In an attempt to level the playing field with this runaway Board, a number of Orange County parents (not including me) have formed a grassroots organization to provide the parents of children in Orange County with a voice the Board cannot ignore - Attention Orange.
In its first action, Attention Orange retained an attorney to review the Board's actions with regard to the new HES student expulsion plan. Unfortunately, top-flight attorneys do not come cheap, even if the cause is right and just.
As such, Attention Orange has asked for help in publicizing their efforts, and asked me to encourage my readers to make contributions to help cover the attorney's fees.
After speaking at length with two members of the group, I am convinced that it is legitimate and that all funds will be handled with the utmost honesty.
Additionally, the group has agreed to regularly provide a detailed accounting of all spending and has promised to donate any funds they collect, above and beyond what is needed to pay the attorney, to the Hillsborough Elementary School PTA.
Given the disdain this Board has repeatedly shown for the community it supposedly serves, I believe that a properly funded legal defense fund is the only way Orange County's parents can have a voice in where their children attend school.
For these reasons, I have already donated to the group, and I encourage every parent in Orange County to do the same.
To make things easier and more efficient, Attention Orange has set up a PayPal account through which people can make donations. You can donate using your credit or debit card, or an existing PayPal account balance by clicking the button below or on the right side of this page.
For more information on Attention Orange, or to get involved, you can contact the group at: AttentionOrange@yahoo.com.
8 comments:
Wake Up! For those of you who think that you are safe because you are grandfathered - think again! After the Board succeeds in de-populating HES (through this current plan) they will have all they need to justify closing HES and ending the year-round program in the county. The solution is two fold:
1. Sign up for Free/Reduced Lunch: It will be the only true measure for the Board of our increasing diversity.
2. Donate to Attention Orange - the major grassroots effort to legally challenge the Board.
Can you elaborate on who Attention Orange is or how to get involved? Is there, or will there be information posted somewhere?
IMO if HES remains virtually unchanged next year, the BoE will continue to pick it apart.
A legal battle is the only way to get this board's attention. They are stubborn beyond reason.
Use attentionorange@yahoo.com as a way to get involved and find out additional information
Did anyone notice that the registration form did not state that all information provided by the parent would be held in strict confidence? Once you sign your name to this form, you are allowing everyone to view what you have stated on the form! This is a slap in the face to all of the families at HES.
OMG!!! They can share this information that we give them for any purpose!!! Until the Board revamps their registration form, I will not complete the document, and I ask everyone else to do the same. How much education and how much money we make is none of their damn business.
Fact #1: Liz Brown hates HES and their parents. She thinks that the school is a private school that is using public funds.
Fact #2: Debbie and Susan are two puppy dogs that will follow Liz's lead. They are scared of Liz, which is understandable. If Liz wants to eliminate HES, Debbie and Susan will follow.
Fact #3: Dennis is a stressed out attorney. Who knows what he's going to do.
It's time to remember this election day.
Debbie and Susan are not afraid of Liz. That is silly. Stick to the issue. The form is a bad idea, it will not dramatically change the FRL at HES and the BoE wouldn't know an innovative idea at this point b/c they are too far down the path of destruction.
So....the lawsuit is the only way that I can think of to make the board stop, re-evaluate and look at a long-term plan that serves all of the children. This laser beam on HES needs to stop b/c it is at the expense of the other schools.
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