Oh No! Teacher Performance Analyzed

Last week the LA Times released an in-depth analysis of LAUSD teacher performance data which shows a wide variance in teacher quality that can greatly detract from a child’s education.

The analysis angered the teachers unions, who have spent decades lobbying to hide teacher performance data from the public in order to protect bad teachers. As retribution for the LA Times’ disclosure of public information, the unions are attempting to organize a boycott of the newspaper.

State Assemblyman Chris Norby, who was a teacher himself for 17 years, sent out an email blast encouraging these disclosures and asking the public to pay attention to this story.

“Shielding poor-performing teachers hurt both the kids and the teacher. Recognizing and emulating high performers will help us all,” wrote Norby. He also highlighted another major find in the report: the discovery that the educational disparity between  teachers within a given school is much greater than disparities between schools, suggesting that education can best be encouraged by holding teachers more accountable, rather than just pouring money into under-performing schools.

Perhaps someone will attempt disclosure and analysis of teacher performance in Fullerton school districts, although the unions would probably fight it every step of the way. For the good of the children, of course. What we really need are school boards and state legislators who will fight union efforts to coddle bad teachers.

Bruce Whitaker Aims for Shawn Nelson’s Seat

Bruce Whitaker has officially filed papers for the 2-year city council seat previously held by Supervisor Shawn Nelson.

The two-race situation has generated plenty of speculation as to which candidates will face each other for the separate seats. With Bruce being one of the strongest contenders, this action may solidify the choices of other candidates.

Whitaker has already received the endorsements of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, Assemblyman Chris Norby, Congressman Ed Royce and Supervisor Shawn Nelson.

Bruce’s campaign is having a kickoff party this weekend. Contact the campaign at ElectBruceWhitaker@live.com for details.

Where’s Our Park?

Hey, man, where's the park?

The north part of Orange County has a notorious lack of parks and open space. And while the County of Orange spends millions on its park system annually, including vast tracts of parkland in south county, and even on the Harbor Patrol in the wealthy enclave of Newport Beach, us taxpayers up north get almost nothing. We have Craig Park and Clark Park which total about 130 acres; meanwhile the County controls around 60,000 acres of park and open space counting the new Irvine Company “gift.” Now that’s just wrong.

Former 4th District Supervisor Chris Norby kept talking about this unfairness, but he never actually accomplished anything to fix the inequity. Norby’s successor Shawn Nelson also made this topic a campaign issue. Will he be able to succeed where his predecessor tapped out? Let’s hope so. The opportunity for additional parkland, and even bike trails in utility rights-of-way are there. It may not be easy, but some of us voters expect elected folks to do the hard stuff.

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Time For Chris Norby to Dump John Lewis

Wow, an opportunity to do the right thing. How many of those am I gonna get?

Now that Chris Norby’s campaign manager John Lewis has not only come out in support of Harry Sidhu in the 4th Supervisor’s race, but is actually working for his campaign, it’s time for Norby to do the right thing – and fire Lewis.

Hold on Matt, there's a white van outside the house.
Hold on Matt, that white van is outside the house again.

Norby has endorsed and supported the candidacy of Fullerton’s Shawn Nelson, and his campaign manager has deliberately placed his own interest ahead of both Norby’s, and the GOP’s, but the entire populace of the 4th Supervisorial District, for that matter.

One fudgecicle per customer, please!

You’ve all seen the facts and the videos. Harry Sidhu is a perjurer, a carpetbagger, and an unintelligible buffoon, who is patently unqualified to be an ice cream truck driver, let alone a County Supervisor. But John Lewis needs a lobbying target and knows that Shawn Nelson isn’t for sale. See, for Lewis it’s all about money and influence, and principle be damned.

So what do say Chris? How long are you going to go with a guy who is working against you? Who’s the boss?

Moorlach Orders Investigation Into Daly’s $10 Million Nightmare

Was it fraud, negligence, incompetence or just an honest to goodness mistake when Tom Daly approached the Board of Supervisors and asked for $2.1 million to purchase a dilapidated building 433 W. Civic Center Drive?

Did Daly forget to tell the Supes that the building was a tear down and not in turnkey condition? Or did he actually believe that the building was ready to move into?  If he did then he needs to fire his real estate agent! There are many hard questions that remain to be asked and answered.

At Tuesday’s board meeting, Supervisor John Moorlach asked County CEO Tom Mauk to bring back a report detailing what happened to the missing information on the useless multi-million dollar building.  Was it lost or intentionally withheld? Did Tom Daly just forget to tell the Board the complete facts about the money-sucking building, knowing that they would have said “HELL NO!” when they found out that it would cost another $7.6 million to make it suitable for the archives and the Orange County Sports Hall of Fame?

Let’s not forget the Sports Hall of Fame was being “brainstormed” by Daly’s BFF Brett Barbre to the tune of another $48,000.

So back to the word “fraud.” What does it mean and how is it really pronounced?

fraud–noun

/frôd/

1. deceit, trickery, sharp practice, or breach of confidence, perpetrated for profit or to gain some unfair or dishonest advantage.

433 W. Civic Center Dr. 2 years later, still vacant

Nelson vs. Sidhu @ OCGOP; Round 2

As promised, I will continue sharing footage of the debate between Shawn Nelson, who lives in our district, and Harry Sidhu, who moved into our district twice just to run for yet another office. For the benefit of our new Friends, Sidhu’s first so called “residence” was at the Calabria apartments on W. Lincoln, where Sidhu committed voter fraud here. His other phony residence is on Lucky Way. Sidhu really lives in Anaheim Hills which is in the 3rd District along with Brea, Yorba Linda, Orange, Villa Park and Irvine.

Both candidates are running in OC’s 4th Supervisorial district special election to replace our current State Assemblyman Chris Norby. The 1st Question from OCGOP Chair Scott Baugh was “How did we get into this (financial) mess?”  Ding:

Battle of the Downtown Chrises

Tonight Fullerton residents have their choice of attending the special Earth Day Fullerton Market and/or attending one of two presentations, one by newly minted Assemblyman Chris Norby and one by the venerable Fullerton City Manager Chris Meyer.  Take your pick:

Assemblyman Chris Norby invites citizens to share their thoughts on taxes, education, transportation or any other issue important to them.

7:00 – 9:00 pm, Fullerton Senior Center, 340 W. Commonwealth Ave.

Meanwhile…

City Councilwoman Sharon Quirk-Silva introduces citizens to the people who keep the city running smoothly and efficiently.  Guest speaker will be City Manager Chris Meyer.

7:30 pm, Fullerton Museum Center, 301 N. Pomona Ave.

Or you can just drink in the beer garden.  But there are so many things to talk about with both of them, so I do hope you will attend one or the other.

Nelson vs. Sidhu @ OCGOP; Round 1

As promised, I will be sharing with you the debate between Shawn Nelson, who lives in our district, and Harry Sidhu, who moved into our district twice just to run for yet another office. His first so called “residence” was at the Calabria apartments on W. Lincoln, where we proved Sidhu committed voter fraud here. The other residence is over on Lucky Way.

Both candidates are running in OC’s 4th Supervisorial district special election to replace our current State Assemblyman Chris Norby. I’m going to start off this series of video clips with both candidates’ opening statements. Enjoy the show: