ICEF Amateur Hour continues...ICEF tries to charge $800 to view public records

Honestly, I didn't think we'd have another ICEF Amateur Hour episode so soon, but here we are again.

ICEF Charter School bogus invoice to view public records

    ICEF continues to play dumb about their responsibility under the California Public Records Act (PRA). On Thursday, ICEF responded to a PRA request with a invoice of $867.87 to just view these records. The fees included copying, redacting, reviewing the redactions, and even lunch breaks. ICEF's lawyer was cc'd on the invoice.
 
I had a great belly laugh when I saw the email. What fresh BS is this?

    Per the PRA, public records can be viewed upon request on location at no cost to the requester. Any work required to make these documents available must be taken on by the keeper of the records. This "invoice" is just another lame attempting to not comply with the law.
    After complaining about the legality of the invoice to ICEF CCO/CFO Greg Brendel , I was directed to speak with ICEF's legal counsel. I connected with the lawyer on Friday afternoon and we spoke for 23 minutes. It was exhilarating!
    ICEF's counsel offered to reduce the cost of access to the documents to $250. Absolutely not, I told him, I would not pay anything to see public records. This invoice was bogus and was even attempting to double charge for copying of records for redaction for public viewing.
    I have made many public records request since I started this blog, (the most notable and troublesome request involved getting copies of documents related to the CWC stripping and hosing a student on campus)  and this was the first time anyone tried to charge. The lawyer said he would get back to me next week.

    So, fellow Adventurers, tune in next week for the next episode where more amateur antics are sure to ensue.
 
 
 

Is ICEF violating co-location agreement?

Right now, ICEF Vista has volunteer parents cleaning up the Stoner Avenue Elementary School campus.While this might sound like a good thing, ICEF might be acting in violation of the co-location agreement with LAUSD and ICEF Vista Director Kristen Buczek should already knows this.

ICEF Vista Director Buczek having parents
perform facilities duties in violation of co-location contract

   At the June 5, Campus Co-location Committee meeting, Buczek specifically asked if she could have volunteer ICEF parents clean (i.e. perform facilities work) the campus.
   Ms. Buzcek was told that no she could not have parents volunteers perform facilities work since: 1) the co-location agreement clearly states that LAUSD is in charge of facilites on the entire campus including the charter's part of campus and 2) giving facilities work to volunteer parents would take away work from unionized LAUSD employees.
    However, today Ms Buzcek appeared to ignore the terms of the co-location agreement and the recommendation of the CCC and chose to use ICEF Vista parents to perform the work she was told they could not do.

ICEF parent's truck parked on campus
 while parent performs facilities work

    Through the fence, I addressed Buzcek and asked what was going on. She said they were volunteer parents and "they are cleaning up..." before her words trailed off.
   I reminded her that she had already been told at the campus co-location committee meeting that parents could not perform facilities duties.  She quickly changed her tune and said that they were leaving and denied saying that they were cleaning.
   Fortunately, in the video I took of the interaction you can clearly hear her say "they are cleaning" and see her point to leaves on the ground. Plus, the parents are holding a broom, rake and trash can. One parent was later seen hauling trash bags full of pine needles.

   Wow, it appears that ICEF may be violating the terms of the co-location agreement.

Buckle your seatbelts and make sure your devices are full charged, this is going to be an awesome adventure in co-location!***



***post updated 9/4/2015 to remove potential defamatory language per cease and desist letter from ICEF's attorney.

ICEF's plan is to "steal from Peter to give to Paul"

Protesters asking ICEF to not covet their classrooms

Wow, I was just alerted to the ICEF Vista School Site Counsel's February 2015 meeting minutes where ICEF makes it very clear that their intent is to take away resources from Stoner ES to open up space on the ICEF Vista St. Gerard campus to provide those same resources to their own students.

In section e. Expansion Discussion v. We want parents to know all the benefits of the move 2. the minutes state "We get to use some of the facilities at Stoner and will now have open space at our school."  Subsection a goes on to state "Our open space can be used for:  Art room, computer lab, resource room, room for one more section of 6th graders."

Wow, wow, WOW! ICEF wants to take away resources from Stoner which would include the art room, computer lab, music room and other resource rooms so that they can create empty space on their campus to provide almost the exact same resources they are taking away from the Stoner ES students to their own students.
     This is unconscionable. ICEF, which many in the neighborhood refer to as "the school at the church", is "stealing from Peter to give to Paul." They want to take resources away from students at Stoner ES to give those same resources to ICEF students on the St. Gerard campus.

   One other thing I should point out is section e. viii. states "Stoner overall may not be very happy about this move" and in subsection 3 states "We need to clear up misconceptions that Stoner families may have."

     First off, Stoner is not just unhappy, the Stoner community is extremely mad and is fighting back against this co-location. 'Not be very happy' is an understatement. The Stoner community has already held a protest in front of the ICEF Vista campus at the church, and the co-location hasn't even happened yet.

ICEF Vista: "Stealing from Peter to give to Paul"
ICEF Vista SSC Feb 2015 minutes show that ICEF plans to take
resources from Stoner, to provide those same resources to  ICEF

    Secondly, ICEF doesn't need to clear up misconceptions about a co-location, Stoner lived through a co-location last year and knows what it will be like. Stoner parents began asking for a protest when news of the co-location was announced.
     A co-location creates problems and competition for resources. A co-location creates segregation on campus and ICEF even acknowledges this in in the SSC minutes in section e. ii. stating "..., there will be a definite divide between Vista and Stoner students." In other words, there will be a divided campus with separate and unequal conditions for the different school's students.
      If you don't believe me, you can see the minutes on ICEF website at: http://icefivms.sharpschool.net/UserFiles/Servers/Server_31331/File/SchoolSiteCouncilMeeting-212.docx
    There is also a jpg of the minutes included with this post.

     I am going to repeat what I told the ICEF Board at their February meeting: "ICEF please don't steal from Peter to give to Paul."
   

Stoner to take petitions to ICEF Board meeting

Over the past few weeks, the booster club, Friends of Stoner, has been collecting signatures from the Stoner community, local community and ICEF community to oppose the co-location of ICEF Vista on the Stoner ES campus for 2015/16.
    At the Thursday, March 19 ICEF Board Meeting, Friends of Stoner will be presenting the petitions and again expressing opposition against the proposed co-location to the ICEF Board.
     FOS has collected over 100 letters and signatures on petitions asking ICEF to withdraw its co-location request.
     If the co-location hasn't even started and ICEF has already been faced with a protest and petitions, do they think things will get better if the co-location happens?

PROTEST: ICEF Vista co-location at Stoner

Hoy, there fellow adventurers! You've probably wondering where I've been. Judging from the number of hits to the blog, people have been waiting for info on the protest, but I've been busy. I'm not a full time writer and sometimes life gets in the way, but I've got time now. So, here we go....

Tuesday, March 10, 2015 the Stoner Elementary School community held a protest against the proposed "ICEF Vista Elementary School co-location at Stoner Avenue" in front of the ICEF Vista Elementary/ICEF Vista Middle School location on the St. Gerard's campus.
   Over 30 parents plus Stoner students participated in the protest. A half a dozen ICEF parents joined the protest, by standing on the church grounds asking for help to make ICEF a better school.

   ICEF had four security guards stationed around campus and there were 3 cops cars on Inglewood. So, the Stoner protesters felt safe.
   There was even a military fly over. Stoner had air support!
   One odd-ball ICEF parent openly, immaturely, and sophomoricly mocked the Stoner protesters for their willingness to defy state law and ask for a better future for their children. The display was comical and sadly amusing.
    ICEF administration was present for the protest but stayed far away from the protesters behind a red barricade near the school classrooms.
   A reporter for the Argonaut showed up to the protest and interviewed parents for an article that is supposed to come out this week. We'll let you know when this is published.

   Finally, the Stoner community plans to continue the opposition to the co-location with more protests and stronger actions. This week, Friends of Stoner will be presenting the ICEF Board with over 100 letters and petitions signatures from the Stoner and ICEF community stating their opposition to the co-location.