutz Artiano Shinoff
& Holtz
Silence is Golden
Schools and Violence
Office Admin Hearings
Larkins OAH Hearing
| San Diego Education Report |
| SDER |
San Diego
Education Report
Education Report
| SDER |
| SDER |
| SDER |
California Commission on Teacher
Credentialing suspend Fred
Kamper
June 2007
KAMPER, Lowell F, Jr.
Campo, CA
All certification documents under
the jurisdiction of the California
Commission on Teacher
Credentialing are suspended for a
period of thirty (30) days for
misconduct pursuant to
Education Code section 44421,
effective immediately.
Credentialing suspend Fred
Kamper
June 2007
KAMPER, Lowell F, Jr.
Campo, CA
All certification documents under
the jurisdiction of the California
Commission on Teacher
Credentialing are suspended for a
period of thirty (30) days for
misconduct pursuant to
Education Code section 44421,
effective immediately.