Ahmadi says Trustees are "always willing and interested"? Valerie Arkin seemed to be the only one interested during the public comments when employees reported NO action per their requests. Bowser looked totally uninterested, didn't takes his eyes off his iPad. Disinterest is not what we need in the next Alameda County Superintendant's post. I'm sure there is a much better candidate out there. What a joke.

It would be nice if the board picked a superintendent who either went to Pleasanton schools, worked for Pleasanton schools, or have had children going to Pleasanton schools for several years. I'm not sure if this current superintendent had any of those before being hired, but she does seem rather out of touch with our community. Does she have any association with the area before being hired here?

Ethics is apparently not a high priority at the district. Several years ago the citizen's committee investigating finances, with recommendation from the consultant that was hired to help unravel the finances (since our own finance people did not know how capital money was being spend), told the administration and board they needed ethics training. The school board accepted this but it has taken years to get to the ethics training. Obviously not a high priority.

Does it seem a bit hypocritical that the Legal Firm who has been so instrumental in the Jon Vranesh debacle would be teaching about ETHICS? Is anyone else shaking their heads right now? Add that to the fact that PUSD can't even spell ETHICS let alone act ethically? REALLY????

Also, PUSD has re-hired Louis Leone, the scumbag lawyer who recently blamed a child in a neighboring school district as being the child' fault that they were molested by a teacher.

The legal brief he filed said the 12 year old “was herself responsible for the acts and damages of which she claims”. Don't believe me? Read this Web Link or use Google to find all about it.

He was also the District's lawyer during the failed Neal School trial.

If you live long enough, the chances are better than average that you'll see just about everything at least once.

Mike

Does anybody know how much the district paid the legal firm for this 'ethics' training? The City of Pleasanton already has this available for commissioners, staff and council so not sure why the school district did not just ask the city to give the class.

Hum, wonder if their ethics training covered arms trafficking being unethical? The leader of the Senate said that Yee might not have known that arms trafficking was wrong since it was not covered in their ethics training. You can see this at: Web Link

Seriously? We need a superintendent who went to Pleasanton schools or has kids in Pleasanton schools? Give me a break. I'm glad Superintendent Ahmadi is outside of the school district. We need to get our children ready for the larger world and not be too Pleasanton focussed.

Are you kidding me? Alex Sutton and ethics in the same column? Too funny and so wrong. (Comment partially removed by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff)

Local,

Apparently you either do not understand irony, or are being deliberately misleading. Darrell Steinberg's comment about Leland Yee was not making the point that Yee wouldn't have understand that arms trafficking was wrong. He was making the point that it was so obviously wrong that it didn't need to be specifically addressed in an ethics class. Similarly, murder, burglary, etc. are also presumably not specifically covered in the Senate's ethics training - they are clearly illegal. Sheesh.

Also, way to take the thread off topic.

California School Employees Association president Alex Sutton needs to pay close attention to that ethics/conflict of interest presentation by Kingsley Bogard Law Firm. His daughter, Valexis Sutton, is the person who filed the complaint accusing Mr Vranesh of using foul language and creating a hostile work environment which led to his removal as principle and is costing the district hundreds of thousands of dollars. I know Alex Sutton participated in the open discussions about Mr Vranesh, but I don't know if he participated behind the scenes. If he did, that's clearly a conflict of interest. He and his daughter should be investigated to see what role that conflict of interest played in the removal of Mr Vranesh.

What happens in a discussion about Ethics? What exactly is a discussion re: finances? Please explain.

We live in a country where we are all free to complain, anonymously even. If the current School Board doesnt suit you, a person has the opportunity to run for a seat on the School Board. During our last School Board election no new person ran for office. Is that a compliment to their handling of things or apathy?

If one really feels they are doing such a bad job run for office and not just complain even tho it's your right or is it privilege to complain.

I applaud Valerie Arkin for pushing for answers in regards to Mary Snell and Linda Pipe. Why on earth would the District be so reluctant to apologize for the damage they caused these women? Why should Mary and Linda have to keep coming back? And the comments by Paige Wright are equally disturbing. Banned from working at Walnut Grove because of a difference of opinion? Wow. McCarthy-ism at it's finest. The culture of bullying and retaliation at Walnut Grove is alive and well thanks to teachers who continue to revel in their "power". I look forward to more people coming forward now that there's a bright light shining all over this corruption. And I'd really like to know how many hundreds of thousands of dollars have been wasted on this dog and pony show run by our spineless, unethical District.

The video of the board meeting is now available online. Follow this link. (Or just Google Tri-valley Community television):

Web Link

To go directly to the Public Comments section (followed by Valerie Arkin's questions) click on "Community" in the menu below the video window. The Ethics training session comes soon afterwards.

I really admire Donna Willy, the Foothill registrar, for drawing the public's attention to the class size discrepancies between the two high schools, during the community members' comments section.

To take such a stand in a public meeting, before the superintendent (her boss), on behalf of the school's students, must have taken a lot of courage. I do hope it doesn't adversely affect her long career. And, as a community member and erstwhile district parent, I offer her my most grateful thanks.

Thank you Donna Wily for bringing the continued inequity between Amador and Foothill to the public's attention. The numbers don't lie and as a parent whose child is in a crowded Freshman English and other core classes, I am confused with the superintendent's response. She acted surprised as to why this is being discussed. Obviously it is NOT being addressed and Mrs. Wily felt the board needed to know. It is important to note that despite the high numbers, Foothill teachers continue to do a great job. They are committed to the students and continue to graduate students who go on to attend high level colleges like MIT, Stanford, Duke and CAL. It's time for the ' Amador' love fest to end and stop denying the facts. Add the sections FHS deserves.

Thank you to Linda, Mary and Paige for once again speaking out. I continue to be baffled over the discomfort some feel of honest, intellectual disagreement. A huge thank you also to our wonderful parent groups who work tirelessly to fund raise and advocate for our kids. Having served on the officer nominating committee in past years, I know how difficult it is to recruit the right people for the right jobs. Those who express interest deserve the fullest support and the integrity of the selection process must be respected - even by those with opposing views.