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OUSD to restart delayed meeting due to El Modena H.S. tragedy
The Orange Unified School Board will meet on Thursday September 26th to resume the regular September 12th meeting. That regular meeting was:
"adjourned prior to regular session in honor of El Modena student and community and to allow the staff and Board of Education to attend the vigil held for Manny Perez"
-OUSD September 26, 2019 agenda
On the original September 12th Ousd Board agenda and now transferred to the September 26th OUSD Board agenda are the items for the proposed Orange County Classical Academy.
Tustin Attorney Mark Bucher and a circus of Machiavellian associates return to Orange Unified with a request for the proposed Orange County Classical Academy with OUSD Board Agenda Action Items 12 A and 12 B.
For more information on the "Bucher and Friends Charter School" please see the ONN report on the forces behind the Orange County Classical Academy (click on):
Former Orange Unified attorney Mark Bucher and religious lawyer behind proposed newcharter school for OUSD
Timeline of a Tragedy :
The community reactions to the Emanuel Perez death
Any young person's death is a defining moment in a community.
Below is a 10 day timeline of how the tragic El Modena HS accidental death played out this month and the claims and counter claims in the court case which was filed the same week as Perez's death.
Monday September 9, 2019
El Modena HS student Emanuel "Manny" Perez is fatally injured in a school accident when the severely autistic student gets into a school electric golf cart and crashes into a metal support pole. Perez is transported to the hospital by Orange Paramedics and dies later that day of his injuries.
The student death appears on student social media, then local community social media.
Tuesday September 10, 2019
Orange Superintendent Dr. Gunn Marie Hansen issues a letter to the "El Modena Educational family" on the tragedy.
Click on LETTER
Local media outlets pick up the story. By the evening the story had spread statewide. Social Media posts have unfounded claims and rumors spreading across student and local social media. Social media posts include false information about alcohol and drugs involved in the accident, impalement and a bloody accident scene, and staff assaults. Senior OUSD Administrators struggle with the onslaught of false information, respecting the privacy of the family, possible legal action, media inquiries and responding to the grief needs of the students, staff and greater community at El Modena High School.
District officials start an investigation that includes reviewing the El Modena campus surveillance tapes and conducting a safety audit of district golf carts.
The first Go-fund-me page to support the Perez family is quickly put up by Cristina Sanchez who's connection to the family is not known.
OUSD Staff not at El Modena are getting information from local media outlets and social media.
Wednesday September 11, 2019
The El Modena story goes national.
OUSD issues a short five bullet Press Release on its website (click on): Summary of facts regarding the death of a student at El Modena High School.
Different groups of El Modena students start organizing around ideas of protests and vigils at school and on social media. Tension grows on the highly emotional El Modena campus.
The first Go-fund-me page by Cristina Sanchez is deactivated. Click on FIRST FUND
Thursday September 12, 2019
A small group of El Modena students walk out of classes in protest of Perez's death. OUSD issues a terse 1 paragraph Press Release citing " unfounded rumors and misinformation on social media" (click on):
Student Walk Outs at El Modena - District Statement
Los Angeles law firm Panish, Shea and Boyle file a lawsuit on behalf of Emmanuel Perez's family. The law firm delivers a copy of the lawsuit and a letter by messenger to Superintendent Hansen's office.
For a copy of the letter and lawsuit click on: OUSD PEREZ LAWSUIT
Death threats and other dangerous and highly emotional situations at El Modena result in OUSD calling in consultants from the Orange County Department of Education to help coordinate the response at El Modena.
In and unprecedented move, the Thursday September 12th OUSD Board Meeting is adjourned after the closed session so the OUSD Administrators and Trustees may attend the planned community vigil for Emmanuel Perez.
A second Go-Fund Me page is set up by Juan Carrerra a Perez family friend. Click on SECOND FUND.
Friday September 13, 2019
The lawfirm of Panish, Shea and Boyle and the Perez family hold a press conference announcing the lawsuit. The lawsuit becomes the leading story across Southern California news media. In the firm's Press Release about the lawsuit it states:
| Press Conference announcing lawsuit photo from Panish, Shea and Boyle |
“You don’t leave a vehicle, whether it’s a golf cart or any other type of vehicle, alone with a young boy like Manny who doesn’t understand and appreciate any danger that he may be in,” Mr. Glassman said as he announced the filing of a Government Claim for Damages against the Orange Unified School District."
OUSD Superintendent Dr. Hansen issues an "updated" Press Release (click on): News Media Update by Superintendent Gunn Marie Hansen, Ph.D. - September 13, 2019
In the middle of that Press Release, OUSD counters several of the law firms positions on the accident with summary information from the surveillance video in the press release section "Several things are clear from the video of the incident".
In El Modena's away football game that night at Fullerton High School, El Modena H.S. honored Manny Perez with a moment of silence. El Modena won the game 39-27. The OCRegister reported this quote from El Modena's coach:
“This is a huge night for the community after the tragedy,” El Modena coach Matt Mitchell said. “It was a big night emotionally for everybody. It was good to bounce back and get ourselves in the right mindset. It was a rough week for everyone and we battled through it.”
Saturday September 14, 2019
Disability advocates held a "Justice for Manny" rally in Orange at the corner of Chapman and The City Drive next to UCI Medical Center. Disability advocates call for a change in a "no hands" policy for disabled students during emergencies.
Wednesday September 18, 2019
Nine days after Perez's death, OUSD Superintendent Dr. Hansen issues a district wide email to all staff under the subject line:
Update to Staff Regarding Tragedy at El Modena High School Last Week
The email which links to some of the OUSD Press Releases on the accident includes this :
"It was an oversight that we did not send this to you earlier. We want to make sure you have this information as the District navigates through this difficult situation."
OUSD Public Relations costs
In February 2018 OUSD Trustees voted $219,424 for a Public Relations contract (Click on):
OUSD VOTES $219,400 for PR
Here is what spending $219,424 of educational tax dollars on PR buys (For the latest in OUSD News on the web Click on):
OUSD in the NEWS
NEXT OUSD BOARD MEETING September 26, 2019
Next OUSD Board Meeting -OUSD BOARD ROOM
CLOSED SESSION- 5:30 pm
OUSD Regular Session: 7:00 pm Board Room
For AGENDA-CLICK ON
For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040
For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015
ARCHIVAL Information and direct news can be found at:
the Greater Orange News Service http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/
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