P E Y T O N W O L C O T T |
| h o w w e t a k e b a c k o u r c h i l d r e n ' s e d u c a t i o n -- o n e p e r s o n , o n e q u e s t i o n , o n e s c h o o l a t a t i m e . Copyright 1999-2006 Peyton Wolcott |
| Commentary |
| N E W |
| THIRTEENTH TIME'S A CHARM: MURDER TRIAL FINALLY SET FOR FORMER PASADENA USD VOLUNTEER JOHN WHITAKER-BETANCES By Peyton Wolcott - June 21, 2006/11:49 p.m. |
| Long-time Pasadena USD volunteer and activist Rene Amy, who has faithfully and diligently followed Whitaker's circuitous route through the courts, announced Monday on his listserve PUSDGreatSchools that "maybe the 13th time will be the charm, because the 12th wasn't." Meaning Whitaker, who has been the guest of California taxpayers since January 2005 after losing his year and a half fight to avoid extradition from Oregon, was finally arraigned yesterday in Orange County and a date has been set for his pre-trial hearing, October 20, 2006 at 8:30 a.m. He is being charged with two cold-case (1975 and 1983) sex-related murders of young women, one a school clerk and the other a prostitute, thanks to advances in DNA testing. "Orange County Deputy District Attorney Matt Murphy said that DNA specimens taken from both crime scenes link Whitaker to the slayings. Murphy hopes to try both killings in Orange County under a new state law that allows similar crimes to be tried together regardless of where all crimes took place." (SOURCE--Larry Welborn/The Orange County Register) |
| John Whitaker- Betances aka John Laurence Whitaker aka . . . . |
| Whitaker not what he seemed We now know he is not a Viet Nam vet. He was also not a colonel. There was no Laos, there was no prison camp, there was no chewing through a guard's neck in order to escape. The colorful tales of Whitaker's Special Ops heroics in Laos which he regaled the kids and the community with were just that, tales. On the other hand, Whitaker remained mum regarding the fact that he has a lengthy arrest record and is required to register as a sex offender. (Ibid.) |
| The two faces of John Whitaker- Betances (SOURCE/San Gabriel Valley Tribune) |
| This is the individual Pasadena supe Percy Clark brought into his school system, and this is the individual with whom Clark allowed children to be in close contact. Further, Whitaker "worked for about a year out of an office at school district headquarters on South Hudson Avenue." (SOURCE--Andre Coleman/Pasadena Weekly) |
| Percy trying to outrun his problems? Pasadenans were surprised to learn this past March that "Clark may be headed back to familiar ground as chief of the 125-school Cleveland Municipal School District.... Cleveland schools spokeswoman Cheryl Richards confirmed ...that Clark is one of five finalists in the running for the $227,000 per year job....During his tenure with PUSD, Clark has been dogged by school watchers for exaggerating claims that he would take students to what he called 'the mountain top' of education excellence. His plan included attracting white families, who had long left the district, back into the fold of public education. The criticism of Clark and the Board of Education worsened over the past year as PUSD enrollment took a nosedive. Enrollment dropped from 22,309 to less than 21,000 students this year, forcing the district to cut jobs, lay off teachers and eliminate the school police department. That lack of students--state funding is based on student attendance--led in part to a $6.5 million budget deficit." (SOURCE--Andre Coleman/Pasadena Weekly) |
| Percy Clark waving in Sierra Madre 4th of July parade 2002 (PHOTO/SierraMadreNews.net) |
| Percy's descent from Cleveland to plagiarism When news reached Pasadena, Percy withdrew his Cleveland application only to climb into further hot water last month when reports surfaced that he had published a column "that contained verbatim phrases from a 15-year-old sermon by a Unitarian minister." |
| Clark apologizes for his plagiarism--kind of "Clark explained that the article that appeared last week began with a reminder of the success of the Pasadena Unified School District in 'achieving the highest API score gains in the state for self-governed districts of 15,000 or more tested students, and continued into identifying various strategies employed and staff commitments that were required to accomplish the outcome,' Clark wrote. 'In attempting to reinforce the concept of how much more successful we could be if we ‘put children first,’ I included information related to Japanese and African cultures where children are regularly acknowledged as a societal priority. Although I did acknowledge quotes from other authors, I failed to attribute some passages in my article to the Rev. Patrick O’Neill, whose previous sermon on the subject of African traditions was evidently posted on the Internet. Various articles by other authors referencing the results of Rev. O’Neill are also published without attribution to him. Although the vast majority of the article included my own thoughts, I did err in not crediting specific language to Rev. O’ Neill. This was an innocent error for which I accept full responsibility. Notwithstanding my journalistic error, the need for our children to be the major political and policy issue of our society should not be diluted by diverting attention away from the primary issue,' Clark wrote." (SOURCE--André Coleman/Pasadena Weekly |
| Questions for Percy--and PUSD taxpayers More troubling are the questions still on the table regarding Pasadena supe Percy Clark and Whitaker: 1. Why and how did Clark come to hand pick a registered sex offender to run Pasadena USD DADS ("Dads Are Doing Something")? According to public records obtained by Amy, Whitaker's title was "Western Regional Administrator for the national DADS FOR EDUCATION program." 2. Why didn't Clark see to it that PUSD conducted the background checks on Whitaker which the DADS literature says are a requirement? |
| PRESS RELEASE ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY |
| Whitaker's League of Women Voters page (PACC candidacy) |
| PUSD DADS |
| Dr. Percy Clark brought this program to the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) to encourage men to take a more active role in the education system, both during school and at extra- curricular activities. Children benefit from positive male role models who validate the education process. The program is district-wide with a current group of about 25 men. There are local volunteers at each school, but they also support all other schools in the district as a group (football games, etc.) Volunteers go through a training course and state/district mandated background checks. A hand-out was circulated at the meeting regarding meeting times and contact names. To become involved, please contact Mr. Dan York, President at 626.296.0300 or Mr. John Betances at 626.794.8189 or our school’s representative Mark Chitjian. (SOURCE--DADS materials) |
| MAN LINKED TO 1975 SANTA MONICA AND 1983 LAGUNA BEACH MURDERS AFTER DNA MATCH SCHEDULED TO BE ARRAIGNED TOMORROW FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 19, 2006 Contact: Susan Kang Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel NEWPORT BEACH – A Pasadena man who was linked to two murders through DNA is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow, June 20, 2006 at 8:30 a.m. in H2, Harbor Justice Center, Newport Beach. John Whitaker Betances, 57, was charged with two counts of murder for killing two women in 1975 (Santa Monica) and 1983 (Laguna Beach). Betances was arrested in Oregon and extradited to Orange County to face murder charges. If convicted, Betances faces a prison sentence of life without parole. In 1975 the body of Bodil Rasmussen, 36, was found strangled and dumped in a Santa Monica parking lot. Betances lived in her apartment complex at the time and was a suspect in her murder, but there was insufficient evidence to charge him with murder at that time. Santa Monica Police Department left the case open for investigation and preserved evidence for the next thirty years. In 1983 Patricia Carpenter, 26, was found murdered in an industrial parking lot in Laguna Canyon. She had also been strangled. Laguna Beach Police Department was also unable to identify a suspect, but they did obtain a DNA sample from under Carpenter’s fingernails. Technology at the time was not advanced enough for DNA testing. On May 3, 2004, the defendant was linked to both crimes through DNA testing. A DNA sample under Carpenter’s fingernails and a semen sample found on Rasmussen led to the arrest of Betances. The Orange County District Attorney with the cooperation of the Los Angeles District Attorney will be prosecuting both cases. Certain sex crimes and murders may be tried in another county based on the evidence. |
| John Whitaker Betances - Candidate for Governing Board Member; Pasadena Area Community College District; Trustee Area 3 Biographical Highlights Occupation: Welding Division Manager Experienced teacher/trainer/leader for colleges, universities and corporations Highly sought-after specialist in "Personnel Management," "Human Resource Management," and "Motivation." Honored as PCC's Welding Department student of the year Who's Who Among Students ... Certified Welding Inspector Retired Military Officer [U.S. Army's "Green Berets"] Top Priorities if Elected Ensure that "The Will of the People" becomes "the torch that lights our way" in the governing of PCC! Establish and maintain the best environment, in which all students can succeed...and every employee can proudly strive to perform their duties! Lead and guide the entire PCC community to discover, implement, use the finest educational programs possible! Key Endorsements California School Employees Association: Region 95 (All 7 chapters!) California Teachers Association: Pasadena City College Chapter The many under-appreciated "Little People" who pushed me to run !!!! --SOURCE/League of Women Voters of California |
How we take back our children's education: one person, one question, one school at a time. |
AASA - American Association of School Administrators ASA - Association of School Administrators CSD - Consolidated School District DOE - Department of Education ES - Elementary School HS - High School ISD - Independent School District JHS - Junior High School MS - Middle School MSM - Mainstream media NSBA - National School Boards Association NSPRA - National School Public Relations Association PS - Public School(s) SBEC - State Board for Educator Certification SD - School District Sup't - Superintendent TAKS - Texas Assessment of Knowledge & Skills TASA - Texas Association of School Administrators TASB - Texas Association of School Boards TASBO - Texas Association of School Business Officials TEA - Texas Education Agency TEKS - Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills USD - UnifiedUnited School District |
| GUIDE |
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| QUOTES |
Separatists in India's north-eastern state of Manipur have shot six male teachers in the leg for allegedly helping students cheat in exams. Two women teachers were beaten with sticks for the same offence, the rebels of the Kanglei Yana Kan Lup group said. The teachers were abducted from their homes after an exam on Thursday. The rebels said the teachers took up to 5,000 rupees ($110) for helping students cheat and warned of further punishment if the cheating continued. The Kanglei Yana Kan Lup (KYKL) is one of many separatist groups fighting Indian administration in Manipur. It said it abducted the eight teachers from their homes in and around the state capital, Imphal, because of reports they had taken bribes. --By Subir Bhaumik - BBC |
| ATTENTION EDUCATORS AND ADMINISTRATORS: Every attempt possible has been made to verify all sources and information. In the event you feel an error has been made, please contact us immediately. Thank you. |
| Copyright 1999-2006 Peyton Wolcott |
| POP QUIZ: How do you yourself know for a fact that your state or local supe is actually using the funds entrusted to them for the correct purposes? |
David v. Goliath: How America's Moms & Dads are taking on Education, Inc. PEYTON WOLCOTT |
| QUERY THE SUPE & THE PR GUY |
TO:
KATHY COX-GEORGIA
SUP'T OF SCHOOLS &
CEO-GEORGIA DOE
CC:
DANA TOFIG-
GEORGIA DOE
PUBLIC INFO. OFCR.
DATE: JAN. 22, 2006
Can you please send me
the annual dollar
amount for each school
year (the five annual fiscal
cycles 2000-2005) that the
Georgia Public Schools
DOE has spent with
vendor Computer
Consulting Services
Corp., described as a
consultant to Georgia's
DOE.
KATHY COX-GEORGIA
SUP'T OF SCHOOLS &
CEO-GEORGIA DOE
CC:
DANA TOFIG-
GEORGIA DOE
PUBLIC INFO. OFCR.
DATE: JAN. 22, 2006
Can you please send me
the annual dollar
amount for each school
year (the five annual fiscal
cycles 2000-2005) that the
Georgia Public Schools
DOE has spent with
vendor Computer
Consulting Services
Corp., described as a
consultant to Georgia's
DOE.
| STATUS: No response rec'd from Sup't Gray as of Mar. 27, 2006 |
The question is not how to measure excellence at public schools and education agencies. The question is how to measure competence. -- Dianna Pharr |
| QUERY THE SUPE (& CC THE BOARD) |
DATE FIRST SENT:
FEB. 14, 2006
RE-SENT 03/26/06
Dear Strongsville
Superintendent
James Gray:
I'm hoping you can
clear something up for
me for my book and
website regarding your
standards for
administrative
practices in
Strongsville as there
have been not one but
two situations this past
year warranting
scrutiny....
Regarding special ed
teacher Christine
Scarlett's offering a
date with herself as a
grades incentive
1. What rules/
guidelines do you now
have in place to
assure that nothing
like this happens
again? Would these
be administrative
changes or has your
board set specific
policies in place for
you to follow in future?
2. Rumors of an affair
between Scarlett and
Bradigan persisted for
several months. You
have stated that you
have no idea such an
affair was going on.
Do you feel the fact
that you are
commuting from your
home in Akron (if this
has changed, please
let me know) has
adversely impacted
your ability to monitor
what's going on with
your employees in the
Strongsville
community in an
important and
sensitive area such as
this? Has your board
since made a
condition of your
employment that you
move to Strongsville
and become an
integral part of their
community?
Regarding the sex
education booklet
placed last fall in
young children's
lockers
4. What guidelines
did you follow from
your established
board's policies for
such?
5. There appears to
be a growing number
of parents who want to
be consulted before
such materials are
given to their students.
As one mom put it,
"What's wrong with so
many people in the
educational fields that
they don't even think
twice about providing
children with
inappropriate
materials and not even
consider the parents
wishes....Their tactics
mirror those used in
Communist China and
Cuba where children
are considered not
children of parents, but
wards of the State."
While this is clearly the
statement of an upset
parent, it does raise an
interesting issue
regarding public
school administrators
in the U.S. Do you
consider the students
in your schools yours
to educate as you
deem best or the
offspring of parents to
be consulted before
disseminating such
materials?
Regarding trainings
and conferences
6. Of which
education-related
associations are you
and Strongsville City
Schools a member?
What are these
organizations'
guidelines for
disseminating such
materials?
7. In which
education-related
conferences have
your and your staff
participated this past
year? Where were
they and what were
the costs for each?
Have you attended any
other seminars,
workshops or the like
offering guidance in
this area, and what
were those costs?
It may well be that
there are perfectly
reasonable
explanations for your
approving the placing
sex-education
pamphlets in young
students' lockers
without notifying
parents first, and it may
also well be that there
is a perfectly
reasonable
explanation for your
allowing a teacher to
offer a date at the Dairy
Queen with herself to a
young student; if so, I
am eager to learn such
reason or reasons.
==================
She said the booklet,
which also provides
information on the need for
parental consent for
abortion and a Web
address for the
Lesbian/Gay Community
Service Center of Greater
Cleveland, is
inappropriate for
11-year-olds. I believe
some sex education needs
to be given, but when
subjects are discussed or
material is given to kids of
this nature, a notice
should be sent home to
the parent and they should
be allowed to opt out of
the program if they wish,
Fleming said. School
Superintendent James
Gray said he gave an OK
for the pocket-sized
directories, which were
provided to the district by
United Way Services in
conjunction with the
county health department
and county commissioners,
to be given to students at
the high school, middle
schools and to sixth
graders. Gray said he
received two calls from
parents who took
exception to the booklet's
content. I understand that
and probably, in
retrospect, I should have
considered sending a
letter along with it as far
as an explanation, he
said, adding, this is a
developing situation. I
don't know what we are
going to do at this point.
Colleen Grady, a city
resident and a member of
the state school board,
said she got calls from four
parents concerned about
their children getting the
directory. Grady, who is
also a former city school
board member, said she
has not personally seen
the publication, but they
(parents) read me sections
over the telephone. She
said the state board of
education may wish to
make a legislative
recommendation to the
Ohio general assembly,
and the board could also
consider discussion about
adoption of a model policy
for the distribution of such
materials. Gray said there
will be continued
discussion, in the district's
curriculum and pupil
services departments on
whether to curtail
distribution of materials
which are considered to
be sensitive, particularly
for the younger kids.
FEB. 14, 2006
RE-SENT 03/26/06
Dear Strongsville
Superintendent
James Gray:
I'm hoping you can
clear something up for
me for my book and
website regarding your
standards for
administrative
practices in
Strongsville as there
have been not one but
two situations this past
year warranting
scrutiny....
Regarding special ed
teacher Christine
Scarlett's offering a
date with herself as a
grades incentive
1. What rules/
guidelines do you now
have in place to
assure that nothing
like this happens
again? Would these
be administrative
changes or has your
board set specific
policies in place for
you to follow in future?
2. Rumors of an affair
between Scarlett and
Bradigan persisted for
several months. You
have stated that you
have no idea such an
affair was going on.
Do you feel the fact
that you are
commuting from your
home in Akron (if this
has changed, please
let me know) has
adversely impacted
your ability to monitor
what's going on with
your employees in the
Strongsville
community in an
important and
sensitive area such as
this? Has your board
since made a
condition of your
employment that you
move to Strongsville
and become an
integral part of their
community?
Regarding the sex
education booklet
placed last fall in
young children's
lockers
4. What guidelines
did you follow from
your established
board's policies for
such?
5. There appears to
be a growing number
of parents who want to
be consulted before
such materials are
given to their students.
As one mom put it,
"What's wrong with so
many people in the
educational fields that
they don't even think
twice about providing
children with
inappropriate
materials and not even
consider the parents
wishes....Their tactics
mirror those used in
Communist China and
Cuba where children
are considered not
children of parents, but
wards of the State."
While this is clearly the
statement of an upset
parent, it does raise an
interesting issue
regarding public
school administrators
in the U.S. Do you
consider the students
in your schools yours
to educate as you
deem best or the
offspring of parents to
be consulted before
disseminating such
materials?
Regarding trainings
and conferences
6. Of which
education-related
associations are you
and Strongsville City
Schools a member?
What are these
organizations'
guidelines for
disseminating such
materials?
7. In which
education-related
conferences have
your and your staff
participated this past
year? Where were
they and what were
the costs for each?
Have you attended any
other seminars,
workshops or the like
offering guidance in
this area, and what
were those costs?
It may well be that
there are perfectly
reasonable
explanations for your
approving the placing
sex-education
pamphlets in young
students' lockers
without notifying
parents first, and it may
also well be that there
is a perfectly
reasonable
explanation for your
allowing a teacher to
offer a date at the Dairy
Queen with herself to a
young student; if so, I
am eager to learn such
reason or reasons.
==================
She said the booklet,
which also provides
information on the need for
parental consent for
abortion and a Web
address for the
Lesbian/Gay Community
Service Center of Greater
Cleveland, is
inappropriate for
11-year-olds. I believe
some sex education needs
to be given, but when
subjects are discussed or
material is given to kids of
this nature, a notice
should be sent home to
the parent and they should
be allowed to opt out of
the program if they wish,
Fleming said. School
Superintendent James
Gray said he gave an OK
for the pocket-sized
directories, which were
provided to the district by
United Way Services in
conjunction with the
county health department
and county commissioners,
to be given to students at
the high school, middle
schools and to sixth
graders. Gray said he
received two calls from
parents who took
exception to the booklet's
content. I understand that
and probably, in
retrospect, I should have
considered sending a
letter along with it as far
as an explanation, he
said, adding, this is a
developing situation. I
don't know what we are
going to do at this point.
Colleen Grady, a city
resident and a member of
the state school board,
said she got calls from four
parents concerned about
their children getting the
directory. Grady, who is
also a former city school
board member, said she
has not personally seen
the publication, but they
(parents) read me sections
over the telephone. She
said the state board of
education may wish to
make a legislative
recommendation to the
Ohio general assembly,
and the board could also
consider discussion about
adoption of a model policy
for the distribution of such
materials. Gray said there
will be continued
discussion, in the district's
curriculum and pupil
services departments on
whether to curtail
distribution of materials
which are considered to
be sensitive, particularly
for the younger kids.
| CONTACT: Peyton Wolcott P.O. Box 9068 Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657 peyton@peytonwolcott.com |
| F o c u s i n g o n accountability f i r s t |
| More about John Whitaker-Betances and Percy Clark/PUSD DADS |