Category Archives: News

Elder abuse by Santa Clara County Public Guardian: PG escorted from building

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by Linda Kincaid

 On September 25, 2014, Santa Clara County Public Guardian Don Moody was “escorted from his office” according to San Jose Inside.  Moody is on administrative leave following two consecutive Civil Grand Jury reports of serious deficiencies.

 A grand jury report out this summer—the second in as many years—noted that Moody fails to track the amount of work and number of clients he handles. The people he hires to manage clients’ property don’t go through a thorough background check, the report found. Instead of having a panel of experts determine whether to assume control of a person’s estate, effectively revoking their civil rights, the decision lies with one person. And for years, countless referrals from the court have reportedly fallen through the cracks.

The latest grand jury report was spurred by a complaint that the office mishandled a case in which a client died before being conserved by the county.

The 2013 Civil Grand Jury report noted that written procedures at the Public Guardian’s office were not current.  In some cases, procedures were years out of date.

The 2014 Civil Grand Jury report noted that written procedures at the Public Guardian’s office had current dates, but content was not current.  Procedure 804.0 (slideshow above) concerning “Client Visitors, Phone Calls, Personal Mail” is of special interest given Moody’s history of unlawful imprisonment and isolation of conservatees.

In 2012, the Public Guardian was isolating conservatees from family and friends.  No visitors.  No phone calls.  No mail. The 2013 Civil Grand Jury investigation was initiated in response to a complaint filed by this Examiner.

Conservatee Gisela Riordan was unlawfully imprisoned and isolated at San Jose assisted living facility Villa Fontana for over two years.  Conservatee Lillie Scalia was isolated for a year.   Both women had families who wished to visit them and to care for them.   Moody used his victims’ own funds to pay to the unlawful imprisonment and isolation.

ABC7 I-Team investigated numerous abuses by Moody’s office.  See video above.

Media coverage and citizen advocacy led to passage of Assembly Bill 937 (2013), which clarified that conservatees have the right to receive visitors, phone calls, and personal mail.   Governor Brown signed the bill on August 19, 2013.  The bill amended Probate Code 2351(a) as of January 1, 2014.

2351.  (a) Subject to subdivision (b), the guardian or conservator, but not a limited conservator, has the care, custody, and control of, and has charge of the education of, the ward or conservatee. This control shall not extend to personal rights retained by the conservatee,  including, but not limited to, the right to receive visitors, telephone calls, and personal mail, unless specifically limited by court order.

Procedure 804.0 fails to comply with the legislative intent or the plain language of AB 937.  Conservatees have an immediate right to have visitors.  The Probate Code does not modify the right such that elderly or disabled individuals can only receive visitors after a week’s delay or if the Public Guardian decides to cooperate with the visit.

The plain language of the Code is clear.  Conservatee’s have the right to receive visitors, unless specifically limited by court order.  The 2015 Civil Grand Jury might find Procedure 804.0 to be of interest.

Full Article & Source: 
Elder abuse by Santa Clara County Public Guardian: PG escorted from building

Hogwash from another alleged professor…

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Brent Terry, a professor at Eastern Connecticut State University was caught on audio telling his Introduction to Creative Writing class that Republicans will close colleges if they prevail in 2014 and that they are “racist, misogynist, money-grubbing people” who want to suppress the liberal vote.

Full Article & Source:
Professor: Republicans are ‘Racist, Misogynist, Money-Grubbing People’

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To Brent Terry —

Here is your mirror 2

Neighbor hailed a hero after rescuing toddlers from burning apartment

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INDEPENDENCE, Mo. – Neighbors at one Independence apartment complex are calling 50-year-old Michael Thomas a “hero.” FOX 4′s Robert Townsend talked to Thomas about how he rescued two toddlers just in the nick of time!

Full Article & Source:
Neighbor hailed a hero after rescuing toddlers from burning apartment

HS English Teacher Slams Common Core Standards in Resignation Letter

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In a viral blog post, a Colorado public school teacher resigned from her position as a high school English teacher in protest to Common Core standards. Pauline Hawkins wrote in part:

“I can no longer be a part of a system that continues to do the exact opposite of what I am supposed to do as a teacher – I am supposed to help them think for themselves, help them find solutions to problems, help them become productive members of society. Instead, the emphasis on Common Core Standards and high-stakes testing is creating a teach-to-the-test mentality for our teachers and stress and anxiety for our students. Students have increasingly become hesitant to think for themselves because they have been programmed to believe that there is one right answer that they may or may not have been given yet. That is what school has become: A place where teachers must give students “right” answers, so students can prove (on tests riddled with problems, by the way) that teachers have taught students what the standards have deemed are a proper education.”

Full Article & Source:
HS English Teacher Slams Common Core Standards in Resignation Letter

Frustrated Father Writes Note in Response to Common Core Assignment ‘On Steroids’

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Full Article, Video & Source:
Frustrated Father Writes Note in Response to Common Core Assignment ‘On Steroids’

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In my opinion: Complicated, when unnecessary, is about as stupid as driving clear across town & back to a store a few blocks away because the directions on the internet are from a starting point on the other side of town.

Open the floodgates? Indiana becomes first state to scrap Common Core

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Common core IndianaINDIANAPOLIS – Indiana has become the first of 45 states to opt out of the national education standard known as Common Core, and critics of the controversial K-12 program say the move could “open the floodgates” for others to follow.

Growing criticism over costs imposed by the program, as well as fears that by setting a national education standard, the program has already begun dictating curriculum, has made Common Core an increasingly polarizing issue. Although the program has both Republican and Democrat supporters, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence predicted his state will be the first of many to rethink participation.

“I believe when we reach the end of this process there are going to be many other states around the country that will take a hard look at the way Indiana has taken a step back, designed our own standards and done it in a way where we drew on educators, we drew on citizens, we drew on parents and developed standards that meet the needs of our people,” Pence said.

The Common Core State Standards Initiative, originally drafted by state education superintendents working with the National Governors Association, and since embraced by the Obama administration, seeks to impose a national standard for achievement among K-12 students. Some states began implementation this year, with the majority slated to begin in the fall.

But several states are seeing a backlash against participation, which was typically approved as long as five years ago. Jim Stergios, executive director of the nonpartisan, Boston-based think tank Pioneer Institute, said the Hoosier State’s move could “open the floodgates.”

“Indiana, under [Republican Gov.] Mitch Daniels, was one of the early proponents of Common Core, even the poster child,” Stergios told FoxNews.com. “By pulling out, it sends a strong signal to other states, particularly red states, that, ‘Hey, if they can do this, then why can’t we?'”

Full Article & Source:
Open the floodgates? Indiana becomes first state to scrap Common Core

Racers running for Tillman Foundation spontaneously honor WWII veteran

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SAN JOSE, Calif. — As Joe Bell, 95, sat in front of his house and cheered on runners participating in the 408-K Race to Row, the runners did something off the beaten path. Runners began peeling off one-by-one to honor the World War II Veteran according to affiliate KTLA. Dressed in his full uniform, Bell happily accepted many handshakes.

The video was taken by a member of the San Jose Mercury News and showed the patriotic gesture from a group who was already doing something to honor another patriot, the late Pat Tillman. Tillman was an Army Ranger who was killed while serving. His foundation holds the race and provides educational scholarships to military veterans and their spouses.

Full Article, Video & Source:
Racers running for Tillman Foundation spontaneously honor WWII veteran

Student: Textbook claims Reagan was sexist, conservatives ‘pessimistic’

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KCTV5
 

Student: Textbook claims Reagan was sexist, conservatives ‘pessimistic’

Posted: Feb 21, 2014 1:31 PM CST
 Updated: Feb 21, 2014 6:42 PM CST

By Mary King – email
COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) -Sophomore University of South Carolina student Anna Chapman says as she read through her “Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare” textbook last fall, she couldn’t believe what she saw.

“I am all for free speech, but not when opinion is presented as fact in a textbook,” said Chapman.

When asked what didn’t line up, Chapman first pointed out a passage about President Ronald Reagan.

“He viewed American males as rugged individuals who could accomplish almost anything if they tried,” said Chapman, reading from the book “Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare: Critical Thinking Perspectives” by Karen K. Kirst-Ashman. “Similarly, he ascribed to women primarily domestic functions and failed to appoint many women to significant positions of power during his presidency.”

On ReaganFoundation.org, the site shares how Reagan’s nomination of the first female U.S. Supreme Court Justice “shattered a glass ceiling.” Other sites acknowledge he nominated 1,400 women to high-level, policy-making positions.

Full Article, Video & Source:
Student: Textbook claims Reagan was sexist, conservatives ‘pessimistic’

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Carrie’s Take: Rewriting history in the classroom?