Thursday, October 9, 2008

What do "they" say about VUSD teachers?

THE ANTIs CALL THE VISTA TEACHERS GREEDY AND LAZY

Did you know that you are greedy and lazy? No, it does not matter how many extra hours past your contracted seven and a half hour day you put in on Bales Busy Work, our "Anti" foes know you do not like to work. You do not care if students learn. You only complain about Bales because for the first time in your lazy lives and careers someone is making you actually do your jobs. You "bad teachers," who refuse to teach our VUSD students to read, realize how bad a job you and your fellow teachers do and you all put your children in private schools and never in VUSD schools because teaching is so bad in VUSD. (This is a very odd charge since it is Guffanti, Gibson and Anderson who do not have their own school age children in our VUSD schools.)

What? You do not believe they say those things about you? No one would say anything like that, right? Wrong. Read below if you have a good stomach.

NCTIMES COMMENT BLOGS ARE WHERE THE ANTIs LEVEL THEIR NASTIEST ACCUSATIONS ABOUT OUR GOOD VUSD TEACHERS

In the nctimes online after each article bloggers are allowed to post. The comments posted after articles about VUSD and its teachers are really outrageous. I have posted them below with the name of the article before the posting of the comments. If you wish to read even more of the Anti Public Education groups comments, just do an advanced search of nctimes online use the search term, VUSD. There are far more of these. You probably do not have time. Please fell free to make copies of these comments and share them with teachers at your site who have not yet joined in the fight against Guffanti, Anderson, and Fernandez. The following comments come from them and their supports. I have left their "creative" spelling and delightful syntax as just as is.

First are some quotes from a commentary Guffanti was allowed to publish on the editorial pages of the NCTIMES.

The consequences of VUSD leadership
By: Stephen Guffanti - Commentary Sunday, August 5, 2007 9:10 PM PDT

In the late '80s, the Vista Unified School District spent nearly $250,000 to teach its teachers how to make pet rocks! (THIS IS A LIE, OF COURSE, BUT IT SERVES TO ANGER THE GULLIBLE SUPPORTERS OF GUFFANTI) Why? The superintendent had no academic focus and pet rocks were popular at the time. As a consequence, reading and math, both essential skills, drifted down until now only 40 percent of our students are at grade level. (NOT TRUE)

Consider the teacher who looks at test scores and asks, "Johnny is not getting it. What can I do differently?" For the first time, Johnny is tested, the teacher's question is answered, and the treatment works. Dr. Bales' academic focus is not about test scores. It's about teaching children reading and math and using tests as a road map to better teaching. It's not about more rules and regulations. It's about more tools and higher expectations.Sixty percent of our students, an appalling 14,000 VUSD students, read below grade level. (Editor note: Of course these are phony statistics. Guffanti apparently flunked that course in college.)

FIRE ALL THE OLD TEACHERS

Vista Parent[-] wrote on Aug 6, 2007 1:33 PM:
What a concept in VUSD, holding people accountable! (Oh sure no one ever held teacher's accountable) Now if we could just do that to the "old" guard teachers in the union! (in other words, fire all the "old" teachers) That would be somthing. There are thousands of teachers that want top (sic) come here and help pour (sic) kids BUT they can't because of the union protecting teachers that no longer do the job they are getting paid to do. (Why don't they fire those teachers?) All oof (sic) you bloggers, like 180 0ff above, are probably OLD teachers or family members of old teachers that are scared to death Dr. Bales and the Board will find a way to hold you accountable! (That is right, fire all old teachers) What a great day that would be!!!

GUFFANTI SUPPORTER SECOND POST: FIRE THE OLD TEACHERS

To Accountability[-] wrote on Aug 6, 2007 2:27 PM:Is that the best you can do, blame it on President Bush! Or on my not taking the time to proof read. Good for you! I would also guess that you are one of the "OLD" teachers! It also proves my point that you really do not have a defense for the poor performance of the VUSD "OLD" teachers or the administrators that are gone! Hopefully, you are one of those!

GUFFANTI SUPPORTER SAYS: "NOT A SCHOOL DISTRICT...EDUCATING CHILDREN, EMPLOYMENT SERVICE PURE AND SIMPLE, RATS ARE JUMPING "

Ron[-] wrote on Aug 6, 2007 6:09 PM:What a bunch of cowards. If you have an opinion, why not place your name behind it? As a long time resident of Vista, a survivor of the 94 recall, and with children who have gone through the Vista Unifed School District, I think I know a thing to two about how this district has been run into the ground by these unions. This is not a school district, who's aim is the educating of kids, it's an employment service, pure and simple. If you have any doubt, attend a single board meeting, and see who gets more time infront of this board, in the open and in closed session. It's a no brainer. Thank God Ms. Bales is finally turning the tide, and the rats are jumping ship, before they are noticed.

HERE ARE SOME FANTASY FACTS BY THE GREAT GUFFANTI MASTER OF MISLEADING AND PHONY STATISTICS

A return to excellence in VUSD
By: STEPHEN GUFFANTI - Commentary: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 7:48 PM PDT


Last year, 60 percent of Vista Unified School District students were below grade level in reading.(NOT TRUE--ANOTHER GUFFANTI FANTASY FACT) Typically, the district failed to teach two-thirds of its low-income children whose primary language was not English. (FALSE) As a result, 18 of the district's schools failed to meet federal standards and 12 were sanctioned. (A SCHOOL "FAILS" BECAUSE ONE STUDENT IN ONE CATEGORY MISSES ONE TEST QUESTION? THAT IS NOT FAILURE, THAT IS SUCCESS. GUFFANTI ALWAYS SEES THE GLASS AS ONE TENTH OF ONE PERCENT EMPTY AND DOES NOT NOTICE THAT IT IS MORE THAN 99% FULL)


This improvement, which has reached all 40 of the school's subgroups, can only be viewed as a fundamental shift in the way VUSD is doing business. Schools with concentrations of low-income students are leading the way. In fact, VUSD's top performer is SIATech, a charter school for dropouts and at-risk students that they call "at promise" students. SIATech is in the top 10 percent of schools in the state. (BOLD FACE LIE! COMPLETE AND UTTER DISREGARD OF ALL FACTS AND STATISTICS)Students just last year believed to be unreachable have hope because they can read. Teachers who used every tool they knew and failed are getting new tools and seeing extraordinary results. The hope for a brighter future and a successful career is spreading throughout the district. As students with fortified reading skills enter other classrooms, this hope will spread.VUSD is returning to its tradition of excellence. (ASK GUFFANTI WHEN OUR DISTRICT WAS NOT EXCELLENT--WHAT A TURKEY)It took our district a dozen years to hit its low point, but if we stay the course we should be back on top in four. Why? Because Dr. Bales is right, "Once a child learns to read, you can't stop them from learning."

GUFFANTI SUPPORTER SAYS BEFORE BALES AND GUFFANTI STUDENTS DID NOT LEARN AND ALL THE TEACHERS WERE LAZY

TaxPayer
[-] wrote on Sep 17, 2007 11:25 AM:I agree with Samuel "I am amazed at these negative comments but not surprised." These blogers(sic) never complained when the kids were failing. Now they are "all upset" with Dr. Guffanti. Looks like DR.Guffnati (sic) and DR.Bales are making some employees and there union work for a living.

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JOYCE BALES BREAKS ARM PATTING HERSELF ON THE BACK

Read the following article if you did not know how great a job Joyce Bales has done. In her own mind she is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/05/03/perspective/nct2228f77d56c8d7f38825742c0004d.txt

OPINION: Success in VUSD, despite hard times
New district programs show student gains
By JOYCE BALES Saturday, May 3, 2008 5:05 PM PDT

Here are comments from Guffanti's Gang of supporters following the Joyce Bales OPINION piece in the nctimes.


Reardon[-] wrote on May 4, 2008 5:49 PM:A "good" California school is like being the Best Dressed Man in Big Foot, Texas!It is a comparison against a diminished standard.

GUFFANTI GANG MEMBER SAYS VUSD 'TEACHERS FAILED MAJORITY OF STUDENTS FOR YEARS" and "TEACHERS DO WANT STUDENTS TO FAIL"

Shirley
[-] wrote on May 7, 2008 12:04 PM:I support Bales and the reading program. The teachers failed the majority of students in this district for years. Obviously they don't want to be told what to teach, but I think they gave up that right when they couldn't do it on their own. I really think the teachers DO want the students to fail because then they can say "I told you so". But sorry, it isn't going to happen because progress is finally being made and low performing kids ARE doing better.
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NORTH COUNTY STAFF PUBLISH PRO GUFFANTI GANG EDITORIAL; ADVOCATE FOR FIRING TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS!

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/01/03/opinion/editorials/19_35_171_2_08.txt

Bale-ing out of VUSD
By: North County Times Opinion staff Wednesday, January 2, 2008 7:48 PM PST

Our view: Turnover at the district may be a good thing (Turnover at the NCTimes would be even better)

GUFFANTI GANG MEMBERS SAY VUSD TEACHERS "DON'T CARE" AND "NO ONE WAS HELD ACCOUNTABLE UNDER COWLES"

teachers divided[-] wrote on Jan 2, 2008 10:40 PM:
I guess as long as they get a raise they don't care that their current method fails 60% of the students.

GUFFANTI GANG MEMBER ACCUSES TEACHERS OF CHEATING ON STANDARDIZED TESTS AND HAVING NO MORALITY


Parent[-] wrote on Jan 3, 2008 8:45 AM:
Under Dr. Cowels (SIC) no one was held accountable for thier(SIC) job. From the teachers all the up to the past Superintendent.
teachers were cheating on state testing. Remember the years of teachers cheating? Teachers had to cheat to get thier (SIC) scores up. They had to increase thier (SIC) scores because they weren't teaching district and state requirements. Now with Dr. Bales, teachers and administration know that they will be held accountable, hence the mass exodus
What about lying and cheating, no employer is going to tolerate that either. Dr. Bales knows that the buck stops with her. That is the kind of leadership that I want my children to admire. Not the examples of the past where there was no accountability or responsibily much less morality!! Dr. Bales, you go girl!!!! I for one am in your corner!!!

GUFFANTI GANG MEMBER SAYS VUSD IS AN EMPLOYMENT AGENCY FOR "EDUCRATS"

Ron[-] wrote on Jan 3, 2008 11:47 AM:It is obvious, to any citizen, parent, or taxpayer in Vista, that VUSD has become an employment agency for educrats.
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GUFFANTI GANG MEMBER DECLARES VTA/CTA ON "DEAD-END COURSE TOWARD THE TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IN VISTA AND CA"

Reply to really?[-] wrote on Mar 2, 2008 5:22 PM: he (Dr. Lilly) too might be turning toward the idea of actually improving education for the Students as opposed to always looking at what is best for the retirement of teachers and other VTA represented individuals.

the VTA/CTA has continued on its dead-end course toward the total destruction of the Public School system in Vista and CA.

the Union and its puppets have had their chance and so far the data show nothing but declining test score (NOT TRUE), dilapidated buildings (TEN NEW SCHOOLS BUILT), and continued political turmoil within the district. Its time to return the Public School system to the Public! If teachers are good at what they do then they don't need a Union to protect them: they will be well rewarded by the public they serve!
((YES, WITH MORE THAN 1/3 LOWER SALARIES AND NO HEALTH BENEFITS FOUND IN THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN VISTA--SAVE ME FROM THAT REWARD!)
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Kathy Henry VTA member wrote a very nice commentary published in the North County Times. Here is the title of her article and date.

VUSD misusing screening process
By: KATHY HENRY - Commentary: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 9:02 PM PDT

GUFFANTI SUPPORTERS RESPOND TO KATHY HENRY'S ARTICLE WITH THE FOLLOWING: "HUNDREDS OF TENURE VUSD TEACHERS SHOULD RETIRE" AND THEY "HAVE A PROVEN TRACK RECORD THAT THEY CANNOT TEACH" CALL VUSD TEACHERS LAZY

Jason[-] wrote on Jun 21, 2007 7:36 PM:Lets first start by saying that hundreds of tenure VUSD teachers should retire. They have been there TOO LONG and have a proven track record that they cannot teach. They just about only show up to work to correct their paychecks. I agree that there are hundreds of new teachers that are better qualified and should be teaching in their place. So how do we get rid of these lazy teachers that have been entrenched and are hindering our kids so that these new teachers that you are all bragging about can start teaching? Sure lets change the hiring process but ONLY AFTER these incompetent teachers are gone! The facts speak for themselves.

Below are some quotes from a Guffanti commentary before the last school board election (2006). He was supporting Jim Gibson and (surprise!)Patty Anderson for VUSD board.

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/10/23/opinion/commentary/102206140413.txt

Vote to support English in schools
By: Stephen Guffanti - Commentary Sunday, October 22, 2006 8:23 PM

At the last school board debate Carol Herrera, president of the board and leader of the union-funded board majority, clarified why Vista Unified has 15,000 students reading below grade level when she said, "I refuse to believe that there's anything bad about our schools." At that moment, I realized that until the board majority recognizes that these kids need to read, these children have no chance. Electing Patty Anderson and Jim Gibson could create that majority.Only Patty Anderson and Jim Gibson admitted we have serious education problems we need to face. How serious? The North County Times reported that if VUSD doesn't improve, next year the state will have the option of taking over three of our schools and another three the year after that. In fact, one-third of North County's sanctioned schools reside in VUSD.(ANOTHER GUFFANTI FANTASY FACT)Why is the state threatening takeover? (Why is Guffanti lapsing into a take over dream?) Because VUSD has nearly 15,000 students reading below grade level (Bald faced Guffanti lie, nctimes NEVER fact checks a Guffanti editorial.), and this has not changed for the last eight years. (lie) These students can't read their textbooks well enough to pass their classes. Reading English is the gateway skill to success in every course and eventually to high-paying jobs.

only Anderson and Gibson are willing to require VUSD to teach students to read, write and speak English now. (Really no other school board member wants students to read? What outrageous slander!)If their opponents are avoiding this issue now, they certainly won't support literacy if elected (silly slander, ridiculous on its face. Imagine if any of the Pro public education group tried to get a similar charge published in nctimes about Guffanti or Gibson. It would never happen.).This election, I did something that few politicians ever do. I donated more than half of my campaign funds to another politician's campaign. (According to Jill Parvin's nctimes commentary published October 16, 2008, Guffanti had barely a few thousand dollars to fight for his seat against the onslaught of teacher money) to the editor on OCtoberIn the face of an opponent who will outspend me 10-to-1 (bald faced lie, Guffanti has run campaigns that have raised and spent between $30,000 and $60,000 each in 2000 and 2004) the next time my name appears on the ballot, why would I do this?

Please support Anderson and Gibson. They are the only ones who are serious in demanding that our schools teach English now. (again silly and stupid slander) No delays, no excuses! Please tell your neighbors their vote for Anderson and Gibson is a vote for the English language in our community.


Here is what one of the racists members of Guffanti's Gang wrote in the comment section following the above article:

Hang in there Vista
[-] wrote on Oct 23, 2006 2:40 PM:If we can deport all the illegal aliens and their anchor babies not only can we teach our children in English, our classrooms won't be crowded and we won't have to build any more schools. Let the country of origin educate their own. I am tired of footing the bill for these freeloaders!
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GUFFANTI ADMITS TO DELAYING THIRD VUSD HIGH SCHOOL

In this Guffanti commentary, Guffanti is admitting to delaying the third VUSD high school. he later takes no responsibility fo the five years of delay and $25 million in extra expenses his delay of the third high school caused. (He refused to be the fourth vote to condemn the $1million dollar strawberry hill property eventually forcing the district to spend $17 million to acquire the current property on highway 76. Another 8 to ten million was lost to increased construction costs and especially the increased grading cost at the less favorable highway 76 site.)

Reading crisis, union power prompted donations
By: STEPHEN GUFFANTI - Commentary Friday, February 16, 2007 9:13 PM PST


Recently, the North County Times reported that I gave away more than half my campaign funds to help two Vista school board candidates in their races. Why would I part with precious funds that I will need the next time I run to help others?

In order to reach all students who need help, our superintendent needs control of the budget. The county Office of Education has concluded that our latest union contract is unsustainable. At the same time, even though VUSD has nearly 5,000 empty seats, the board majority is diverting operating funds to build the largest school in VUSD history. The more of our budget that is shifted to prop the union's raise and fund the mega-school, the less that is available to teach reading.

THE GREAT GUFFANTI GANG LIE: "VISTA TEACHERS DO NOT SEND THEIR OWN CHILDREN TO VISTA SCHOOLS."

I do not know of a single VUSD teacher who did not have their children in VUSD schools. I know of many living in Escondido, Oceanside and San Marcos who have gotten inter district transfers to bring their kids to our schools. All of my own children went K-12 to only VUSD schools.

This lie goes back many years to an anti-union think tank that did a non-scientific discredited "survey" of "selected" teachers and ask them where they sent their children while they taught. The teachers selected had young children, younger than school age, and had their children in various Pre-Schools because they were too young for kindergarten.

This anti-union think tank counted the pre-schools as PRIVATE non-public schools.

By selecting the teachers and misrpresenting pre-school as private schools, they came up with a now discredited statistic saying teachers NATIONWIDE (not Vista) sent their children to private schools. This lie is repeated endlessly on ANTI-teacher websites.

Just the Facts Please[-] wrote on Feb 17, 2007 5:55 PM:
let me ask you a question why is it that VUSD teachers and administrators send their own children to �PRIVATE� schools? It appears that they come to Vista to do their dirty deeds and then go back to their upscale homes in other cities.


Now read a biased NCTimes editorial opinion piece saying VUSD are
"BAD SCHOOLS CHURNING OUT POORLY EDUCATED STUDENTS"

Is it any wonder that the nasty talking, anti-VUSD teacher, folks at the NCTimes continue to endorse the ANTI-public education folks. The following editorial was probably written by Jim Trageser who notoriously spewed the paranoia that it was a nation-wide conspiracy against Christians that lead to the 1994 recall of VUSD extremists school board members.

Why VUSD exodus may not be a tragedy
By: North County Times Opinion staff - Friday, July 13, 2007 8:04 AM PDT


Our view: Reforming struggling schools may require turnover at the top

To see a school system struggling with today's academic challenges due in part to ethnic and socioeconomic differences, one need look no farther than Vista.

The Vista Unified School District's plight exemplifies just why Brown v. Board of Education is outdated. Its disadvantaged students aren't blacks suffering from a legacy of slavery and Jim Crow. Rather, they are largely the sons and daughters of Mexican immigrants, many struggling to learn English and assimilate into a new culture.Despite this difference, the outcome is the same: bad schools churning out poorly educated students. That problem won't be solved by busing in Anglo kids from Carlsbad. It's going to require real reform.Enter Dr. Joyce Bales, the gung-ho new superintendent at Vista Unified. She has staked her reputation on improving student scores, with a strategy focused on
testing and measurable achievement, not integration.She's bent a few noses out of joint in the process. Five of the district's 28 principals have announced their resignations this year. Two others have retired. Many more remain disgruntled.But for a district in such distress, such an exodus may not be a tragedy. Turnover at the top is likely necessary.Whether Dr. Bales' approach will work has yet to be determined, but if it does work it will prove that schools focusing on academics are probably doing more for their minority students than a civil rights suit could.

Ron[-] wrote on Jul 13, 2007 6:57 AM:I have told you for some time now, the educrats have been running these schools for their own benefit, and not to the benefit of students. Test scores, drop out rates, and dumbed-down curriculum tell the story. We spend half of our state's budget on "education" to no avail, not to mention all of the Federal dollars for programs. Yet, for all of this, we see it getting worse. Teachers send their own children to private schools (DISCREDITED LIE FROM A DISCREDITED, PHONY SURVEY THAT COUNTED PRE- SCHOOL AS PRIVATE SCHOOL), and that is key evidence to the failure. Social engineering is more important to faculty and staff at our public schools, the achievement. Indoctrination, instead of education and critical thinking skills. It's time to allow those parents who want a better education for their children, an opt out by giving them vouchers. Many, many low-income parents and children are trapped inside a sinking ship, with no way out. Allow parents and students to make their...

NCTimes article below tell about Guffanti's violation of labor law to try to get RBVHS winning baseball coach Fletes fired.

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/12/30/news/coastal/19_45_4312_29_07.txt
Coach's firing polarized VUSD: Latest flash point echoes previous battle
By: STACY BRANDT - North County Times Saturday, December 29, 2007 9:23 PM PST


...against longtime union critic and school board Trustee Stephen Guffanti, who had encouraged parents in e-mails to gather evidence of Fletes' alleged wrongdoing.


Eyebrows were raised in July, when a handful of upset parents met with Guffanti, Superintendent Joyce Bales and Chief Academic Officer Sandy Gecewicz at the home of Guffanti's political ally, Dan Piro.

Here is what one of Guffanti's Gang wrote after the article exposing Guffanti's illegal role in the firing of Leo Fletes (who was later re-hired after threat of lawsuit caused Guffanti to retreat from his position as baseball coach bully.)

polarized
[-] wrote on Dec 30, 2007 9:45 AM:This district has been ploarized since the union took over in 1994.
The union leadership has made it very clear that kids are there to be used.

To Curly Joe and NCT
[-] wrote on Dec 30, 2007 10:11 AM:
He (Lilly) was a Union Supported Puppet when he was originally elected
Guess he finally realized that the VTA is more about personal power and profit (whose?)
VUSD, VTA, and Vista are full of great skeletons, and other wonderful bits of graft and abuse of public trust (another set of slanders and lies passed around by Guffanti Gang members)


This next comment on the article above was from a Guffanti Gang member pretending to be a VUSD teacher. This one says that students receive a "MISERABLE EDUCATION AT VUSD"

Vista Teacher[-] wrote on Dec 30, 2007 10:34 AM another Teacher was corrupted by the power of the attack dogs that have run this District into the ground
it was an opportunity to polarize the people against those who are only trying to clean up the mess around here, and that might actually implicate certain people in the Union as being something other than genuine

I�d recommend getting them out of VUSD before it is too late. I, and the few teachers left who care about real education, are going to retire very soon, and then it will be too late for your children


far less than their chances of surviving even the miserable education they receive here at VUSD
choices, this will take money away from failing schools, and give it to schools that actually teach.

Well, do you agree with the Guffanti Gang that claims VUSD teachers are "lazy" "do not want to work" give "VUSD students a miserable education" have "trapped students in a sinking ship"
Go back and read the bold faced comments again. This is what the Guffanti Gang thinks of you and this district. They could be running our district in less than three weeks.

Elections matter. Volunteer now. Call VTA 758-2690. Go down to the VTA office from 9am to 5pm daily at 1717 East Vista Way, Vista.

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