The state Friday announced $3.5 million in federal grant dollars to help low-income students pay for Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams.

The California Department of Education said it would distribute money to school districts to reimburse students.

One advanced placement test runs $84.

Juniors should be encouraged to answer "Early Assessment Program" math and English questions as part of the California Standards Tests, Katie Kleier, director of instruction, said.

There are 15 additional questions in both subjects along with an additional essay. And the extra work will indicate college preparedness. If the scores are low, students will be able to work to raise the bar through their senior year.

Nearly 60 percent of freshman in the CSU system have to take remedial English, math or both - a drain on the pocketbook and time for classes that don't count toward graduation, Kleier said.

For more information contact Michelle Jackson, CSUB EAP coordinator 654-2489.

Kern county schools received $11.1 million in grants and loans to improve career technical education facilities through repair projects and school upgrades, the state education department said.

Sierra Sands Unified School District
• Sherman E. Burroughs High School, Engineering & Design: $6 million

Kern High School District
• Arvin High School, Manufacturing & Product Development: $1,193,473
• Arvin High School, Arts, Media, & Entertainment: $896,993
• Bakersfield High School, Fashion & Interior Design: $18,168
• East Bakersfield High School, Manufacturing & Product Development: $737,030
• Highland High School, Engineering & Design: $19,880
• Independence High School, Building Trades & Construction: $270,248
• Independence High School, Agriculture & Natural Resources: $385,168
• Mira Monte High School, Agriculture & Natural Resources: $865,051
• Mira Monte High School, Building Trades & Construction: $520,695
• North High School, Agriculture & Natural Resources: $215,658

larger view

   Booc 'Henry Greve Speech Contest' Champ       &n bsp;         
        & nbsp;  

        & nbsp; When it comes to public speaking, Mardelano Booc, from Almond Tree Middle School in Delano, proved he has mastered the art very well, winning the 54th annual Henry Greve Speech Contest tonight (March 27) at University Square in Bakersfield. Booc's speech heavily focused on the sacrifices his family has made to become citizens - traveling hundreds of miles, skipping work and school, sometimes, to attend citizenship classes in Fresno. It was the judges' choice as the best interpretation of the contest topic "What it Means to be a Citizen of the United States in 2008." 

        & nbsp;   After successfully surviving challenges at the school, district and regional levels, Booc was the most persuasive of the 10 Kern County seventh and eighth-graders who made it to the finals. He received a trophy and a perpetual plaque, bearing his name, which will be displayed at Almond Tree Middle School for one year. Warren Jr. High School student Prutha Mehta finished second, and Kelsey Brewer from Norris Middle School was third. Each had to write and deliver an original four to seven-minute speech.

        & nbsp;  Though the competition, sponsored by both Bakersfield Toastmasters Club #270 and the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office, has been around since 1955, it was named the Henry Greve Speech Contest in1963 by the Toastmasters in memory of county speech therapist Henry Greve. Greve actively supported boys and girls oral language activities.

        & nbsp;  
###
 
2008 Henry Greve Speech Contestants
(Not by order of finish)
 
Mardelano Booc, Almond Tree Middle School
Molly Chandler, Freedom Middle School
Gabriela Cuevas, Sequoia Middle School
Drake Floyd, Chipman Jr. High School
Prutha Mehta, Warren Jr. High School
Chasidy Miles, Fairfax Middle School
Betty Ruiz, Lakeside School
Kerry Saltvick, Sequoia Middle School
Kelsey Brewer, Norris Middle School
Seth Wasylyszyn, Actis Jr. High School
 

The state board of education adopted health standards earlier this month, which includes sex education among other topics.

It's a hefty document but a chart on page 7 shows that sexual health education will occur in 5th grade, middle school and high school, with varying degrees of information. The grades and subject matter are broken down.

When should students learn about sex and sexual health? (sex education ranges from an explanation of reproductive system and HIV/STDS in 5th grade, to information on reporting rape and the influence of media on self image in middle school, to parenting and families in high school.)

An order filed on March 25 announced the Second District Court of Appeal would in June rehear a case that has threatened homeschooling throughout California.

The opinion arose from a case regarding the welfare of minor children. Upon investigation it was found that the children were being taught by their mother who was not a credentialed teacher.

The court said parents did not have a constitutional right to homeschool.

We've got two arguments about the state budget and whether or not programs should be prioritized.

Monday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said if he were to have prioritized the budget, he'd have had politicians coming at him from all angles asking why he cut this program more than he cut another one.

Today, state schools chief Jack O'Connell said that education should not be placed equally on the chopping block as prisons and Caltrans.

What do you think? Who is right? Should all programs be targeted equally? Or should there be priorities?

And if there are priorities for the betterment of California, who should set them: the governor or the legislature or both?

State schools chief Jack O'Connell had a panel discussion with some Centennial High School students today about the budget.

A reporter asked him what he thought about districts having to make cuts at the same time they are paying trustee perks - health insurance is the big ticket and not everyone takes it, but tens of thousands of dollars are spent each year for trustee health insurance. Trustees sometimes also accept monthly stipends of hundreds of dollars.

What do you think of this? Is this a good payment for trustees' services that districts should absolutely pay? Or is this a practice that at least in this financial crisis should be suspended?

A Daily Breeze story says a couple of So.Cal. districts are asking parents to donate hundreds of dollars in the wake of severe education funding cuts. One district is asking for $200 a kid.

I haven't gotten wind of anything like this from Kern districts, have you?

Would you shell out money to stick a finger in the dam at your district?

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger named two Kern County high school students to his All-State Academic Team during the first annual Governor’s Academic Recognition Awards Dinner on March 11 in Sacramento.

Laura Stearns and Johnathan Shih, members of Stockdale High School’s Academic Decathlon Team that finished 10th at the recent California Academic Decathlon competition, were among 25 students statewide to receive the governor’s All-State Academic Team medal.

The awards were based on grade point average, SAT scores, class rank, extra curricular activities, community service and volunteer activities.

Stearns, a senior, has a 4.5 GPA, scored a perfect 2400 on the SAT and has a class rank of 1. She had the highest individual score at the Kern County Academic Decathlon, where she gold medaled in seven out of 10 events. Stearns is a Whitman National Debate Institute Lincoln-Douglas semi-finalist and a member of the Bakersfield Youth Symphony.

Shih is also a senior and has a 4.5 GPA, 2310 SAT score, class rank of 9 and is an AP Scholar with Honors. He is a member of Stockdale’s varsity cross country team and a volunteer piano teacher.

Stearns and Shih and the five other highest scoring Academic Decathlon finishers from Kern County were among the top 177 academic students from the state’s 58 counties to be honored at the dinner. 

Others from Kern County honored at the dinner were Michael Brown, Melissa Couch and Stephen Wight from Stockdale High and Jordan Goh and Grant Paulson from Bakersfield High.

source: Kern County Superintendent of Schools
 

Click the link to view student service learning activities commemorating Cesar Chavez's birthday (March 31).

Finance & Thrift Company is offering scholarships to high school seniors.

Contact the marketing department for details and an application at:

559.781.3961

The 54th annual Henry Greve Speech Contest will be held at 7 p.m., March 27 at University Square.

Click the link for details.

Stockdale High's powerhouse of a mock trial team heads to state competition March 28-29.

Click the link for details.

I thought some of you might like to see this story in the O.C. Register from a few days ago. A trustee from one district tried to get the IGWT plan on the agenda of a neighboring district, but they didn't go for it.

Has anyone seen the infamous posters up in KHSD yet? I asked a student about a month ago and he said they weren't up yet.

The Bakersfield City School District Tuesday will suggest that the district not renew three grant-funded programs and notify affected employees.

Maintaining the programs would be too costly, according to an agenda item prepared by Linda Goodspeed, director of certificated personnel. (I'm guessing, although I haven't spoken directly with anyone on this but I'm guessing the grants must not cover all of the costs associated with these.)

The district was not sure how many students and staff would be impacted, spokesman Steve Gabbitas said.

The programs included in the recommendation are Reading First, Safe Schools Healthy Students and Targeted Instructional Improvement Programs.

Fifteen schools use the reading program that is meant to target kindergarten through 3rd grade, Gabbitas said.

Safe Schools Healthy Students is a social skills development program meant to stem violence.

The board will also consider increasing a decade old travel allowance by 41 percent to $190 per day: $35 for food, $155 for hotels.

And the district will reintroduce a Tuberculosis testing policy, this time allowing students to enroll in the district with a risk assessment questionnaire signed by a doctor rather than requiring a TB skin test.

The district last year pulled a policy recommendation following concerns by the Kern County Department of Public Health Services. Health experts said mandatory testing was an outdated waste of time and money.

~~~~

Anyone had first hand experience with these programs? With the district be fine without them or do you think it's a mistake to cut them?

As for travel allowance, I know it is pricey to travel these days. And chances are an increased travel allowance wouldn't cost the district too much money. But I wonder if this the right time to be upping the amount trustees and other folks get to spend to go on the road? We still haven't gotten through the budget process.

The 21st annual Kern County Regional Science Fair is April 2 at the Rabobank Convention Center.

Click the link for details and a list of participating schools.

Home schooling came under fire a few weeks ago when a 2nd district judge essentially said home schooling was not protected by the constitution. A couple of organizations have said they were hoping to have the opinion retracted or at least have it only apply to the family on which the courts were ruling.

And apparently the legislature is holding off on dramatic action.

From a Capitol Weekly story today:

On March 10, Assemblyman Joel Anderson, R-La Mesa, introduced a resolution in support of home schooling. ACR115 "would acknowledge the long and rich history of private home schooling in California and call upon the California Supreme Court to reverse the opinion."

Anderson's chief of staff, Mike Spence, said that every Republican in the Assembly has signed on as a co-author, as well as a pair of Democrats: Nicole Parra, D-Hanford, and Jim Beall, D-San Jose. Anderson will also wait to see what happens with the legal challenge.

"We really haven't contemplated what type of legislation would be needed if something went really wrong," Spence said.

~~~~~~

Our coverage of the decision earlier this month.

"Not all struggling schools are alike," Margaret Spellings, U.S. education secretary, said announcing a new federal pilot program to differentiate among schools failing NCLB.

Up to 10 states will be allowed to ease up on schools that have missed NCLB goals by one category, such as special education students or English learners, and focus on schools that are struggling in several categories.

Currently, schools must show all students in all categories, including income levels, race, language and special needs, are gaining proficiency in math and English.

The L.A. Times story laid out an interesting question.  On one hand, this seems like a fair(er) approach. On the other hand, would this take the pressure off of schools to work toward closing the achievement gap if they know their sanctions wouldn't be as severe?

 SACRAMENTO - State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell announced today that the California Department of Education has completed a legal review of the February 28 California Court of Appeal ruling regarding home schooling. O'Connell issued the following statement:

"I have reviewed this case, and I want to assure parents that chose to home school that California Department of Education policy will not change in any way as a result of this ruling. Parents still have the right to home school in our state.

"Every child in our state has a legal right to get an education, and I want every child to get an education that will prepare them for success in college and the world of work in the challenging global economy.

"As the head of California's public school system, I hope that every parent would want to send their children to public school. However, traditional public schools may not be the best fit for every student. Within the public school system there are a range of options available. Students can take independent study classes, attend a charter school, or participate in non-classroom-based programs. But some parents choose to send their children to private schools or to home school, and I respect that right.

"I admire the dedication of parents who commit to oversee their children's education through home schooling. But, no matter what educational program a student participates in, it is critical that the program prepares them for future success in the global economy. I urge any parent who is considering or involved in home schooling their children to take advantage of resources and support available through their county or district offices of education."

Kern County Superintendent of Schools press release:

Sisters’ Documentaries Among Winners at Kern County History Day

As sisters, Centennial High’s Sarah Moore and Fruitvale Jr. High’s Grace Moore proved they are a family that knows how to make historical documentaries, as both won individual honors in separate divisions at the 25th annual Kern County History Day competition held (today) (March 8) at Ridgeview High School in Bakersfield.

Sarah’s entry, “The Conflict of Nazis in Skokie: A Question of Compromise,” was a first
place winner in the Senior Division. Grace’s “Going for Broke: The Men of the 100th Infantry and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team” similarly was awarded first place in the Junior Division.

Winners in each category earned the right to compete at History Day in California
— May 8-11 in Sacramento. State winners can compete at National History Day to be held June 15-19 at the University of Maryland.

Sarah’s documentary detailed a controversial time in American history, when a Jewish lawyer actually defended the First Amendment rights of the National Socialist Party of America (NPSA) to hold a parade in Skokie, Illinois, against the wishes of the town’s largely Jewish population, which included several Holocaust survivor families.

“Even though the case was about First Amendment rights and preserving free speech, lawyer David Goldberger was called a ‘self-hating Jew,’” Moore said. “Anyone has the right to free speech, but this was a case about using your own free speech to counter another person’s right to free speech.”

Approximately 160 students in grades 4-12 from 24 Kern County schools competed. Students involved in the competition worked all year to research and prepare historical papers, exhibits, performances, documentaries and posters designed around the National History Day theme of Conflict and Compromise in History.

The Kern County Superintendent of Schools, law firm of Klein, DeNatale, Goldner, Cooper, Rosenlieb & Kimball, LLP and Ridgeview High School sponsored the county event.

KERN COUNTY HISTORY DAY 2008 WINNERS
*(Students eligible to represent Kern County at History Day in California, May 8-11 in Sacramento)

SENIOR DIVISION (Grades 9-12)

Group Documentary
* Ruben Rivera, Sergio Gonzalez, East High — “Cesar Chavez: The Struggle for the Farm Workers”
* Joseph Lopez, Kat Martinez and Rosalba Cardenas, East High — “Operation Husky: The Battle for Sicily”
* Dylan Del Rio, Jose Ortiz, East High — “Vietnam Veterans: The Lost Soldiers”

Individual Documentary
* Sarah Moore, Centennial High —  “The Conflict of Nazis in Skokie: A Question of Compromise”
* Morgan Barnes, Bakersfield High — “Earl Warren: Bringing Unity to the Court and Justice to the Nation”
* Russell Reason, Centennial High — “Repatriation of Expatriation: The Forgotten Story of Hispanic Americans and the Great Depression”

Group Exhibit
* Bianca Ramirez and Vanessa Saavedra, Foothill High — “The Impact of Black Death”
* Alison Johnson and Alyssa Ramirez, East High — “Reforming the Great Society Through Faith-Based Initiatives”

Individual  Exhibit
* Karlee McGuire, Liberty High — “Susan B. Anthony: Failure is Impossible”
* Brandon Louey, Centennial High — “Conflict and Compromise: SNCC and the Voter Registration Movement”
* Karlee Grundeis, East High — “The Conflict and Compromise of the 1965 Watts Riots”

JUNIOR DIVISION (Grades 4-8)

Group Performance
* Caitlin Bransby, Chloe Carlson, Bianca Hinojosa and Danielle Opdyke, Fruitvale Jr. High — “Conflict & Compromise: America on the Homefront”
* Aaliyah Beed, Dylan Gonzales, Josh Gonzales, Brock Lynch and Alyssa Shannon, Fruitvale Jr. High — “Four Innocent Girls: Victims of Hate; Casualties of Ignorance; A Tragic Incident that Would Affect Civil Rights in the U.S. Forever”
ALTERNATE: Mikayla Feil and Daniel McDonald, Tevis Jr. High —
“Conflict of Conscience: The Internment of Japanese-Americans”

Individual Performance
* Gabriela Forter, Fruitvale Jr. High — “A Negotiator for Change”

Group Documentary
* Sameen Bramer and Calvin Laverty, Columbia Elementary — “May It Please the Court: Tinke vs Des Moines”
ALTERNATE: Rory Hagelstein and Ali Thompsett, Standard Middle — “After the War: Should Rosie Return Home?”

Individual Documentary
* Grace Moore, Fruitvale Jr. High — “Going for Broke: The Men of the 100th Infantry and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team”
* Carson Crawford, Fruitvale Jr. High — “The Week That Changed the World: The Conflict of the Cold War and the Shanghai Communiqué”
ALTERNATE: Travis Beckett, Standard Middle — “A Cambodian Survivor Story”

Group Exhibit
* Allison Cordova, Johnny Gieg, Trevor Para and Ramie Sahota, Columbia Elementary — “Internment: The Conflict & Compromise of Two Lives”
* Alex Burditt and Andrew Kerwin, Discovery Elementary — “General Homma: Beast of Bataar”

Individual  Exhibit
* Brittany Louey, Endeavour Elementary — “From Selma to Voting Rights Act of 1965”
ALTERNATE: Eric Haynes, Fruitvale Jr. High — “Munich Conference:
The Compromise That Led to War”

Historical Paper
* Marissa Manos, Fruitvale Jr. High — “Wisconsin vs Yoder: The Conflict and Compromise of Amish Religious Freedom”
* Anastasia Clegg, Fruitvale Jr. High — “Conflicts, Compromise and Independence: The 1947 Partitioning of India”

Group Poster (Grades 4-5 only)
* Juana Alcala, Ashley Arellano, Isabella Ozuna and Alondra Paredes, Alicante Ave. School — “Pathing the Path to Equality in Education: Mendez vs Wetminster 1947”
* Geoff Gonzales, MaKay Moss and Amy Williams, Columbia Elementary — “Ben Kuroki: Conflict & Compromise of Nisei During WWII
ALTERNATE: Kiley Barton, Haley Cavazos and Anelise Puentes, Highland Elementary — “Korean Conflict”

Individual Poster (Grades 4-5 only)
* Sophia Constantine, Norris Elementary — “Conflict and Compromise: The Battle for Monte Cassino”
* Kyle Gaines, Rio Bravo-Greeley — “The Great American Baseball Strike”
ALTERNATE: Alejandra Santoyo, Myrtle Ave. School — “Rosa Parks”

Lerdo Jail may have to find new means to meet state requirements to provide education to inmates.

The Kern High School District, through its Bakersfield Adult School, provided five teachers to the Lerdo Jail inmate education program.

But the district, in the midst of drastic cuts to state education funding, announced Monday its intention to notify 38 teachers, including all five teachers at the Lerdo Jail, of possible layoffs.

Detentions lieutenant in charge of Lerdo support services, Vetrice Mitchell, said Tuesday the jail is mandated by the state to provide education, so if the cuts come through, they will have find alternatives.

It's too early to say what they might do at this point, but  other districts including colleges could also provide the teachers.

The Inmate Education Program serves hundreds of inmates, she said, on subjects including substance abuse and parenting classes, auto body, computer operations and GED.

The jail averages about 2,300 inmates a day, she said. An average stay at the facility is about 25 days.

The Fruitvale School District board Tuesday unanimously approved measures to notify about 21 employees they may not have jobs next year: six first-year elementary teachers and 15 classified positions.

Their issues stem from declining enrollment more so than budget cuts, according to Superintendent Carl Olsen.

Average daily attendance in the district dropped by 90 students this year to 3,030 and is expected to drop another 75 next year. They are back to the enrollment figures they saw four years ago.

To stop the hemmorhaging, the district may consider campaigns to entice commercial employees who work within the district boundaries but live elsewhere to enroll their children in Fruitvale schools, Olsen said.

Board member Kevin Burton said he decided to turn down the district health insurance package, which he estimated the district pays about $13,000 annually. I'm not sure which of the other members utilize this benefit.

A couple of videos on You Tube show kids chanting "Keep Mr. Cheek" and waving signs showing their support.

Ed Cheek was notified  Wednesday that he was a "nonreelect." That's school-speak for "we're not going to hire you back next year and we're not going to tell you why because we don't have to."

At least that's what Cheek said he was told and what Superintendent Richard Swanson confirmed.

At a Tehachapi Unified School District board meeting last week, Cheek said about 150 kids and parents showed up, some spoke on his behalf, the school board listened and gave him the ax anyway.

This is his second year as Vice Principal and he's never been told there were problems with his performance, he said.

I asked if this came as a surprise. That's one word you can use, he said. "Almost gave me a heart attack."

"If I’ve done something wrong, tell me what it is, give me a chance to fix it," Cheek said. And with no one talking, he's starting to think it's personal. But he can't seem to think of anyone he "pissed off," he said.

He said, his 20 years in schools has taught him that a place where people don't want you is not a place where you want to be.

His nonreelect is not budget related. The board would have had to take up a resolution and it would have been called a force reduction. They're taking that up tonight, Swanson said. The district may have to pink slip a couple of teachers and an administrator.

Meanwhile, Cheek is surfing an administrator job board - right now there are 450 job links in the state of California, he said.

And he's thinking about the house he just built.

Bakersfield City School District announced Monday it doesn't have to lay off certificated staff. It's planning for attrition to make room for 75 relocations within the district.

Kern High School District, however, will be making decisions by Wednesday on which 33 high school teachers will get a pink slip. It's also cutting all five teachers at the Lerdo Jail education program.

Fruitvale School District will meet Tuesday, but the Superintendent, Carl Olsen said the district will recommend notifying six certificated staff layoffs and 15 classified.

Rosedale Union School District last week said it would cut 20 certificated jobs.

More cuts could come next month for classified staff as boards make decisions on those staffing levels.

Districts will be watching out for the May revision of the state budget to get another glance at the outlook for education.

While most educators aren't holding their breath for a rosier picture, if things do start to look up and districts find they have more room in their budgets, they could call back some of the folks they had laid off.

A former high school administrator is now teaching high school science after being demoted for sexual harassment.

Jeff Sarratt, former Stockdale High dean of instruction, was stripped of his administrative position and any other supervisory roles he may have held, for actions toward a colleague over a four-day period in January, according to a Kern High School District letter addressed to Sarratt.

The Californian obtained the letter under the California Public Records Act.

Records show that between Jan. 10 and Jan. 12, Sarratt tried to contact a teacher in whom he apparently was interested romantically.

He texted the colleague as early as 5:06 a.m. and as late as 10:41 p.m., sending a dozen text messages one day. And he placed 54 calls over a two-day period.

The colleague expressed to Sarratt in an e-mail that the relationship must be purely professional, but the next night Sarratt texted again around 10:40 asking for company.

Shafter High assistant principal William Sandoval declined to comment but agreed to deliver an interview request to Sarratt, who did not return the message.

Sarratt, who started at Stockdale in August 2005, was placed on leave Jan. 15, district spokesman John Teves said. Sarratt joined the district in August 1993. He was Centennial High School’s dean of students from 2001 to 2003, then went on to Bakersfield Adult School before heading to Stockdale.

... 54 calls ...
 

Monday:

Kern High School District

8:35 a.m.

5801 Sundale Ave.

Bakersfield City School District

5 p.m.

1300 Baker St.

Tuesday: Fruitvale School District TBA

The teachers union president, Mitch Olson, at a KHSD meeting mentioned an interesting fact - this meeting is being held during the day when the districts' employees will be at work.

Good point. Does that seem fair? Why not hold it at night?

I’m looking into a story examining theft in high schools. I spoke with a woman whose granddaughter’s gym locker was broken into twice in as many weeks. Needless to say she's mad as heck. She filed a report with the school police but isn't hopeful that will accomplish much. The items stolen: a wallet the first time and a cell phone and iPod the second time.

I thought I'd float some questions to you all now:

How prevalent is theft in the schools?

Have you/your kids/friends had things stolen or known someone who stole?

When kids bring cell phones and iPods to school, are they asking for trouble or should their stuff be safe no matter how valuable?

What do/should schools do to deal with theft?

It was looking like Rosedale Union School District would lose 34 jobs to make its $2.1 million budget cut for next year.

But an alternative may offer a chance to save 14 jobs.

Plan B on the board agenda for tomorrow's meeting includes a line on potential income, $430,000, if the district cancelled a daycare contract with North of the River Recreation and Park District and ran the program itself, John Mendiburu, assistant superintendent of business, said.

The board will take the proposals into consideration at its meeting tomorrow.

How to go:
4 p.m., March 5
Independence Elementary School
2345 Old Farm Road

The board voted 4-to-1 (Bob Hampton was the lone "No" vote) to approve Ken Mettler's policy that would allow schools to offer girls-only and boys-only gym classes.

This will be voluntary as coed classes are mandated by federal law (Title IX).

And schools will have to work with their current staffing levels.

But Mettler had only Chad Vegas on his side for the drug dogs.

The program could have cost the district about $55,000 a year and without a whole lot of other numbers to support the success of such programs, the board just didn't see fit to give it a green light.

Mettler maintains the program would pay for itself if just 8 students each year were not expelled because they were deterred by the program. (state pays $7,000 per student)

And most people can't say easily that they are not for a program that could keep drugs out of schools and could keep more students in school. So I would keep my eye out for this one to come up again.

Mettler's second proposal, to expand drug screening and physicals to all staff, also was shot down. And again Vegas was his sole supporter.

The board approved Joel Heinrichs' proposal to move forward with exploring ideas to expand opportunities for career technical education in the district. (recognizing the current fiscal climate) Some include possible weekend and night classes, online classes and a high school dedicated to career tech.

Last week I started working on a story about 100 Hispanics who shaped America -- it was a project completed by sixth, seventh and eighth graders at Our Lady of Guadalupe School. 

One of those influential Hispanics was Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America.

She was supposed to meet the students Thursday and give a talk -- her typical student talks revolve around nonviolence, the philosophy of "yes, it can be done," follow your dreams and don’t waste your money on materialistic values, said her scheduler and "number six of 11 children" Alicia Huerta.

But no more. The activist has been uninvited.

I've got a call in to the school and hope to hear the reason for the "Uninvite." Alicia said she thinks it's because Dolores believes in a woman's right to choose. But she also has a call in to the principal and is waiting for answers and a possible solution.

Alicia has heard that several parents are disappointed the presentation has been cancelled. She said they may try to make other arrangements, possibly holding a talk off campus at her office.

What do you think of California Catholic Daily's take on the situation?

Just for the record, I asked Alicia about Dolores' religious affiliation:

She’s met with cardinals and bishops up north, she said, and one of her foundation's board members is a Reverend Deacon. Dolores has a Catholic background; all of her children are baptized Catholic. She goes to a Catholic church and prays the rosary on a daily basis.

"I think it would be beneficial to the students to hear and see a Hispanic woman who has been influential," Alicia said, adding that she is a "hero to many."

"I think it’s quite sad," she said. "(The school is) taking away from the children, it’s a disadvantage."

Alicia said Dolores is unaware of the "univite" because Alicia is trying to work things out still at this point. She is on the road on speaking engagements.