April 14th was a memorable day at Deer Valley High where allegedly five teachers and two staff members have been assaulted on campus by students this year, four of the assaults occurring this semester.

Posted comments on a local online forum written by parents/teachers/teacher relatives, etc. state that on April 14 fights broke out in different areas of the high school campus after lunch, one involving multiple kids assaulting one boy. When a teacher jumped in to stop the assault, the teacher was hit and kicked by students, as was another teacher who also responded to the incident. Ultimately Co-Principal Clarence Isadore successfully intervened.

Concerned about the assaults and the fact that they could occur again in the near future, I emailed the district office for information. I subsequently received a reply from Tony Shah, Director, Student Support Services acknowledging, “On April 14th, we did have an incident in which an isolated fight escalated to a large number of students becoming involved. Due to federal privacy rights laws, I am unable to provide you with specific information about either the incident on the disciplinary consequences. I can assure you each student involved in the incident was appropriately assigned consequences in accordance to our current discipline policy and education code.”

I wonder if AUSD reported the assaults to the Antioch Police Department?

Mr. Shah also informed me that parents receive a copy of the district’s discipline policy, and teachers and staff have received “I Understand” training conducted by the Tools For Schools educational consulting firm. The “I Understand” website states that its training program will reduce tardies, absences, detentions, suspensions, too many referrals to the principal’s office and address parent involvement and school safety.

Wonder how well it’s working overall. It doesn’t appear to have been effective in regard to school safety. Perhaps the district should seek a refund. Educational consulting programs are controversial because they’re expensive, and taxpayers wonder why they’re necessary since there are sufficient administrators downtown to properly oversee and run the district.

Antioch’s teachers have been complaining about lack of safety since 2009 when former Superintendent Dr. Deborah Sims changed discipline policy. Teachers alleged that the new lax discipline policy, which led to a signification reduction in appropriate suspensions and expulsions, was meant to improve the district’s public image, and that by keeping such students on campus the district was able to maximize state funding, which is tied to average daily attendance figures.

Having received a copy of the Student and Parent/Guardian Handbook from Mr. Shah I checked the section in regard to the district’s suspension and expulsion process. Basically it states that, except where suspension for a first offense is warranted in accordance with law, suspension shall be imposed only when other means of correction fail to bring about proper conduct.

Expulsion is an action taken by the Board for severe or prolonged breaches of discipline by a student. Except for single acts of a grave nature, expulsion shall be used only when there is a history of misconduct, or other forms of discipline, including suspension, have failed to bring about proper conduct, or when the student’s presence causes a continuing danger to self or others.

My verdict is in – the students involved in the April 14th incident or any other incident in which a teacher or staff member has been aggressively defied or assaulted should be expelled immediately and a report taken in this regard by the Antioch Police Department.

The change from a two-principal to one principal administration at Deer Valley High is is a sound financial and management decision by the board.

The student numbers do not support this luxury as enrollment has dropped to around 2,700. Antioch High has about the same number and is doing well as a one principal school. A good administrator with a strong support staff can run an effective educational campus. Very few school districts in the state operate with this dual model.

I salute Dr. Gill and the Antioch School Board for making the tough decisions.

I would hope that this “outraged” group against the change would direct their efforts by lobbying the State Legislature in restoring a budget that will ensure no cuts, no shortened school year, no P.E., Arts, Music cuts, librarians and nurses restored, etc.

Richard Asadoorian

In these trying times the citizens of Antioch should have the ability to change the direction their lives are headed by taking courses that offer new career opportunities. However, with the state trying to cut funds to education, our Adult Program was closed, when our citizens need it the most.
We need to reconsider this in our current economic state for both the city and its citizens.

Our Adult Program should offer a non-traditional perspective to ensure that our adults have an understanding of how money works, how credit cards play a double edged game and principles of self reliance to blend with their career goals.

Our students as well would benefit from such an education since the state doesn’t have it in its curriculum for K-12. Here’s an opportunity for the city to fill the vacant storefronts with home grown entrepreneurs from our own schools.

Jack Yeager
Candidate for next School Board Election

I am happy to see that the Antioch Herald is back in print. I truly enjoy reading about what’s happening in my local community. As an educator who lives and works in Antioch, I could not help but notice that you had three articles pertaining to Deer Valley High and one for Dozier-Libby High, but none for Antioch High.

It brought back much of the frustration I use to feel in the past when I read the Herald because of the disproportionate coverage it gave to the various high schools in the Antioch community. Inclusiveness is central to the success of any newspaper. Like our sister schools, Antioch High School has many bright and talented young adults who are deserving of being given fair space in your newspaper.

I hope the Antioch Herald will take the time to be mindful of covering the special things that are happening in the local schools with more equity. Thank you.

Ms. Shawn Gilbert
AHS Teacher

Why on April 26th did the Antioch City Council adopt only a temporary moratorium on the establishment and operation of medical marijuana collectives, cooperatives and dispensaries? Antioch already had an ordinance stating that any business operating within the jurisdiction of the city of Antioch must be in compliance with city, state and federal law. Possession, cultivation, use or distribution of marijuana is deemed illegal by the federal government.

City staff explained they want time to study the differences among medical marijuana collectives, cooperatives and dispensaries (hint to staff – if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck), whether there should be a limit on the number of permitted locations and whether they should only be permitted in certain zoning districts and if so, which zoning districts would be appropriate for such uses.

Background Information: In 1996 California voters approved Prop. 215 allowing persons to obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes under limited specified circumstances and not be subject to criminal prosecution. In 2003, the California Legislature adopted Senate Bill 420 which created a state approved voluntary medical marijuana ID card program. (Marijuana continues to be a prohibited Schedule 1 drug for which there is no currently accepted medical use.)

However, in 2009 a memo from the U.S. Dept of Justice indicated the Department’s intent not to use Federal resources on marijuana prosecution if an individual’s actions are “in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state laws providing for the medical use of marijuana”. This, of course, prompted an increase in marijuana dispensaries through the State.

Subsequently, some California cities that permitted the establishment of medical marijuana dispensaries experienced an increase in crimes which led to the California Police Chiefs’ Association in 2009 issuing a “White Paper” stating that many violent crimes in California, including armed robberies and murders, as well as illegal use and sale of marijuana by minors, can be traced back to the proliferation of marijuana dispensaries.

Dispensaries have also lead to loitering, vandalism, illegal electrical alterations, fires and criminal activities at or near dispensaries. San Jose had two arson fires at pot dispensaries – one this January and another in April. This past weekend the Capitola Healing Association, a pot cooperative was also deliberately burned.

By the end of 2009 at least 120 California cities and eight counties decided to ban dispensaries, and did so by enforcing licensing and zoning rules to keep them out of town.

Due to negative effects such facilities have on public, health, safety and welfare, I think the city, which has a diminished police staff and no code enforcement officers, should adopt a permanent BAN on the establishment and operation of medical marijuana collectives, cooperatives and dispensaries.

Even on Private Property!

Dear Editor,

At last Tuesday’s City Council meeting, City Manager Jim Jakel slammed the Antioch Historical Society in an attempt to make it appear the Society was asking for special exemptions to ordinances. When the planning staff attempted to explain this new ordinance was never intended to impact “Non-Profits”, only for profit commercial events, she was talked over, silenced and the vote was forced through to the detriment of every non-profit in this community.

For those of you unclear about this ordinance: The City of Antioch now wants to collect a $50.00 permit fee from ALL private property owners whenever they plan an outside event on their private property. As if the fee wasn’t enough, the property owner must also post a $500.00 refundable security and clean-up fee. This ordinance impacts all non-profits, churches, property owners associations, commercial property, etc…. So the Holy Rosary Church Fall Festival will be tagged for a $500 security deposit, as well as the Antioch Historical Society Bar-B-Q, Woman’s Club if they attempt an outdoor garage sale, any church white elephant sale in their parking lots, etc…etc…

No consideration is given to the fact the groups owns their own parking lot or grounds. None given to the fact they clean their own properties and have never used city streets or crews to clean. None given to them providing their own security on their property. And the one I love most is completely ignoring the law suits and court settlements last year when the Board of Supervisors had to pay the settlement to a private property owner for charging him permits and fees for holding outdoor political fundraisers at his own home.

The non-profits of this community are attempting to raise funds to provide the charitable services the City Government is no longer able to support or fund. These permit fees and security deposits can frequently be in excess of the profits made. Not to mention I find them to be a total violation of your private property rights as land owners.

In his attempt to discredit the objections of the Historical Society, Mr. Jakel stated the City gives them $12,000 every year. Let’s be real clear on this subject. The citizens of Antioch VOTED for the Transient (Motel) Tax for 3% to fund the Arts and History. It was a City managers decision years ago to shift that burden into the Recreation Department Budget. Two years ago seeing the economic pickel the city was in the historical society voluntarily removed the annual stipend from our budget. The Soceity has received nothing from the city in two years.

Three years ago the Council voted to provide CDBG funds (Federal money intended for community groups) to the society to improve the heating downstairs. The staff switched that to Obama funds and created such an obstacle course it took us two years just to get the heating system and we still haven’t been able to jump through all the hoops for the upgrade to the handicapped restroom. How’s that for instant community funding to enhance the economy.

The city fathers would have you believe all our economic problems are due to a 26% loss in revenue from the recession. However, I believe when we laid off the majority of our staff, we exceeded that amount in salaries saved. We no longer have a City Engineer, Head City Planner, Head Building Inspector, Assistant City Attorney, Assistant City manager, Economic Development Dept., no human resource director, deputy city clerk, only one secretary for the third floor, the City Treasurer and City clerk (both elected positions) have been cut to half time and the only full functioning department is the water department as the water funds collected are protected by law to be used by the water department only.

In 1982 we suffered a major recession with unprecedented foreclosures and bankruptcies. We did not desimate our city services to the point of being unable to provide basic services as they are today. I would suggest the loss of city services has more to do with a management style than with the loss of revenue from builders. When the City Manager’s answer to his budget is to create ordinances against the non-profits and private properties owners in the community, then the problem is clearly him and his management style, not the recession.

Time for the council to seek an interim manager steeped in financial background if they ever expect the threat of bankruptcy to leave the chambers. Time for a progressive individual that sees a future for us. Mr Jakel’s first department to dissolve was the neighborhood improvement department that was bringing money into the city. Wake up Council. It’s almost too late.

Elizabeth Rimbault, former Antioch Mayor Pro Tem

I discovered another Notice of Public Hearing, this time by Tina Wehrmeister, Secretary to the Antioch Planning Commission, stating that the City will be holding a public hearing on May 24th to review and APPROVE a Municipal and Community Climate Action Plan, outlining how the City and community can reach greenhouse gas emission reduction goals set by Resolution 2009/57. The draft plan is available for review on the City website at www.antiochclimateaction.org.

I went to the website where I found a 40-page plan drafted by the Dominican University of California Green MBA Team. The Dominican University is based in the San Franciscan Bay Area, although its network extends beyond Northern California to global partners. It seeks to promote “financial viability, ecological sustainability and social justice in business and organizations of all types.” Graduates receive a Master’s degree in Sustainable Enterprise.

The plan, which touts “notable” climate change legislation in California, includes no mention of AB32, the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 authored by Fabian Nuñez, former Assembly Speaker.

Implementation of AB32, due to go into effect next January, has been delayed by a court ruling that the state must spend more time studying alternatives to the measure’s key feature. The Dominican University plan does, however, for some unfathomable reason, include a photo of former Councilman Reggie Moore and Deer Valley High Principal Clarence Isadore.

From the plan, it appears that the City of Antioch is committing to reducing community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 25% below the baseline year of 2005 by the year 2020 – and 30% below by 2050 through various changes in land use and transportation, green building and energy, and, of course, education and behavior.

Good grief. Why are our politicians buying this green ideology when the non-peer-reviewed global warming report issued by the Climate Research Unit of the United Kingdom’s University of East Anglia has been discredited by numerous scientists? The green agenda is an ideology which is receiving heavy government subsidies, despite the fact that carbon dioxide is a minor greenhouse gas and 90% of the warming from greenhouse gases is caused by water vapor.

Anyone want a bridge? I have one for sale.

Only two schools from Contra Costa garnered the 2011 California Distinguished School Award. I proudly announce that both schools belong to Area 5 which I represent as Trustee for the Contra Costa County Board of Education.

A big applause goes to Bristow Middle School, Principal Russell Cornell and staff, Superintendent Merrill Grant and the Board Members of the Brentwood Union School District. This is the fifth time that a school from BUSD earned this distinction. Other winners include Edna Hill Middle in 2007, Brentwood Elementary in 2002, Ron Nunn Elementary in 2000 and Garin Elementary in 1998.

A well deserved kudos to Dozier Libbey Medical High School, Principal Nancie Castro and staff, Superintendent Donald Gill and the Board Members of the Antioch Unified School District. This is the fourth time that a school from AUSD earned this award. Other winners include Park Middle in 2001, Marsh Elementary in 1997 and Park Middle in 1996.

Congratulations!

Cynthia Ruehlig
Trustee for Area 5 of the Contra Costa County Board of Education. Area 5 includes Bethel Island, Brentwood, Byron, Discovery Bay, Knightsen, Oakley and parts of Antioch, Bay Point and Pittsburg.