Yes on Prop 37 - Support the Public's Right to Know

Stephen Murray

Our food, water and air are our most basic necessities. We need reliable
information about each of these so we can make the choices we need for
our health. Proposition 37 is about claiming our right to know what is
put in our food.

But I argue that it's more than just a simple labeling initiative about
genetically modified organisms(GMOs). It is the people's attempt to check
the influence of corporate money in politics, reign in the ills of
rampant corporatocracy, and protect our worlds genetic legacy.

Over the last 20 years our world's seed supply has become consolidated
in 6 transnational pharmaceutical/chemical corporations which now
control more than 60% of the world seed supply, these Big 6 are the
major opponents of Prop 37 :

Monsanto, DuPont, Bayer, BASF, DOW and Syngenta. They have spent $20 Million against.

This consolidation is reducing our food's biodiversity while
simultaneously introducing experimental genetic strains. Seed lines are
becoming extinct, seed banks are disappearing and the farmers' centuries
old practice of seed saving is being eradicated due to predatory legal
pressures by this oligarchy of chemical conglomerates led by Monsanto.

Crops aren't self-contained. It's impossible to keep a genetically
engineered gene within a single field- birds fly and pollen is spread by
the wind. Nearly all food products are contaminated by GE ingredients,
but many over-do it intentionally.

A trip down the cereal aisle offers insight to the food processors
interests: Mothers Bumpers, Kashi cereal, Kix cereal, and Back to Nature
granola, amongst many others, all say they are "Natural". Testing
reveals these Breakfast cereals contain ingredients that are between
28-100% Genetically Engineered. This misleading labeling would stop with
Prop 37. These corporations, listed in the same order as their brands
above, are also major opponents of Prop 37 :

PepsiCo, Kelloggs, General Mills, Kraft. They have spent $6 Million against.

The opponents have been caught in multiple deceits and they are spending
$1 Million dollars each day to curtail our rights. They've turned to the
tobacco and big oil spin machine to sell GMOs. Their arguments, removed
from the marketing spin, are simple and paternalistic: GMO's are safe,
you don't want to know, you're not smart enough, you can't afford it,
it's not ambitious enough, it's too late. None of these are satisfactory
or believable.

49 nations, including Europe, Japan, China, Brazil, India, and Russia
mandate labeling of GE foods. The FDA already requires labeling of 3000
ingredients, additives and processes as well as labeling for major food
allergens such as wheat, peanuts, and shellfish. According to studies
the cost to the consumer per product would be $0.001 for labeling or
less than $4/year to substitute a non-GMO ingredient.

Farmers will grow what the market demands but as consumers we are not
allowed to participate in this market, Prop 37 offers transparency and
the right to make choices  - it places democracy and rights of living
breathing humans over corporate secrecy.

Food manufacturers and the Big 6 chemical seed companies have
intimidated farmers, our legislators and congress over GMOs for the last
20 years. Our government has proven unable to arrest this predatory
corporatocracy, it's up to the people to step in.

I urge you to support Proposition 37 and our right to know.

Stephen Murray was a candidate for CC City Council in April 2012 and is active in the anti-fracking movement.

West Basin Water District - Time to Pay Attention

Gary Silbiger

I took the 405 freeway South from my home in Culver City, then the 105 freeway East, the 110 freeway South, the 91 freeway East, exited the freeway somewhere, and found my way to 17140 South Avalon Boulevard in Carson, California.  I had driven 19 miles in 30 minutes (depending on Los Angeles area traffic) until I found the West Basin Municipal Water District building (also known as the Donald L. Dear Headquarters Building).  Free parking helped.  The reception guard directed me to the elevator on my way to the Board’s monthly meeting.

What is the West Basin Municipal Water District?  Some of the major tasks of the Water District includes supplying water from various rivers to its district; utilizing the Edward Little Water Treatment Facility in El Segundo; recycling water; conserving water, and experimenting with removing salt from the ocean water to determine how to use desalinization technology. 

This Water District is one of the best kept secrets in California.  But not for long.

When I attended my first West Basin Water Board meeting on August 27, 2012 (the fourth Monday of each month), I saw the five elected members of the Board of Directors – one of whom I knew -, each representing a different part of the Water District: 

1.  Ron Smith, the owner of a realty company, has been on the Board since 2006, and represents Carson, Palos Verdes Estate, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills Estates, Rolling Hills, and portions of San Pedro.

2.  Gloria Gray, who served 2 terms on the Inglewood School District, worked for Los Angeles County, was first elected to the Water Board in 2006, and represents Inglewood, South Ladera Heights, a portion of Lennox and Athens, Howard and Ross.

3.  Carol W. Kwan, has been a Board member since 1996, and represents Hermosa Beach, Lomita, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, and Torrance.

4.  Ed Little, former City Councilmember of Culver City from 1966-1970, and owner of a car repair shop, is the longest serving member of the Water Board having served since 1989, and represents Culver City, El Segundo, Malibu, West Hollywood, Lennox, North Ladera Heights, Del Aire, Topanga, View Park, and Windsor Hills.

5.  Donald Dear, the current Water Board president, taught middle school, and was the Gardena mayor for 9 terms, has been on the Water Board since 2000, and represents Gardena, Hawthorne, Lawndale, and portions of El Camino Village.

Of course, I have known Ed Little for many years due to his term as a former City Councilmember in Culver City and his local community activities.

Three of the 5 Water Board members formerly served as locally elected representatives.  Without term limits for this Board, the current members have served 23, 16, 12, 6, and 6 years.  With Carol Kwan a candidate for her fifth term, she has been endorsed by all 4 colleagues on the Board which can perpetuate the cliquish (inside) nature of some elected bodies.  Kwan has one opponent for the November 4, 2012 election.  The other office for Water Board on the November election is seat number 5 where the incumbent, Donald Dear, is unopposed. 

When I arrived at the Water Board’s meeting room, the members were still eating or talking in one of the 2 adjoining rooms.  I was welcomed into that room and spoke with Ed Little and some of his colleagues.  After a while, the Board meeting commenced.  I had earlier that day mentioned to Water Board president Donald Dear that I might have a remark for the public comment portion of the meeting, and sure enough he asked me if I wanted to speak.  There was no speaker card to complete so I approached the podium to make suggestions for a more inclusive and transparent Board.  I suggested creating a more comprehensive e-mail list for the Board by encouraging sign-ups on line and at Board meetings, having links to the Water Board on all the city websites that are served by this Board, preparing a calendar of events on the Water Board’s website, and placing agendas at various locations in the cities affected.  President Dear commented that the suggestions sounded good.  We will see if they are implemented.

The meeting agenda was available at the Board room, but it only contained the 1 line titles – not the staff reports - of the 31 agenda items.  I sat in one of the approximate 30 seats provided in the Board room and listened to the presentations by staff and consultants with Board members occasionally making comments or asking questions.  Although almost all of the chairs in the meeting room were taken, I realized I was the only member of the public in the room.   

After a period of time, I went into an adjoining room for a glass of water – they also provided snacks – and when I returned to the Board meeting room, I found that they were at the conclusion of their meeting because a motion had been passed to approve many of the action items without any reports given or discussion had. 

I spoke with Charlene Jensen, the Board’s secretary, who took my name and contact information and placed me on the Board’s e-mail list.  You can contact Charlene at (310) 660-6229 or charlene@westbasin.org. 

The West Basin Municipal Water District has several committees including Administration, Communications, Ethics, Finance, and Water Resources, most of which meet monthly.  Each committee consists of 3 Water Board members, one of whom is the chair, another a regular member, and the third an alternate.

Water is one of our most important resources.  We must be vigilant about those who have control of its use.  The Water Board should

take a position to stop the enormous waste of water along with the chemicals poisoning our water systems used in hydraulic oil fracturing (fracking) within its jurisdiction. 

Work with the communities of the Water Board to coordinate recycling and other forms of water conservation

Include all the minutes of meetings on the District’s website

Have past Board agendas for the years prior to 2012 on the District’s website

By the way, Ed Little has offered to arrange a personal tour of the Water District’s treatment plant in El Segundo, which he says is the only one like it in the world.  If you’d like to go, please send an e-mail to me.

This is the first of a series of articles about the West Basin Municipal Water District.

Gary Silbiger is co-editor of Culver City Progress blog and a former Mayor of Culver City.

Culver Park High School – Location, Location, Location

Pat Levinson

After decades of being located on an elementary school campus in Culver City, CCUSD’s continuation school, Culver Park HS, was relocated this summer to an area between Farragut Elementary and Culver City Middle School.

The youths and staff were moving in as construction of the temporary facilities, mostly landscaping, was in the final stages.  So, the Los Angeles Times wrote a “horror story” of just how challenging the conditions were for our youth.  Challenging?  Belmont HS in Los Angeles, with its toxic waste is challenging. A location beside a freeway on or off ramp is challenging.  Neither fits Culver Park HS.

I’ve taught and been an administrator in many school in the past 38 years with the Los Angeles County Office of Education.  My students were “juvenile wards of the court”. Okay, that translates to “juvenile delinquents.” My kind of youth: locked up or perhaps, locked out?  Physical locations included: Juvenile Halls, Probation Camps and Community Schools, many of which I located, opened and closed. Talk about challenging environments! 

Learning is learning and teaching is teaching.  And administrative support (and counseling) is vital to both. As long as youth are safe and healthy (another blog, perhaps), learning can take place almost anywhere.  Can you force youth to learn?  No, but you can persuade, despite, or sometimes because of, the physical environment.  Trust me, juvenile hall is no playground and yet hundreds of youth graduate annually from LACOE schools with their 220 credits.

What we have in CCUSD is a principal of CPHS who wants to be the principal of CPHS:  Veronica Montes.  I don’t title the school as Culver Park Continuation, because continuation school just describes the type of school.  The name of the continuation school is Culver Park HS.  Fifty-seven youth are enrolled, taking the usual high school courses:  English (Basic, Literature, Contemporary Writing, etc,); Social Science (World and US History, Government, Economics, etc.); Science (Earth, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry); Mathematics (Basic, Algebra, Geometry); Art and Physical Education. Each student is required to perform 60 hours (total high school) of service learning in order to graduate with 220 credits. With a class size ratio max of 20 to 1, who wouldn’t want to be in this school?

The school and students enjoy having four dedicated teachers – who want to be there.  No, they haven’t been sent to the cornfield for being poor teachers elsewhere.  Like I, who opted to instruct in the juvenile court facilities, these teachers enjoy the challenge of teaching multiple subjects to youth who need creative strategies other than a “get to class, stop wandering the hallway, where are you going” environment. (Sorry, regular HS, just trying to make a point.)  Students are 16 and older, usually in the 11^th and 12^th grades, sometimes making up classes from the 9^th and 10^th grades.  Each teacher has to be competent in their areas so that each youth can receive the required classes.  Wow, tailored classes!  How cool is that?

Let us praise Ms. Lanier, Ms. Johnson, Ms. Matilda and Ms. Bentsvi who want to be those teachers, who want to be there.  We praise all teachers who want to be where they do their best work!  As I shared with Ms. Montes, my favorite grades of youth to work with before my retirement were the middle grades – 6-8.  While she didn’t shudder, she expressed her joy at working with older youth.  Some teachers delight in teaching 1^st or 2^nd grade (I cower), special ed. programs and identified youth, gifted or whomever. We all have our niche. (For those of you pooh-poohing why I enjoyed working with incarcerated youth, grades 7 – 12, when I just expressed my passion for youth in grades 6 – 8, I’d be happy to explain in another blog. Just think about child development…)

Here’s the point:  education includes the physical environment, but it doesn’t stop there. Learning is part of that environment and that’s all about the teachers, the support staff (para-educators, counselors, special education specialists, custodial staff) and administration.

What Culver Park HS youth apparently have is a wonderfully supportive environment – physically, mentally, academically, socially and emotionally.  While I didn’t describe all aspects of that supportive environment, Ms. Montes assures me that the CPHS Student Council is charged with campus beautification.  Ms. Montes declared, “We want the kids to own it.”

The youth will own it, if it’s in partnership with those supportive staff and the community.  It doesn’t matter if they are located on an elementary school campus, in a one-room schoolhouse or in temporary buildings. Are our youth safe and healthy?  I think so.  Therefore, it is with whom they interface and trust that makes the difference. See for yourself. The LA Times overreacted. Why am I not surprised?

Pat Levinson graduated from CCHS when dirt was new.  She received a Teacher Scholarship upon graduation and the rest was history: teaching all subjects and becoming an administrator in Juvenile Hall, Probation Camps and Community Schools for 25 years, teaching and providing educational services to foster youth for 13 years in Los Angeles County; including representing teachers for 13 years with the teachers’ association. Education included: BA from UC Irvine, M.Ed from Azusa Pacific University, and a slew of professional certificates from UCLA and the School of Hard Knocks.  She retired in June 2011 from LACOE as a Project Director for Foster Youth Services, representing all of Los Angeles County’s 81 district schools in their educational services to foster youth to the State. She can be reached at: palevinson@ca.rr.com.  Pat is the recording secretary for the CC Democratic Club and a Board Member of the CC Sister City Committee.

Learning to Learn

David Voncannon
During dinner recently, my wife and I were having a conversation about the costs of a college education.  Many years ago we had the same conversation but with specific reference to our son who was a high senior and looking at colleges.  He had taken all the standardized tests, SAT etc., and done well.  He scored especially well in math and science so was looking into programs for mathematics and computer science.

As with most high school students looking to move to college he had applied at a number of schools.  As we were anxiously waiting on admissions letters he wanted to visit some of the campuses.  One of those schools was Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburg, PA which has a world renowned math and computer science program. 

The school had setup visitation programs with separate tracks for prospective students and parents.  The students were given tours of the campus, dorms and were able to meet with current students and professors.

Parents were treated to series of discussions on campus life and finances.  Finances were mostly focused to how to pay for the tuition and living expenses for sons or daughters attending their institute.  The part of the discussion that particularly got my attention was when the presenter said, “We are now looking at payment for an education being a lifelong commitment.”  At that time, approximately 25 years ago, the total cost to send our son to Carnegie Mellon would have been $40,000.  To us, not being monetarily wealthy, that was a huge sum and the concept of a lifetime commitment just made no sense at all. Ultimately our son selected a different school which was more affordable.

Our dinner conversation continued with the realization that college costs have certainly not decreased in the intervening years since our son’s college years.  The conversation then morphed into a discussion of whether a college education is still relevant taking into consideration the increased costs and the difficulty of actually getting into the classes a student needs to complete their degree.  Then my wife, being the smart woman that she is, posed a profound question which is really the topic of our discussion today.  That question is; “What does a student really learn in college today?”

I did not immediately recognize how profound that question is.  After all the answer seems obvious that a student is taught, or at least exposed to, a range of subject matter related to the career choice they have made.  But for some reason, the question stuck with me long after the dinner was completed.  The more I pondered the question the less obvious was the answer.  Does the course material and classroom experience represent everything that a student learns during their college experience?

The answer here seems obvious as well.  A college campus is a world far different than that experienced by most high school students.  For most it will be their first extended stay away from family and friends.  Expectations and responsibilities are increased dramatically.  Beyond classes and homework, for the first time, a student will be responsible for their own meals, laundry, entertainment and the myriads of other details that must be handled just to survive.  Obviously then a student learns a great deal outside the classroom.

But does the combination of experiences really compensate for the costs and difficulties related to obtaining that degree?  I would submit to you dear reader, that there are two overwhelming reasons, beyond the subject matter, that make college worthwhile.

Consider that during college you will make friends and forge bonds that will last for the rest of your life!  The personal network that is built during college will support you during moments when you believe you cannot continue.  You will provide support in return.  Some will meet your first, perhaps only, spouse or significant other.  The network a student builds during college will act as the foundation for their career offering job leads and career advice.  Those contacts form the nucleus of the network that will continue to develop throughout their life.

To understand my final point we must first embrace the concept of lifelong learning and education.  I noted earlier that a portion of what a student learns during college is the subject matter relevant to her, or his, career choice.  The downside to that is that about 70% of what is learned during college is obsolete within two years.  The implication is that to stay relevant we must constantly be learning new tools, techniques, products and concepts.

So, dear reader, my final and I think most important thought related to a college education is that a student learns how to learn.  When a person first enters college they are often overwhelmed by the difficulty and volume of material.  Out of necessity a student must learn the discipline to focus and absorb material quickly.  Every day brings new concepts added to topics introduced just a few days earlier.  Survival and success depend on learning study techniques.  Whether a student recognizes it or not, that discipline and set of techniques will remain with us long after the specific subject matter has faded.

Now consider that during our lives we will be expected to learn thousands of new products or concepts.  The techniques learned during college will enable the graduate to move forward quickly and accurately where others may flounder.  I believe that the ability to learn is probably the least obvious and yet, most valuable tool that we develop during our college experience.

Is a college education still relevant today?  I would shout a resounding YES!  In fact I would argue that with the increased competition prevalent today education is more important than ever.  It’s important to note that a person does not have to attend a college to gain knowledge, build a network, or develop discipline and learning skills.  But attending college forces the issue making the outcome more certain. 

Footnote:  To finish the story of my son’s search for a college, even though he was accepted at Carnegie Mellon he decided to attend the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, The Tarheels.  The Tarheels were a sympathetic favorite since we lived in North Carolina at that time and he was a huge basketball fan.  That was a big help on the financial side since in state tuition was considerably less expensive than any other option.  It was an emotional blow to me however since I was enrolled in a master’s degree program at Duke University when he entered college.  He graduated five years later with a degree in radio and television journalism.  Please note the extended time to graduation, caused by changing degree programs after two years.  College basketball season continues to be a friendly battle even after all the intervening years.

David Voncannon is active in Culver City working as a community spokesperson during development of the Tilden Terrace project, serving on the Culver City Advisory Council on Redevelopment and as a member of the local Chamber of Commerce.

Standardized Testing and Teacher Evaluation

Nancy Goldberg

With the settlement of the Chicago Teachers strike, some interesting questions have arisen.  Among the more intriguing statements are those regarding standardized testing and the value-added teacher evaluation process which are being  presented as  certain ways to verify  a teacher’s performance.

Briefly, standardized testing’s overemphasis undermines genuine learning.  Because the flag of accountability has been foisted by  self proclaimed “education reformers,” going to excess with standardized  testing has been  encouraged and justified.   The present data-driven focus on reform has been debilitating for our educational institutions.  Some of the most beneficial aspects of our present system are qualitative and cannot be quantified.  Almost every appealing aspect of education in America is qualitative; students will admit that they are motivated to attend school for those very courses which can’t be traditionally evaluated.  Courses like music, athletics, and student government promote characteristics among students that are essential to encourage the well-rounded citizen.

As for value added measurements…the very complexity of this evaluative method defies national public exposure.   When the evaluative devices become so distorted that logic and reason during their explanation are lost…then it’s time to unravel the knots or ignore them. 

Personally, I opt for teachers and curriculum that sustain and grow student interest.  Both function most effectively when their selection is made on the local level by the local school board.

Let’s keep our eyes on these ostensible benefits to our students.  There may be other reasons why they are being promoted.

More later…..

Nancy Goldberg is a CCUSD School Board Member recently retired from teaching at CC High School.

City Council Meeting Preview

On Monday, October 1, 2012, the City Council meets at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall, 9770 Culver Boulevard.  The agenda includes

• Considering the creation of a resident based committee on oil fracking.  Empower the public by creating an official City Committee on Oil Fracking to study and make recommendations to the Council about fracking.  After all, who knows more about oil drilling than the victims of the oil companies.

• Discussion pertaining to whether the City Council should agendize any of the State ballot measures for a vote of the Council.  Present your input in support of your favorite ballot initiatives appearing on the November ballot ; then try to persuade your elected officials to support your position.

Support Education Funding - Yes on Prop 30

Mona Field

Prop 30, while not going far enough to really rescue California from decades of fiscal instability, is a small and essential step towards keeping things from getting even worse.

Prop 30, also known as "the governor's initiative" is a tax increase based on both a progressive income tax (1-3% increase on those with incomes over $250,000 per year/$500,000 for couples) and a regressive but lucrative increase in the state sales tax (1/4 cent for four years).

The money will go to shore up our educational systems from kindergarten through university, and to provide resources for public safety. Everyone knows the terrible cuts in education, at every level, including the reduced classes and sessions at our community colleges and the huge fee increases for our public university systems. Prop 30 supporters include teachers, public safety employees, the California Democratic Party and many more.

Proposition 30 will

• Stop another $6 billion in cuts to our schools this year. After years of cuts, our schools still face a $6 billion dollar budget deficit this year. If we do nothing, the cuts will get deeper. Prop. 30 stops the cuts, provides billions in new funding for our schools starting this year --- supporting everything from smaller class sizes to afterschool programs.

• Guarantee local public safety funding. Prop. 30 establishes a guarantee for public safety funding in our state’s constitution, where it can’t be touched without voter approval. This will keep cops on the street and save the state billions in prison costs over the long term.


Opponents of Prop 30 are the usual anti-government, anti-tax crowd who believe, despite all evidence, that there is a huge amount of "waste, fraud and abuse" in government spending. Of course, there are examples of poor decision-making on the part of government officials, occasional cases of outright fraud or corruption, and just plain human error by elected leaders. But for the most part, our tax dollars are spent on what we need: education, public safety, parks and recreation, and other social goods that cannot be provided by the private, for-profit sector.

If you want to support our schools, you can tell your friends and family to vote YES on PROP 30, and join the phone banks at your local Democratic HQ. For Culver City and Westside folks, the closest place is 3916 Sepulveda.   For more information, go to www.yesonrop30.com.

 

Mona Field is a Member of the Los Angeles Community College Board and a Culver City resident.

City Council Educated - Non Profit Schools Victorious

Carlene Brown 

Our Culver City Council demonstrated that kind of success on Monday, September 10, when they approved two measures before them that granted two non-profit private schools the opportunity to serve the needs of more students and thereby contribute to enhancing not only Culver City but our human community.

For the past three months, these proposals had fallen victim to the presence of a strong anti-nonprofit motive on the Planning Commission.

In contrast, all five Council members voted yes on both a Zoning Code amendment that enables The Willows Community School to implement their 20-year Master Plan for increasing their student enrollment by 150 and to overturn the Planning Commission’s denial for The Help Group to increase their student enrollment by 200.

Council members seemed eager to get their names in the public record as supporting these non-profit educational endeavors. Meghan Sahli-Wells moved to support the Willows proposal, with a second from Jeff Cooper. Michea`l O’Leary moved to uphold The Help Group appeal, with a second from Jim Clark.

“I am happy to support The Willows project,” said Sahli-Wells. “I had the great pleasure of touring the facility and appreciate Willows opportunity cost contribution, their lending their gym to our police and fire department, and their help with La Ballona Creek cleanup.”

Councilman Jim Clark also mentioned that he had twice toured the Willows School and met with officials. “I want the public to know the thoroughness involved in this,” said Clark. “I appreciate and support the project.”   

The word “appreciate” was sprinkled throughout Council member’s comments—appreciation for both Willows and The Help Group’s substantial voluntary financial contributions to offset opportunity costs for the City, appreciation for the thoroughness of each school’s project proposal, appreciation for the work of the Planning Commission and the process that has resulted in a good tool.

In contrast to the pettiness and obstructionist tactics employed by certain Planning Commission members ( and by certain members of our US Congress), all five of our Culver City Council members displayed civility and cooperation. Referring to The Willows School as “a good corporate neighbor,” Mayor Andrew Weissman added that adoption of their Master Plan proposal is “a tremendous result, not just for Willows School, but for Culver City.”

Both Lisa Rosenstein, Head of Willows School, and Dr. Barbara Firestone, CEO of The Help Group, began their remarks with “Thank you” (as they had done standing before the Planning Commission, but with a different result). “The best outcomes are from a spirit of cooperation,” said Dr. Firestone. Our City Council members demonstrated that they agree.

The Help Group’s appeal to the City Council followed three public hearings in which the Planning Commission denied their Conditional Use Permit Modification request. “I regret that it took so long with all the back and forth negotiations,” said Councilman Clark.

Having toured The Help Group campus, Councilwoman Sahli-Wells said, “The Help Group has actually improved the area. I am proud to have this school in Culver City. They need to expand because of the epidemic of Autism, and I am proud Culver City can help in this process.”

The Help Group’s appeal cited three Planning Commission findings that are unsubstantiated, as evidenced in the record including project noise analysis and traffic study and Traffic Management Plan:

·         That the project will result in negative impacts related to noise and traffic

·         That the substantial increase in student enrollment is not compatible with the existing site configuration and means of access

·         That the project will result in noise and traffic impacts that are detrimental to the public interest, health, safety or general welfare.

Several area residents spoke, urging the Council to uphold the Planning Commission’s denial of The Help Group application. Council members such as Michea`l O’Leary were sympathetic to those frustrations, but also offered simple suggestions as to how the Help Group could cooperate to mitigate those concerns.

Suggestions from O’Leary and other Council members ranged from requiring signs and distribution of literature discouraging parent parking on residential streets to communicating to contracted taxi drivers that they are not to idle their cars or have loud radios in those areas.

Councilman O’Leary pointed out that according to Civic Code, school playgrounds are exempted from noise restrictions. “I am disgusted by the idea of hiring acoustical engineers to determine if children are playing too loud,” he said. “The Help Group agreed to put up a wall that is not even necessary.

Councilman Cooper directed attention to the fact that this Special Needs school is not a typical school with student drivers, that six students per taxi cab considerably reduces traffic generated, and there is no history of accidents.

Hugs and high-fives abounded at City Hall on September 10^th following unanimous yes votes supporting expansion of each of these non-profit private schools, who meet needs and call forth gifts in their unique and beautiful students. This was a successful City Council meeting indeed.

“Success is the gathering together of all that is beautiful.”

                                               RALPH WALDO EMERSON
Carlene Brown is an educator and a resident of Culver City.

Safe Routes to School Comes to Culver City

Yvonne McLauchlan

Culver City residents in the neighborhoods surrounding Linwood E Howe Elementary School may have noticed the recent appearance of orange cones and markings on some roads and sidewalks, and may also be wondering what they are for.

It is thanks to the City applying for, and receiving, a grant from the Safe Routes to School Program. The $450,000 grant (which is matched with around $50,000 from City funds) will help improve the streets around Linwood E Howe Elementary School for students and residents.

In applying for the grant the City Council had to identify the areas of risk and concern with traffic around the school.  Local residents, education officials, the police department, and parents amongst others, attended a workshop to identify some of the main safety areas. Direct field observation was used, with the Safe Routes to School National consultant observing the traffic and the student behavior around the school. They also reviewed pedestrian related and bicycle related injuries data between the years 2002 and 2007 which identified some of the main junctions in which traffic related injuries were sustained.   

The grant has two main purposes; firstly by changing the infrastructure on 13 main locations along the most commonly identified walking and cycling routes to Linwood E Howe Elementary School. Changes include adding bulb-outs and curb extensions to intersections; providing perpendicular curb ramps making it safer for wheelchairs and baby strollers to cross the road, and adding high visibility crosswalks at crossings. A crossing island will also be added at the Lucerne/Ince intersection. These improvements will make street crossings shorter; make pedestrians more visible to motorists and vice versa, and will slow turning vehicles. Crosswalk visibility will be increased and motorists will be slowed on the approach to these crosswalks. 

The second purpose of the grant is to enforce, encourage and educate students and parents. The Police Department will increase traffic enforcement around the school. Parent volunteers have handed leaflets to parents dropping their children off at the front of the school, informing them of the free remote parking opportunity at City Hall, in an effort to reduce traffic congestion around the school.  A committee was formed, consisting of parents, City Council Staff, Linwood E Howe Principal, and local residents. The committee was key in implementing a weekly walking school bus, the Hiking Vikings. The Hiking Vikings meet at two separate points every Friday and walk to school with the help of adult, parent volunteers. The majority of the 80+ students meet at Carlson Park and walk north along Braddock towards the school. The other group of students meet at the corner of Ince/Carson and walk along Ince, Lucerne and Van Buren to the school.  Students can also join onto the “bus” by meeting them along the way or being dropped off by their parents. The students were encouraged to walk with support from the Principal and staff within the school and also with the use of incentives, and a weekly trophy for the class with the most students walking. Anecdotal evidence showed that the children saw the Friday morning walk as a “social” experience where they could walk and chat with their friends, and parents reported their children being enthusiastic about walking on a Friday. The Hiking Vikings shall continue their weekly walk in the new school year and the committee will continue to work to educate students and promote pedestrian and cyclist safety within the school and local community. 

In June 2012 I was appointed as new Chair of the Safe Routes to School Committee after being a member for the previous school year. I moved to Culver City from Scotland two years ago and as a family we made the conscious decision not to purchase or lease a car. Why would we need to? My husband works within a ten-minute walk from our house, and we also lived within walking distance to the school. Public transport enabled us to explore and experience the diversity of Los Angeles (even more so with the new Expo Line Metro) and if we wanted to go further afield – we hired a car for the weekend. I was surprised however at the reactions of people we met when we told them we did not have a car – from their reaction it is seemingly unheard of in Los Angeles.

I became a member of the Safe Routes to School Committee at Linwood E Howe as it is important to me to promote the many, many benefits of getting our children to walk and bike to school. The physical benefits to the children of course are paramount – children lead such busy lives these days that any opportunity for physical exercise is key.  Also, walking or biking to school allows them to spend time in a natural environment, learn basic safety skills (which will be beneficial throughout their life) and also develop a sense of independence. For me personally – I get to hear about my son’s day, and about his thoughts on anything from world domination to his plans for making the movie Star Wars 7.  In addition the benefits to the environment are multiple – walking to school reduces vehicle emissions and will help make the streets safer by reducing the number of cars travelling. Of course, I recognize that not everyone can walk to school due to distance, work commitments etc – which is why I feel the Hiking Vikings is a great way to promote walking and physical fitness – parents can drop their children off at the starting point or along the way.

The work that has been planned around Linwood E Howe and Downtown Culver City has been designed and engineered with community input, and the support of the City Council. For me, it not only makes it safer for my child – a student at Linwood E Howe Elementary School- to walk to school. It makes it safer for us as a family; as residents of Culver City; walk, cycle, scoot and explore our neighborhood.   

For more information about the grant and proposed work please visit:

http://culvercity.org/en/Government/PublicWorks/TrafficEngineering/SafeRoutes.aspx

For more information about Safe Routes to School visit:

http://www.saferoutesinfo.org/

To show support for the proposed street changes visit;

http://www.change.org/petitions/city-of-culver-city-implement-proposed-street-changes-around-lin-howe-school

Yvonne McLauchlan is chair of the Linwood E. Howe Safe Routes to School Committee

 

Practicing Leadership: An Unusual Summer Vacation in Mexico

Christine Ferreira

When I was asked in late 2011 to chaperone a group of Culver City high school students to Mexico for three weeks this summer as part of the Culver City Sister Cities program, I knew that I was going to be in a for a treat but I had no idea what a wonderful and educational experience this would be.

Culver City’s sister city program received a grant to participate in a U.S. State Department-funded program called the Youth Ambassadors. We were going to travel to central Mexico with students from Modesto and Los Angeles to study issues of poverty and the environment, and to learn about Mexican history and culture. Students applied through the Culver City Sister Committee, and had to fill out an application, turn in transcripts, get letters of recommendation and write an application essay. They also had to survive a daunting interview process with community leaders and Sister City committee members. I should make it clear that although my daughter was a participant, her participation was independent of mine. I did not go because she was going, and she did not go because I was going. I should also make it clear that this whole program was possible because of the incredibly hard work of Donna Thayer, the youth program coordinator of the Sister City committee.

The plan was that we would spend two weeks traveling and one week staying with a family in our sister city. We would have a series of 10 workshops focusing on poverty, the environment and developing a project to address those twin concerns. Unfortunately, because of security concerns in Mexico, the Culver City group was not going to be allowed to stay in Uruapan, our own sister city, so we were going to spend our home-stay in Aguascalientes. That was about as much as we knew when left for the airport on June 24.

The first order of business, once we were through security at LAX, was to find the other delegations. The four Culver City girls, Olivia Finnegan, Marlee Goldshine, Heather Reitzfeld, and Elizabeth Ferreira, were eager to meet their traveling companions. The girl homing and location system worked, as we first found the five students from Modesto and then the three from Los Angeles, with their chaperones. On the flight, students from the different cities sat together and began to get to know each other, which was a great sign for the rest of the trip.

We spent the next two weeks traveling and learning. Our first base of operations was Toluca, an industrial city west of Mexico City. While we were there we spent a morning at a government-funded preschool where we were assigned to help in the classes. The smiles on the faces of the visiting teenagers as they led children through games, helped to feed them, and danced, crawled and sang, were priceless. I am a teacher, and I was impressed by the preschool on a professional level. The classrooms were built around a central covered courtyard that provided a recreation space and a gathering space that was protected from the rain. We also visited an organic-mushroom and tomato farmer, who used solar power, no fertilizer or pesticides, and used bacteria to clean his water. “I take the water clean from nature and I give back to nature clean,” he said. We spent a lovely morning visiting a stained-glass artist, learning about his process and also learning about glass blowing.

From Toluca we traveled to San Miguel de Allende, where we stayed on a farm outside of town, where we would be far from any possible trouble on July 1, election day. We were now in the heart of colonial Mexico, the area where the indigenous Mexican people mined silver that was taken by the Spaniards back to Spain.  From San Miguel de Allende we visited the silver-mining town of  Guanajuato, with its tunnels under the town, and Dolores Hidalgo, where Father Hidalgo issued the Grito de Dolores to start the Mexican revolution. Walking into the church where Father Hidalgo stood was a highlight of the trip for me. On election day we stayed safe at the ranch, working on our projects, taking horse-back rides, playing soccer and generally just relaxing.

By now the groups were working hard on developing plans for community service projects for back home that would focus on issues of poverty or the environment. I have taught elementary and middle school, but this was my first opportunity to really work with high school students, and it turned out to be delightful. The girls were willing to wrangle with ideas and proposals until they put together a plan that was ambitious, meaningful and workable. It helped that three of the girls have worked together in the past as part of the Culver City High School’s Academy of Visual and Performing Arts, and they had a common passion for theater which they could translate into an environmental education program. It also helped that our public schools in Culver City have done such a terrific job teaching our children to read, write and communicate, and to be willing to grapple with ideas and concepts until they understand them.

We then traveled to Queretaro, a booming, bustling city of automobile manufacturers and international industry with a historic core that played a role in much of Mexico’s history. The revolutionary conspiracy of 1812 was discovered here, the Treaty of Guadalupe, which ceded the huge area of the United States that formerly belonged to Mexico, was signed here, Emperor Maximilian was executed here, and the constitution of 1917, after the second revolution, was also signed here. At this point the students were a little done with churches, tours and history; I tried to inspire them by telling them that in college they need to take a class in Mexican history or Mexican art history, because they had received an incredible education in those areas. From Queretaro we also visited an orphanage, which was a sobering event for many of our visitors. The orphanage was in the middle of the countryside along a rutted, bumpy road. We were not allowed to take pictures because some of the children had been taken from their parents and were in foster care.

Our next stop was Mexico City, where we were to meet the US Ambassador to Mexico. We didn’t have much time in Mexico City, I assume because of security concerns around the elections. We did an excellent tour of the Museo Memoria y Tolerancia, a beautiful museum dedicated to the history of the Holocaust and genocide worldwide. Even though many of the Culver City students had visited the Los Angeles Museum of Tolerance, they were interested to see history from the perspective of another country and culture. Our visit the next morning with the U.S. Ambassador gave our young ambassadors a view into the world of diplomacy, and the options that exist for them in high school and college and career opportunities as well.

Up until now we had been accompanied by Angus Fredenburg, who was our Sister Cities International  chaperone, and by Pedro Alba, a Toluca-area resident who made sure that we got to where we needed to be and gave us lots of background knowledge throughout our travels. I’m afraid I don’t know the last name of Jorge, our incredible driver, who calmly and capably handled 15 energetic kids and four tired adults for two weeks. But now it was time to say “goodbye” to these three and to meet up with Mariana Lopez Medellin, who took over as our guide and chaperone for our week in Aguascalientes.

After a six-hour bus ride north from Mexico City with the delegation from Modesto, we met our host families in Aguascalientes over dinner. This was a little nerve-wracking for many of the teens, as some spoke little Spanish and some were just shy. Not so much the two El Marino Language School Spanish graduates who were on the trip, because they both knew that they would be able to communicate with their host families. Of course, this was a terrific opportunity for them to improve their Spanish as well.

Our week in Aguascalientes went by quickly. We explored the city, and took a trip up to Zacatecas, where we took a tour into a silver mine and took a zip-line across a wide valley. We also spent a day at an old hacienda that had been abandoned during the revolution and then turned into a nature preserve used for educational programs for low income children in Aguascalientes. One highlight for the teens was seeing the Green Line, which was a 15 kilometer strip that lies atop a Pemex oil line. Construction is not allowed along the Green Line in case there is a rupture in the pipe, so it had turned into a no-man’s land that was abandoned and dangerous. Mariana’s boss, Lorena Martinez Rodriguez, the mayor of Aguascalientes, had looked at the Green Line and saw an opportunity for parkland and recreation areas, and she had transformed half of the strip, which had in turn improved safety and property values along the strip. This was a great opportunity for California teenagers to see how one person’s vision can make a change for a community.

Our stay in Aguascalientes wrapped up with a wonderful Ballet Folklorico performance by a group of high school students, some of whom were coming up to California later in July. Our kids were just blown away by the dancing and were especially delighted to be able to try on the beautiful folklorico costumes. Then we had a farewell dinner with our kind and generous families, after which we all had to pack up for our trip back to Mexico City and then on to home the next day.

This was not your usual summer vacation trip to Mexico. There were no beaches, no beers and margaritas, and not a whole lot of swimming pools. It was a great opportunity to learn about our Southern neighbor, with its incredible history, culture and nature. The great part is that I still get to work with the four girls, as we put into place our community service project here in Culver City.

Christine Ferreira is a Culver City parent, a teacher, and the chaperone for the Culver City Sister City Committee's 2012 Youth Ambassador Program.

Why Culver City Residents Should Get Involved with the Ballona Wetlands Restoration Planning

Walter Lamb

 

When my wife and I moved to Culver City over 10 years ago, we were thrilled to discover a bike trail just a few blocks from City Hall that leads all the way down to the ocean.  The entire trail provides excellent opportunities to see many species of wild birds.  Just shy of the ocean, residential neighborhoods and office buildings give way to wide open spaces on both sides of the trail, hosting an abundance of wild plants and animals.  This is the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve and it can make you forget that you are in a city of several million people.   The Ballona Wetlands Land Trust helped secure a hard fought victory to preserve this land, and now we are working to spread awareness of its importance to the surrounding community, and to promote greater public participation in the ongoing process to help this ecosystem reach its maximum potential.

The Ballona Wetlands have a long and rich history that cannot be covered adequately in this article.  The area has seen many inhabitants, from the native Gabrielino/Tongva peoples to Mexican rancheros to Howard Hughes’ famous aircraft company.  It has also undergone many changes as a result of natural events such as earthquakes and human activity such as agriculture, industry, development and the creation of the adjacent Marina Del Rey.  The fight to set aside a meaningful portion of the Wetlands began in earnest in the 1970s, when Hughes’ heirs allowed planning to begin for a massive development on the site.

After working together for many years, conservationists became split over whether to settle with the developers for a relatively small parcel of land, or to keep fighting for a larger area.  While labeled by many as unrealistic at the time, the perseverance of the latter group was ultimately successful in expanding the amount of preserved land to 600 acres, which now make up the State-owned preserve.  While this was an important victory for the Wetlands, restoration planners acknowledge that the limited size of the preserve is still a constraining factor.  We will never know how much more land might have been spared from development had conservationists maintained a united front.  Instead, we must now turn to address the present opportunities and challenges facing this precious natural resource.

A project management team consisting of federal, state and county agencies has entered into the Environmental Impact phase of a project to enhance the ecological health of the Ballona Wetlands.  They have presented several alternate plans to the public, and it is now our responsibility to provide feedback that will guide their research and influence their ultimate project design.  The deadline for providing public comment is October 23^rd.  Not participating in this process is analogous to not voting in an election.  If you don’t make your voice heard now, you can’t blame anyone else if you aren’t happy with the outcome later.

There are many strong opinions regarding the various project details that have been presented, which range from doing nothing to reconstructing the area with heavy equipment, including removing the concrete levees along Ballona Creek and rerouting the creek itself.  Some have argued that such a large scale effort is needlessly expensive, risky, and disruptive to existing wildlife and habitat.  Others have argued that a large scale effort is the only way to achieve the proper conditions for a fully functioning wetland ecosystem.

Luckily, you do not need to choose a position or become an expert in wetlands management to make an important contribution to this process right now.  All you need to do is to care about the Wetlands enough to submit public comments to the project team that reflect your hopes and concerns for this important area.  Your comments might address a particular species of bird or other animal, they might ask the project team to further study the potential impacts of polluted water on the Wetlands, or they might ask for more information relating to how each project alternative would further prepare the area for expected sea level rise due to climate change.  Any aspect of the environmental impact of the project is an appropriate topic for comment.

The Ballona Wetlands Land Trust is ready to help you get involved.  We are committed to working objectively with experts and advocates of all perspectives to help members of the public get the information they need to make informed public comments now and informed decisions about the final project proposal when it is completed.   We believe that this is the best way to ensure the best possible outcome for this critical coastal ecosystem.

Please contact us today to get involved in this important process.

Email: landtrust@ballona.org

Phone: 310-264-9468

Web: www.ballona.org/restoration

 

Walter Lamb is a culver city resident and the President of the Ballona Wetlands Land Trust.

Prop 38: Supporting Our Schools Fully

Jody Reichel

For years California has been cutting the budget for public education, but this year there’s a ballot measure that can turn things around, one that that focuses solely on meeting the needs of our kids by providing new funding directly to every public school in California— Proposition 38.

Proposition 38 is the only statewide measure that will restore the programs we used to have in our schools, and it is the only measure endorsed by the California State PTA.

Proposition 38 will raise over $10 billion each year for 12 years, providing our students and our schools with long term benefits.

During the first 4 years after it’s enacted (beginning with the 2013-14 school year), 60% of the money raised by Proposition 38 will go to our k-12 public schools, 10% will go to public preschool and early childhood programs so that more children will enter kindergarten prepared to succeed, and 30% of the money raised will be used to pay off existing state school bonds, thereby reducing our state budget shortfall.

Starting in the fifth year 85% of the funds raised by Prop. 38 will be allocated to k-12 public schools, and 15% will go to preschool programs. But even in those early years Proposition 38 will mean over $6,000,000 for our Culver City schools. By 2017-18, the initiative will be bringing our local schools over $11,000,000 a year.

Prop. 38 will not relieve our State government of its existing Prop. 98 responsibilities for funding public education. The legislature will be prohibited from diverting or borrowing Proposition 38 money and cannot use it to replace funds schools already receive. Money raised by Prop. 38 will be distributed directly to districts and school sites based on the number of students enrolled at each school. The initiative has very strong accountability provisions and limits the amount of money that can go for administration. But decisions on how to spend the money will be made locally, at the school site and district levels and with community input.

Proposition 38 raises money using a fair share approach, a sliding-scale tax. Those who can afford to pay more will, while 40% of Californians won’t see their tax bills go up at all. You can use the cost calculator at www.Prop38forLocalSchools.org to find out how Prop 38 will affect your taxes. You can also use the website’s benefits calculator to see how much your school or school district will benefit when Proposition 38 goes into effect.

When I was growing up, California’s public schools were among the best in the nation. Today California ranks 47^th in per pupil spending. We have the largest class sizes in the country— among the largest student to counselor ratios, too. In the last three years alone our state has cut over $20 billion from our public schools. Across the state 40,000 educators have been laid off.

Again and again our Culver City community has stepped up to the challenge of state budget cuts by passing Measure EE, supporting our Culver City Education Foundation, PTAs and booster clubs, and working with local businesses and organizations to give our kids the best education possible. We know that better schools mean lower crime rates and higher property values.  We know that great schools produce a high quality workforce. Let’s do it again.

Please take a stand for our kids. Join the California State PTA and me by voting for Proposition 38 this November.

For more information visit: www.Prop38forLocalSchools.org

Jody Reichel has been an active CCUSD parent for 13 years and is currently Executive Vice President of the Culver City Council of PTAs.