By Dr. John E. Warren – Publisher
The word “lynching” is defined as the act of “putting to death by hanging, by mob action and without legal authority.” More and more these appear to be the words to describe what is happening to San Diego Unified School Board Trustee Marne Foster. Let’s look at the reasons for such a statement: In recent months there have been media allegations that Board President Foster was responsible for the suspension of a counselor who allegedly wrote a negative recommendation for one of her sons at the School of Creative and Performing Arts; she was accused of making a mass mailing by providing a link on the San Diego Unified School District Website to her biography and to her 2016 re-election campaign party. The State Political Practices Commission found that her activities did not constitute a mass mailing at public expense. It held that a mass mailing is 200 or more similar items sent to a recipient at his or her residence, place of employment or business or post office. A link that a person can visit voluntarily is not a mass mailing. The second allegation was that Ms. Foster received income from both the Neighborhood House and the Jackie Robinson YMCA in the form of scholarship awards to her sons. The Commission found that gifts awarded in a bonafide competition would not be reportable. The Commission also found that in reviewing disclosure obligations under the Conflict of Interest Code of the Board of Education that neither income from the YMCA or Neighborhood House Association would be reportable.
If the media and San Diego Unified School District had waited for the results of the State Political Practices Commission, it would never have called for a special investigation of the Board President.
The one thing that confirms that the case against Ms. Foster is a lynching by the media is the fact that as the reporters continue to talk about the issue of the school counselor which she is accused of getting suspended, they never mention that only the Superintendent as the Chief Administrative Officer can suspend or fire and that no Board Member has individual authority to take action against a school employee. Most important, there is no trail of Board Member Action against the President on any of these allegations. If so why did the Board give her a Resolution of Praise for her service as a Board Member on the same night they called for the independent investigation.
But the media and those persons within the San Diego Unified School District who are leaking records and information to the press, do not bother to mention the exoneration of the Political Practices Commission each time they reprint the initial allegations.
Why is it now necessary for the District Attorney’s Office to seek a warrant, which appears to be the only way to gain access to the emails and records on a “fishing expedition” to find elements that might be chargeable against Ms. Foster? What is omitted is the fact that most of the issues that might occur would normally be handled within the administrative means available. But that is not enough. Why? The goal here is to get Ms. Foster off the School Board, even though her term as Board President has expired under the Board’s one year rule.
Could it be that the real story other media outlets are pushing is whether Ms. Foster could regain her seat in the June Primary which is only six months away? Could it be that for whatever reason, there is a desire to remove the only African American School Board Member in the City of San Diego and to insure that she does not run again.
Why is School Superintendent Cindy Martin now so ready to complain about Board Member Foster? Could it be that Foster was the only one that did not see equity and diversity in Martin’s reorganization plan for the School District over a year and a half ago?
It appears that someone has made the decision to attempt to kill Ms. Foster with a thousand cuts woven into one rope for death by lynching, at any cost with the “other” media and so called “public opinion” manufactured by the leaks and innuendoes serving as the mob performing the lynching. Let it be known that District E will stand by its School Board Representative and not be swayed by the “lynch mob”.
