DISQUS

Good for you Ms. Bosetti. It’s not very nice to see the powers that be ignore or interpret laws as they see fit. Some would consider it fraud. It takes people like you, questioning and involving themselves, to make a difference. Rather than merely complaining, you actually take actions to improve the situation. I for one am thankful for your efforts.

Dave W., wonderful article.

reply

Steve D

We are very fortunate to have Ms. Bosetti taking the extra effort and making the personal sacrifice to follow this through. Is there no punishment for misappropriating the funds beyond paying them back? If not, it will only continue. And who is auditing the LBUSD schools? This misallocation of state funds is just the type of thing we pay them to find!

Excellent article Mr. Wielenga! I've only been reading The District for a few weeks now but I am impressed by the compelling, thorough, and unfiltered reporting here. I'm spreading the word!

reply

wrongbeachJohn

My sentiments on both exactly. Shame on the LBUSD!

The District is the first stop for this read-a-holic! Dave is damn talented (so are the others) and I'll never forget the article he wrote many years ago about his trucker-father in the IPT. It was really nice, a father and his son. Made me miss my Dad.

reply

CHS

This sounds like a bunch of typical school administrators who have no idea what the law actually requires.

reply

Seal Beach Journalism Review

The District Weekly reported today that a really big tree is growing in Brazil.

"It's huge!" exclaimed District Weekly correspondent Lak King Kontext. "It's really, really big! It's got to be worth 4,000 words, easy!"

The District Weekly left unresolved the question of whether or not there were other trees around it, maybe even millions of other trees that, taken together, could be characterized as the largest rainforest on Earth.

"I don't see any other trees," Kontext said. "Of course, I'm not looking for any other trees, either. How 'bout if I just imply that IF there are any other trees around here, they are all exactly like this tree. That will save me a lot of work. Did I mention how big this one tree is?"

When asked if such an account would be an accurate and honest description of what could possibly be one of the largest, most diverse, dynamic and successful ecosystems on the planet, Kontext said, "Whoa, partner! Accuracy? Look — if I can't encourage readers to overgeneralize from one excruciatingly small and selectively described example, I don't have a story here. Unless I actually look around, that is. Which I haven't. Did I mention that the tree is perky?"

reply

Comment removed.

LB City Girl

So I guess what the Seal Beach Review of Journalism is saying is that we should not question nor examine what LBUSD is doing with their(our) funds?
How dare any of us "little" people question those in power!

Or are you suggesting there is much more to the story...that this is just one tree of misappropriation in a forest of misappropriated funds? Because my guess is that is what is going on.

My husband served on the site council at our school, and he said really all they did was rubber stamp the principal's requests. My guess is that this is what the district is used to and they probably are getting away with a lot of money manuevers by slipping stuff past school site councils.
Kudos to Ms. Bosetti for actually doing the site council job the way it should be done. We should all follow her example and get more involved.

reply

John_B

Clearly, SealBeach seems to have a problem with the sort of good solid investigative journalism that this article demonstrates. SealBeach would have us ignore individual 'trees' or, at the very least, not comment upon them, because, 'well gee...there are many such stories like this one out there, why are you just picking this one to report upon?"

Strangely...some would say ironically...SealBeach seems to be missing the bigger picture: Each of these 'trees' is remarkable individually. In remarking upon them individually, journalists identify the unique differences between each, differences that, when considered collectively and over the longer term, begin to describe the various characters of the entire ‘forest’…dark and light…thin or dense…overgrown and rotted or well-managed and flourishing.

Keep picking out the ‘trees’, DW. They’re all fair game in my book and I, for one, really enjoy reading about each of them!

reply

Dave Wielenga

Hi Seal Beach! Thanks for the feedback. While I agree that it would have been great to have finely combed the entire Long Beach Unified School District budget and those of each of its 95 school site councils, that was not possible. Hell, it took Diana Bosetti a couple of years to try to extract information from just one school site council. And as the story points out, while she was investigating the misappropriations in the last two budgets, the misappropriations seem to have continued in the subsequent budgets...so the auditing process would never be completed to the point that a story could be written and the problem revealed. What I hoped to accomplish with the story was to reveal that certain illegal budgeting philosophies had been incorporated at one school and that they were being defended by the administrators. Also, to suggest that this situation---the illegalities and their defense---might mean that these illegal practices are standard practice at the LBUSD. Of course, I don't know, and said so in the article---but does that seem reasonably possible to you? To use your metaphor of the trees, this kind of extrapolation is common; disease or infestation is found in one tree and a corrective action is applied to all the trees, just in case, to stop or prevent the problem in one tree from being passed to the entire forest. Journalism is not perfect, Seal Beach, and I certainly don't claim to be. I did my best on this story and think it stands up. It uncovers a problem, documents it and suggests that it might be a good idea if people look into it further to see how bad it is---and then do something about it. Those last two things are up to all of us, including you, unless you are just more comfortable believing its an isolated incident ... and resenting anybody who disturbs your blissful stupor.

reply

anonymiss

I guess I will be the first to disagree with all the kudos being handed out. Maybe all of you should throw her a party...though her picture in the paper is probably the best gift you could have given her.
There is so much back story on this topic it's going to difficult to keep it short. My children attend Los Cerritos and for the past couple of years I have been treated to watching Dianna and her little band of malcontents turn our school in to the Hatfields and McCoys. It seems like whenever Dianna gets her feelings hurt it ends up in the paper. She may not buy ink by the barrel, but she loves to call in those who do.

It's ironic that she mentions drama and PTA, because her motivation may stem partly from feeling marginalized by a changing of the guard. That’s the subtext of how she joins the school site council after being PTA president. What is the Kissinger quote about school politics? "Academic fights are more brutal than our fights in the real world because the stakes are so low, so the passions are very high.” It appears that in her quest to stay relevant she has thrown herself under the bus.

In past emails to anyone who will publish her, she states that she does not enjoy being “treated like a piranha” (I believe she meant pariah) at her children's school. But that she is doing this because it's the right thing to do, for the poor children. It is my understanding that Title 1 money is given to schools based on economic need, but it is actually spent based on achievement needs.

Her characterization of fighting the good fight selflessly for the poor children might even be inaccurate. While she is not poor she may very well have a child that qualifies for Title 1 funded programming. Maybe that’s splitting hairs, but since this whole battle is about splitting hairs, it is a fair question. Aside from that, the image of our school taking opportunity away from "poor children" is a gross misrepresentation. I don't think you will find a more charming environment filled with daily opportunities than Los Cerritos. This depiction is an insult to the entire dedicated staff, which looks after EVERY child every day.

I maintain you can do the right thing, without first doing the wrong thing - like calling secret meetings to gain the support of unwitting families. At first I laughed at the absurdity of the movement...then it became a disturbing tornado of hostility...pulling in everyone who had a gripe (remember we’re dealing with parents here) because this issue looked to have legs.
She continues to work very hard for her 15 minutes…

Okay, all that said, maybe Dianna is right, and then good for us getting cash right now during these tough economic times. But I firmly believe if she was on the principal’s side and the school's side and was truly doing this just for the children, it could have been handled differently. Did she get a hearing because of the articles in the paper and her fanning the flames of divisiveness at school? Was she able to follow up with the State Board of Education because of unsolicited emails to a large number of parents and shamelessly bagging on Mrs. Price? No, she got hearings because she filed a complaint. Which she has every right to do, but she did it slinging mud and throwing punches, and that makes for some tantalizing tidbits and press coverage.

I am angry because this crusade for the greater good has had a palpable negative impact on my children without them even knowing it. The tension at school and the amount of time spent on this issue has to trickle down to the classroom and is detrimental to all the children; rich, poor, under-achieving, over-achieving, and of course everyone in the middle. We’ll just never know how much we could have accomplished by simply trying harder to understand that we all have the same goal. Or maybe we don’t? What is the real motivation for this crusade? Watching from the front row, I don’t think her aim is true.

No good deed goes unpunished...and that applies to both Price and Bosetti. Another biting article to feed our need for gossip and juicy dinner table conversation. Dianna must be so proud.

reply

John_B

anonymiss: You seem to take umbrage not so much at what Ms. Bosetti did, but how she went about doing it. Fair enough, but let me ask you this: given that it took nearly 2 years to actually get anything done about what was clearly demonstrated as blatant misallocation of Title 1 funds, do you truly feel that any other method would have been more successful? Suppose she had simply brought this issue to Ms. Price, received the same cursory and conciliatory acknowledgement that she initially did and then just let it drop. Do you truly believe that the situation would have been corrected?

I’m finding that when dealing with government representatives at any level (and that’s precisely what public school administrators in public school systems are…government representatives) the best and quickest way to get things done is to play the squeaky wheel…and the louder and more annoying and repetitive the squeaks, the more effective they prove.

As we see over and over again, at all levels, government is exceptionally good at spending our money but exceptionally bad at spending it wisely or as we intend that it be spent.

In my opinion if we all were even half as attentive and insistent as Ms. Bosetti was, government at all levels would prove far more efficient and fiscally responsible. This would be so because more of us would understand, as Ms. Bosetti clearly does, that government (whether it takes the form of the local public school administrator or Congress itself) only has the authority we grant to it. Its power is our power and its money is our money. They must spend our money only as we direct and, when they do not, we must assure that this is corrected immediately if not sooner.

Dr. Kissinger’s actual quote: “University politics are vicious precisely because the stakes are so small”, is at once on point and not. It’s pertinent in that Ms. Bosetti requested information and action of our various public school representatives but instead of receiving attentiveness and responsiveness, found herself mired in politics instead…sadly. But Dr. Kissinger’s quote is not pertinent because unlike the University politics upon which he was commenting, the stakes of properly educating our K-12 students could not possibly be higher.

When our 20% of our LBUSD K-12 students are dropping out; when many of our LBUSD Title 1 schools are failing and have been for many years; when fewer and fewer of our Seniors can manage to pass an exit exam designed for 10th grade students, we need more and more people like Ms. Bosetti out there putting every single aspect of LBUSD under a very powerful microscope, finding every possible flaw and demanding that they be corrected.

Our kids deserve nothing less than the best education we can provide for them. Right now, with a few notable exceptions, they just aren’t getting it.

reply

Diana Bosetti

Type your comment here.
Dear anonymiss,

It's not surprising that whoever wrote this rather personal attack doesn't have the courage to go on the record. If I was insulting someone's 7-year-old, I probably wouldn't either. For the record, my son is in speech and motor-skill therapy. But, I think it's rather sad that someone would find it appealing to bring up, even in vague terms, the challenges of a particular kid.

As for the personal attacks against me? Well, that's nothing new (my car was even vandalized, as well as that of another school site council member), and frankly, it doesn't matter much. And yes, I have been marginalized by the PTA, as have countless others who at one time were very involved with the school. One only needs to look at the PTA membership numbers, and the fact that the PTA president before me has left the school entirely, to realize that. When I was PTA President, there were over 350 members. The following year, there were about 70 -- a trend that has continued. That sobering fact had nothing to do with me, but rather with the devoted followers of Mrs. Price, a group of about five women who have been rude to several families at Los Cerritos at every opportunity.

Also, it's probably important to note that this same group created a document last year (called the Home School Compact), which attempted to prohibit parents from "gossiping about students, parents and personnel." On the surface, it's hard to argue against that. However, everyone was well aware that the true motive was to target families that were comparing notes about not only the Title I expenditures, but also the testing, or rather systematic non-testing, of kids of color for the GATE (gifted) program. In the end, the teacher's at Los Cerritos refused to distribute the Home - School Compact, until that ill-conceived portion was taken out.

Not surprisingly, Principal Lauren Price was also very upset when a group of about 20 parents were made aware of the recent results of the TALB (teacher's union) survey -- a document that revealed that about 42% don't believe, or are unsure (21%), that the principal is a good match for Los Cerritos. Another 58% of the teachers responded that they don't believe they can express their views to Lauren Price without facing retaliation. Gee, I wonder why?

Never does Principal Lauren Price, her followers, or others with the LBUSD, bother to dispute the numbers or facts. It's always about HOW the information gets out. This approach didn't work for Nixon or Kenneth Lay. What makes them think it will work at Los Cerritos Elementary? So please, stick to the facts (numbers), and keep my kid out of it.

I stand behind my comments -- Diana Bosetti

reply

anonymiss

John - I stand corrected on the quote, but I was really referring to the social politics where the stakes are low...I totally agree that elementary education is a number one priority. I agree that mistakes must be acknowledged and fixed. I agree that we need more programs to bring our kids up to speed, we need more field trips, more books, more enrichment, more PE, more nutritional and healthful food...What we do not need is to drag our administrators and staff through the mud and distract them from writing grants and running after-school tutoring programs. You can't get much done when every one has their hair up.

I don't believe she needed to try and start a revolution to have her case heard. The district backed the principal, if in turns out that the State doesn't agree, then we have our answer. Good for us, but bad for us getting there. Ironically, Los Cerritos is not a Title 1 school any more. Not enough "poor kids" to bring in the big bucks so we can fight over how it's spent. No more reading specialist, no more math specialist and we'll see if Sacramento can even borrow any money to send back to the districts...so they can pay the schools.

So no, I still do not agree with the method and unless you have kids at the school I don't think you can fully understand the price (no pun intended) that is still being paid. Great story, big win, but keep in mind somebody always pays?

reply

anonymiss

Dear Ms. Bosetti-

I guess it all depends on where you sit. From where I sit, you are hiding behind the numbers. From where you sit I am hiding behind a moniker. If I voice MY opinion it's personal. If you launch a 2 yr crusade it's a triumph and newsworthy. I get that it's newsworthy, I mean I do subscribe to Vanity Fair. Which I might just have to cancel.

When referring to your child I was merely pointing out that no one knows who needs/gets or in this case doesn't get the Title 1 monies, it's confidential. Unless your kid is one who gets dragged out of class to work with the specialist. My kid does need the help, a fact (take a breath) I do not find insulting or embarrassing. My kid does not figure in to getting the money but does need access to the services they provide/ed. Stop looking out for me.

So sorry I am not pumping my fists in the air. I just thought it was important that the actual under achieving kids and not just the image of the "poor kids" should be represented in this group hug for community activism. The past two years would have been better for us without this drama. What you have accomplished will have to be really stunning to make up for the damage you have caused. To people's lives, to people's careers, to your reputation and to the school reputation. I guess as a former reporter you had to shout your story from the rooftops and we're just roadkill.

reply

I_Come_In_Peace

Dear "Anonymiss"

Thank you for your comments. You have done a wonderful job in displaying the pathetic and blind-sheep mentality that continues to poison the atmosphere at Los Cerritos Elementary.

Let me first say that your comments regarding Mrs. Bosetti's child as well as her financial situation are not only inappropriate, but also illustrate the depths that you and your element will sink in order to discredit Mrs. Bosetti, her allies, and the message that they continue to convey. (No, I don't buy your "spin".) I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that any independent outsider who reads your personal assaults against Mrs. Bosetti will undoubtedly be repulsed by the personal nature of your comments. That's sure as heck what I thought when I was forced to stomach it.

Anyone who reads this article, or who knows the timeline behind this whole epic story, knows that Mrs. Bosetti followed all proper channels. Let me repeat, for everyone, especially, "Anonymiss", and for you I'll talk slowly -- ALL PROPER CHANNELS. She voiced her concerns at School Site Council meetings. She was intimidated/ignored/rebuffed/you fill in the obnoxious verb. (Try to deny that one, "Anonymiss", and I may bust a gasket laughing since I would bet a buffalo nickel you were heavily involved in those frays.) She met with the principal and appropriate LBUSD staff at various meetings. Unfortunately, no greater degree of success. She met with LBUSD staff in their lair. Unfortunately no greater degree of success. She filed a formal complaint with LBUSD. Unfortunately, they denied her complaint. She "appeals to the State of California, and their judgement is in her favor. You know all of this, yet you continue to shovel your propaganda in the hopes that some of it will stick on the walls of "general consensus". Unfortunately, I think we're going to need a good maid service....

What didn't you like, "Anonymiss", about her efforts? Did she not say "pretty please" enough for you and the rest of the Los Cerritos oligarchy during this obnoxiously long process? Spare me the "she hurt our feelings with the way she did it." The "way" that you and your cohorts would have preferred would have been for her to say nothing at all! The fact of the matter is that the pro-LBUSD stooges on the Site Council couldn't exercise their rubber stamp quick enough! And with that, it became increasingly difficult to overcome the "Be true to your School" crowd at Los Cerritos. I think I may have the Beach Boys album in my attic somewhere.....

And while we're at it, "Anonymiss", how about a sincere thank-you for Mrs. Bosetti's hard work? Don't have that in you? Well, then how about a really meaningful apology for all of the abuse that you and your cohorts tried to instill upon her? Good thing for the rest of the Los Cerritos parents, that Mrs. Bosetti was unwavered by the sophomoric behavior of this opposition group.

One last thought. For those who have children awaiting to join the school system, or maybe for those in other school districts, I sure as heck hope you have someone like Mrs. Bosetti involved in the process. Someone who knows right from wrong ("Anonymiss" need not apply), who's willing to fight through bureaucratic red tape, and will not stand down in the face of obnoxious and putrid behavior on the part of pathetic parents with too much time on their hands.

Some may say, "Poor, Mrs. Bosetti. Look what she had to endure."

I say, "Poor, us. We should all have such tenacity."

reply

wswaim

Before we bag on Seal Beach Journalism Review , let me point out that he/she raises the very question Dave and I struggled with in his reporting of the story: we faced the choice of waiting months, maybe years, to go through the records of every site council in the district, or offering this one example as a cautionary tale. I DO think I could have done a better job in editing the line that makes this point clear. Here's Dave's original:

"There’s no way to know if the dollars diverted from Title I tutoring programs for about 100 poor children at Los Cerritos are just the tip of the iceberg at LBUSD—whether untold numbers of other poor children throughout the district’s 95 schools are also being deprived of educational services because of shifty accounting."

We shouldn't have said "there's no way," because in fact there is a way. We just decided that the urgency of the situation--and the possibility that other local reporters would follow Bosetti's lead, taking up her story as their own--made it reasonable to go with the story now.

reply

LB City Girl

Will,
I wanted to explain, that I actually don't understand what Seal Beach Review's point is. I understand they are saying we aren't seeing the bigger picture, I'm just not sure what the bigger picture is as they see it.
Are they saying "the LBUSD's ends justifies the means, so D Bosetti's story should not have been covered" or are they saying"this is the tip of the ice berg--the District should've done a better job."
I'm not bagging on them, I am entirely confused as to the criticism they are making of the District's coverage. I would love it if Seal Beach would clarify it for me.

reply

Happy in LB

There are clearly some hard feelings - but Los Cerritos has reached their happy place. Things are going great this year! PTA membership is over 300, and people have moved on. We have to, this is our kids time to be carefree and enjoy school. They need to have fun while learning in a stimulating environment, which we all contribute to. Due to budget cuts parents, teachers, and staff have to work hard together to make it work. I'm on board to make peace and grow some happy kids.

reply

Dwight K Snider

Citizen Journalist Quote of the Day -- “Satire is often strictly defined as a literary genre or form; although, in practice, it is also found in the graphic and performing arts.

“In satire, human or individual vices, follies, abuses, or shortcomings are held up to censure by means of ridicule, derision, burlesque, irony, or other methods, ideally with the intent to bring about improvement. Although satire is usually meant to be funny, the purpose of satire is not primarily humour in itself so much as an attack on something of which the author strongly disapproves, using the weapon of wit.

“A very common, almost defining feature of satire is its strong vein of irony or sarcasm, but parody, burlesque, exaggeration, juxtaposition, comparison, analogy, and double entendre are all frequently used in satirical speech and writing.”

(Source: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.)

reply

John_B

wswaim: I’m not nearly as inclined to give Seal Beach the pass that you are. The quote you and Dave wrestled with notwithstanding, the story was about Ms. Bisotti’s struggles and ultimate success in bringing accountability (in this area, at least) to Los Cerritos Elementary School and this, the article did most astutely.

Seal Beach seems to revere balance. If that’s so then perhaps he/she should ease up just a little on the hyper-criticality or, at the very least, try ‘balancing’ his/her pillory with equal measures of very well-deserved praise.

reply

Melissa

I think it's obvious that there are other "big trees." Why should Dave have to dumb it down and explain the obvious? Hey, at least seal beach found an amusing way to be a chotch bag.

Dave and Will, you guys are my heroes.

reply

Martin Douglas

I thought that this quote is what newspapers should be doing
. "In all life one should comfort the afflicted, but verily, also one should afflict the comfortable, and especially when they are cofortably, contentedly, even happily wrong."
JOhn Kenneth Galbraith
Keep lifting the rocks and shining a light on what they are trying to hide.
Martin

reply

LBUSD Employee

It would be ludicrous to believe Los Cerritos is the only school in the district that has misappropriated Title I other categorical funds. The way the hammer came down on Ms. Bosetti and the amount of energy was expended by high level district administrators you know the district wanted to put an end to this before anyone loooked into other school budgets. Long Beach Unified has a history of trumpeting any success while aggressively keeping the party line that nothing else could ever go wrong. It will be very interesting how the district deals with this problem. Either they can get in front of the misappropriations and honestly deal with them or I'm sure many school sites will find themselves with their own Diana Bosetti.

reply

Friend to Diana

I am withholding my name for now only because I plan on joining my Long Beach school's site council in the near future and hope I don't face the retribution that I've already faced when I addressed an issue there that no one else liked me addressing. I saw changes made that made myself and others more content, but I too was alone in my quest for fairness just as Diana was much of the time.
No one here mentioned the stress and emotional turmoil that took it's toll on Diana during her fight for WHAT WAS RIGHT. She could have easily dropped everything, like many people wanted her to do, and saved herself so much distress over the situation and the negative reactions (extremely negative reactions) that she was getting. But she held on for others, not for herself. She didn't benefit from a penny of that money!, if anything, this battle cost her.
Diana is a very unselfish, kind, loving person to not only her immediate friends and family, but to the inner and outer community. She instills values in her children that results in them participating in things that help our world on a global scale as well as locally.
How could a person like this, using her enviable journalistic qualities to search for truth, be anything but an asset to Los Cerritos Elementary School?

reply

wrongbeachJohn

While I still plan to vote yes on Prop K, behaviour like this worries me greatly.The LBUSD appear to be masters of cover-up, and their incompetency, poor record keeping, clannish self-defensiveness, and circle-the-wagons mentality is extremely disturbing.

reply

John_B

LBUSD needs to be reminded that they are a public agency and that their purpose is to serve the electorate in the area of public education.

They shall not dictate terms to us and they must not refuse to be fully responsive to our needs and desires in the area we created them to serve us.

So long as no applicable laws are violated, the terms of their operation and administration should be as WE, not THEY, determine.

The very best means by which we (the electorate) can assure the appropriate level of accountability at this (and really ANY) level of government is to only elect those candidates to our School Board who clearly understand the facts as stated above and by removing those (like Michael Shane Ellis, for instance) who routinely and repeatedly violate the trust we place in them.

The education of our children should be one of society's highest priorities. Those to whom we entrust that education must therefore be held to the highest educational and administrative standards possible.

When those educators and administrators fail us, it's only because we have allowed them to. When we allow them to fail us, we allow them (and ourselves) to fail our children.

When we repeatedly and consistently fail our children, we ultimately doom our entire society to failure and we consign this society to a level of mediocrity that, if we are not very careful, we will not likely find it possible to recover from.

Wake up Long Beach!

Start holding your School District to a higher standard!

reply

Conscientious Observer

This is ridiculous! As someone who sat in on some of the site council meetings at Los Cerritos last year and the year before, I feel that I must speak up. I'll be up front and say that I do choose to remain anonymous for two reasons, 1) I have no intention of replying or responding to this blog again, and 2) because I have no desire to get on Diana's "bad side." (Please don’t set a double standard by treating my desire to remain anonymous as you have “Anonymiss,” especially since “Friend to Diana” drew no such censure.) You see, that is exactly what Price did...she got on Diana's bad side (ask Diana about a nasty e-mail she sent regarding a toy she donated to the school), and has had to spend the last 2 years deflecting rumors and innuendo that indicates that she PURPOSEFULLY attempted to deny children at Los Cerritos the education they deserve.

Let's start with a few basics. The title of the story was "No Cinnamon Roll Left Behind," a reference to the fact (Price admitted it in an open meeting - no need to hide, it was just a mistake, right?) that categorical funds were used to buy cinnamon rolls. What Diana failed to mention was that those cinnamon rolls were part of the Los Cerritos Honor Roll Breakfast, held 3 times yearly. After each reporting period, teachers submit the names of students who have maintained the highest marks in the areas of effort, work habits, and personal conduct. It is essentially an honor that every student can achieve, since it’s not tied to grades. These students (there are usually about 200 of them) and their families are invited to come and be honored publicly for behaviors that, if continued, will lead to them becoming adults who will (hold your breath...) arrive to work on time, work hard, and get along with others... Oh my, what a waste of money that one is!

Now of course, no one, including me, excuses an inappropriate usage of funds. Evidently, Price found out after holding 2 of these breakfasts that categorical monies couldn't be used on food items and STOPPED doing so on her own. The question that needs to be asked is: Who approved the purchases? I've learned through my work at the school that all expenditures go through an approval process that extends beyond the school. This should have been caught at the district level, but it wasn't, so Mrs. Price went right on honoring students for their hard work and high levels of effort (“GASP” again!).

When Price explained in an open meeting that we would need to hold off on having the breakfast until another source of funding was secured, she told us that it had been announced to principals that money couldn't be spent on FOOD. (What’s funny is that Diana didn’t even know about this until Price told her and the whole council - sounds like someone who is trying to deliberately hide things, huh?) We could still have an honor roll, and recognize kids; we just couldn't give them anything to eat... I'll tell you, that as a parent of a hard-working child who doesn't always secure 4's on progress reports, this honor roll was a godsend. My child looked forward to that morning, not because of the Cinnamon Roll, but because of the recognition and what it represented. (Thanks to Krispy Kreme and other donors we were able to hold the breakfast in June of last year!)

Let me ask a few questions while we are at it. In the 2 years that Diana was on site council did she EVER vote against a budget? How about the School Plan? How about abstentions on a budget or school plan? Did she ever abstain because she disagreed? I won't answer these questions, but if you really care about the WHOLE truth behind this story, go to the school website and look up the minutes for 2007-08. (I'll include the link at the end of this message to make it easy for you. 06-07 are not posted, but they are public record, so anyone can ask for them.) You may find that her voting record doesn't really match what she's been touting...

I could go on a little farther, but I won't. Those of us who know, know 3 things: 1) Los Cerritos' Site Council is not perfect. Mistakes have been made, many of which pre-date Mrs. Price's arrival, but several during her term which she has fully acknowledged. (Someone who really cared would request the minutes and records for the years prior to 2005-06...remember, they are public records and may also be interesting reading. I wonder if Diana will go back and work to hold the former principal accountable for any missteps? Stay tuned…), 2) EVERY item that has been brought up as a concern that could be handled at the site level was corrected immediately and there have been no repeats, and 3) Diana is obviously out on a very personal vendetta.

If one cared to look at all the underhanded tactics, unsolicited e-mails, and meetings with Price's superiors about everything from her door being closed to her not bringing hot food to a PTA breakfast (for real...), you would be able to see this. I happened to have been a person who was included in Diana’s “special” e-mail listing and who saw the 10- page document that was submitted to district officials outlining all of Price's shortcomings. (Evidently she also didn't stand in front of the school in the mornings like the old principal used to...)

It was only when I saw that Diana had distributed copies of an anti-LBUSD blog (anonymously of course), where the blogger suggested that Mrs. Price was such a "Steinhauser brown-noser," that her parents should purchase "asbestos-impregnated hankies" for [Price] to wipe her nose with as Christmas gifts, that I knew it had gone too far. Anyone who would actually suggest such a thing, and anyone who would support that by contributing to and distributing their blog, most certainly has an axe to grind, and definitely lacks an element of human compassion, and I was in no way going to be a part of that. (I’ll include that link as well…again, just in case truth is relevant.)

In closing, I do hope that Diana is satisfied with receiving her moment of glory. I think everyone (Price included) is happy that the school will be receiving a refund. Unfortunately, this has been accomplished in a way that has tarnished our school immeasurably. Long after Mrs. Price is gone, this "mess" will stick to Los Cerritos. We have a fabulous school, with wonderful teachers and GREAT kids. My only hope is that somehow, we will be able to recover from this and truly begin to move forward.

Signed,
Conscientious Observer

P.S. And for the record…the distribution of Title One funds are determined by the percentage of low-income families in a school, but are used for those students who are not yet proficient, regardless of income. Contrary to popular belief, all poor children are not at-risk…

Links:
http://parents.loscerritos.groupfusion.net

http://www.gabston-howell.org/swl/index.php?/ar...

reply

Diana Bosetti

Dear, what was it? Conscientious observer?

I find it interesting that you posted this comment just days after the Long Beach Unified School District received five new Uniform Complaints regarding the 2007-2008, and 2008-2009 allocation of funds at Los Cerritos (including the cinnamon roll expenditures). Might you be privy to that information? Regardless, your post to the District Weekly is nothing more than another paper tiger.

We have two issues here that I wish to respond to: 1) Concerns I raised with the LBUSD regarding Principal Lauren Price's management style, and 2) The LBUSD's official policy for the allocation of state and federal funds.

In this post, I will address item number two. A separate post regarding item number one will follow shortly, because I do not wish to confuse these two very legitimate concerns that I've raised over the past two years.

Here goes..... First, you say that I never voted against a single budget. It is my hope that others will follow your suggestion and read the minutes on the school's website, because indeed, I never did vote against a single school site council budget. But, you'll notice that our first meeting was on January 11th -- five months into the school year, when we received a "budget summary" -- a one page word document that "explained where Los Cerritos is spending its categorical funds." PAST TENSE. At that meeting, none of us on the school site council had any clue that money was being misallocated -- a FACT that could not have been gleaned from the one-page word document that we were given. It wasn't until I continuously requested more information about the budget that I would find questionable expenditures, such as an $8,000 line item for office supplies -- which I believe is where the cinnamon roll expenditures were hidden. Would I have voted differently had I known what I know now, absolutely. But, don't forget, I have been, and continue to be, stonewalled at every turn by Robert Williams. He has continuously made it very clear, in writing, that a school site council has no authority over Title I funds, and therefore getting any detailed budgetary information has been and continues to be very difficult.

As for the principal's use of Title I funds for cinnamon rolls, and your assertion that "she stopped doing it on her own." That's highly questionable, to say the least. This expenditure came to light only after a Uniform Complaint was filed with the state. The heat was on, and she made an attempt -- a bad one -- at explaining it. It was school site council chair Monica Hunt (as an elected member of the school site council, her anonymity is no longer an option) who brought the matter to light, when she complained that her kid would no longer be chompin' down on cinnamon rolls, with an exasperated "thanks" that was thrown my way. To which Price replied, "Sorry, we can't do that either." Hardly a heartfelt admission of a "mistake" that they wished to rectify. By the way, anyone can verify this conversation -- the audio recording is available in the school's front office. Also, your sarcasm "oh, what a waste of money that is..." only reinforces my opinion that you, Mrs. Price, Robert Williams, and even Chris Steinhauser, have and will continue to spend state and federal money regardless of what's right and what's legal. So, let me be clear: Paying for cinnamon rolls was a waste of Title I money, not to mention against federal and state education codes. I fail to understand how eating unhealthy food is of a direct educational benefit to the kids who are falling academically behind -- a great majority of whom DO come from poor families. Also, anyone with any common sense is aware that the kids who make the Principal's Honor Roll breakfast tend to not be the same students who are eligilble for Title I. And, even if they did make the cut, it's still a misallocation of funds. Period.

But then, you, and several others, have made it abundantly clear that the law is of no importance. When a "good faith" payment from the school district made its way back to Los Cerritos, Monica Hunt replied "So, we have gained nothing. We took the money from this pile, and put it into this pile." To which Robert Williams replied "That's right." That's comforting. This coming from a man who oversees all the districts' consolidated budgets, and from another who supposedly is a LAUSD teacher and now vice-chair of the Los Cerritos school site council. (All of this is on audio tape too. Just call the Los Cerritos front office at 562/ 595-6337).

So, the principal unilaterally spent state and federal money on things like office furniture and cinnamon rolls without the school site council's knowledge -- followed with childish proclamations that she made a "mistake." (See next post about Lauren Price). You said that "this should have been caught at the district level, but it wasn't." What does that mean? Are you implying that because Mrs. Price wasn't caught, that what she did was right? Don't get me wrong, I think those at the district level are just as culpable, since they are supposed to be the so-called experts. But, how does that make our principal any less responsible? Either we are dealing with intentional misallocations, or incompetence. Either way, our kids, teachers, and the general tax-paying public deserve better from public officials. You also mention that EVERY item that I brought up was corrected immediately. Uh, in case you didn't notice, it took two years and a decision from the Department of Education to get the money back. I do agree with you on one point, however. That it's highly believable that these types of misallocations may have occurred prior to Mrs. Price coming on board. You slam me for not investigating expenditures prior to 2005, yet criticize me for "tarnishing our school immeasurably" by bringing to light expenditures after 2005. Do you see the contradiction?

I know what you're thinking.... then why did I vote for the 2007-2008 budget? In this area, information from the minutes will tell little of what actually transpired. There was no way the school site plan wasn't going to pass by a majority of the school site council. So, I made the best possible motion: To approve it, with an attachment that requested that the LBUSD verify whether we were in violation of federal and state laws that mandate that 85% of the monies be used directly for educational services, and that if we were not compliant, that it come back before the school site council.

Here's what was said:

Diana Bosetti: "Not to beat a dead horse. I want to vote on this, but I am back to the same question on the breakout of the 85/15% rule for each fund, and if it applies to each fund. I do have something here that says that it does. I'm nervous about voting on something where I don't have the full financial figures."

Principal Price responded that we had to vote on the plan that very day, and added that "Once we get the answer to that question, we'll let you know about it, and if we have to make changes based on that we'll make the changes and let you know about the changes made."

The school site council, which leaned heavily in favor of being a rubber stamp, wasn't going to vote against the site plan. Therefore, the best bet for it to be revisited was to ask that it come back should the district agree with my assertions that we weren't following the education codes. I believed that such an approach would at least make those at the top accountable. Not surprisingly, following several emails that went back and forth, the district had no intention of changing anything. In fact, Robert Williams went to disturbing lengths to argue that the budget was compliant. On March 13, 2008, he reworded a portion of an Education Code to support the district's position, and omitted a portion of an official communication from the Department of Education -- again to suggest that the district had the right to spend a large portion of the funds however they deemed fit. All of this was on official district letterhead, and has been forwarded to both the LBUSD (in a Uniform Complaint) and Department of Education. It will be up to the Department of Education to determine whether or not it was an act of fraud.

I also find it interesting that you, and other cheerleaders of the LBUSD, continuously find it necessary to equate my questioning of school site council funds with a disrespect for teachers and students. That's a giant leap, and couldn't be further from the truth. Rather, I would say that lambasting those who try to correct acts of impropriety is the greatest disservice possible to students and their teachers. Also, you place the damage of the school's reputation on my shoulders. That's like blaming a police officer for damaging the reputation of a bank robber. It just doesn't make sense.

Finally, my last point is this: You, and "anonymiss," both take umbrage at Dave Wielenga's, and my, assertions that the misallocations of these funds hurt "poor kids." While it's true that not every recipient of Title I funds are kids from poor families, an overwhelming majority are -- which is why the original marker for identifying these students is through the "free lunch program." This simple truth hits hard, which I'm sure is why you both reacted so strongly to it.

Meanwhile, I leave you with this: You, and others, have accused me of "not thinking of the kids,' and showing a "blatant lack of respect for school staff" -- (That according to an October 10, 2007 letter from Monica Hunt). Let me recap what's transpired over the last two years: The school site council was not a part of, nor privy to the planning process of the school site plan until I made it an issue; the Department of Education ruled that nearly $90,000 of school site council funds were earmarked in direct violation of federal and state education codes; documents regarding the English Learner's Advisory Committee, which contain the signatures of Mrs. Price and Monica Hunt, were turned into the LBUSD in 2006, thus incorrectly attesting that this important body was meeting and providing information to the school site council when no such committee was in existence (see next post); and school site council elections were held out of compliance per the California Department of Education (again, see next post). I, for one, will not blindly support "school staff" in these activities, and if that's considered to be a show of "blatant lact of respect," then so be it. In the end, by bringing these matters to the attention of others, I believe such an action is the truest form of "thinking of the kids."

Sincerely,

Diana Bosetti

reply

John_B

It's clear that there are a lot of emotions simmering on this issue, not only under the surface, but right out there on the top. The fact that the comments from both “sides” of this issue are still flying almost 2 months since the original article posted is a testament to how strongly some feel about it.

This is at once understandable...being that we're all human...and unfortunate...since, in the end, it is considered and effective actions, rather than emotions, that solve and resolve challenges of this sort.

Like Diana Bosetti or not; she stepped up (with others in her community) and volunteered to serve on a school Site Council, whose very purpose is to provide input to the Principal.

Like Diana Bosetti’s diligence and tenacity or not; she took her role as a responsible citizen and involved parent most seriously and, in doing so, identified what she believed to be a misallocation of Title 1 funds.

Like Diana Bosetti’s sense of responsibility to taxpayers and District parents or not; she refused to accept excuses, platitudes and silence from various District officials and finally resorted to appealing to the State Department of Education for resolution.

Like Diana Bosetti’s refusal to be put off or not; the fact is that the State DoE agreed with her and required a reimbursement of some $90,000 in misallocated Site Council funds.

Like Diana Bosetti’s methods or not; those methods resulted in the identification, investigation and eventual mitigation of financial misfeasance on the part of some LBUSD Officials to the tune of $90,000.

$90,000 of our tax dollars that can now be allocated for the purpose the taxpayers intended.

Like Diana Bosetti or not; you must admire what she accomplished on our behalf.

I most certainly do.

reply

NClanton

I would like to commend Ms. Bosetti for her tenacious efforts on the part of the students of the LBUSD!!!!!! Not many people have the time or energy to take on such issues. I have maintained for as many years as I can remember that school site councils are just another check off for administrators to say they are complying with the law. There is not usually time to question or research the budgets at these meetings and if questions arise they are usually brushed aside and ignored. I believe there are many such errors and misuse of funds here, but don't have the time and energy that she has! The world needs more people like MS. Bosetti. Thanks for your efforts on behalf of these students.

reply

Ron Howarth

My hats off to Diana Bosetti for her investigative nature and sticking to her guns for following this matter up...and at least getting some resoluton on the return of some of the Title I funds. Openness and transparency are vital in politics and the school business. As a former teacher and principal at Los Cerritos, I would have enjoyed working with her as a PTA president and member of the school site council.

reply

I_Come_In_Peace

Wow! Who knew?

So here I am, wandering into the District Weekly's website this evening in order to get my regular dose of unfiltered truth -- sorry PT, you don't quite fit that bill -- and lo and behold, I stumble upon some serious shots across the bow between our friends at Los Cerritos. Didn't know the story had legs like that, but I figured it was worth investigating. Now, after reading the latest filibusters, I'd like to share a few comments with you fine people. So, if I may, let me suggest that you fill up that coffee cup and pull up a chair. This may take more than 30 seconds....

First, I'd like to just touch on my initial thoughts. Right off the bat, I notice that there's someone "new" who shows up A MONTH after this donnybrook took place, and he or she has the nerve to call themselves 'Conscientious Observer'? Hmmm, I'm not exactly sure how to put this......Wait, I know....Are you freakin' kidding me??? If you would have consulted someone like me prior to making that pathetic selection, I clearly would have suggested something more appropriate -- probably something along the lines of 'Lackadaisical Observer who Struggles to Formulate Coherent Thoughts to Important Issues in a Semi-Timely Manner'. Oh, shucks, why the sad face? Too verbose for you? Well, I understand. I'm not sure I'd like that moniker either, but then again, I don't think it necessarily applies to me. Andt that whole reference to C.O.being afraid of big, bad Mrs. Bosetti, and doesn't want to get on her bad side? What a crock! That was the dead-giveaway that C.O. was a completely unbelievable cesspool of disinformation. (Anybody have some Lysol?) Given what I've seen and heard from others, this opposition group -- which seem to hold piety and righteousness slightly below cleaning a toilet or picking up Rover's doo-doo -- is so maniacal about performing a proverbial body-slam over Mrs. Bosetti, that I wouldn't be surprised if they draw straws to see who is lucky enough to launch the next toxic salvo at her.....From what I've seen and heard, these pit vipers seem to drool at any opportunity to attack Mrs. Bosetti, so spare me the "I want to stay on her Christmas card list",,,,

Well, nevertheless, while I'm thinking about it, I think it's fair to say that your monumental delay in responding to something that you find so offensive might show some type of cranial shortcoming. And to be honest, I'm thinking that it's one of two possibilities. One, that pudgy little hamster on the proverbial wheel inside of your head was too tired to jog your limited thought process, or two, the LBUSD stooges couldn't curtail their hand-wringing and approve C.O.'s response sooner than a month after the majority of the posts took place. To be honest, I'm still deliberating. Great name, though, C.O. (aka. 'Certifiably Offensive'). I'm guessing it wasn't your first choice, though. I'm thinking that it had to be a bummer when you found out that "R. Williams" wasn't available. Or who knows, maybe losing out on "L.C. PTA PREZ" was your primary source of consternation......

Think about this, folks. We know that C.O. (aka. 'Critical Objector') just dabbled here and there in these meetings, right? You know, just wandered by and "sat in on some meetings last year and the year before". Yeah, sure, you had some free time, and just stopped by to see what's going on, right? Yet you read C,O.'s "I'm so outraged" fiction, and yet they can tell you every detail of every interaction between Mrs. Bosetti and any representative of LBUSD. Heck, C.O. can probably tell you where she parked every time she met with the lions at the 'Hughes Way Den', but that might give away too much information, wouldn't it?

Sorry, people. Let me get to a point here, before that coffee gets cold. You probably know this stuff, but I'm talking about what I've seen at Los Cerrritos. Now, I know I'm no expert, but in my opinion, there's four tenets to a great school: the teachers, the principal, the PTA, and the parents. (I know PTA and parents is a little redundant, but I have a point here, so hang with me.) These four tenets are like the legs on a chair, if you will. Los Cerritos used to be a great school. No one argues with that. Not even psycho C.O. or 'Anonymiss'. (Well, I think if Mrs. Bosetti called the sky blue, these two hens would even argue with that one.....Sorry, another digression...)

What I have seen happen to Los Cerritos is that they were on the receiving end of a new, very green principal, and given her insecurities and inexperience, she surrounded herself with an ever-loyal parent network, albeit small, that would protect her, and run rough-shod over anyone that challenged said principal. Said principal empowers her hench-women to seep into all decision-making bodies within the school -- school site council, PTA, room-parent, you name it. This small group of women has morphed into a malignant tumor that has effectively killed most, if not all, school spirit, profitable fund-raisers, and congenial parental interaction.

Don't believe me? Think, "How could that happen at such a fine neighborhood school?" I suggest you go look at the current School Site Council membership on the Los Cerritos Elementary website. And then right after that, go to the Los Cerritos Elementary PTA website. You people are smart. You can do the math.. You'll find the culprits. Look what the PTA used to do three, four years ago, versus what they do now. Why the long face? Because the kids suffer. The PTA leadership suffers frrom a severe lack of support and will continue to do so, as long as this group of hens insists upon driving this bus......Sorry, I think I'm digressing again.....

Bottom line, folks. Remember those four tenets that I mentioned before? A good analogy would be to refer to those four tenets as the legs of a chair. Mrs. Price, as one of their legs, is an ineffctive leader. (Hey, we have ineffective people in politics, finance, engineering, science, you name it. Every industry has ineffective people who somehow end up employed there. Where is it written that we cannot publicly question and'or challenge a principal one finds incompetent?) An ineffective principal surrounds herself with bitter women who must have something unfulfilling going in their lives to be so mean-spirited. Those earlier mentioned pit-vipers, at the behest of said principal, spread their cancerous reach to other organizations, and what kind of toxic stew do we have to serve????

Highly divided campus. Principal lacks widespread support. Alienated teachers. PTA heavily unsupported (can't wait for their spin). parent alienation (see PTA comment) That's reality folks. I'm I happy about it? No, frankly it sickens me. Was it avoidable? Absolutely. Unfortunately, you put incompentent leadership in any organization, you're asking for trouble.

Okay, so let's assume that the teacher leg is still solid. The principal leg was a termite appetizer. The PTA was a termite main course. The parent support is wobbly at best.......

How may two-legged chairs would you sit on??

reply

I_Come_In_Peace

Wow! Who knew?

So here I am, wandering into the District Weekly's website this evening in order to get my regular dose of unfiltered truth -- sorry PT, you don't quite fit that bill -- and lo and behold, I stumble upon some serious shots across the bow between our friends at Los Cerritos. Didn't know the story had legs like that, but I figured it was worth investigating. Now, after reading the latest filibusters, I'd like to share a few comments with you fine people. So, if I may, let me suggest that you fill up that coffee cup and pull up a chair. This may take more than 30 seconds....

First, I'd like to just touch on my initial thoughts. Right off the bat, I notice that there's someone "new" who shows up A MONTH after this donnybrook took place, and he or she has the nerve to call themselves 'Conscientious Observer'? Hmmm, I'm not exactly sure how to put this......Wait, I know....Are you freakin' kidding me??? If you would have consulted someone like me prior to making that pathetic selection, I clearly would have suggested something more appropriate -- probably something along the lines of 'Lackadaisical Observer who Struggles to Formulate Coherent Thoughts to Important Issues in a Semi-Timely Manner'. Oh, shucks, why the sad face? Too verbose for you? Well, I understand. I'm not sure I'd like that moniker either, but then again, I don't think it necessarily applies to me. Andt that whole reference to C.O.being afraid of big, bad Mrs. Bosetti, and doesn't want to get on her bad side? What a crock! That was the dead-giveaway that C.O. was a completely unbelievable cesspool of disinformation. (Anybody have some Lysol?) Given what I've seen and heard from others, this opposition group -- which seem to hold piety and righteousness slightly below cleaning a toilet or picking up Rover's doo-doo -- is so maniacal about performing a proverbial body-slam over Mrs. Bosetti, that I wouldn't be surprised if they draw straws to see who is lucky enough to launch the next toxic salvo at her.....From what I've seen and heard, these pit vipers seem to drool at any opportunity to attack Mrs. Bosetti, so spare me the "I want to stay on her Christmas card list",,,,

Well, nevertheless, while I'm thinking about it, I think it's fair to say that your monumental delay in responding to something that you find so offensive might show some type of cranial shortcoming. And to be honest, I'm thinking that it's one of two possibilities. One, that pudgy little hamster on the proverbial wheel inside of your head was too tired to jog your limited thought process, or two, the LBUSD stooges couldn't curtail their hand-wringing and approve C.O.'s response sooner than a month after the majority of the posts took place. To be honest, I'm still deliberating. Great name, though, C.O. (aka. 'Certifiably Offensive'). I'm guessing it wasn't your first choice, though. I'm thinking that it had to be a bummer when you found out that "R. Williams" wasn't available. Or who knows, maybe losing out on "L.C. PTA PREZ" was your primary source of consternation......

Think about this, folks. We know that C.O. (aka. 'Critical Objector') just dabbled here and there in these meetings, right? You know, just wandered by and "sat in on some meetings last year and the year before". Yeah, sure, you had some free time, and just stopped by to see what's going on, right? Yet you read C,O.'s "I'm so outraged" fiction, and yet they can tell you every detail of every interaction between Mrs. Bosetti and any representative of LBUSD. Heck, C.O. can probably tell you where she parked every time she met with the lions at the 'Hughes Way Den', but that might give away too much information, wouldn't it?

Sorry, people. Let me get to a point here, before that coffee gets cold. You probably know this stuff, but I'm talking about what I've seen at Los Cerrritos. Now, I know I'm no expert, but in my opinion, there's four tenets to a great school: the teachers, the principal, the PTA, and the parents. (I know PTA and parents is a little redundant, but I have a point here, so hang with me.) These four tenets are like the legs on a chair, if you will. Los Cerritos used to be a great school. No one argues with that. Not even psycho C.O. or 'Anonymiss'. (Well, I think if Mrs. Bosetti called the sky blue, these two hens would even argue with that one.....Sorry, another digression...)

What I have seen happen to Los Cerritos is that they were on the receiving end of a new, very green principal, and given her insecurities and inexperience, she surrounded herself with an ever-loyal parent network, albeit small, that would protect her, and run rough-shod over anyone that challenged said principal. Said principal empowers her hench-women to seep into all decision-making bodies within the school -- school site council, PTA, room-parent, you name it. This small group of women has morphed into a malignant tumor that has effectively killed most, if not all, school spirit, profitable fund-raisers, and congenial parental interaction.

Don't believe me? Think, "How could that happen at such a fine neighborhood school?" I suggest you go look at the current School Site Council membership on the Los Cerritos Elementary website. And then right after that, go to the Los Cerritos Elementary PTA website. You people are smart. You can do the math.. You'll find the culprits. Look what the PTA used to do three, four years ago, versus what they do now. Why the long face? Because the kids suffer. The PTA leadership suffers frrom a severe lack of support and will continue to do so, as long as this group of hens insists upon driving this bus......Sorry, I think I'm digressing again.....

Bottom line, folks. Remember the those four tenets that I mentioned before? The chair analogy? Well, in my opinion, as well as many others, Mrs. Price, as one of their legs, is an ineffective leader. (Hey, we have ineffective people in politics, finance, engineering, science, you name it. Every industry has ineffective people who somehow end up employed there. Where is it written that we cannot publicly question and'or challenge a principal one finds incompetent?) An ineffective principal surrounds herself with bitter women who must have something unfulfilling going in their lives to be so mean-spirited. Those earlier mentioned pit-vipers, at the behest of said principal, spread their cancerous reach to other organizations, and what kind of toxic stew do we have to serve????

Highly divided campus. Principal lacks widespread support. Alienated teachers. PTA heavily unsupported (can't wait for their spin). parent alienation (see PTA comment) That's reality folks. I'm I happy about it? No, frankly it sickens me. Was it avoidable? Absolutely. Unfortunately, you put incompentent leadership in any organization, you're asking for trouble.

Okay, so let's assume that the teacher leg is still solid. The principal leg was a termite appetizer. The PTA was a termite main course. The parent support is wobbly at best.......

So, let me ask you folks, how many two-legged chairs would you sit on??

reply

I_Come_In_Peace

Okay, the lightbulb finally lit up. Sometimes there's a delayed reaction and it takes awhile. Maybe one of the by-products of getting older.....

So, we have no official comment from LBUSD. No official comment from Principal Lauren Price. And now, no official response from Ms. Monica Hunt, who clearly seems to be quite the player in this whole drama. Kind of funny how Mrs. Bosetti is the only one involved in this fray who will go on the record.......

Go ahead, LBUSD, and give us your standard cowdung about, "We don't comment regarding on-going complaints". Blah, blah, blah. Translation: We are cooked but we're going to try to convince people we're not even in the oven....

Principal Price will, I'm sure, hide behind the "LBUSD mandates that I don't comment"....Too bad. It would have been an interesting train-wreck of a speech....

And Ms. Hunt (or 'Anonymiss' or 'Conscientious Obliterator of Truth' or whatever you're calling yourself these days), speak up. We are all ears. Let's hope that you won't want to refrain for fear that Mrs. Bosetti will take you off of her "Happy Arbor Day" card distribution, or something similar.

Well, I'm guessing that the sound of silence will speak volumes...........

reply

Luukia Smith

I was remiss when I did not respond to Anonymiss. I’m not staying quiet this time. I could not believe the nerve of Anonymiss bringing Diana Bosetti’s son into this. I’m not going to spend my time picking apart those comments, I’ll just spend some time commenting on Anonymiss #2, Conscientious Observer. Anonymiss #2 wants to whine about the fact that her child no longer can look forward to having cinnamon rolls. You are so sarcastic, “Oh my, what a waste of money that one is!” If the government gives a school district money for the Title I program, that money can ONLY be spent on the Title I program. There are guidelines that outline exactly how Title I funds should be allocated. Whether you like it or not, it is inappropriate to use Title I funds to celebrate Honor Roll students, even if this celebration is a good thing.

You also claim, “Now of course, no one, including me, excuses an inappropriate usage of funds,” but this is exactly what your response attempts to do, excuse the inappropriate use of funds. You spend three paragraphs trying to justify why it should be OK to spend Title I funds on an Honor Roll Breakfast. You also try to steer blame away from Lauren Price, the Principal, and throw it on to the District. Lauren Price is the Principal of Los Cerritos Elementary School. She is responsible for every student, staff member, and faculty member who attends or works at that school. A huge responsibility - and probably one of her most important - is managing the school’s budget. Lauren Price better know how she can or cannot spend the monies given to her school, especially if the monies are to be put into categorical funds such as Title I. For me, without even reading exactly how Title I funds should be used, I think I would know not to buy myself new office furniture. For Lauren Price, the Principal, claiming ignorance is no excuse.

Anonymiss and Anonymiss #2, the only thing I see that Diana did was not to accept lame answers to her questions. As a taxpayer, your concern should not be “how” Diana went about this, but “how” in the world did it take two years and Diana Bosetti going all the way to the California Department of Education to force the LBUSD to admit there was a $90,000 inappropriate use of Title I Funds? Please do not try to make me believe Bob Williams’ “good faith” gave back $35,000 - they were caught, that’s why they gave it back.

Diana Bosetti took her elected position on the School Site Council seriously. She did a little research to find out what her and the council’s responsibilities are. She saw that funds were being misallocated, pointed it out, asked some questions and was told by the Principal and the District that the money was being spent properly.

Lauren Price, District Administrators, and the LBUSD School Board were not prepared for a Diana Bosetti to go the distance. Diana was confident that monies were being spent inappropriately and she was indefatigable in her efforts to ensure she acted as a responsible member of the Los Cerritos School Site Council. If, in fact, your school has been tarnished, and if, in fact, this “mess” sticks with Los Cerritos, it is not because of Diana Bosetti. Think about it.

reply

Bosetti For President

I hope I am not the only person here that can see Mrs. Bosetti posturing for a school board position. First she entrenches herself on the PTA, then School Site Council (attempts to gain inside knowledge of how schools run), and now she creates a "hero's platform" to run for a seat on the Long Beach Unified Board of Education. You people may line up to drink the purple Kool-Aid, but how about we give the career educators the benefit of the doubt as opposed to falling into the gilded lilies of the semi-professional investigative reporter looking to gain a school board seat? (oh yes, Bosetti has written “gotcha” articles for other small publications)
You all called an earlier person a coward for not putting their name on their response. From what I can see, there is only one person here that has continually used her real name. Guess what? Bosetti has to use her name in order to be the "hero" that saved the school district. Welcome to the world of Chess. You have all become pawns in Bosetti's game/campaign for a seat on the school board.
Please open you eyes and see this for what it is. It is not an attempt to help the “poor kids”. It is a campaign for Bosetti to gain a seat on the school board.

reply

LB City Girl

BFP-If Bosetti runs she gets my vote. Your little diatribe is not only cliche ridden, it smacks of jealousy and bitterness. Grow up.

reply

Hi,my-name-is

Yay for Diana for paying attention and for being willing to take on lazy administrators. And thank you District Weekly for continuing to keep our city clean by exposing incompetence and theft wherever you find it. Hopefully other departments will make sure they aren't taking money from lower income kids to spend on their whims, and half assed covering it up when they know Diana and the District are on the prowl!

reply

TheShore

I support Diana for School Board as well. I mean after all, I would much prefer someone who will fight for the proper allocation of $80,000 of Title 1 money vs. someone with knowledge about the education system, or a business person with the experience of managing a budget in the hundreds of millions of dollars annually. I want someone on the school board who will second guess every recommendation made by the school district's management.

Wait a minute, isn't that what we have with Rae Gabelich on the City Council? She comes to every City Council meeting unprepared so she has to ask a lot of questions while the other councilpersons get their questions answered in advance. Plus, look at all the accomplishments of Rae. For example, she slowed the construction of the airport parking garage and the terminal improvements so the cost of construction could dramatically increase. Actually that's it. I can't think of anything she did for 8th District residents.

Plus, ever notice how she is on the losing end of most votes, along with Tonia Uranga? Diana could be the same for the School Board. Ask a lot of silly questions because she is unprepared. Take on a couple of issues she personally feels very strongly about, and just vote "No" on the rest of it.

reply

John_B

Wow, TheShore; sounds like you're more than just a little bitter about Councilmember Gabelich.

Should your bitterness really carry over onto someone like Bosetti though? To the best of my knowledge, she's never even indicated she desired or intended to run for School Board.

And even if Bosetti does run, while there most certainly could be better-qualified candidates who may also run, that's sort of what we have campaigns and elections for.

Do you really feel that Bosetti's unrelenting questioning of our various elected and appointed education officials was "second guess(ing) every recommendation made by the school district's management"? Had Bosetti not questioned this misallocation of our tax dollars, $87,000 would have been squandered. Would you truly have found that to have been acceptable?

Your dismissiveness on this issue simply amazes me. But, then again, considering the current sorry state of our School District's finances...due, in large part, to financial misfeasance of precisley this sort...I can't really say I'm particularly surprised.

reply

TheShore

Mr. B - What do you think I am bitter about Councilwomen Gabelich? I think she tries to do the best she can, but is in way over her head. Her successfulness with HUSH 2 has not translated into being an effective councilperson.

Also, since you represent yourself as being "facts" oriented, could you provide the facts behind your comment "But, then again, considering the current sorry state of our School District's finances...due, in large part, to financial misfeasance of precisley this sort..."?

It's likely that the school district wastes a great deal of money since it is a government bureaucracy, but "financial malfeasance"? You maket sound like employees are stealing funds.

The problem with California's educational system is that we pay way too much, and receive way too little.

reply

John_B