Sheriff's deputies monitor La Puente polls after reports of all...

Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies were sent to several polling locations across the city Tuesday after receiving calls of election code violations, officials said.

[Dont Be Stupid]

This Jim Ballard acted like a bully and violated the civil rights of a citizen to inspect voting records. He must be called on the carpet by his district and the County.

Just because he is the executive of the location, he has no right to interept the law and threaten discipline against an employee for a lawful act that has no connection with his employment.

He should be arrested for filing a false police report, and resign for being generally stupid.

[Si se puede]

This is how stupid this man is and how stupid our current board is who supported this man. SHAME ON YOU! He should be reprimanded and suspended without pay. He clearly violated voting laws. And he was not the only one who acted stupid that day, but we will let the law deal with those individuals as well.

[Stupid Criminals]

Oh, the drama! What a bunch of nasty, rude people! This stinks of third world electioneering ...

[Bassett Citizen]

So it's okay to videotape & harass voters? How pathetic.

[Get the Facts Straight]

This story is completely wrong. I emailed the writer so she can get her facts straight. Roberto and Art were doing the same thing Solano and Acevedo were doing, which was to keep track of who had voted or not, which again is completely legal. Ballard is scared and he used the only skill he has and knows, wich is intimidation. And what was the Assisstant Superintendent of Human Resources Cindy Byrd doing inside one of the polls while the poll workers were counting the Ballots past 8pm? Disttict Security asked campaign workers to wait outside the school so she could go in with her buddy Shingles?(Whatever his name is) They had no bussiness there, that was not a district event, it was a voting election. Is Ballard that scared? Well with over $200,000.00 at stake I would be too. He knows that with his record he will not find other fools to hire him with that kind of salary. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

[JohnnyChingas]

In the toughest of times Ballard demonstrated that he is willing to do anything to protect "HIS INTERESTS." (ex. violate the civil rights of individuals, interfere with an election, and harass/intimidate people from voting.) Essentially, what Jim Ballard did was prove to the whole world that he is a man that lacks the charter needed from a Superintendent. Ballard is not the right person for Bassett.

Bassett needs a leader that is honest, competent, inspiring, intelligent, fair-minded, courageous, straight foward, and imaginative. Ballard must leave, and we will not stop until we root all the evil that he has brought to our district.

[Students Lose--Either Way]

The thing that is lost in this debate is the fact that no matter who won, our students lost.
Do Ballard and Solano have the best interests of our students in mind? No.
But what have we replaced them with? People who consitently bash Bassett schools and teachers? For example, for all the venom that has been spit at BHS, when, in fact, BHS's API scores are far better than the vast majority of area schools with the same demographic. BHS was higher than B Park, Sierra Vista, Workman, La Puente, South El Monte, El Monte, Mountain View, and the list goes on.
So, we are supposed to cheer this new blood that refuses to recognize that things are far better than they were and continue to grow?
And, since the HS is being used as our district albatross, let us consider one fact that no one even mentioned. When you compare scores from elementary and middle school to HS scores, they go down ACROSS THE STATE. Are we to believe that Torch teachers and staff could cure all of the ills of an entire state? Or, can we look to adolescence as playing more of a role than we want to admit. Do middle school children face the same pressure and temptation to drink, do drugs, join gangs, and have sex that your average 16 year old does?
Don't believe me, state API scores Grades 2-6: 790 and Grades 7-8 754 and 9-11 713. All demographics show the same decline. 2008 (776/735/702).
Am I making excuses, no. I do believe there are changes that can be made to close the gap. But, it takes a village, and our village refuses to come together to provide positive solutions.
Instead, we remain no different than our Washington D.C. counterparts: polarized, out of positive ideas, and going nowhere fast.

[Taco hell]

Stupid Criminals wrote:

Oh, the drama! What a bunch of nasty, rude people! This stinks of third world electioneering ...

Hit the nail on the head here. And it will only get worse.

[ih8politics]

The epitonomy of dirty politicians.

[Tired Trib Reader]

Students Lose--Either Way wrote:

The thing that is lost in this debate is the fact that no matter who won, our students lost.
Do Ballard and Solano have the best interests of our students in mind? No.
But what have we replaced them with? People who consitently bash Bassett schools and teachers? For example, for all the venom that has been spit at BHS, when, in fact, BHS's API scores are far better than the vast majority of area schools with the same demographic. BHS was higher than B Park, Sierra Vista, Workman, La Puente, South El Monte, El Monte, Mountain View, and the list goes on.
So, we are supposed to cheer this new blood that refuses to recognize that things are far better than they were and continue to grow?
And, since the HS is being used as our district albatross, let us consider one fact that no one even mentioned. When you compare scores from elementary and middle school to HS scores, they go down ACROSS THE STATE. Are we to believe that Torch teachers and staff could cure all of the ills of an entire state? Or, can we look to adolescence as playing more of a role than we want to admit. Do middle school children face the same pressure and temptation to drink, do drugs, join gangs, and have sex that your average 16 year old does?
Don't believe me, state API scores Grades 2-6: 790 and Grades 7-8 754 and 9-11 713. All demographics show the same decline. 2008 (776/735/702).
Am I making excuses, no. I do believe there are changes that can be made to close the gap. But, it takes a village, and our village refuses to come together to provide positive solutions.
Instead, we remain no different than our Washington D.C. counterparts: polarized, out of positive ideas, and going nowhere fast.

Your comment is on point and any way it's sliced, it's a shame and our students are the ones who pay the price and lose!

[Truth Hurts]

The sad truth is the majority of Bassett's board members haven't demonstrated that they themselves have mastered academic success. How many have college degrees? While I'm not suggesting a degree should be required, I do think it is indicative of Bassett's circumstances-- people think they know what's best for our students while never having dealt with the educational realities themselves. On the other hand, the District Office is filled with people who might have this and that degree but are out of touch with community's reality.

Bassett has had the same figureheads at the District (and schools) for over 25 years...is it any wonder there has been little change?

[Cyndy Byrd]

Yes, I visited the polling place at about 7:25 p.m. while voting was still going on. I spoke to a former student and her mother, who were poll workers. I commented about the dirty floor and hugged the mother of a former student who came in to vote while I was there. I greeted Mr. Medina, his son Daniel (another former student of mine), Mr. Reyes and Mr. Lima who were standing in front of the gate at Van Wig School. Please ask them about what time I was there. I'm sure they will remember. Please do not lie about me. Lies do not make anything better.

[Roberto]

Bassett Citizen wrote:

So it's okay to videotape & harass voters? How pathetic.

Can someone please tell me who was harassing and video taping voters?

For the record, and check out the follow-up story on this article, I harassed no one. In fact, Jim Ballard harassed me by denying me access the polls at Van Wig. He also accused me of trespassing and harassment. How could this man not know basic election rules when voting polls were stationed in his schools? I know he admitted fault but has not apologized--which I am sure he will not do--his delivery and his tactics of intimidation were suppose to scare me off. It did not work. This man should be reprimanded for his irrational behavior.

Finally, and to make it public knowledge, when I asked Mr. Ballard why he was denying me access to the polls, Mr. Ballard said, "because I an the Superintendent of Schools and I can do whatever I want!" I guess he thinks he is above District Policies and by-laws and does not have to answer to anyone.

[Truth Hurts]

I'm not surprised by the actions of Ballard and his ilk. How many of the people who 'run the district' actually live in it? The place is a mess because we've kept the same fools in power--or simply reshuffled the deck.

Why hasn't there been a concerted effort to recruit administrators with a stake in the community?

I'm optimistic that the new board marks a new direction for the neighborhood.

[Escape CA]

stupid and crazy. yeah, third-world is right.

[Ya Basta]

No, this is not third-world electioneering. This was a battle for the powerless and voiceless in Bassett. The reality is that the majority of students in Bassett come from families that are not U.S. citizens and can not vote. For too many years our district has ignored their concerns and their pleas. This campaign was founded on the principals of justice and our intent was to bring representation to these students. They deserve to have a district that makes education the number one priority and not money.

[Bassett Voter- employee]

Bassett Unified drama cools off day after conflict
By Maritza Velazquez and Daniel Tedford, Staff Writers
Posted: 11/04/2009 06:10:03 PM PST

“Because he will vote on issues that would affect his livelihood, Sandoval plans to resign from his teaching job, he said.”

That’s commendable but it is state law that he CAN NOT serve on the School Board and work for the same school district. It is the Law that REQUIRES Sandoval to resign.

He must really believe in his cause, to resign from a job that pays him more in one day then he will make in the entire month as a Board Member. Hmmm…Or maybe he believes all the lies that were told to the community about all those big fat raises Paul Solano and Bob Fuentes voted to give themselves!

When Art Sandoval signed up to run for the School Board he had lost his job to budget cuts, but like many school districts as the year went on and openings are found some teachers got rehired. During the campaign Art Sandoval was rehired. I hope he keeps his promise to our community and the tax payers and steps up to the plate as a Board Member serves his term and doesn’t quit because something better came along.

[Bassett Voter- employee]

OOps sorry I did a cut and paste from another post, not everything translated the same but I still think it's understandable. Also Students Lose Either Way, you are sooo right!!! I could not have said it better!! The only thing I would add is many of our High school students are holding down jobs that can interfere with their education

[Bassett Voter- employee]

Right on Cindy Byrd!. Finally someone who stands up for them self.

[Escape CA]

Ya Basta wrote:

No, this is not third-world electioneering. This was a battle for the powerless and voiceless in Bassett. The reality is that the majority of students in Bassett come from families that are not U.S. citizens and can not vote. For too many years our district has ignored their concerns and their pleas.

Good. It is right to ignore their pleas because they shouldn't be the fck here in the first place, dipwad. It is third-world precisely BECAUSE it is all about covering up corruption and illegals. They can not vote BECAUSE they are not U.S. citizens and don't belong here. "your" district?