MDUSD endorsements announced today

More endorsements for Gary and Sherry for MDUSD School board in November.

The Contra Costa Democratic Party has announced their list of their officially endorsed candidates and it includes:

MDUSD Gary Eberhart
MDUSD Sherry Whitmarsh

See more at their site: http://www.contracostadems.org/

They have a list of the THREE candidates who sought their endorsement, but thus far only Sherry and Gary are on the "currently endorsed" list.
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A District in Crisis - What can you do?

Start by reading the open letter written by MDUSD Board Member, Paul Strange. You can find it at http://www.mdusd.net/. There are many of us working hard for change. We can't let up and we need to ramp up our efforts to tell our fellow MDUSD friends and family who we are voting for and why. For many that choice is simple: GARY EBERHART AND SHERRY WHITMARSH.

So read up:

Time for Action - Mt. Diablo in Crisis

Mt. Diablo Unified School District is at a crossroads. We have the opportunity to change the future for Mt. Diablo right now. If change does not occur in this election, the next opportunity won't occur for two years and change will be delayed further. In my circles (and probably in your circles), the need for change is obvious. We have myriad problems. Terrible employee morale, failed policies regarding compensation and benefits, incompetent leadership, a total lack of accountability, a board majority who gleefully follows the orders of the Superintendent, serious budget issues, millions of dollars spent without board approval, a district culture that promotes loyalty to the Superintendent above the needs of our students, an administration in denial of the real problems in our district - these are just some of the problems. Click to see the rest

If you stand for nothing, you'll fall for anything . . .

If we break down this quote, could it mean the following?

1. If you stand for nothing - you have no strong beliefs of your own about important issues.

2. You'll fall for anything - you may accept ANY ideas because you have none of your own in which to base your conviction.

So what about the status quo? Is that in the "fall for anything" category? Are you ready to accept keeping things the same because you just don't know enough?

The point of this post is to draw your attention to one of the MOST important elections in MDUSD history. If you don't know that, we want to educate you. Have you talked to a candidate? Would it surprise you to learn that you can just pick up the phone or send an email to any current board member? (two of which are running for re-election) I, personally, have tried to email April Treece and I have not warranted a response. Not even an automatically generated "I'm busy" response - nothing. I have heard back from Gary Eberhart and I've heard back from Sherry Whitmarsh. Both Gary and Sherry are responding to questions at http://mdusdelect.blogspot.com.

Did you see Mister Writer's blog post yesterday? If not, it really is a must read and is being circulated amongst teachers. ( Stand Up and Be Counted Before It's Too Late )

Parents, OUR TEACHERS (thru their union, MDEA) are supporting Gary Eberhart and Sherry Whitmarsh for school board. Please, get involved. Let's make this district better. There will be some upcoming "meet the candidate" meetings around our district, so stay on the look out for notices of those meetings, and get educated. Let's not fall for anything. Let's stand united for WHAT is right!

MDEA got it wrong? April Treece a "successful" board member

So MDEA has it wrong - so says Judy Moon of Clayton in her commentary published tonight on CCTimes.com. You can see it HERE.

Ms. Moon explains:
"In the November election for the Mt. Diablo Unified School District Board of Education, MDEA has chosen not to endorse April Treece, a longtime and successful board member. Based on her personal record and performance, their choice is not in the best interest of students or the school district. "

"We all deserve to have ethical support possible by individuals willing to stand for what is wrong, willing to risk for what is right and openly demanding a standard of integrity from those who speak for us."


Stand for what is wrong? Maybe that is what IS wrong.

Just as Ms. Moon suggests, I too challenge you to research Ms. Treece's record and base your choice on what she has done. (or not)

I will do just that . . . and I would urge a vote in November for Gary Eberhart and Sherry Whitmarsh to drive this district forward - in the right direction. To stand up for what is RIGHT. See their campaign statements here: http://mdusdelect.blogspot.com/

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Denied !

As I'm sure you've all seen on the other blogs, Ruth Carver's petition to move MDUSD's Walnut Creek schools out and to new districts, was DENIED tonight. Its done. No appeal. Done. Sorry Ruth. I so admire that kind of conviction, I really do.

But, perhaps "Walnut Creek Schools Together Now" can turn their attentions back to OUR district. Help get the needed change in November, and change for the better, the direction of our district. Let's make it what it CAN be.

WCSTN: the last stand

The day is here... what Walnut Creek's Ruth Carver calls "The Most Important Event of the Year." Today is the day the County Board of Education will hear the proposal related to the transfer of MDUSD's Walnut Creek school to Acalanes and Walnut Creek School Districts.

All three school boards involved including MDUSD, Acalanes and WCSD, have all said NO. There appear to be several major difficulties with making this proposal a reality. Not least of which is MONEY, but includes other factors such as climate, staffing, class sizes, textbooks, course offerings, teacher salaries, facilities and more.

The meeting begins at 4pm TODAY (Weds , September 10th) at the Acalanes High School Performing Arts Center at 1212 Pleasant Hill Road, Lafayette.

You can read the agenda by clicking over to the MDUSD.net site and reading about this meeting and a link to the agenda here: Walnut Creek Transfer Hearing Tonight

Will you be there? I'm hoping someone will be available to report back so one of the bloggers can post live updates . Some of us have back to school night tonight :)

New blog for MDUSD Teachers

A new blog has been spawned for the MDUSD teachers.

"MDEA Teachers Speaking Up" has been started by and for teachers as ". . . a forum for information, sharing our thoughts on the upcoming election, contract negotiations and other issues."

Find the blog HERE and get your voices heard by your MDEA leadership and fellow teachers around the district.

Board Meeting Streaming LIVE now!

Even if you can't attend the meeting in person, you can attend it online. It is streaming live now at: MDUSD live stream board meeting

They're talking air conditioning now.

Great job Mr. Strange. Quality is excellent . Audio is clear.

Tonight is Tuesday, September 9th.

Acalanes ALSO opposes boundary change petition

As reported last night, the Acalanes school board met tonight. And as expected, they too, officially declared their opposition to the Walnut Creek school boundary change which would've handed them Northgate High school.

From the CCTimes article tonight:

A proposal to redraw school district boundaries in Walnut Creek will have its first hearing next week, but all three districts that would be involved agree: They oppose the plan.

The Acalanes high school district voted unanimously Wednesday night to oppose the proposal, as the Walnut Creek School District did earlier Tuesday and the Mt. Diablo Unified School District did in January.

"We do not see this proposal as a way to get quality education for all students," Superintendent Jim Negri said. "It is not advantageous for the district. It is not cost-effective for the district."

See more of the article: http://www.contracostatimes.com/teens/ci_10375299

Walnut Creek School Board Says No to Boundary Changes

See the CC Times for the latest on the ongoing story.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_10367441

The Walnut Creek School Board voted today to oppose the petition that would transfer several MDUSD schools to the Walnut Creek School District.

The Acalanes School District is voting (tomorrow) Weds (9/3) on their position as Acalanes would be taking on Northgate High should this transfer come to reality. It is said that the Acalanes staff recommendation is that the Acalanes board also oppose the petition/boundary change as well.

So stay tuned as the story develops . . .

From the Times: "The county hearing on the petition will be at 4 p.m. Sept. 10 at Acalanes High School, 1212 Pleasant Hill Road in Lafayette."

So if you are keeping track, the following entities have said no to this transfer/ boundary change:

**City of Concord
**City of Clayton
**MDUSD School Board
**Walnut Creek School Board
**Concord neighborhoods including Walnut Country/The Crossings, Limeridge and Crystyl Ranch have joined to fight the transfer and they even have their own website: http://sos94521.org/index.html
**Acalanes School Board (?)

As advocates for the transfer, the Walnut Creek Schools Together Now site http://www.npft.org/ offers a countdown to the County meeting on their front page and notes the meeting on September 10th is the "most important event of the year."