I’ll write in detail about the School Board appointment next week when the video gets uploaded, but, to nutshell, based on the twitter timeline from AUSD and reports in the comments section, Gray Harris has been selected and sworn in to fill out the remainder of Niel Tam’s School Board seat.
There were some surprises and some not so surprises, but again, I wanted to get a chance to watch the actual video before writing too much in depth about it. Simply based on the information on the twitter play-by-play, it appeared that — much like during the vote the last time that it took someone showing true leadership and relenting to move the issue along. Last time it was Jane Grimaldi who made the gesture, this time, the man that she stepped aside for switched his vote after seeing that the other three were too entrenched in their positions to move the vote along.
On a lighter note, this weekend is the Art and Wine Fair on Park Street which can only mean one thing, that’s right, funnel cake.
But even more exciting is the dedication of the Alameda Landing baseball monument in honor of Willie Stargell. If you haven’t made your way over to Alameda to check it out, it’s really quite neat looking. I hear that a few of Willie Stargell local buddies should be present at the dedication event as well.
Also, supposedly, CREAM is holding it’s Grand Opening as well, but the last message on the Facebook page mentioned they weren’t opening until August.
Blogging Bayport Alameda 
It’s nice to see our Good ole Boy Network of Southern Confederate Democrats wearing the hat Of progressives still control the School Board and Politics in this town. Was worried for a sec and thought they might actually start spending some money directly on the kids….. They would still have everyone in slavery if they had their way. It’s good to see that the kids and parents will still have No School Choice and be the Slaves to the Teachers Union. Get the Flags out boys and girls. Kids and Parents save your Nickels the Good Ole Boys need more Do Re Me.
Comment by Cobalt Black Keys Johnson — July 24, 2015 @ 9:38 pm
I don’t know what has happened to the process of commenting on this blog, but about every other time I try to post a comment I get a message that states “Sorry, your comment cannot be posted at this time” then wipes the comment into the ether never to be seen again.
It’s no longer worth the effort.
Comment by jack — July 25, 2015 @ 10:42 am
Jack, I have never had this happen. Perhaps Lauren can look into what is causing it to happen. I don’t often agree with you, but you certainly should be able to get your opinions in just like everyone else.
Comment by Kate Quick — July 25, 2015 @ 3:52 pm
“Johnny Piziali” now has A Brick with His Name on it, ensconced in front of the Stargell monument. (but it doesn’t say Liberal Genius).
Wow, I never knew there were so many Alameda Pizialis.
You should have been there, Lauren. Not on video.
Comment by vigi — July 25, 2015 @ 4:34 pm
http://www.labornotes.org/blogs/2013/12/charters-get-kids-cubicle-ready
Comment by MI — July 26, 2015 @ 8:08 am
Isn’t it about time we give the Parents and Students Free School Choice or do we Wallow in the 18th and 19th Century Mindsets Of Teachers Unions and remain Slaves Of The Teachers Unions and a totally out of date broken education system.
Not one Democrat either in the House or the Senate voted for the 14th amendment declaring that former slaves were full citizens of the state in which they lived and were therefore entitled to all the rights and privileges of any other citizen in that state.
In the 20th and 21st century Democrats prevented Black Americans trapped in failing schools from choosing a better school. In fact Democrats voted against the bill by 99%.
The 13th Amendment to abolish slavery was voted for by 100% of the Republicans in congress and by 23% of the Democrats in congress.
Not a single one of the 56 Democrats in Congress voted for the 15th amendment that granted explicit voting rights to black Americans.
In the 19th century, Democrats prevented Black Americans from going to public school.
School choice gives parents the freedom to choose their children’s education, while encouraging healthy competition among schools to better serve families’ needs.
School choice lets parents use the public funds set aside for their children’s education to choose the schools—public or private, near or far, that work best for them.
Americans’ top two reasons for supporting vouchers are “access to schools having better academics” and “more freedom and flexibility for parents.”
Isn’t it about time we start spending and focusing the money directly on the Students to give them a better educational experience.
Comment by Cobalt Black Keys Johnson — July 26, 2015 @ 5:59 pm
6. No, it’s time for chicken on the hill.
Comment by Gerard L. — July 26, 2015 @ 7:54 pm
Cobalt. In the 18th century unions exist nor did public education exist as a comprehensive system. Your attempt to tar unions with references to slavery are bizarre like your punctuation. Why isn’t it Choice? Vouchers are a very poor way to create Choice because they weaken funding for public education but do nothing comprehensive to foster real choice. “Better academics”? Really, like home schooling by anti- evolution creationists who want to protect their kids from science? In the Twentieth Century, Republicans who support vouchers are also preventing African Americans from voting with voter i.d. laws. Keep honing your arguments.
Comment by MI — July 27, 2015 @ 7:54 am
9. Yes, It’s time for chicken on the hill.
Comment by Gerard L. — July 27, 2015 @ 7:10 pm
School Choice is about Freedom of Choice….Not Trapping kids in failed Schools….It’s Exactly what the Teachers Unions are Against. Exactly Like the Mindsets of Southern Confederate Democrats in the 19th century only they have Roosted in Our School Systems . They call themselves Progressives and what really has happened is we regressed . They want kids and parents enslaved in their failed system and Bureaucratic Mess. Watch the School Board Meeting and Would you want them in Charge of your Kids.
Many Teachers send their kids to Private Schools…….Guess Why..
Comment by Cobalt Black Keys Johnson — July 27, 2015 @ 8:58 pm
yeah, when my wife was a teacher we sent our son to Beacon for three years of middle school because he was turned off by school and we hoped super small classes of 17 kids and art and music would keep him from being lost to education. It was mostly the right decision but a mixed bag. Guess what? If we were given a voucher for the entire amount the state spends per pupil we couldn’t have sent him to any private school, but by pooling our resources public schools actually do an amazing job by comparison to private. We were lucky enough to be able to make a real choice, but most people can’t, and undermining the public education we do provide with vouchers is just stupid. Vouchers are just a political tool to whittle away at public education, a Trojan Horse for privatization. My wife didn’t leave law to teach for the lousy paycheck Cobalt. When you make the idiotic statement that teachers union want to enslave kids you really insult a huge number of dedicated people in one fell swoop. You have one about unions leading kids to “oven doors” too? like the witch in Hansel and Gretel of course, not Hitler.
Comment by MI — July 27, 2015 @ 9:33 pm
MI if you witnessed the Teachers and Teachers Union Performance at a Few School Board Meetings it’s a TOTAL Embarrassment to This Whole City.
They are a Classless Bunch of Whiners and Complainers and NOT one Teacher had the balls to apologize for their pathetic behavior. It’s always about them and never the Kids.
The Unions have stripped every nickel out of the system and leave the kids with Pools that were in Disrepair, Sports programs with No real Budgets, No Real Modern Equipment In Every Classrooms and supplies for Classes and they leave students and parents in a pathetic state, The quality of experience for the Student has been relegated to third world status.
We have 40% of our students living in poverty yet everything is sacrificed for the Whiners and complainers from the Teachers Union…..There are 4000 kids in this District who can’t afford extracurricular activities or supplies that use to be basic in schools…….The Austerity program put on by this Union Run District to the kids and families is Criminal IMO.
No ONE Speaks out For the Kids From the District……..It’s a frkn Joke. If I hurt Someones Feelings Who Cares. Maybe it will wake some up…..What’s Right Is Right. Spend some money on the Kids!!!!!
Comment by Cobalt Black Keys Johnson — July 27, 2015 @ 11:34 pm
12 You are the whiner. You are the joke, but there is no real punch line, just the same old shit. Every penny spent on a teacher salary is spent on “the kids”. Next thing you’ll be touting Uber as a template for school reform. Oh, I haven’t heard you attacking your super favorite best person in the world mayor over her support for appointing evil union person to BOE. How do you reconcile that one?
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jul/28/uber-lawlessness-sharing-economy-corporates-airbnb-google?CMP=share_btn_fb
Sorry to complicate things for readers from Island Life or other places by veering off topic, but to me it’s not off topic at all, There is a bigger context for all this union busting bullshit and even though we aren’t in Wisconsin, we are at ground zero with the libertraians. The stakes are getting higher by the minute. It’s global.
Comment by MI — July 28, 2015 @ 8:25 pm
13)
Reading you and the other local Teacher’s Union Pom Pom Apologists , and listening to our local relic dinosaur Kahnfusion is like listening to zoo chimps on meth.
The only upgrade I have seen from School Board is Now Ms. Kahnfusion at least washes her hair once a month and doesn’t refer to the students as “Eggheads” any longer. It’s nice to hear her grandchildren stories who most will be signing up for AARP next year.
Tell me how all these little Scandelets help the performance and quality of Education and Experience in our Schools for the Students.
It’s all about the Kids and All other Fairy Tales.
Comment by Cobalt Black Keys Johnson — July 29, 2015 @ 7:47 pm