I attended an event at the Renaissance in Aliso Viejo sponsored by Capistrano Unified Children’s First. It featured Jack T. O’Connell, the California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, who was in town to support the recall effort.
During his brief remarks, Mr. O’Connell talked about the need for stability and long-term planning that was necessary for the the community. He congratulated the Community for the continued improvement in test scores which the Board also reported out in its’ latest dispatch. But, what he also noted was that the turmoil at the highest echelon of the Board would eventually catch up. As such, he reinforced how things had to change and change now.
As I made the brief rounds, I had a chance to confer with the candidates to assess how everything was going and get a sense of the campaign as they saw it. They are continuing their insurgent, grassroots effort to live up to their mantra. I urged them, though, to also work on articulating a road-map as well. The continued concern expressed to be was how the Board’s hand was tied due to the continued mandates from Sacramento. They also expressed concerns that there is basically no one to talk to because of the continued polarization of the political process.
As the grassroots effort seems to continue to gather steam, I could not help but wonder what the current board had up its’ sleeve.