LIVE BLOG: MDUSD Votes OKs Clayton Valley Charter with Conditions

The Mt. Diablo Unified School District Board will vote tonight on the petition that will convert Clayton Valley High into a charter school.

Follow what happens as it happens, as the meeting will be covered live by Clayton Patch. The meeting will start at 7:30 p.m.

----------

9:46 p.m. — The MDUSD board votes 5-0 in favor of approving the charter with conditions. The room is mostly quiet after the vote, with clearly a feeling of disappointment. Stay tuned with Patch for more on this story later tonight.

9:43 p.m. — Charter lawyer, after some debate, is allowed to talk to the board. He says if the charter is approved with conditions they could take it as a denial and go to the county for approval. So he asked the board to approve charter with the condition to go back to it at its meeting on the Sept. 27. The board rejected the idea.

9:37 p.m. — All five members say they need more specifics in the charter. So, if they vote with approval with conditions, that means the charter has until February 2012 to meet the requirements that district staff is looking for.

9:35 p.m. — The room is silent and the mood is negative. One woman stood up and said, "You are wrong," after Linda Mayo spoke. Board vice-president Sherry Whitmarsh said she is also in favor of approval with conditions.

9:30 p.m. — Voting has not yet taken place, but board members Linda Mayo and Lynne Dennler say they will also approve with conditions. That's three votes with Hansen. So, in short, Clayton Valley has approval to become a charter school with conditions. Charter lawyers said in their presentation the board can not do that. Staff lawyers say they can.

9:20 p.m. — Public comment has ended and the board is discussing. Board member Cheryl Hansen said: "My concern around this is an overwhelming list of requirements that come with it...I got a 74-page report this afternoon and I thought about making this is study seesion. But my suggestion is that we modify that approval of the charter with conditions."

9:18 p.m. — The first public comment against the charter. A MDUSD parent tells the board that she read the charter and that there is nothing in there that is transformational, inspriational or even different in their charter. Then says there can be unintended consequences, that other Concord high schools...

9:11 p.m. — Clayton Mayor David Shuey tells the board, "You will have to rise above your staff report and make the bold decision and approve this charter." He tells the board you have to listen to their constituents. Shuey adds that this is the best charter in the state and that that staff disagrees with it doesn't make sense. In the boldest statement yet in the public comment, Shuey says, "We want to work with you, but make no mistake, if you reject this charter we will surely get approval at the county level and you will be left out."

9:08 p.m. — Councilmember Joe Medrano emphasizes that 80 percent of teachers are in favor. "That's a landslide," Medrano said.

8:58 p.m. — Barb Johnson, representing Congressman George Miller, tells the school board that Miller has been briefed on tonight's debate and Miller says that the board should still approve the charter.

8:53 p.m. — Supporters are still taking advantage of the public comments. Worth noting: no one has told the board they are against the charter. Also worth noting that it's warm and humid in the room. Feels like Florida in here.

8:49 p.m. — Clayton councilmember Julie Pierce, tells the board: "This school is not what it once was. Our good teachers are frustrated. They see a better way...we truly have a chance to make significant decision. I'm here to ask you to make the bold and right decision and give CVCHS a chance and to approve the request for a five-year charter."

8:47 p.m. — Pete Lawrence, former Clayton mayor, tells the board he too believes the board should approve the charter. Says he trusts the experts and it's what's best for the community.

8:43 p.m. — Ted Hall, a Clayton Valley high senior, says the baord should trust the Clayton Valley teachers and they are capable of implementing the charter.

8:38 p.m. — Howard Geller, vice mayor of Clayton, tells the board the Clayton City Council voted 5-0 in favor of the charter. He adds the CBCA donated $8,500 for the charter campaign. Geller tells the board that CVHS has deteriorated and that the charter school is the best thing for the community. He finishes by saying the charter will be an inspiration for schools in the area.

8:34 p.m. — Charter lawyer says the board should approve the charter as it is written. He then said the board cannot approve the charter with conditions unless the charter steering committee goes along with it. He ends his presentation by telling the board, "They will achieve a school that will be the high water mark of your district." The room cheers.

8:30 p.m. — Neil McChesney, the other charter co-chair, and a lawyer for the charter says, other California charter conversion schools have had similar charters and those schools have had great success.

8:26 p.m. — Pat Middendorf, Clayton Valley Steering Committee co-chair, now gives the supporters' side. Said the charter started as a small band of teachers and has grown and seen support from the whole community. Said the charter is not a detailed document on everything that the school will do, and it would be a disservice to school if it was. Instead, it is a framework for a school that will work.

8:25 p.m. — Staff continues a comprehensive critique. It concludes by saying, as drafted, the petition does not meet the law. The board has adequate grounds to deny it, if they choose to.

 8:18 p.m. — Staff says "the petition does not present a reasonably comprehensive description of employee qualifications." Also, that there are not enough specifics on how student educational experience will improve.

8:15 p.m. — Staff says even if the charter financial numbers were accurate, it still wouldn't be enough money.

8:12 p.m. — Staff said financial and operational plans are unrealistic. Funds going to the charter are overstated. The room is packed, but silent right now.

8:09 p.m. — District staff says part of the educational program in the charter is "unsound." Staff says there the charter has lofty goals, but that how some of those goals would be met is missing. "There is no specific plan."

8:05 p.m. — , district staff tell the board they have three options tonight: approval; approval with conditions; denial.

8:00 p.m. — District staff said meetings with charter supporters were helpful. Staff asked tough questions and said that those meetings made the difference from not recommending outright denial to the board.

7:55 p.m. — A MDUSD is currently going over how district staff reviewed the petition.

7:50 p.m. — The charter is now up on agenda. Charter supporters erupted in cheers when board president Gary Eberhart announced it on the agenda.

7:45 p.m. — Not charter related, but a MDUSD parent gave a passionate speech to the board on what he believes is poor transportation in the district of special education students. He said his child was left at school four times last week.

7:35 p.m. — Board meeting has started. There are few things on the agenda before the charter petition. The board will likely start discussion around on the charter at 8 p.m.

7:20 p.m. — Supporters of the charter are sporting CVCHS blue T-shirts, with about 100 of them at the meeting. The board members have arrived and there is a bit buzz in the building.

7:10 p.m. — We are 20 minutes away from the start of the MDUSD board meeting. Charter supporters have gathered outside the multipurpose room at Monte Gardens Elementary School and have started filling the seats inside. The room is expected to be packed. All the local news networks are covering the event.