Comments by Dean Skelton

Why is Harbor Village deserted?

David, here's one good reason to go back. Following is a cut & paste of an invite from The Cabrillo Education Foundation in support of our local school district: SAVE THE DATE for CEF's STARLIGHT SOIREE January 23, 2010 7:00 ~ 11:00 PM The Harbor Village Galleria Princeton-by-the-Sea Small Bites Wine & Beer Dancing Auction More information to follow at: www.CEFfund.org

Cunha returns to old schedule, cancels buses

Oh, oh... the big guns after me now. Mr. Bogner, I was at that CUSD meeting, and as I recall, you spoke in favor of the parcel tax. (Was that a change of position for you, vis a vis previous parcel tax measures?) So I don't need the videotape. I also lobbied... actually pleaded, directly with some of the school board members to write a measure that included a guarantee of busing, at least for Cunha, and go at $195 (instead of the $175 that prevailed). I don't think it's helpful to break down the…

Cunha returns to old schedule, cancels buses

This thread started off with, why is there no more school busing? Well surprise... there is no money for it. The priority of our/any school district is to provide quality education. It is not to deliver kids to school, feed them free breakfasts (as is being done), and look after reasonable dress code, which our schools end up being forced into doing. Hello (some) Parents- if your kids are going to public school, or private school for that matter, it is your responsibility to get your kids to school,…

Photos: “Private” fireworks show in Princeton Harbor

For those suffering from fireworks withdrawl, you can always try here for a fix: http://www.troop255.org/fireworks.html Not quite the same, but it may help some ;-]

Coastal Commission alerts HMB to problems with Foothill Bypass

In his haste to discredit Charles Gardner above, Ken Johnson incorrectly uses a quote of mine in his first point regarding school busing and Measure S (doesn't even belong under this thread). To clarify, at no time did I ever discuss the inclusion of a school busing provision in the measure with Charles Gardner. Mr. Johnson is just playing fast and loose with "evidence" to try and make his case. Sorry to belabor the point, especially under this thread, but it deserves correction. Dean Skelton

Measure S loses with 61% of the vote

Mr. Lundell, Thank you for your measured response. I do not disagree with any of your points... but let's all get away as far as possible from that child abuser comment. Personally, I think including busing in the measure would have made the difference. Before the measure was drafted, I pleaded with some board members to include busing, and recommended a $195 annual parcel tax to include it. That was rebuffed. I do stand by my challenge for anyone who spoke out against this parcel tax to step forward…

Measure S loses with 61% of the vote

Mr. Lundell - you can scroll up to the top of this post. It is about funding our public schools. It is not about why you did not get elected in 2002. But since you raised the issue, I will tell you that you spoiled your chances, and mobilized a lot of opposition, when you choose to run a slate campaign with two very strange bed-fellows. On your own merits, you may well have won. I, for one, am disappointed that you are not on the CUSD board. You obviously have a lot of intelligence to add to this…

Measure S loses with 61% of the vote

So, Ken Johnson, Don Pettingill, Pat.. whoever - You all have a lot to say about the CUSD Board. It doesn't seem to matter who is elected over the years.. they are all just bad :-{ So put your money where your mouth is and run for school board in Nov/06... now there's a concept. Good Luck ;-}

Measure S loses with 61% of the vote

Mr. Steger- Oh, so Catholic Schools are the solution. And do you really believe your so-called tuition reflects the true cost of education? Or is it maybe subsidized in that system? I've read enough about Catholic Schools, and to be polite in the extreme, it is not going to work for the mainstream. We need to somehow get back to a basis where public schools are fundamental to our community.

Measure S loses with 61% of the vote

Mr. Steger - Lots of grumpy rhetoric with your post, so let's just try and put one thing into perspective. You state that "My abused kids go to a private school where the tution per child is LESS than the amount the state alots per child in this school disrict." FACT: The tuition for the one private school in HMB totals about $12,000/yr. The cost per student in CUSD was $6,984 for the 2004-5 school year. You have found a private school with tuition less than $7M! Really? Something tells me I just…

Measure S loses with 61% of the vote

What a shame for coastside students... thanks to coastside adults, who shot down measure S. Mr. Don Pettingill is adept at pulling the bluff of dismissing others (and their "ilk"), spouting disconnected out-of-the-air stats, and admonishing any who think differenly. As to what Ken Johnson has said and done about this school district, there is just no point going there... just a mean-spirited personal agenda. I was asked to host the web site for Measure S. So I spent some time on the Ed-Data site…

Opinion: One step at a time

So, perhaps to summarize, the ground-breaking for the new middle school at Cunha will be this Saturday starting at 1pm. Our school district has handled busing as best it can with the funds available. It's cooperation, with other concerned coastside entities, is now focused on a November ballot initiative to adequately fund busing, which is not co-mingled with the cost of education. Measure S on the June ballot represents the necessary, and unbundled, cost of education from the community to adequately…