Southwestern College Education Association takes a stand on legal fees in “pay to play” charges
February 1, 2012 Leave a comment
With a gymnasium crowded with more than 700 people, the Sweetwater Unified High School Governing Board spent most of seven hours listening to arguments against the board’s agenda to vote on the district to pick up the tab for their lawyers. Submitting a resolution, the Southwestern College Education Association took a stand to vote no on the legal fees and requested the long-awaited “Vega Report” be made public immediately.
SCEA President Andrew MacNeill delivered the resolution in open session. Within 30 minutes after closed session, the entire report was available online at the SUHSD website. By midnight, when it came time to take a vote on whether the legal fees should be paid by the district, no motions were made by the board and the matter is dropped, but it is over?
Legal counsel advised the board that it may bring the matter back to the board agenda at any time. Counsel’s current “guesstimation” of legal fees for those charged is $1.3 million.
Former board member Gregory Sandoval, former superintendent Jesus Gandara, Current board members Pearl Quinones and Arlie Ricasa are all charged with multiple felony and misdemeanor charges in the District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis’ high profile investigation of the “pay to play” culture between South Bay school districts and contractors in voter approved bond measures.
About Albert H. Fulcher
