HBCSD Corruption

Proof of the lie:

(1) October 23, 2014 – Peer into Pier School’s Future, by Miyo Prassas, Letters to the Editor, The Easy Reader 

“Hermosa Beach owns an under-utilized former middle school comprising of 14 classrooms while students languish in overcrowded Valley and View schools.  The 4.7 acre Community Center (formerly Pier Avenue School) is a tremendous community asset that should be used for the greatest good.” …

“Just because the district and the city rattle off official-sounding documents as reasons why the Community Center can’t be used as a school, doesn’t mean that those documents actually contain information that would prohibit its use.  The city and the district are counting on the fact that community members won’t actually take the time to read the documents and will simply accept their smokescreen.”…

NOTE: This letter to the editor was sent in response to misleading information contained in City Manager Tom Bakaly's letter of October 9, 2014: October 09, 2014 - Old School Schooling by Tom Bakaly, Letters to the Editor, Easy Reader News.

Please also see: 

Lie #14: Misinformation and misleading information in the Recommendations for the May 2014 Joint Meeting of the Governing Board of HBCSD and the HB City Council.

NOTE: According to the Easy Reader and the Beach Reporter requirements, letters are supposed to be 250 words or less. Members of the community are unable to add supporting documents to prove their statements made in their Letters to the Editor. By contrast, members of the school district and city do not need to show supporting documents in their Letters to the Editor. Statements made by the city and the school district are presumably believed to be true by readers simply because of their standing in the community. It is not illegal to lie.

(2) October 21, 2014- subject Re: Measure Q Q&A, email exchange between Superintendent Pat Escalante, former school board member Cathy McCurdy and former school board member Lance Widman (former City Council member and signer on the Agreement for the Sale and Purchase of Pier Avenue School in 1978). 

NOTE: Former school board members Cathy McCurdy, Lance Widman, and current HBCSD Superintendent Pat Escalante are discussing who in the school district will write letters attacking the No on Measure Q members/stance:

Cathy McCurdy writes: “Someone needs to respond to this baloney…” 

Lance Widman writes: “I also believe current Board members need to respond as well, not just Pattie [Ackerman?], Jenn [Auville?] and Cathy [McCurdy?].”  

Pat Escalante writes: “Lisa [Claypoole] was published two weeks ago - jack burns has a letter in this week, city manager two weeks in row.  More next week…” 

NOTE: This email illustrates the on-going collaboration and coordination between Superintendent Pat Escalante, and former school board members Cathy McCurdy, Lance Widman, Pattie [Ackerman?], Lisa Claypoole, and Jack Burns to misinform the community in regards to the Community Center and district plans. 

(3) October 23, 2014 – Step into the Arena, by School Board member Jack Burns (2009-2014), Letters to the Editor, The Easy Reader  

“The negative campaign Miyo Prassas continues to wage against Hermosa Beach schools has reached comical levels to those of us who take the time to understand the issues.”…  [reads like something former School Board member Greg Breen (2002-2009) would write]

“Having served on the board for four years, I can say firsthand that countless volunteers logged thousands of hours and left no rock unturned in the quest to solve a variety of issues that helped the district weather one of the most challenging economic periods in several generations.  I believe the efforts were a success and Prassas’ ongoing rock throwing is an insult to their efforts.”  [reads like something former School Board member Greg Breen (2002-2009) would write]

“I agree that some solutions seem logical on the surface but must be dismissed because they are either against the education code, state law, or just not practical.”

“Is Prassas implying our elected officials should break the law by pursing illegal paths?“  [reads like something former school board member Greg Breen would write]

“It is also hard to follow the twisted logic that the district should utilize property it does not own and is not for sale rather than use property that it currently operating as a school site.  I can only conclude it is not that there is insufficient data available, but simply an inability to comprehend the data.” [reads like something former school board member Greg Breen would write]

NOTE:  Former School Board member, Jack Burns (2009-2014) is believed to have left the Hermosa Beach School District in 2014.  According to public records he moved his family to Palos Verdes Estates in 2013 and purchased a new home in Palos Verdes Estates in January 2014.