It is amazing how much damage three misguided individuals can do to the students and parents of a school district and to an entire community's dreams and aspirations.
The news came like a thunderclap. Three San Marcos Unified School District board members had canned Superintendent Ed Brand.
Let's not delude ourselves in political speak – this was no resignation. Brand was winning broad praise, was happy and had no plans to leave. Rather, trustees Alan Brown, Mary Borevitz and Sharon Jenkins on a 3-2 vote sent Brand packing.
The three don't want to talk about it. It's a personnel matter, don't you know?
On the losing end of the vote, trustee Pam Bancells says it makes her “sick to my stomach.” Trustee David Horacek says the district stands to lose “the gains we have seen in every school in San Marcos.”
Clearly, the district's taxpayers are losing, from having to pay $410,000 to buy out Brand's contract to having an administration in turmoil on the eve of a new school year.
Brand won acclaim during a 10-year-plus tenure in the Sweetwater Union High School District. In a district where many students couldn't even dare to dream of college, Brand formed an alliance with San Diego State University. With counseling support, encouragement, the right classes, and sufficiently high grades and test scores, participating students are guaranteed admission to San Diego State. They also are guaranteed the availability of classes to finish in four years. Even more, Brand lined up foundation support to help cover tuition and expenses.
The first crop of Sweetwater's Compact for Success kids is entering State this fall. They are 709 strong, nearly double last year's 364 who were not in the program.
In a South Bay district where many extended families had never seen a loved one even enter college, Brand gave people hope. He made dreams possible.
In just one year at San Marcos, Brand, who only a month ago said “I love it here,” forged a similar alliance with San Marcos State University. He even raised a half-million-dollar endowment to help with future tuition. Test scores rose during his first year at the helm. And Brand had plans for opening a new elementary school in 2008.
Who needs a school superintendent like that?
Certainly not, in the view of trustees Brown, Borevitz and Jenkins, a K-12 district with 17 schools and 16,000 students to manage.
Brown's role was particularly offensive. Brown is not running for another term. So he created a mess that someone else will have to clean up by December. This $410,000 question could not have waited for a new board? Don't forget to take your nameplate with you, sir.
Jenkins won't slip away so easily. She's running for re-election, challenged for two available seats by Michael Brock, Beckie Garrett, Eric Lendavi, Cyndy Minnery and Carlos Ulloa.
What voters should be asking at every forum, and particularly when filling out their sample ballots, is: “Why shouldn't we be keeping Dr. Ed Brand and firing Sharon Jenkins?”
