Our View: Solano, Elias and Fuentes for Bassett

IN the past, the Bassett Unified School District board has dealt with superintendent controversies, a near bankruptcy and other non-academic distractions.

[Roberto]

Are you kidding me???? Yes, these two were sitting on the board when the Torch room was built. Yes these two were sitting on the board when the new BHS stadium was re-done. These are very superficial fixes. But, they have done nothing for academic achievement. Paul has being on the board for 8 years and Robert has been on there for 16 years and under their leadership our test scores and our graduation rate has declined. Maybe the Tribune wants to celebrate that as well. This article is as naive as the two incumbents. You all take unfounded information and roll with--publicly.

The current board supports the tyranny of the district leader, Jim Ballard, which publicly proclaimed, "Cash is King!" Students have not been placed first. I do not think the current board knows how to get academic excellence at Bassett. What this district needs is a fresh start with candidates that know education. Bassett is living under a corrupt dynasty of leaders that use intimidation and retaliation and favoritism to get what they want.

[iris]

I very much agree with Roberto 100%!!!!

[Alex]

Thats too bad Robert that you have to make these unfair comments about two people you use to call regularly for help and support when you were a teacher at Torch. It's unprofessional people like you that embarrass the educational profession.
I'm not surprised either because of the fact that your sister is running for the school board too. You have to use dirty tactics to get her elected.

[NEIGHBOR]

I am going to have to agree with Alex. While Roberto seems to have written an exposing response, what he is leaving out is more revealing. Roberto's sister is also running for the board, she also got interviewed by the Tribune and they didn't back her. Bitter much?

While Roberto is attacks the incumbents’ and calls their decisions “superficial” and complains about a declining graduation rate; the tribune just reported earlier this year that 2 students are getting full ride scholarships to Duke University and UCLA. If you want to talk about Robert Fuentes 12 years in the district, he also saw students go to local universities such as Cal Poly, Cal State Fullerton, USC and as far east as Harvard and Yale. Mr. Fuentes’ decision making for the district may not be as naive as you think.

Also during these years the incumbents’ years on the board, Roberto's mother has sat on the board along with Mr. Fuentes and Mr. Solano, help making the decisions that Roberto is now fighting against. Where was this anger when she was on the board? Where was this outrage when he had a teaching job in the district?

Bottom line, we can take Roberto's words with a grain of salt. His outrage is tainted, by his self victimization and his own campaign for his sister.

[Students First]

The Tribune says we need stability, as an educator I say we need the following for Basset:

1. Get rid of Solano and Fuentes, they have done nothing for our students. Solano has no children himself and yet he is making decisions for 5000 students. He didn't even go to Bassett High School, I wonder why? Fuentes is old and is only looking for his daughter's best interest. His business failed and just like his business he is also running our schools the same way.

2. We need accountability, cuurently no one is being held accountable.

3. Get rid of all the racist personnel at the district office, starting with Ms. Bean.

4. We need change and educated people on the Board.

5. People who care about STUDENTS!

[Daniel Medina]

This is a half hearted attempt from a news paper to back three candidates that care more about the bottom line than the drop out rate in Bassett. This news paper didn't even take the time to interview the three candidates that know what it takes for the schools in Bassett to be successful. The three candidates that know what happens when there are too many students in one classroom. The only three candidates that are teachers who care about how well the students do now and in future. Vickie Medina, Taiwan Alvarado, and Art Sandoval are the only three cadidates running for the school board that can actually claim to know what it takes for classroom success from the inside out. Take this papers word with a grain of salt, what kind of news paper takes a position without getting all the info, great job reporting the facts reporters at the Tribune, great job.

[Bassett Graduate]

Daniel Medina,

You've stated, "Vickie Medina, Taiwan Alvarado, and Art Sandoval are the only three cadidates running for the school board that can actually claim to know what it takes for classroom success from the inside out." If they know so much, why is the Tribune backing 3 other candidates? Why is it a "half hearted attempt [sic]"?

The Tribune had positive comments about 5 of the candidates, including 2 of which the newspaper is not endorsing, yet made no mention of the 3 you support. Maybe you should ask yourself why that is before making such a bold statement.

[Torch Parent]

Roberto wrote:

Are you kidding me???? Yes, these two were sitting on the board when the Torch room was built. Yes these two were sitting on the board when the new BHS stadium was re-done. These are very superficial fixes. But, they have done nothing for academic achievement. Paul has being on the board for 8 years and Robert has been on there for 16 years and under their leadership our test scores and our graduation rate has declined. Maybe the Tribune wants to celebrate that as well. This article is as naive as the two incumbents. You all take unfounded information and roll with--publicly.
The current board supports the tyranny of the district leader, Jim Ballard, which publicly proclaimed, "Cash is King!" Students have not been placed first. I do not think the current board knows how to get academic excellence at Bassett. What this district needs is a fresh start with candidates that know education. Bassett is living under a corrupt dynasty of leaders that use intimidation and retaliation and favoritism to get what they want.

Its people like you who keep Bassett down. You lose your job at Bassett now all the sudden you care about what’s happening in Bassett. Yes the High School Stadium was modernized, and if you had ever bothered to go to a game to support our students you would have noticed the decades old wooden bleachers that were a lawsuit waiting to happen. If your children ever played on the horrible compacted soil of the football field and received an injury because of its poor condition maybe you could understand that modernizing the stadium was a wise thing to do. The multi purpose room at Torch was something Torch parents have been wanting for decades. I have also seen improvements in our classrooms new lighting better air-conditioning new roofs. Our test scores are rising and our schools have made outstanding gains. Stop bad mouthing and discrediting people who have been trying to help Bassett for decades!! It’s so sad to see people like you pull Bassett down for your own selfish reasons.

[NEIGHBOR]

How dumb do you think the voters are? Robert Fuentes is only looking for his daughter's best interest?

Who do you think Mrs. Medina's husband is? Joe Medina. Who do you think will benefit from Medina's election on the board? Joe Medina; He is the same tyrant that our good veteran teachers have been warning others about for years.

Who do you think Ms. Alvarado’s brother is? He is the same guys who keeps bashing and blaming the incumbents because he lost his job due to a bad economy. Get in line brother, there are a lot of people who have recently lost their jobs in this community. You are not special.

Do you think these men will get special treatment in the district if the election goes their way? I don’t think I have to answer that.

It is funny what these people purposely leave out in their arguments and complaints. They are and will be guilty of doing what they are accusing the incumbents are doing.

You say you want people who care about the students? Lets ask Ms. Alvarado about the Bassett High School yearbook controversy when she was the yearbook advisor/editor. When mistakes and vulgarities were sold to our children, what did she do? She blamed our students. She said it was their fault. As the advisor/editor, she didn't edit it. As the adult in the situation, she quickly pointed her finger at the students she now claims she cares about more than any one. These books are still around, ask a neighbor to see it. They should be collector’s items now.

This campaign is laughable.

So do not forget to vote for Elias, Fuentes and Solano for Bassett School Board on Nov 3!!!!!

[Torch Parent]

I remember that yearbook! I think there were over 100 grammatical mistakes. Don’t Yearbook advisors get paid to oversee the students so things like that won’t happen? Worst of all Board Candidate Taiwan Alvarado was an English teacher at Bassett High school. Wow… that has to make you have confidence in your High School English program.

[Bassett Grad]

To all the people who have posted:

First to the ones who are calling out Paul Solano on his age and the fact that he has no kids, that further leads me to believe he must have a genuine interest as a member of his community to see our youths make something of themselves. I admire the fact that he is young and a board member because he can bring new and innovative ideas.

Elias also has kids who graduated from Basset and her return to the board will bring the parents point of view into the board room.

Fuentes is a dedicated man, who has served our community for years. He is always talking to students about their future and college. We cannot pin everything on these three, they can only light up the path, its up to the students to walk it and the parents to encourage them.

For the people who blame these three candidates for all the problems, you are sadly mistaken. As a fellow Bassett graduate and resident I support Solano, Elias, and Fuentes.

And to "students first" your list sounds like it was done by a spiteful teenager who does not understand the facts and everything it takes to run a school board, especially one that is at the moment not at its best, but slowly building itself up. Having the most AP classes in the San Gabriel Valley is an achievement in its own, with time Bassett will become a better school for our community. In the mean time if half of the people here complaining would actually be more pro-active instead of just slinging insults and childish comments (students first) we would reach our goals a lot faster.

SOLANO, ELIAS, and FUENTES for BUSD!!

[Ricardo]

Given the progress I have observed in the Bassett School District during the past few years, both in facilities improvement and student achievement, as well as the diligence of the current School Board in dealing with significant and crippling economic challenges, I must conclude that Roberto is amongst that group of individuals we encounter all too frequently in modern society; the perpetual grievance mongers and whiners whose failure to achieve anything of significance in their miserable lives and project their failure on others.

[Gatto]

Stop been a liar, they haven't done anything for the community, besides to milk us. they have no idea of what the families are suffering with the everyday struggle to make our mortgage payments THANK'S to the stupid ideas of people like Solano and Fuentes, just to mention some of them, in rising 2 BONDS of 43 million, in only two years.
Have they ever done anything for the academic part, or they just want to look fancy by building stadiums that the students are restricted to use it, and by building super multi-use rooms in which the studebts cannot use when is raining.
Stop liking their boots!!!! and publish the reality: Jeff!

[Madeline]

Neither side has it all together. The Medina/Sandoval/Alvarado team has one thing going for it. Joe Medina. Tyrant? Maybe. Genius? Yes! He knows how to improve a school. No doubt about it. The Solano/ Fuentes pair have been decent men who have given it their all. It seems that they have been the victims of a greedy superintendent. Mr. Ballard is doing just fine for himself. Solano and Fuentes have a history of trusting Mr. Ballard. Who trusts the hen house to a fox? The children are not a concern it seems. It is a sad situation.

[Wife Beater]

Do any of them beat their wives and leave their puppy out in the elements? Well, at least they have that going for them. If Louie Perez get involved you will have a wife beating puppy hater to deal with like the citizens of La Puente;RE: Water Board

[question]

how is mr ballard greedy? explain?

[Gatto]

How many people that care about Bassett live in Hemet??? Are you guys Ballard's relatives?

?????????
If you cannot handle the truth, too bad!!!

[Roberto]

A better bassett--you are a true idiot!!!

[Roberto]

Neighbor:

Please find the information, educate one another and then write responses.(In other words, do your homework.) Neighbor, please point me in the direction that shows that our schools are doing well. Oh, wait. You are going by what the Tribune is saying. Or, are you going by the slight gains in API by some schools? Yes, that article and your sources are very well researched. I honestly believe that 2 students receiving full scholarships is great but it’s not enough. Or, I should say, it’s not enough for the students at Bassett. Maybe you should attend a Bishop Amat graduation and see how many of them get scholarships. Were you aware that 5 years ago the graduation rate at BHS was at 98% and that it is currently at around 81%. Did our student demographics change? No.(This is factual. Check out http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/ if you know how to navigate around this site.) Sadly, no one is being held accountable for this decline. In fact, both Ballard and Watanabe got raises during this time. And those that should be holding the line of accountability are the Board members but, cash is king and students are not first. Let’s keep the book in the black at the expense of academic success.

Sure the economy is not at its best--to say the least--but look around your surrounding districts, BPUSD, HLPUSD, WCUSD. Are they doing the same? No. Did their Board members award their superintendant a huge salary disproportionately to their workload? No. Do they have half-day kinder? No. Did they lay-off a high percent of their teachers? No. In fact BP did not lay off anyone. And HLPUSD is still hiring. How the hell did they do it? Maybe they do have a financial wizard and Board that is working for them that earns less than our financial wizard. Hummm!!!

Yes, my mother was on the Board. However, she did not close Erwin. And, she did not lay off 24 teachers and counselors. Believe me; she would get an ear full when I did not agree with something. After reading Board minutes, I often called furious at their decisions. I just had more access to her than I do with the current Board who have cancelled scheduled meetings last minute.

Bitter? Not in the least. Upset? No. I am pissed at what happened this year. In the past, I have locked myself in a classroom, given my heart to educating my students, and allowing others to fight the political realm of education. That has proven to have been my biggest mistake. I had to speak up because very few people do. As for the Tribune endorsement, Medina, Alvarado, and Sandoval are dedicated teachers that were in their classroom teaching—what a concept—when the Tribune hosted these interviews on a weekday at 11 am. What does Paul do for a living? What does Fuentes do for a living? I guess that is why they were able to attend. Medina, Alvarado and Sandoval are candidates that care about teachers and students!!!! Take that to the bank!!!

[Roberto]

Madeline wrote:

Neither side has it all together. The Medina/Sandoval/Alvarado team has one thing going for it. Joe Medina. Tyrant? Maybe. Genius? Yes! He knows how to improve a school. No doubt about it. The Solano/ Fuentes pair have been decent men who have given it their all. It seems that they have been the victims of a greedy superintendent. Mr. Ballard is doing just fine for himself. Solano and Fuentes have a history of trusting Mr. Ballard. Who trusts the hen house to a fox? The children are not a concern it seems. It is a sad situation.

You are right. But they appointed the supe.