STOP THE UNION
TAKEOVER ATTEMPT

Vote November 2, 2010

Re-elect the
"ABC Reform Trustees"
(Addonizio, Bryson & Christensen)

Vote NO on the Recall of
Mike Winsten

Vote NO on the Recall of
Ken Lopez Maddox

Vote NO on the Union's
"Measure H"

Voters Elected the
Conservative Reform Trustees
By Landslide Margins of Victory

The Reform Trustees Have Brought
Positive Change and Reform to CUSD

• Balanced the Budget!
• Stopped Deficit Spending!
• Refused to Increase Taxes!
• Fought for Smaller Class Sizes!
• Test Scores Soar to All Time High!

Powerful Public Employee Unions
Are Now Trying to Elect a
New Pro-Union Majority and
Take Away 6 of Your 7 Votes (Measure H)

Union Boss Vicki Soderberg
This Is Wrong...

STOP THE UNION
TAKEOVER ATTEMPT

_________________________________________

Meet the CUSD Reform Trustees...

Ken Maddox
Trustee Area 5
School Board Member, Businessman



Mike Winsten
Trustee Area 3
School Board Member, Attorney, Independent Businessman



Sue Palazzo
Trustee Area 2
School Board Member, Property Manager, Teacher



Jack Brick
Trustee Area 1
School Board Member, Aersospace Executive, Teacher



Ellen Addonizio
Trustee Area 6
School Board Member, Certified Public Accountant



Anna Bryson
Trustee Area 4
School Board Member, Former Software Company President



Larry Christensen
Trustee Area 7
School Board Member, Owner/Operator Civil Engineering Company, Real Estate Developer

Reform Election Results...

Nov 4, 2008 General Election
Jun 24, 2008 Special Election
Nov 7, 2006 General Election
Nov 5, 2002 General Election

CUSD Reform Slate Mailer...

CUSD Reform Slate TV Ad...

Latest Poll Results...

Should Capistrano Unified trustees be elected by local area, or at large, as they are now?

74%....It works fine now. Don't change it.
2%.......I'm not sure yet.
24%.....We need more local control. Elect by area!
Source: Capistrano Dispatch, Oct 23, 2009, Page 10

Do you support the package of propositions [1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E and 1F] on the ballot in May?

19%.....Yes, it will help our schools.
62%....No, I've had it with Sacramento.
19%.....I don't have enough information yet.
Source: Capistrano Dispatch, Apr 10, 2009, Page 10

Do you agree with CUSD trustees' decision to fire Superintendent Woodrow Carter?

57%....Yes it's about time.
35%.....No! He was good for the district.
6%.......It's just going to lead to a lawsuit.
2%.......It didn't matter to me.
Source: Capistrano Dispatch, Mar 27, 2009, Page 8

Do you agree with CUSD trustees' decision to fire Superintendent A. Woodrow Carter?

60%....Yes it's about time.
28%.....No! He was good for the district.
10%.....It's just going to lead to a lawsuit.
2%.......It didn't matter to me.
Source: Dana Point Times, Mar 20, 2009, Page 10

Do you support the CUSD Trustees' Decision to Fire Superintendent Carter?

59%....Yes
37%.....No
4%.......Don't Care
Source: San Clemente Times, Mar 19, 2009, Pg 12

What do you think of the CUSD Recall Committee's candidates' decision to skip the League of Women Voters' forum?

70%....They did the right thing.
28%.....It's wrong; the candidates should face the public.
1%..... It doesn't matter one way or another.
Source: Capistrano Dispatch, Oct 17, 2008, Page 10

How closely are you following the turmoil in Capistrano Unified School District?

62%....Like a hawk. The place is a mess!
15%.....Some - It seems like there's some valid issues.
23%.....Not at all - it's all political bluster now!
Source: Capistrano Dispatch, Sep 19, 2008, Page 8

Should CUSD opponents continue the attempted recall against trustees Marlene Draper and Sheila Benecke?

80%....Yes, they need to go ASAP
7%.......No, because it's a waste of money now
12%.....No, they're done in Nov, anyhow
Source: Capistrano Dispatch, Jan 25, 2008, Page 8

CUSD Trustees Marlene Draper and Sheila Benecke are the targets of a recall election planned for this summer. What do you think of the recall?

91%.....They’ve got to go.
6%........Keep them in office.
3%........I’m not sure yet, I need to hear more
0%........What recall?
Source: Dana Point Times, March 28, 2008, Page 10

Latest News Videos...

The latest video news reports from the
Emmy Award Winning Full Disclosure Network®

December 2005

School Corruption Sparks Citizen Revolt

March 2006

Citizen Revolt Widens,
Recall Election Corrupted

March 2006

Parents Declare War On School Board

September 2006

Has The OC Voter Registrar Broken Down?

October 2006

Citizens Provoke DA Raid On School District

September 2007

Do They Still Have The Consent
Of The People?

KCAL TV 9 News

James Fleming and Susan McGill Indicted

Latest Cartoons...

See All Cartoons

Featured Articles...


OC Weekly article, "Hard Knocks"
In-depth report on the three-year grassroots effort to reform CUSD.

OC Weekly slideshow
"Capo Unified: Life In The Barracks, A peek at some of Capo Unified's schools"

The Pictures
The real story behind the pictures of CUSD's disgusting portables and that infamous SCHS toilet

Choosing to Crowd
OC Register reporter Keith Sharon reveals the truth about CUSD's infamous facilities planning blunders, inequities and waste in this four-part investigative series.

Featured Columns...


Steven Greenhut
Senior Editor
Orange County Register

• "The OC gadflies got it right on CUSD"
• "Picture this: Entire Capo board board target of recall"

Featured Interview...

Hena Cuevas, Reporter, KCET Ch. 28, Life & Times
Cuevas interviews Marlene Draper and recall leaders.

Featured Blogs...


Tom Russell
Spokesperson and Member
CUSD Recall Committee


• "Another turf war brewing in CUSD"
• "Attendance boundaries at issue again? Say it isn't so."
• "ABC committee members resign over flawed boundary assessment process and district's failure to take responsibility"

Breaking News...
Voters Have Clear Choice - Conservative Reform Trustees or Liberal Union Candidates One by one, Fran Sdao of the teacher union’s so called  “Children First" coalition and member of the South County Democratic Club introduced the five candidates they are endorsing in their effort to take over control of the CUSD Board of Trustees in the November General Election. They include a failed Democratic Nominee for a State Senate seat who ran with widespread union support on a platform calling for same sex marriage, increased rights to abortion and higher taxes; an 18 year old kid that just graduated from high school 35 days before he filed papers seeking to be elected; and an outspoken supporter and apologist for CUSD’s indicted former Superintendent James Fleming. Just as we suspected, liberal Democrat political operatives, union sympathizers and apologists for the former corrupt Fleming Regime trying to take control of our school district! READ More...

September 3, 2010 COURT VICTORY! Judge Dismisses All Three Union Lawsuits Against Reform Trustees All three cases brought by the so-called "Children First" coalition (a front for the public employees' union in CUSD) were rejected on the merits today, totally vindicating the truthfulness of the official ballot statements submitted by the reform trustees.

September 1, 2010 COURT VICTORY!  Judge Rules As A Matter of Law Leaders of the so-called “Children First” organization and their candidate John Alpay Made Illegal, False and Misleading Statements This afternoon, Orange County Superior Court Judge Kim Dunning upheld the charges filed against Erin Kutnick, Marilyn Amato and other leaders of the union-backed Children First organization, and against their candidate John Alpay. The court found they had each made illegal, false and misleading statements in the official ballot statements they submitted to the Orange County Registrar. The judge ordered their illegal statements stricken. 
READ the OC Register Story printed after the court's ruling
READ the official Reform Petition against leadership of "Children First"
READ the official Reform Petition against Candidate Alpay
READ the OC Register Story printed prior to the court's ruling.

August 16, 2010 Pro-Union “Children First” Candidate John Alpay Sued Over Illegal Campaign Statements Today, a legal action was filed in Orange County Superior Court against John Alpay, one of the five candidates on the pro-union “Children First Coalition” slate seeking election to the Board of Trustees for Capistrano Unified School District (“CUSD”) in the November general election. The suit asks the superior court to sanction Alpay for making numerous false, misleading and illegal statements in his candidate statements filed with the OC Registrar. See official complaint, press release and news coverage.

July 6, 2010  Reform Board Victory - Board's Position on Teacher Union Strike Saved Cash-Strapped School District $1.7 Million! Congratulations to the Reform Board – today the OC Register confirmed the Board’s courage during the recent teachers union strike saved the cash-strapped school district $1.7 million dollars!  When the Union leaders went on strike in April the elected Reform Trustees held their ground to protect the students and taxpayers.  The union ultimately was forced to capitulate and give up their unreasonable demand that the contract cuts imposed by the Reform Board would expire automatically on a date certain.  Unfortunately, they only did so after 2,200 teachers union members had abandoned their students and walked out on strike for three school days. READ the OC Register Story

June 22, 2010  Outrage! Unjust Union-Backed Recall To Appear on November 2010  CUSD Ballots The OC Registrar of Voters confirmed today the CUSD public employee unions have succeeded in placing on the November ballot a recall of highly-respected CUSD Reform Trustees Ken Lopez-Maddox and Mike Winsten. The California Republican Assembly, the Orange County Republican Party, the Orange County Register and the Committee to Reform CUSD have all opposed this unjust union-backed recall campaign.
READ the OC Register Story
READ the California Republican Assembly’s Opposition
READ the OC Register’s Opposition
READ the OC Republican Party’s Opposition

June 10, 2010 Taxpayers Across America Rejecting Unions' Lavish Pensions & Perks For years, teachers and other public sector unions
benefited from the fact that taxpayers had no choice when it came to paying the ever increasing costs of union contracts– taxpayers were, in effect, “captive consumers.” Today, voters across America have rightfully become resentful as they sense that: (1) they are underwriting, through their taxes, a level of salary and benefits for teachers and government employees that is far better than what they and their families have; and (2) government services, from schools to the DMV, are simply not good enough—not for the citizen individually nor the public generally—to justify the high and escalating cost.
READ the First Amendment Coalition Column by Peter Scheer
READ Other Stories About Union Pensions and Unfunded Liabilities

June 8, 2010 New Film, 'The Lottery': Unions Destroying American Education A new documentary film is debuting this week entitled, "The Lottery." The film highlights the ever failing public education system we have in America today and how our children's future is being seriously harmed by greedy, uncaring teachers unions. As the trailer says, these unions are protecting failure in our schools… WATCH The Trailer

June 5, 2010 NJ Governor Chris Christie Tells It Like It Is: Teachers Unions Are the Real Bullies, Waging the Politics of Raw Power This is one of the most truthful four minute speeches you will ever see a prominent American politician give. NJ Gov. Chris Christie makes an important point: Fiscal conservatives and education reform advocates appreciate, respect, and cherish the work that the vast majority of public schoolteachers do. Educating future generations is an admirable pursuit that should be applauded. But teachers unions seek to manipulate the system in the interest of wielding power over taxpayers, school boards, parents, and students, all in the name of enriching themselves at the expense of others. This IS the struggle CUSD constituents face as the CUSD teachers union continues its dishonest, selfish war against our popularly elected Reform Trustees.

June 1, 2010 Reform Trustee Reveals How CUSD Teachers Union Postured In Bad Faith to Deceive Public and Smear Reform Board

Reform Trustee Larry Christensen reveals how the CUSD teachers union dishonestly postured throughout the collective bargaining process, distorting the truth to deceive the public, justify their unreasonable strike and smear the Reform Board who, unlike the union, followed the rules of engagement in their efforts to protect students, parents and taxpayers from unreasonable union demands in the face of our state's and our district's worst-ever financial crisis. READ the Column

June 1, 2010 CUSD's Union Strike Makes National News - TV Report exposes the union's dishonest and selfish political agenda that hurt our students and unfairly targeted your fiscally responsible elected Board members

May 24, 2010 Teachers Unions Bankrupting American Education...and More! "Big labor unions have destroyed countless American industries, but these unions don’t just control factories and assembly lines. Our public education system is a slow-motion car crash, driven by the same union special interests that brought the auto companies to the brink of bankruptcy. This insightful new video shows how teachers unions protect bad and incompetent teachers, and block school reform efforts…"

May 20, 2010 Reality check: With unfunded liabilities and bankruptcies looming, CUSD reform trustees were right to say "NO" to union's unreasonable demands

School officials are effectively ignoring the mounting debt, the report concludes, and barring a drastic change of course, could end up bankrupting their districts or stiffing retirees on health benefits. The grand jury report recommends that every district immediately start reducing unfunded liabilities for retiree health benefits. It calls on every district to include a funding plan in its 2011-12 budget. "All of those involved – administrators, school boards teachers and unions – have a responsibility to resolve this problem…" READ The Sacramento Bee Article

May 19, 2010 CUSD union should heed conclusion of grand jury: "It is time for unions to become more of an advocate for children"
The Sacramento City Unified School District faces bankruptcy if its teachers union does not agree to contract concessions, according to a Sacramento County grand jury report released today. The report painted Superintendent Jonathan Raymond as a man on a mission to get district finances in order while improving programs for students. The Sacramento City Teachers Association received a critical review. "It is time for unions to become more of an advocate for children," the report states… READ The Sacramento Bee Article

May 18, 2010 Capo Unified teachers union part of growing problem of public employee unions flexing their muscles in local campaigns
The American public feels it is drowning in red ink. It is dismayed and even outraged at the burgeoning national deficits, unbalanced state and local budgets, and accounting that often masks the extent of indebtedness. There is a mounting sense that taxpayers are being taken for an expensive ride by public sector unions. The extraordinary benefits the unions have secured for their members are going to be harder and harder to pay... READ the Sacramento Bee Article

May 14, 2010 With CUSD's unfunded pension liabilities a whopping $48 million, the crippling price of public employee unions has become a problem for our own school district
The American public feels it is drowning in red ink. It is dismayed and even outraged at the burgeoning national deficits, unbalanced state and local budgets, and accounting that often masks the extent of indebtedness. There is a mounting sense that taxpayers are being taken for an expensive ride by public sector unions. The extraordinary benefits the unions have secured for their members are going to be harder and harder to pay... READ the US News & World Report Article

April 27, 2010 Union Capitulates -- Strike Over! 
Union leaders last night finally gave up their unreasonable demand that the contract cuts imposed by the Reform Board would expire automatically on a date certain.  Unfortunately, they only did so after 2,200 teachers union members had abandoned their students and walked out on strike for three school days.  Congratulations to the Reform Board for this great victory and for standing up for the students, parents and taxpayers of CUSD! LISTEN to KFI's John & Ken Analyze the Reform Board's Great Victory

April 27, 2010 Unions Seeking to Raise Your Taxes - by 40 Billion Dollars!  California's public employee unions have proposed their solution to the state's enormous budget deficit -- THEY WANT TO RAISE YOUR TAXES! They want taxpayers to cough up an additional $40 billion in new taxes, including a 10-percent increase in the tax on alcohol, an additional $1.50 tax on cigarettes, extending sales tax to non-taxed service industries, boosting top income-tax brackets by 10 percent and 11 percent and increasing vehicle-license fees to the level they were before a 2003 reduction.
READ the Details Including: An OC Register Editorial and Sacramento Bee News Report

April 26, 2010 KTLA News Report: Teachers Union Strike Is Selfishly Hurting Students and Taxpayers

 

April 26, 2010 California Teachers Union Strike:  N.E.A. Joins Fight to Push Liberal Union Agenda Throughout California ... and Beyond!

In the middle of the nation’s worst economic crisis since the great depression, with the State of California buckling under the weight of unprecedented budget deficits that have crippled the ability of local cities and school districts to provide basic services to their constituents … 2,200 members of the teachers union in the 9th largest school district in California have abandoned their students and walked out on strike! The seven conservative republican trustees serving on the Capistrano Unified Board of Trustees are under attack by their local teachers union, as well as the powerful California Teachers Association (CTA) and now, the National Education Association (NEA).  Our seven courageous trustees need the immediate support of all conservatives from across the country who are sick and tired of the abuses and undue influence exerted by the powerful public employee unions. What’s really going on here? READ the Answer Here

April 24, 2010 CUSD Union Strike Closely Watched Across State! About 100 school districts across the state, including three in Orange County, are at impasse with their teachers unions -- unable to hash out employment contracts, and the state assigning mediators to each. CUSD has accelerated past all of those other districts, becoming the first district in California this year to be confronted with a teacher strike. READ the OC Register Story

April 24, 2010 KFI Radio Commentators Bill Handel and John & Ken Condemn CUSD Public Employee Union Strike

KFI Radio's Bill Handel and John & Ken Get It! They understand CUSD has become ground zero for a national campaign by Unions to grab more money, power and influence -- the expense of the taxpayers.

"All the workers in the state, all the teachers want more, more money, better health benefits, fatter pensions. None of these people care about the state. What they care about is feeding the unions." -- John & Ken, KFI AM 640 LISTEN to "More Stimulating" KFI Commentary Here

April 23, 2010 KTLA 5 News Report: CUSD Parents Condemn Selfish Union Strike and Support Fiscally Responsible Board

 

April 23, 2010 CUSD is Ground Zero for A National Battle Between Selfish Public Employee Unions & Taxpayers

The story of how public employees became members of an elite class in a declining California offers a cautionary tale to the rest of the country, where the same process is happening in slower motion. The story starts half a century ago, when California public workers won bargaining rights and quickly learned how to elect their own bosses—that is, sympathetic politicians who would grant them outsize pay and benefits in exchange for their support. Over time, the unions have turned the state’s politics completely in their favor. The result: unaffordable benefits for civil servants; fiscal chaos in Sacramento and in cities and towns across the state; and angry taxpayers finally confronting the unionized masters of California’s unsustainable government. This is what the current CUSD teachers strike is all about. READ the City Journal Column

April 22, 2010 KFI's John & Ken On CUSD Teacher Union Strike: Union Is Being Unrealistic -- Board Is Doing the Right Thing

 
See Breaking News Archive