Top 11 Reasons for Recall - Short Version

(email us for the full version)

Top Eleven Recall Reasons: Fact Sheet – April/May 2009
Ballots will be mailed the week of April 20. THIS IS AN ALL-MAIL ELECTION.

1. “No Confidence” vote in the Board and Superintendent by Big Oak Flat-Groveland Teachers Association. Source: Wynette Hilton and Emily Hanchett, BOFG TA
2. BOFG Classified Staff voted to support the recall. Source: BOFG Classified Staff
3. Public support: approximately 1200 signatures were obtained to recall each Board member. Source: County Clerk, Debi Russell
4. Controversial renewal of the Superintendent’s contract for 3 years by board members facing a recall election. Source: Feb. 11 Board meeting video
5. Taxpayers foot the bill for excessive District legal fees (see #5 and #6). District budget increased to cover. Source: Tonya Midget, Chief Business Official, BOFGUSD.
6. Legal Action Example #1: Tioga HS Principal’s pay was lowered to “part-time Principal” when she volunteered to teach a few classes in addition to full-time Principal duties to save the District money. However, Superintendent Brabbin’s salary was not lowered to part-time Superintendent duties as Principal at DPHS. Source: Mrs. Bradley, records
7. Litigation Example #2: Ryan Dutton Case: The only charge made against Ryan Dutton was unequivocally rejected and he is fully exonerated by Cal State Fresno. Brabbin and the Board refuse to reinstate him. Mariposa County approved Mr. Dutton for the classroom. Source: Head Credential Analyst, Cal State Fresno; FSU hearing
8. Critical classes and other programs cut at Tioga and Tenaya. Source: Principals
9. Contrary to promises to voters, overspending of 1 to 2 million dollars of Measure M at Don Pedro, resulting in cut projects at Tioga and Tenaya. Source: Measure M Oversight Committee, Caldwell Flores Winter report deleted from BOFGUSD web site; Vavrinek, Trine and Day &Co. LLP report sent Feb. 3, 2009.
10. Hundreds of thousands of dollars lost for 71 interdistrict transfers due to a missed deadline for application to a program. Source: School of Choice rules
11. 38% of eligible Don Pedro High School students not tested on required California test. 100% of eligible Tioga students and 99% in County overall were tested. Source: California Department of Education

View the always interesting, sometimes shocking, Board meeting videos

Thanks to Frog for posting on youtube

View the board's hasty renewal of Superintendent's contract even though they had 3 months to do so, and the entire board is undergoing a recall election in May. Listen to the end when the board chairman is asked "for how long?" [the contract term].
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ym2Vu_bjBJs&feature=channel_page

Watch Mrs. Berger, the wife of a Board member, lambast Ryan Dutton, and demonstrate a complete misunderstanding of how credentialing works in California. Too bad she didn't check her facts first before raking the guy's reputation over the coals.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUp7GrzJp9k&feature=channel

Superintentendent to Students - "I can't respond unless it's agendized"

In the video below, protesting Tioga High School students, who made extensive public comments during a school board meeting about their dissatisfaction with recent actions by the Board and Superintendent, ask Superintendent Brabbin why she provided no comments. Seems that Superintendent Brabbin was misinformed or did not understand the law when she told students she could not respond unless the item were agendized.

Here is the law:

California Government Code
54954.2. (2) No action or discussion shall be undertaken on any item not appearing on the posted agenda, except that members of a legislative body or its staff may briefly respond to statements made or questions posed by persons exercising their public testimony rights under Section 54954.3. In addition, on their own initiative or in response to questions posed by the public, a member of a legislative body or its staff may ask a question for clarification, make a brief announcement, or make a brief report on his or her own activities.