HBCSD Corruption

The Misleading Information:

(1) October 15, 2014 – Email from Marie Rice, community member and signer on the NO on ‘Q’ arguments, to Superintendent Pat Escalante: (TL-2014Oct15 email M Rice)

Subject heading: “False information on “Yes on Measure Q” Facebook page:”

Marie Rice writes to Pat Escalante: “From “Yes on Measure Q” Facebook Page Posted 10/10/14:”

“The HB Community Center is not a school although it once was before being sold to the City of HB.  It is owned by the City and is not for sale or lease at this time.  The HB School Board requested that this option be vetted during the exploration and researching process.  There was an inquiry with the City as well as the State of CA School Construction organization, including an inspection by the state agency which determined several issues with the Pier location if it were to even be considered for a school site (security/safety/lunchroom needed, etc.)”

"THIS POST ON FACEBOOK PRIOR TO THE MEASURE Q BOND VOTE IS GIVING FALSE INFORMATION."

THIS IS THE CORRECT INFORMATION from Marie Rice:

“1: The mandate of the FPAC was to investigate the North School ONLY, and I attended the actual meetings in which you directed the FPAC to stop their investigation and requests for information from the State for more evaluation of the Community Center/Pier Ave School because the Board did not want to pursue it any further.” 

Additional correct information: 

The description of the inspection by the state agency referred to on the Facebook page is misleading and incorrect.  The state agency that the district contacted was the Office of Public School Construction (OPSC).

Please See March 26, 2014 – Cover letter and three-page report from the Office of Public School Construction (OPSC) to Superintendent Pat Escalante (TL-2014Mar26 OPSC letter & report.   The OPSC is only involved with determining state supplemental funding for modernization or new construction at Pier Avenue School Community Center and North School.  The OPSC report did NOT make a judgement call as to district use of either property or the safety and appropriateness of either property.   The report simply lists the OPSC regulations in order to receive possible state funding for modernization or new construction at either site.  HBCSD does not need to follow any of the OPSC requirements if it chooses NOT to apply for RELATIVELY meager state supplemental funding.

NOTE:  Hermosa Beach community member Marie Rice is correct in calling-out the misinformation on the Yes on Measure Q Facebook posts.  However Superintendent Pat Escalante ignores the misinformation and lies about the district’s part in disseminating misinformation to the public before the November 2014 bond vote. 

Superintendent Escalante denies involvement in and makes no effort to correct the misinformation given to voters after it is brought to her attention.

(2) Response from Superintendent Pat Escalante to Marie Rice:  (TL-2014Oct17 P Escalante email reply to M Rice)

“Regarding the Yes on Measure Q for Quality Schools website, you will need to contact the administrator of the webpage or the campaign to bring to their attention your concerns.  The account is not managed by the district.”

Correct Information:   According to a Public Records Request of 2014 Measure Q district documents, School Board member Mary Campbell wrote the Yes on Measure Q Facebook posts.  Both Yes on Measure Q chairperson Ryan Nowicki and Superintendent Pat Escalante should be aware of the incorrect information in the Facebook post that Marie Rice has pointed out to them.  However, neither Pat Escalante nor Ryan Nowicki decided to correct school board member Mary Campbell’s posts for accuracy.  Superintendent Pat Escalante dismisses Marie Rice’s complaints as “gamesmanship”.   Pat Escalante is being disingenuous in her claim to Marie Rice that the district is not responsible for incorrect Facebook posts. 

(3) Discussion between Mary Campbell, Ryan Nowicki and Superintendent Pat Escalante regarding Marie Rice email of inaccurate information posted Yes on Measure Q Facebook page:  (TL-2014Oct17 email btwn M Campbell, R Nowicki & P Escalante re Facebook posts)

It appears that Mary Campbell did not speak to Facility Planning and Advisory Committee chair Monique Ehsan or review district information and recommendations or the information provided by the Office of Public School Construction before writing her “information” for the Measure Q Facebook posts.  Please see October 19, 2014 – Email from Monique Ehsan FPAC chair to Superintendent Pat Escalante and School Board member Patti Ackerman: (TL-2014Oct19 email M Ehsan)

(4) Email response from Ryan Nowicki, chairman of the Yes on Measure Q campaign:

 “I think this looks great and is indeed accurate!”  (The information is not accurate.)

Email response from Superintendent Pat Escalante:

  “I agree with Ryan.  Don’t change.  The complaint is gamesmanship.”

SUPERINTENTENT ESCALANTE INTENTIONALLY IGNORES MISINFORMATION ON THE YES ON Q FACEBOOK PAGE prior to taxpayers voting on the district’s $54M bond.

“However, there are still opponents who

 don’t trust that the district will spend the money wisely,

based on a previous bond measure. 

 But school officials argue this time will be different.”

From: HBCSD calls for support of upcoming bond measure, despite opponents’ concerns about 2002 bond spending

by Alana Garrigues, The Beach Reporter, September 7, 2014

(TL-2014Sep7 TBR article HBCSD calls for support)