The Free Lance has praised the Hollister School District for being open and waiting to put a bond in the election. Open because they said they “will have to refine the project list” or open because they said they don’t know what projects they want to do so they are waiting. The paper also stated of San Benito High School District, “Much of the discourse has been about narrowing the project list – a long slate of ideas”. The paper uses a negative description for SBHS District. The Free Lance sounds as if it is campaigning for HSD. Whatever this paper’s issues are with SBHS District, you realize that the students will pay for your tactics. You can try to convince yourself it is about the SBHS district but the district will eventually serve the majority of this community’s children.
I have not seen any Free Lance representatives at the San Benito High School District Board of Trustees meeting. Usually, I am the only public persons sitting, for many hours, listening and participating in public hearings, at the SBHS Board of Trustees meetings.
The SBHS Board has discussed a bond for years. Board agendas and minutes reflect this. The Free Lance wrote about an “SBHS bond on the horizon” on Nov. 8, 2013. There were five meetings after that where the Board of Trustees discussed the facilities and bond before they voted to proceed with the bond on Jan. 22, 2014. The Free Lance printed that the public is just hearing about the bond. The Free Lance chose not to attend the meetings, ask questions and report to the public. (It would not have made good, exaggerated Tabloid reporting.) If someone from this paper had attended SBHS board meetings you would understand that the STATE changes its standards on building safety often, you would understand that with old school buildings, a school has to fix what the STATE dictates or replace it. Schools also need to be repaired from normal wear and tear just like our homes.
These meetings of the SBHS Board of Trustees agendas pertain to the facility needs and a bond; June 20, 2012: The board discussed creating a new master plan for facility improvements and the problems an old plan had. Sept. 25, 2012: The board discussed creating a new master plan. Dec. 11, 2012: A master plan was presented to the board. Feb. 13, 2013: The board approved doing a study/survey for a bond. Apr. 24, 2013: a possible bond was discussed by the Board. May 8, 2013: The board was presented the results of the study/survey. May 22, 2013: The board considered a bond. Sept. 25, 2013: Board voted to move forward looking to do a bond. Nov. 13, 2013: “Community Facility Committee” Report on SBHS priority needs of its facilities to the board. Nov. 14, 2013: Selecting and Managing the Method of Sale of State and Local Government Bonds presented to the Board. Dec. 11, 2013: “Community Facility Committee” Report and presentation by law firm of legal services, to consider a bond election. Jan. 8, 2014: “Community Facility Committee report”. Jan. 22, 2014: “Community Facility Committee” report, approve and confirm direction on 2014 Bond election, approve community informational brochure, approve consultant contract for bond. Feb. 6, 2014: Review and discuss options for bond. Feb. 12, 2014: Review and discuss options for bond. The trustees were very open and honest. The community was included in the process. All of things the Free Lance said the Hollister district is going to do before they go for a bond in seven months; the SBHS district did from June 2012 through March 5, 2014 when the San Benito High School Board of trustees voted to order a bond for June 3, 2014. All of this is PUBLIC information. Our community as a whole does not participate when it comes to SBHS, the SBHS District and the SBHS Board meetings. When you don’t get involved you are that “impenetrable bubble.” You can’t force people to care, to attend meetings or to get involved.
You can ask those that work at SBHS about how out spoken I am on the good and BAD at SBHS. I have had at least one of my children attending SBHS each year from 1995 until 2013, when my youngest graduated. As a parent I have been around longer than most. I know more education law than most.
I’ve read this paper’s columnist use the student’s achievement in a sarcastic use of data to deny students a decent modern place to learn. (The reporter failed to make the connection, that a student’s achievement in grade school is reflected in their high school achievement) This paper’s remarks let SBHS students know it thinks very little of them. The students heard what this paper said about them. Students were upset. Has anyone from this paper asked to see what needs to be updated? Have you talked to teachers or any of the staff that work on the facility? The remarks used to tear down the school district will not only affect the students emotionally but physically because this paper is insinuating that the Hollister School District students deserve new classrooms and the San Benito students only deserve old substandard classrooms because this paper is obsessed that a “Taj Mahal” athletic facility will be built. I am sure that this letter I am submitting will probably not make your “Letters to the Editor” as my other comments on serious school issues have not been published either.
Monica Rodriguez, Hollister
