This Weekend - Summerfest 25

If you aren't a political junkie and walking precincts this weekend, you may want to stop off at the St. Angela Merici School Summerfest in Brea.  

There are number of great music acts, food choices, and games for the whole family!

Please come by, admission is FREE and check out the FREE concerts.  

100% OF THE PROCEEDS GO TO THE SCHOOL!

Rancho Santiago Canyon College District Hires New Trustee

by Raul Rodriguez, PhD - Chancellor of the RSCC District

A Special Board Meeting was held last night to address the vacancy in Trustee Area #3 created by the resignation of former Trustee Lisa Woolery.  The Board interviewed three candidates during the meeting and selected Ms. Arianna P. Barrios to fill the vacancy.  Ms. Barrios was sworn in as the provisional appointee in Trustee Area #3 and will serve until the term ends on December 7, 2012.  The new Trustee for this area will be elected in the November 6, 2012 election.

Ms. Barrios has over 20 years experience in marketing and communications and has served as a communications consultant for non-profit, for profit and educational organizations, including several school districts across Southern California.  As sole owner of Barrios & Associates, Ms. Barrios consults with clients across the country.  A dedicated member of the community, Ms. Barrios has served in a number of volunteer positions with local organizations including the Orange Unified School District, YWCA of Central Orange County, HomeAid Orange County and is currently a member of the Board of the Community Foundation of Orange.  Ms. Barrios is an educator at heart, having worked in the classroom as a substitute teacher for the Orange County Department of Education.

Please join me in welcoming Ms. Arianna P. Barrios to the Rancho community.  We look forward to working with her as a member of the Rancho Santiago Community College District Board of Trustees. 

Raúl Rodríguez, PhD

Chancellor

Rancho Santiago Community College District

2323 North Broadway, Suite 410

Santa Ana, CA 92706-1640

714-480-7450 office

714-796-3915 fax

rodriguez_raul@rsccd.edu

 

BREA: FREE CONCERTS ALL WEEKEND

If you love music and food you have to come out to Summerfest 2001 at St. Angela Merici School in Brea. 

This isn't your ordinary school carnival! 

• This is a massive event that has attracted thousands each year to hear small music groups along with some big names. 
• It's free to enter and food is reasonably priced. 
• There are rides and games for kids of ALL ages.

ALL PROCEEDS GO TO THE SCHOOL!  This event help keep tuition low, teachers employed, and our children educated. 

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL!

Unionized Public Education and Thomas Jefferson's Vision

Education is a double-edged sword.

Thomas Jefferson wrote in his 1778 “A Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge” speaking of education and governance “…that even under the best of forms, those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny;”

Jefferson goes on to write “…and it is believed that the most effectual means of preventing this would be, to illuminate, as far as practicable, the minds of the people at large, and more especially to give them knowledge of those facts, which history exhibiteth, that, possessed thereby of the experience of the other ages and countries, they may be enabled to know ambition under all its shapes, and prompt to exert their natural powers to defeat its purposes; And whereas it is generally true that laws will be wisely formed, and honestly administered, in proportion as those who form and administer them are wise and honest…”

Jefferson wrote much about educating the public and even created the first institution of higher education, University of Virginia. 

I bring this up, not because I know about education or have studied Jefferson but because it seems to me that common sense should prevail when it comes to funding public education.

Jefferson believed that those “whom nature hath endowed with genius and virtue, should be rendered by liberal education worthy to receive, and able to guard the sacred deposit of the rights and liberties of their fellow citizens, and that they should be called to that charge without regard to wealth, birth, or other accidental condition or circumstance;”

In other words, if you have the natural talent, then by all means receive the formal education.

In Jefferson’s time, it was common for the eldest male to receive formal education while other siblings learned the trades.  It was all a home could afford.  Jefferson desired to right this problem by offering public education.  He believed it was a wise investment in the future of our nation. 

So, how does Jefferson’s strong desire for public education fit in with the recent budgetary failures of our public education system?  It would seem that, if public education were able to “illuminate” as Jefferson wrote, that we would not need to cut spending nor would we need to raise taxes.  In Jefferson’s Utopia, we would have a balanced budget that met the needs of our people through the consent of the people.  

Earlier this month teachers took to the streets of Fullerton to rally support for tax extensions.  Some believe that these tax extensions could save many schools from laying off teachers. 

Others, me included, believe that an extension of the temporary taxes currently due to expire in June only rewards poor governance and failed leadership.

Based on the financial records released by the Fullerton School District (K-8) and the Fullerton Joint Union High School District (9-12) it appears that most teachers are earning at or above the median income level for Orange County residents.  This tells me that the teachers are paid fairly and equitably for the services rendered assuming of course that each performs equally with other teachers receiving the same pay.  That assumption, however, is false since teachers’ pay is based on seniority, certifications, and college credits received.  Their pay is not tied to student learning outcomes. 

Save Susan Souza!!

Save who?!?!

Remember back in high school that one teacher you had that inspired you to learn?  They engaged you in the learning process and helped you channel that teen-age energy into something positive.

For me it was Mrs. Greenwood, my junior-year English teacher at Fullerton High School (c1989) who got me interested in reading.  She changed my life forever. 

For many students at Sunny Hills High School, Susan Souza is their inspiring teacher.  As a part-time college instructor and full-time licensed professional land surveyor I get to meet a lot of interesting and amazing people throughout California who influence the minds of many through classroom interaction and instruction.  Mrs. Souza is at the top of that list. 

She has worked diligently over the last several years to bring an acclaimed engineering program to Fullerton High School District students that has garnered the attention and respect of educators throughout California. 

So why is she being fired?

Mrs. Souza is not a Fullerton Joint High School District employee but rather a ROP instructor (that will be an important distinction in a minute).  She has a long resume of industry experience, degrees and certifications in manufacturing engineering which makes her a great fit for the high school’s computer drafting and engineering classes. 

Working closely with the math and physics teachers, she helps find ways to make seemingly abstract concepts come to life through the creation and use of models, robotics, and hands-on learning in her classroom.

Students who express interest in continuing in engineering go to Mrs. Souza who helps them find internships in the industry.  She also helps them navigate through the university system to find the right program.

So why fire Mrs. Susan Souza?

Part of Mrs. Souza’s method of instruction includes finding guest speakers who can engage the students to share with them opportunities within technical fields and educational resources. 

Mrs. Souza has done made a remarkable effort to introduce students to technical college programs through field trips.  Often, these field trips are tied to competitions.  Sunny Hills High School students have won many of these competitions including the National Trig Star Competition.  The student won several thousand dollars and an all expenses-paid trip to receive his award at an annual conference hosted by the National Society of Professional Surveyors.  She has had other students win competitions as well, including one in computer aided drafting (CAD).

Her students were able to take a field trip to the Port of Long Beach to learn about the operations and maintenance of one of the world’s largest and busiest ports. 

So why fire Mrs. Susan Souza?

Mrs. Souza has worked tirelessly for the last 5 years to inspire students and help each of them achieve their goal. 

She chose to obtain her teaching credential though none is needed for her job.  Unlike her unionized counterparts, she will not receive any compensated for her endeavor because ROP instructors do not have a bargaining unit.  Each instructor works under a contract.  Enforcing the contract means each ROP teacher take up their own law suit to recover any damages as a result of a breach of contract.

So why fire Mrs. Susan Souza?

Mrs. Susan Souza works on the Sunny Hills High School campus as an invited guest of the principal, Ms. Judy Fancher.  That means that at any time and without cause Ms. Fancher may stop Mrs. Souza from teaching (and inspiring) her students. 

Just a few weeks ago Ms. Fancher decided to allow Mrs. Souza to finish up the school year but did NOT invite her back next year.  So what gives? Why fire Mrs. Susan Souza?

I emailed Ms. Fancher on April 14th but she has not replied.  I figured she would at least send me some vague reference to this being a personnel issue and that she is not authorized to discuss it.  Unfortunately, my email inbox sits quiet, patiently waiting for her response. You can try emailing her at ajfancher@fjuhsd.net but don't expect her to get back to you anytime soon.

Mrs. Souza has repeatedly asked Ms. Fancher as well as ROP administrators WHY.  Why is she being fired?  What has she done wrong?  To date, there has never been any complaint from any student or parent about Mrs. Souza.  In fact the contrary has occurred. 

Mrs. Souza’s current and former students, their parents, and those in industry (such as land surveying and engineering) served by her program have come together and support Mrs. Souza’s request to know why she is being fired.

Most of us are willing to acknowledge that the principal has the authority to do this; that isn't the issue.  We want to know what Mrs. Souza has done or failed to do that prompted Ms. Judy Fancher to fire this excellent teacher. 

Making the issue even more frustrating are the countless stories from the teachers themselves of the few really bad apples who have been disciplined or reprimanded numerous times by Ms. Fancher but are protected by the teachers’ union. 

Again I ask, why fire Mrs. Susan Souza? 

Subdivision Map Act: A One Day Seminar Near You!

2011 Class Locations                                  REGISTER HERE

LAFAYETTE | Thurs., Apr. 28, 2011
Lafayette Library and Learning Center

SAN MATEO | Thurs., May 12, 2011
San Mateo County Event Center

STOCKTON | Thurs., May 26, 2011
Best Western Plus Heritage Inn
  
MARINA | Thurs., June 23, 2011
Marina Airport Conference Room
  
SANTA MARIA | Thurs., July 28, 2011
Santa Maria Minami Community Center
  
COLTON | Thurs., Sept. 15, 2011
Frank A. Gonzales Center
  
FRESNO | Thurs., Sept. 22, 2011
Pardini’s Catering & Banquets
  
BURBANK | Thurs., Oct. 27, 2011
Burbank Moose Lodge
  
SAN DIEGO | Thurs., Nov. 17, 2011
San Diego Concourse

2 out of 3 OC community college students don't finish

The OC Register is reporting on a study released this week that shows what faculty at community colleges have known for years: 2/3 of all community college students dropped out or otherwise failed to graduate from 2-year colleges within the 6-year period covered by the study. 

Only a quarter of the students will transfer to a university. 

One possible reason for the shortfall that the researchers and those quoted in the article did not mention is the irrelevance of having a degree.  Here I told you about another study that shows how students are learning less and "earning" degrees.

On average, students only learned about 7% more from the beginning of their freshman year to the end of their sophomore year, according to the other study.  By the students' fourth year, 35% demonstrated no significant improvement. 

As young students we are told how important it is to have a degree, usually by someone with several degrees.  Government institutions perpetuate this by requiring a 4-year degree for nearly any management position despite a person's ability or experience.  Don't forget, about 1/3 of the graduates didn't demonstrate any significant improvement from their college experience.

A similar problem exists in the land surveying community wherein those with certifications or professional licenses are promoted even though they lack any leadership skills or the desire to learn new leadership skills. 

In both instances, the newly promoted managers lack certain skills that are not learned in the classroom but through meaningful experience. 

Students, despite their lack of educational degrees, are not stupid.  They all want the degree but then life gets in the way.  Families are created, children to feed, mortgages to pay, etc. 

I always encourage my students (and my own children) to get a degree and I remind them that degrees, even a doctoral, is just the foundation for a life of learning.  Those who stop learning after graduation are the same students who fall into that 35% that didn't improve. 

In my not-so-humble opinion, it's time to revert back to a focus on teaching the basics -reading, writing, and arithmetic- and quit holding the hands of students in their hypersensitive special-interest subjects.

OC Land Surveyors Present Trig Star 2011

Mark your calendar! 

Trig Star is coming to Santiago Canyon College in the foothills of Orange.

When: Saturday March 12

Where: 8045 E. Chapman Ave., Orange, CA 92869

Stay tuned for the event flyer and details.In the mean time, download sample competition exams here.

Here is a little history behind this national trigonometry competition.

Steve Poizner Stops By

January 19, 2011

Friends,
Let there be no doubt that California is still at the brink. With a budget deficit over the $25 billion mark and a combined unemployment and under-employment rate over 20%, it is vitally important that you stay informed, ask questions of your elected officials, and follow closely as they work to overcome the challenges that face our state.

There has been much discussion in recent weeks about a special election with select ballot initiatives developed by the Governor and Legislature that purport to solve California's budget problems once and for all. Much of the talk revolves around spending cuts and a push to raise taxes to close the near-term deficit gap.

My concerns as I track these developments are two-fold.

First of all, there is little discussion on what is needed to get our sputtering economy back on track. Without a healthy, robust, growing economy that produces stable job growth, our state's finances will remain structurally unbalanced and we will continue to face massive deficits each year. Revitalizing California's economy to effectively compete in the global economy should be a top priority. As I have often noted, and Dan Walters of the Sacramento Bee recently wrote: "It's entirely possible that California, with its high taxes, dense regulatory underbrush, poorly performing schools, congested and crumbling highways and water supply issues, may have become noncompetitive in a global economy".

Secondly, there is no discussion of overhauling and reforming state government institutions and programs in ways not unlike what I accomplished at the Department of Insurance. Whether prison reform, K-12 reform, pension reform, or MediCal reform, the question that needs to be asked is: how and what is our state government spending each dollar on, and what are the ways by which we can maximize the value of each and every dollar spent? Institutional and program reform can save billions, all while increasing productivity and efficiencies within a smaller, more accountable government.

Our state faces many challenges this year, but with these challenges comes opportunity to get at the heart of California's problems and rebuild our state.

Wallpaper: Those degrees may not mean as much as you might think

A recently published book blows the mystique off all of those fancy degrees on your wall. 

"Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses" by sociologists Richard Arum of New York University and Josipa Roksa of the University of Virginia reports that few students show any measurable growth in their learning.  The study of more than 2,300 undergraduates found 45% of students demonstrated no significant improvement in the areas of critical thinking, complex reasoning and writing by the end of their sophomore years.

At a time when many in the United States are calling for more college graduates, one must ask the hard question: At what cost do we produce more graduates?  Do universities need to dumb-down their standards or lower tuition in order to issue more degrees?  Probably both.

On average, students only learned about 7% more from the beginning of their freshman year to the end of their sophomore year.

The study found that those students who study alone and have more reading and writing assignments do the best.  The study also found that students' social life had no place in their academic success. 

By the students' fourth year, 35% demonstrated no significant improvement. 

We all know someone with a 4-year degree, perhaps even multiple advanced degrees, and still they seem as dumb as a brick.  Now we know why. 

It begs the question, why pay big bucks for a degree?

(Read more about the study at CBSNews.com)

$100,000 to drop out of college?

The Thiel Foundation announced that they will give 20 people under the age of 20 $100,000 to drop out of school and become a technological entrepreneur.  Sure beats paying for an online degree, right?

The Thiel Fellowship: 20 Under 20
Peter Thiel Launches Innovative Thiel Fellowship to Foster Next Generation of Tech Visionaries

Wednesday, 29 September 2010

Warning that America's long term economic prospects are uncertain without radical innovation in technology, Peter Thiel this week launched the Thiel Fellowship to foster the next generation of tech visionaries. The new program will support 20 entrepreneurs under 20 years old with grants of up to $100,000.

"Our world needs more breakthrough technologies,” said Thiel. "From Facebook to SpaceX to Halcyon Molecular, some of the world's most transformational technologies were created by people who stopped out of school because they had ideas that couldn't wait until graduation. This fellowship will encourage the most brilliant and promising young people not to wait on their ideas, either. The Thiel Fellows will change the world and call it a senior thesis.”

The Thiel Foundation will award 20 people under 20 years old cash grants of $100,000 to further their innovative scientific and technical ideas. In addition, over a two year period, Peter Thiel's network of tech entrepreneurs and philanthropists—drawn from PayPal, Facebook, Palantir Technologies, Founders Fund, the Singularity Institute, and others—will teach the recipients about creating disruptive technologies and offer mentorship, employment opportunities, support, and training.

"University is a tremendously valuable experience, but when entrepreneurs are ready to launch, they should do so immediately, rather than sticking around to satisfy expectations of a full four years of college or eight of grad school,” said Elon Musk, who co-founded Tesla Motors, SpaceX, and PayPal. Musk himself stopped out of his graduate program before classes began to co-found his first company Zip2, which he sold to Compaq for $307 million.

"There is absolutely no experience that matches the real world, so if you have the passion and drive and want to work on a great idea, you should just do it,” said Scott Banister. Banister left the University of Illinois before taking a degree and founded ListBot, the largest ASP for business email, and IronPort, the anti-spam company that Cisco acquired for $830 million.

"Because education seeks to impart past knowledge, when you are trying to create a technological breakthrough, you have to create new knowledge, and there is no way to teach that. There was no course at University of Arizona on ‘‘how to cure aging.' Hopefully, this program will allow others to work on ambitious projects themselves, before they've taken on a crippling amount of student debt,” said William Andregg, CEO and co-founder of Halcyon Molecular. Halcyon is a start-up that has developed a breakthrough technology for fast, cheap, and highly accurate sequencing of DNA, and whose ultimate goal is to use sequencing data to support therapeutic products that vastly extend healthy lifespans.

"Inventing and producing a pedal-powered cell phone charging station to help Africans stay connected looks better on a résumé than straight As in college, and takes the same amount of time,” said Michael Vassar, president of the nonprofit Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence.

Though applicants may already have scientific, technical, or nonprofit ideas, the Thiel Fellowship will not be limited to those with developed innovations. Teams of up to four may also apply. Applications will be available in October on ThielFoundation.org and due later in the fall, with the fellowship beginning in 2011.
If you would like a Thiel Foundation 20 Under 20 speaker to come to your high school, college, or club, please send an email with your name, location, and school or club to info@thielfoundation.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 

ABOUT THE THIEL FOUNDATION The Thiel Foundation defends and promotes freedom in all its dimensions: political, personal, and economic. The Thiel Foundation supports innovative scientific research and new technologies that empower people to improve their lives, champions organizations and individuals who expose human rights abuses and authoritarianism in all its guises, and encourages the exploration of new ideas and new spaces where people can be less reliant on government and where freedom can flourish. For more information, see ThielFoundation.org. MEDIA CONTACT: Jonathan Cain
jcain@thielfoundation.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
(415) 248-4679

Prejudice and Fear Mongering Alive and Well in Education

Dr. Dave Gibson wrote an article in American Surveyor regarding "professionalism" and the educational component.  First, let me set the context of Gibson's perspective.  He is the Founding Surveying and Mapping Program Director at the University of Florida.  What might come of his job if enrollment were to fall?  Just to be fair, I am the Surveying/Mapping Science Program Facilitator (we don't have directors) at Santiago Canyon College in Orange, California.  So, it is safe to say, I have at least a part-time job riding on the success of my program's enrollment.

Back to his article.  Gibson begins with:

The image of land surveying as a technician/trade image is increasingly growing. I make a case for moving away from the apprenticeship system toward an educational standard.

It seems those of us attempting to recruit new life have succeeded in our public awareness campaigns, at least to some degree.  But why does he want to move away from the traditional career path to the exclusivity of a formal education?  I think I already answered that, but let's look further into Gibson's argument.

Dr. Gibson brings up again (I wrote about this HERE) a Florida Supreme Court ruling regarding the statute of limitations for certain professions.  As noted in my previous post, Gibson is trying to have us believe that a four-year degree is the defining standard of a profession simply because a state supreme court created a definition that was consistent with Florida statutes for the singular purpose of determining the statute of limitations.  With that logic, only those with 4-year degrees are professional artists.  And as a point of humor, even the following university majors are professionals: American Studies, Business Administration, Communications, and Reading.  Further, most of those that the rest of us consider to be professional athletes, are, by Gibson's definition, not professionals at all.  I have yet to find a university with a degree in boxing, but I digress. 

From my previous post on Gibson's assertions regarding the Florida case, I wrote:

If education were a pyramid, kindergarten (funny we have never adopted the English term – “child garden”) through the 8th grade would be the bottom. That base creates a good, wide, solid foundation from which a person can grow intellectually. High school is a bit further up – not the top, but getting there. Mixed in is experience. Experience refines the basis into a pointed, focused body of knowledge. Depending on a person’s personality, means, and life choices, he or she might choose no college, trade school, some college, a university, or any combination of advanced education which will surely be supplemented by quality experiences from various sources and activities. Does the lack of a conferred degree detract from their professionalism? I think not.

Dr. Gibson goes on in his latest article to say:

A true learned professional must understand the mathematical, scientific, legal, environmental and societal framework within which the work takes place, speak confidently, write authoritatively, research published information and analyze related issues, skills that are beyond the realm of most "on the job" training or apprenticeship programs.

I agree with the opinion that the list of skills he gives are generally beyond the scope of on-the-job-training.  However, several of the skills such as math, science, speech, and writing can and should be mastered in high school.  What is not mastered in high school can easily be found and learned in a community college.  The list of skills given do not lend themselves exclusively to institutions of higher learning.  With that understanding, the land surveying student/apprentice needs to seek out source of information for the fringe elements of our profession that are not necessarily part of their day-to-day practice but will need to have some level of understanding for licensing exams.  One example is photogrammetry, which in California, is not regulated except in that the subject is part of the state-specific examination. 

Apparently, dazzling students with brilliance takes a back seat to baffling them with bullshit (sorry Mom).  Gibson says the words land surveyor conjures up the wrong image to high school students because they have a preconceived notion as to what a land surveyor is.  Instead, Gibson prefers "geomatics engineer."  A rose by any other name is still a rose and a turd by any other name still stinks.

The real problem Dr. Gibson has seems to be the ignorant and uneducated technicians of Florida.  Yes, California has its share of unqualified technicians who will soon be out of a job, but whether or not all 50 states adopt a mandatory 4-year degree requirement for licensure will not change those status or quality of technicians.  You will always have a need for a field technician who does not command the same salary structure as the licensed professional.  Gibson digs his heels in on this issue:

Firms have been forced to start drug-testing policies for their employees hired off the street, etc. Many of our current professional leaders (owners of leadership firms, chapter/society leaders, Board members, national society leaders) were trained by apprenticeship 30/40/50 years ago. They naturally think, "If I did it, someone else can." We all know and respect many professionals who did not go to college. But the 99 non-diamonds will determine the reputation, image, and future professional standing of surveying, not the one diamond.

I do not have a 4-year degree in land surveying but did attend all of the community college courses I could enroll in before taking and passing the California professional land surveying exams at age 34.  In fact, the vast majority of the California licensed professional land surveyors I have met gained licensure via the same path as I.  And so, yes, I would agree that "if I did it, so can someone else." 

Gibson goes on to talk about peoples' narrow "comfort zone":

An apprenticed surveyor who learned on the job may have a narrow "comfort zone" of practice--only doing those things in the manner they were taught. Such a person may be extremely uncomfortable in today's surveying world of new methods, new applications, and new tools, preferring to offer traditional services with traditional methods. When the profession in general is slow to react and embrace new technologies such as aerial mapping, GIS, etc., the door opens for competing groups to enter the field of surveying and mapping.

His first sentence takes a GIANT leap in assumptions.  Surely he doesn't actually believe that educated people have a broad comfort zone over uneducated people.  Surely, he is not THAT prejudice.  In California, we address Gibson's concern over a licensees "comfort zone" by codifying in state law that licensees may only practice in their area of competence.  To do otherwise is negligent and reckless. As to his last sentence, is he referring to civil engineers playing surveyor?   

As a final though to Dr. Gibson's article, he is not completely off base, though I think he is grasping at straws.  As professionals, we do need to promote education whenever and wherever we can.  However, we should not use fear mongering and personal prejudice in order to elevate our profession.  Lead by example.

CTA: The Puppet Master

Where do they find these guys?

CTA is throwing all of their support behind a few guys who are sure to keep lining the pockets of a few CTA members.  Jerry Brown, Gavin Newsom, and Tom Torlakson are all getting significant help from the public employee union.  Besides being union puppets, all of them have misguided policies that take from many and benefit few. 

As Newsom has said, "whether [I] like it or not" I am a member of CTA.  Every chance I get to call out the union for what it is, I do.  They have done me no favors and continue to take my dues despite me crying foul and trying to get the automatic deductions stopped.

U.S. unions have out lived their usefulness.  It used to be that they protected workers from dangerous and unfair business practice.  Their only purpose for existence now is to abuse tax payers.  Seriously, what harmful environment do teachers encounter in their classroom that they need a union to save them from?  Maybe students need a union to protect them from the CTA, "evil" district management, and political union puppets. 

Given the chance, what will Brown, Newsom, and Torlakson do for our children? 

During Jerry Brown's last tenure as governor, he ran TWICE for president.  Instead of running the state he travelled the country to attend rallies.  Brown has a history of office shopping, much like Anaheim's own Harish "Harry" Sidhu. 

Gavin Newsom is a pompous ass simply for his egregious self-serving statements; not so much his message which is clouded by poor judgment but rather his delivery.  He has done more as mayor of San Francisco to hurt California than he ever did to help his own city.  Between the Prop 8 rhetoric, which I think was a big reason it won, and the sanctuary city policy, Newsom is a public nuisance.

Let's take a peek at Torlakson, the termed-out 11th Assembly District Democratic member.  All of his support is from either public employee unions or other political hacks.  On his website he says, "As State Superintendent of Public Instruction, I will be the leading advocate for restoring and increasing the state's investment in our schools."  I take "increasing the state's investment" to mean he wants to throw good money after bad in a state that is ranked number one for per student expenditure. The 2010-2011 budget from the Governor's Office shows a total $118,755,483 for K-12 education.  With more than 6,200,000 students enrolled in 2008, we must have spent $19,154.11 on each student per school year.  My son's superior private education costs me about $4,000 per year.  So where does the other $15,154 go?  The numbers vary depending on what fact sheet you use but even the worst estimate places the per-student spending at about $7,500 per year.  That's still nearly double what I pay for my son's education.  So I ask again, where did the balance of the money go? 

The answer is simple: the tax money is burned up on the front end with special programs and bloated administrative budgets.  There are dozens, maybe hundreds, of commissions and boards that receive funding through California Department of Education with members collecting stipends and travel expense reimbursement.  Our own Fullerton High School Principals are paid more than $200,000 per year with their multiple assistants being paid well over $100,000.  And I haven't even mentioned all of the those paid symposiums and seminars in Monterey and Palm Springs.  It is mind boggling how much waste (and personal profit) there is in education. 

In my opinion the education crisis cannot be solved by outsiders trying to "fix" it.  I think the change must come from within and be genuine.  To that end I believe school vouchers will force those within the broken system to address the problems for fear of a perpetual loss of funding and jobs.  It comes down to supply and demand driven by a boycott-like principle.  Unfortunately, we have few in Sacramento willing to sign their name to a voucher bill which means vouchers would have to be a ballot box initiative.  With CTA's funding, that would be a huge up-hill battle, but one that I would gladly support. 

Torlakson will continue the tax abuse of the current superintendent and the rest of Sacramento. In 2009 Torlakson voted for EVERY SINGLE BILL that was offered up!  He voted YES on everything!!!  Do we really want someone who will spend our taxes freely in the name of our children?  NO!

Subdivision Map Act Seminar Update

Click here to learn more.

WHAT IS COVERED?

This seminar provides guidelines for effective use of the Subdivision Map Act. The instructors will discuss the responsibilities and powers of local agencies under the Act, as well as particular issues regarding when the Act applies.

Seminar highlights:

•Discussion of Legislative and Judicial changes in 2009
•Relationship of Map Act to other planning, zoning and development laws, and to CEQA
•When the Map Act applies (and when not)
•What kind of Map (Tentative/Final or Parcel Map) to use
•Certificates of Compliance
•Lot Line Adjustments
•Exemptions and exceptions under the Map Act
•Life of Tentative Map
•Vested Rights (including Vesting Maps, Development Agreements and Common Law Vesting)
•Exactions/Dedications/Fees
•Creative mapping approaches


WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
This seminar is designed for planners, surveyors, engineers, developers, builders, attorneys, project managers, architects, planning commissioners, council and board members, property managers, public works and utilities directors, zoning board members, and all others involved with the land use process.


This course qualifies for 6.0 hours of California MCLE credit.

The El Dorado Ranch - Is it Public or Private

Here is an update to a story I brought you on April 6, 2010.

Clearly this sign warns potential visitors to the El Dorado Ranch that it is "PRIVATE PROPERTY". However, the sign lies! Or rather the person who placed the sign there is either a liar or is misinformed. The Grant Deed below makes it clear that the property has been granted to a public agency which places the property in the hands of California residents.

So, despite the very official albeit old and faded sign, you and I own the temporary residence of Milton A. Gordon, President of Cal State Fullerton whose salary exceeds $300,000 per year. With all that money he saves living rent free it's no wonder he left the light on for us.

Here is a nice view of what Mr. Gordon enjoys...


I spy a tall tower...

To The Next Level

In January 2009, I wrote an article for Professional Surveyor Magazine that showcases what works and doesn't work when it comes to land surveying education.  Take a minute and check it out here!

The Trouble With Public Awareness

(This post was originally directed at the Land Surveying community.) 
I’m not a professional teacher, rather a professional who teaches. It is a part-time job and one that I find very rewarding despite the extraordinary low pay and the demanding hours. For those that haven’t taught as an adjunct professor (a fancy way of saying part-time college teacher), the first semester is the hardest. After a few semesters of getting your handouts, outlines, exams, and instruction dialed in, you can almost go on autopilot. Teaching gets a little easier and a lot more fun!

That’s all well and good at the college level, but what happens in primary education, locally known as K-12? It seems that each year brings with it a new way to teach those old subjects which had been taught the same for years. Not being a professional teacher and not attending those conferences that your child’s teacher attends during the summer, I cannot comment on the reasoning behind the constant changes in the delivery of instruction. Whatever the reasoning, the results are damaging.

Each semester the number of students who lack math skills seams to increase. I shouldn’t be surprised since I am (was) one of those who skated by, under the radar. My high school had numerous math classes for those who didn’t appear to be academically skilled, such as “business math” (not what it sounds like) or “personal finances”. These classes allowed for us non-intellect-types to still graduate even though we were clearly mathematically disadvantaged. The majority of students entering my classroom are quite capable of learning algebra, trigonometry, and geometry yet few have ever studied math beyond pre-algebra. Why? Is it possible that these highly skilled and educated professional teachers have failed in someway? I am not certain of the cause, but I am certain of the effect.

The first two weeks of our introductory course is spent assessing students math skills or lack thereof. The following weeks are spent trying to get the students up to speed with basic trigonometry. This tends to cause all surveying instruction to be behind schedule for the rest of the semester. It also forces survey instructors to be substitute math and trig teachers which isn’t fair to the students or teachers.

Recently, I learned that surveying is not alone in this anomaly. As it turns out, many other community colleges (and whisperings from university faculty as well) are dealing with the same situation. One solution which I think is really a work-around for the real problem, is to offer a “trades math” or “mathematics for the trades” class. The courses tend to be geared towards carpenters, plumbers, and machinists, but they are also applicable to land surveying. I suppose if one wanted to know just the bare minimum to get by on exams and as a field surveyor, this might be good enough. However, for those who have the vision of becoming professional land surveyors, this may be just the beginning.


That begs the question, what can we do as a profession to help our cause of recruiting quality students to become quality land surveyors? I think we need to dig deeper into the heart of the community.

We, as professionals, not professional land surveyors but simply professionals, need to be involved with our community organizations. We need to be represented and involved in the Lions Club, Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce, and other organizations that benefit our communities at large. The other professionals in our community, the bankers, elected officials, retail owners, etc., know as little about us as those high school kids; and yet we wish to be accepted as professionals. Most, if not all, can only identify with the "guy in the orange vest and the tripod" stereotype. Generally, the person they see is the technician who may not be our ideal icon of surveying. Think of the old black and white photographs of surveyors in the field, with their instruments, plane tables, and dressed appropriately. Although I can imagine the surveyors with the whiskey bottle and shirt off were avoided, the old photos represent surveyors that I could relate to as professionals, whether in the field or the office. Personally, I don't know of many engineers involved with other-than-engineering/surveying organizations. A few belong to the local chamber of commerce but they don't represent us, the professional land surveyor. We should endeavor to have the public perceive us as the professional we are.

As individuals it is our responsibility to represent the profession in the best light possible. We cannot rely on our field crews to do this for us, especially considering that few field crews have licensed staff. Our presence in the community is extremely limited. Most land development-related contracts are administered through the civil engineer or architect which means the property owner, our parent client, never sees or hears from us directly except when we need access to the site. Let's face it; we have done a poor job of promoting our profession beyond the classroom. The public, which is made up of property owners, retailers, elected officials, bankers, doctors, etc., need to see the face of the professional land surveyor.

One on one. Often, while my wife and I are at functions for our son's school, parents will ask what I do for a living. I could say I'm a surveyor and leave it at that, but I'm not one to sit quiet- I love to sell the profession! When they ask me this, my eyes light up. I tell them I'm a professional land surveyor. They get a funny look as their brain tries to add "professional" and "land surveyor" together. I take the opportunity to expand their knowledge of surveying, you know…that "guy in the street". I tend to add my own Hollywood touch about how exciting it is to work on some very cool projects or the necessity to have an affinity for history. For me, surveying really is that exciting and cool, so it is easy to express my fervor for the profession. I seize on the opportunity to impress upon them the importance of consulting with a professional land surveyor. Whether they are considering a minor addition to their home or developing that piece of family property they've been holding on to for years, I want them to know that consulting with a professional land surveyor at the beginning of the project can save significant dollars for them by identifying potential issues before they become significant problems. Often, the public thinks that they can do what their neighbor or friend did on a piece of property. After all, can’t I do with my land as I see fit? Only after hiring the architect with the $30,000 plans and the civil engineer with the $15,000 dollar plans and environmental reports do they hire the professional land surveyor who points out that what they thought were the property lines aren’t really the property lines. And then they scoff at the surveyor's invoice for a $2,000 boundary. We need to get the public excited about what we can do for them. We need the public to realize that they need our professional services. We need the public to appreciate our services. To do so, we must become community partners and show the public what we have to offer our communities as individual professionals.


Perhaps, if we invest our time in our communities, we might show up on the radar of primary educators. Perhaps parents will learn just enough from you about what we do that they will tell their children why math is important and all of the great things that they can do with it.


Help your neighbor help us!