Local News Comments

Thank you to TuCCURE and to Torchia! Finally action on this issue.

What they should really look at is the entire county and district lines. Redraw the district lines that are outdated, and unify the feeder schools with the high school districts. We all know that will never happen because its to the advantage of Summerville and hurts Sonora.

They want to WHAT? Unionize them? !!!!!!!!!
Ahhhh...Torchia IS right...a smoekscreen.
Hey! Want a bonus union members? WE PROTECT OUR OWN! Onward communist .....
BLA BLA BLA

@leaperman621
The MML reporters are using the wrong word. They should be saying 'unify,' not 'unionize.'

leaperman-get a grip. unionize means to combine school districts.

leaperman621--to unionize has nothing to do with the unions. To unionize is to join elementary districts with elementary districts, or high school districts with high school districts. To unify is to join elementary districts with high school districts. Take the time to understand the topic.

"WE PROTECT OUR OWN"

Who doesn't lol

You think that the AMA or The Bankers Assoc or Wall Street or The NLA etc, etc, etc have organizations to protect anybody other than their own? lol

Are they all communists too?

Think the AMA pays people to go to Washington or Sacramento to look after your best interests? lol

Really,
The intent was to Share services, Share superintendent, Possibly share Ag land, Share transportation all while maintaining each schools individual identity.
Apparently TuCCURE did not get the memo.

It was never Joe's idea. The schools have been working toward this for a couple of years.

OHHHHH My!!!! There is gonna be much wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Great job Torchia!

Hate to burst anyone's bubble here, but perhaps TuCCURE needs to do a little more research. First, by law you can't have 10 members on a school board, all school boards in CA have either 3,5, or 7 members depending on the size of the district. Second, if you have one Superintendent then you will need Associate Superintendents and Directors to carry out the administrative duties of the district in addition to the individual school site administration (principals & assistant principals). It doesn't seem to me that Torchia really understands how education law works in CA, good as his intentions may be.

There are many school districts in the state that have about 10 times as many students and staff under one board and one superintendent as some of these little 1 or 2 school DO's. The fact that there are this many Supes, Admins, and other ancillary staff for each district is a total waste and the epitome of 'top heavy' management. Of course this will mean many being put out of work, but perhaps, just maybe, some of that money will be put back in the classrooms where it belongs. What a concept!! I'm ALL FOR IT!! I hope the study comes back proving the same.

No one has mentioned the previous studies that were done that demonstrate unification will actually increase costs. What you may think you are saving by eliminating superintendents will be eaten up in other administrative costs as well as staff salaries. Most of the superintendents and some of the principals are already taking on responsibilities that in a larger district would go to an assistant superintendent or director. The law requires that the unified district adopt the highest salary schedule and benefit package for all certificated and classified employees. Also you would still have a county superintendent and his staff.

MML could you let us know when the next Tuccure meeting will be, or a web address where we can contact them. I am going to support them and donate time and money and get petition signatures. I think the people are about fed up.

ok..then don't use the word unionize. We get the WRONG idea.

My daughter's school had an expected enrollment jump in kindergarten. The administration decided to hire three classroom aides to help each of the teachers. This all happened in less than a week. Try that in a large unified school district with a central district office and school board made up of people outside the school community. We experienced a larger unified district and it is not as responsive to the needs of the individual school. We cannot let people who do not understand the benefits of small districts make decisions for the whole county. The education of my child is at stake here.

Plutarch has recorded the following: "When someone said to him: 'Except for being king you are not at all superior to us,' Leonidas son of Anaxandridas and brother of Cleomenes replied: 'But were I not better than you, I should not be king.'

Tinaph..

Your little kingdom is crumbling

Molon Rabe.
Seems we WILL have to COME AND GET THEM.
Won't WE?

Other things to consider with unification. Admin costs generally go up, categorical revenue will decrease. Studies show that typically after 2 years of unifying a highschool with an elementary school the funds for extracurricular programs are taken away from the elementary schools and routed to the highschools. The boards of large school districts are no longer run by the parents that have a vested interest in the school. The unions finance people to go onto these boards. These boards make "deals" with the administrators. The teachers and admin staff will be paid the highest pay scale of all the schools, not the lowest. Why do people think that bigger government is better! It sounds like a political play by the people who would benefit the most from unification. Do the study!

Combining resources, unification, and whatever they want to call it won't fix the fact that the schools and the "edumication" system in Tuolumne if lacking.

We LOVE the area but are terrified of sending our kids into the school system here.

No wonder this state is broke. approx. 1 million dollars for 8 jobs that probably could just disappear and nobody would notice. What a waste.