Communities

East County News Service

March 18, 2025 (Rancho San Diego) – The controversial Cottonwood San Mine proposal is slated to be heard by the County Planning Commission in April, more than six years after it was first proposed.  Thousands of residents have signed petitions  and packed public meetings to oppose the project based on significant environmental, health and safety concerns, and community impacts such as traffic and potentially decreased property values.

Tonight, the Valle de Oro Community Planning Group will meet at 7 p.m. to finalize a recommendation to the County. This important  meeting will be held in the Rancho San Diego Library,11555 Via Rancho San Diego, El Cajon 92019.

The project would allow at least 10 years of open pit mining on the site of the Cottonwood Golf Course along the Sweetwater River, just upstream from a federal wildlife preserve. The develop, New West Investment, contends the project is needed to supply sand for local building and infrastructure projects, avoiding the cost of importing sand.

The Stop Cottonwood Sand Mine Committee will present its opposition to the project during the meeting. The Committee is expressing continued concerns that a Major Use Permit for a more than 10-year open pit sand mining operation — on the site of the Cottonwood Golf Course along the Sweetwater River — is out of character with the already established Rancho San Diego community, made up of nearby homes, schools, and businesses. The project is also inconsistent with the County General Plan and Community Specific Plan.

The Committee has urged those opposed to show up and express their opposition to the Planning Commission. 

New West Investment and investor Michael Schlesinger purchased Cottonwood Golf Course in 2015, four years after the golf course filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. As originally filed, the proposal is to mine 4.7 million cubic yards with approximately 3.8 million cubic yards (5.7 million tons) of construction aggregate produced over ten years, in phases with reclamation planned after each phase. Approximately 214.4 acres of the approximately 280-acre site are proposed for extractive use. The project application was filed in November 2018.

Fire safety and water purification among top issues to be discussed

East County News Service

March 15, 2024 (Alpine) - Alpine resident Anne Tillmond is hosting a Town Hall Q&A featuring Padre Dam Municipal Water District Board Members Kim Hales (Division 4) and Dr. Suzanne Till (Division 2) on March 30 from 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Alpine Club – 1830 Alpine Blvd. Alpine, CA 91901.

Padre Dam Municipal Water District Board Members Kim Hales and Dr. Suzanne Till welcome attending community members and customers to answer questions and discuss fire safety, engineering, planning, advanced water purification and more.   The Alpine Club, formerly the Alpine Community Center, will open its’ doors for the Town Hall starting at 2:00 p.m.
Director Till (Vice President of PDMWD, photo top left) was elected to her first four-year term in November 2020.  She has lived in Santee since 1991, and advocates for affordable drinking water for Santee residents and water sustainability. She served as a Captain in the United States Marine Corps.  Suzanne has a Ph.D. in Water Resources Geography from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a Masters in Geography and Urban Planning from San Diego State University.

Kim Hales (left) moved to San Diego from Michigan in 1996 to attend graduate school at SDSU during which time she worked at the San Diego Zoo to help pay for college. Kim holds a BS degree in Zoology and a Master’s Degree in Animal Behavior and has been a biology professor at Cuyamaca College for over 21 years. For the last 10 years she lives in Alpine where she owns and maintains a ranch with her husband, a retired US Navy Captain. 

By Jakob McWhinney, Voice of San Diego

File photos via ECM:  GUHSD trustees Robert Shields and Jim Kelly, who were caught on hot mikes. These images did not appear in the original Voice of San Diego article.

March 15, 2025 (El Cajon) -- For weeks now, Grossmont Union’s board meetings have been dominated by crowds of community members furious at the district’s plan to close its budget deficit by laying off more than 60 employees. Those layoffs, which the board approved by a four to one vote two weeks ago, include assistant principals, teachers and nearly every single one of the district’s librarians. 

The scene was the same at Tuesday’s board meeting, when hundreds of protesters packed into Grossmont High School’s gym to advocate the board rescind the layoffs. 

Gary Woods, who voted in favor of the layoffs, said the decision made them “heartsick.” But another trustee was more frank about what he thought about the librarians on the chopping block during a hot mic moment just prior to the meeting’s official start according to a screen recording of the meeting shared with Voice of San Diego. 

The person speaking was not on camera, but three district employees who spoke anonymously for fear of retribution identified the voice as that of Trustee Robert Shield. Shield was one of the board members who voted in favor of the layoffs. He did not respond to a request for comment.  

“When it comes to the librarians, they don’t have as big a role … They’re overpaid compared to … teachers. They don’t do lesson plans, they don’t grade papers but they get a 10 percent bump in their pay because they don’t have a prep period,” Shield said in the recording. 

But the librarians have been the primary rallying point for the protesters who’ve packed public meetings. Not only did students hold walk-outs at Grossmont Union campuses in solidarity with the impacted staff, nearly every single one of the dozens of the meeting’s public commenters argued the librarians were indispensable.  

The librarians facing layoffs are credentialed teacher-librarians, meaning they offer in-class lessons, aid to teachers with curriculum and student and technology support that exceed what the responsibilities of the librarians of yesteryear.  

“My child is a star example of how the support staff and the librarians make a difference. They went from struggling (with) mental health issues to an honor roll student,” one parent said during their public comment, holding back tears. “What creates revenue for these schools is students showing up for school. What is the point to them showing up to school when all their spaces, the staff they rely on are gone?” 

In his hot mic comments, Shield also said that while the majority who’d voted in favor of the layoffs had “more than a few,” supporters in the audience, they were “silent because they don’t want to get beat up.”  

And he wasn’t done. Shield continued, calling the protests political “opportunism,” and saying that while the crowds may be bad now, “they only have a half-life of only about two months.” They will eventually have “mission fatigue,” he said, and stop showing up. 

“It’ll dissipate if we have the stomach to endure it and just shake it off. I promise you as long as it’s not mishandled in three months, they’ll be lucky to have a quarter of this amount … I’ve been through this before,” Shield said.  

This is far from the first time board-related controversies have elicited community opposition. Last year, a former district administrator sued the district, claiming she’d been discriminated against because she was lesbian. Her suit included the claim that Trustee Jim Kelly referred to her and another lesbian district employee as “’witches’ who were part of an LGBTQ ‘coven.’”

The board’s conservative leanings have also stoked opposition. The year before that lawsuit, the board’s conservative majority voted to terminate multiple contracts with San Diego Youth Services to provide student mental health services. They cited concerns about the nonprofit’s care for LGBTQ+ youth, which includes counseling programs, despite those services being separate from what the nonprofit provided the district. When voting to end the services, Trustee Gary Woods said the nonprofit did not “reflect East County values.” 

Shield wasn’t the only trustee who had a hot mic moment during the meeting. During a recess, Kelly was caught calling the protesters the “rudest crowd,” he’d ever seen and saying, “Some of them are trying to vomit on us in public and trying to bully us and, you know, just humiliate us.”  

Protesters have argued they’re just trying to save the jobs of valued staff. They’ve also pointed out that the district has sizable reserves that would easily cover the balance. Even fellow board member Chris Fite – the lone “No,” vote on the cuts – has said they seem to far exceed what’s necessary. 

“They’re saying these are structural deficits, but they won’t say what they’re caused by,” Fite said. “To me, it doesn’t add up. It does not explain the severity.”   

Jakob McWhinney is Voice of San Diego's education reporter. He can be reached by email at jakob@vosd.org and followed on Twitter @jakobmcwhinney.

This story was first published by Voice of San Diego. Sign up for VOSD’s newsletters here.

By Sir Milo Loftin, County of San Diego Communications Office

March 15, 2025 (San Diego) - Most people in the region likely noted this week’s rain and — in some parts of the county—snow. Residents of San Diego County’s unincorporated areas can report non-emergency storm damage through the “Tell Us Now!” app. 

• Download and open the Tell Us Now! app on your Apple or Android device.
• Select a category and the nature of the request.
• Attach a photo of the request if available.
• Provide the location and a description of the request.
• Enter your contact information.
• Submit the request. 

• Air quality complaints, such as smoke, odors or dust.
• Vector control issues, like mosquito breeding areas, green pools or dead birds, which can be indicators of West Nile virus.
• Code compliance issues, like abandoned vehicles, graffiti or illegal dumping.
• Pricing and scale issues at businesses, including gas pumps and grocery stores.
• Non-emergency problems at a County-operated park or space.
• Other road service requests that are not storm related. 

By Mike Allen

Photo by Scott Lagace:  Santee firefighters saved the life of an unconscious woman during a July 2024 fire that engulfed her mobile home, also administering oxygen to save a cat.

March 14, 2025 (Santee) -- Santee knows it has to be better when it comes to providing fire protection to its residents, and after a sales tax-funded plan for new fire stations failed in November, its City Council made improving that essential service as its top priority.

In fairness, the Council was already focused on getting a couple of new stations to double the current number—two—to serve a population of more than 60,000.

It was building a temporary station off Olive Way where it formerly used to keep its maintenance operations, and was planning a new station in the north part of the city. Yet the Council was hoping the half-cent hike to local sales taxes would finance the improvements. Not so fast, said voters who rejected the plan.

At its March 12 meeting, the Council set building new fire stations—along with finding new ways to pay for them--as its No. 1 goal from a list of ten.

City Manager Marlene Best rattled off what the city was already doing including adding new trucks, more emergency medical personnel, completing the temporary station, designing a permanent station at the operations yard, and conducting a study for a third station in the north part of the city.

“We’re also looking at the potential for a new funding measure,” Best said. That could mean another sales tax hike or raising taxes on property owners.

The remainder of the list mirrored what the priorities were two years ago, with Best giving updates on whether goals were accomplished or what the status was. The entire five-member board made no comment about the list.

The number two priority two years ago, considering annexing West Hills Parkway and surrounding parcels, is still up in the air. Best said the Council wants to work with one property owner to ensure his project conforms to Santee’s higher standards. The fact is that this property, indeed all of West Hills Parkway, remains in the city of San Diego so whatever Santee wants could be ignored as was the case when San Diego approved the Castlerock/ now Weston development.

At No. 3, continued focus on road paving, which is always an item that generates lots of complaints, especially on West Hills Parkway.

Fourth, expand economic opportunities through a recently adopted Arts & Entertainment District. The city has a vision of turning the Town Center and its surrounding area into a village that would feature art galleries, dance studios, theaters, restaurants and bars. It also will be deciding on who will run a total of four cannabis shops in the industrial-zoned areas of the city by early July.

Fifth, a new building permit system, has been implemented so that should make it easier to get all those new galleries and theaters built faster. It also redid the city website and has a new app to make interactions with the city easier.

Sixth, continue focus on risk reductions, meaning fires, from homeless folks camping in the city, particularly in the San Diego riverbed. Best said since the city hired an outreach person two years ago, the number of encampments cleaned was 120, and 16 in the last month. She also noted that a recent count of the homeless population in Santee fell to 46 from 112 one year ago.

The seventh priority, looking for ways to improve the trails linked to Mission Trails Park, particularly at Big Rock Park, was put on the backburner, Best said, due to the fact that most of the land remains in San Diego County, not the city.

But the Council once again wants to make safety on its trails a priority and ranked it at eight. Best said among the efforts to make the trails safer is the possible adoption a video camera system, now in the testing phase, that would be monitored by the Sheriffs Department.

At No. 9 is the continued reduction in the city’s liabilities involving the pensions it must pay to retired workers, which it has been doing by making higher annual contributions to that budget expense over the last four years.

The tenth priority and one that was achieved in January was completing a development impact fee study and adopting a new set of fees charged to new development that took effect March 10.

Among the add-ons, but not officially tabbed as a priority, the Council wants to adopt a funding plan for a community center behind the Cameron YMCA. Best said a workshop on this is scheduled for April 9. The cost for the center was estimated at $50 million a few years ago.

At one point, the center was a darling project for most officials but in light of the pressures from building new fire stations, that may have to be put on the backburner too.

By Karen Pearlman  

Photo via San Diego County Sheriff:  Homeless encampment fire in Santee,  February 2025

March 14, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) -- With an estimated one out of every five fires in San Diego County started in encampments where homeless individuals congregate, San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson has said enough is enough.  

“Nobody has a right to burn my constituents’ homes down, whether they intend to or not,” Anderson said, two days after the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to update the county’s Unsafe Camping Ordinance. It would apply to property that the county owns or leases and specified areas such as parks, open space and certain public works facilities. 

At their meeting on Tuesday, March 11, the supervisors voted 4-0 to empower appropriate authorities “to ensure public safety and do more than just cite repeat offenders,” Anderson said.  A final draft ordinance is expected to be presented by county staff to the board in about two months, when a final vote will take place. 

At that time, Supervisors will have options for changing the current ordinance.  

One option includes adding provisions related to fire risk; adding protections in specific areas (including open spaces and public works infrastructure); and a notification period of 24 hours for those living in unsheltered encampments, to give them time to move personal property. 

 Another option is to leave the ordinance as it is, which includes enforcement to prohibit and abate illegal encampments, remove improperly stored property on public property and protect vacant property (such as the San Diego River corridor) from fire and pollution.  

Currently there are several existing state and local codes that address fire prohibitions and liabilities due to careless, negligent or intentional acts. These existing codes grant enforcement authority to local law enforcement and/or fire agencies to investigate and hold individuals accountable for unlawful acts as defined in code sections.  

As for the role law enforcement and other agencies would play in enforcing the ordinance, Anderson said "We expect the draft ordinance, which will be coming back to the Board in about two months, will contain more detailed information on this piece." 

Anderson has been a leader in leading changes in the back country.  

He said that passing an Unsafe Camping Ordinance in the county’s unincorporated communities “is a crucial step to protect all residents,” and referenced January’s Center Fire in Rancho Bernardo that burned seven acres. 

San Diego's Metro Arson Strike Team reported that the Center Fire, which forced people in homes and those in a daycare center to evacuate, was started in a homeless encampment 

Anderson said that more than 1,100 fires in the last 12 months were connected to homeless encampments.  

In a staff report related to the ordinance, it was noted that the County has, and would continue to have, a “services-first” approach, with a goal of connecting people with shelter, food and -- where appropriate -- substance use disorder and mental health treatment. 

The County’s outreach team -- The Health and Human Services Agency, Parks and Recreation, Public Works and Sheriff’s Office Homeless Assistance Resource Team -- coordinates provision of services and resources including emergency housing to people experiencing homelessness in the unincorporated communities.  

The 2024 Point in Time Count identified nearly 200 people experiencing homelessness in the unincorporated county area. (This number captures unsheltered individuals only and does not include 250 households already placed in the County’s emergency housing program.)  

The county’s changes to the ordinance are also connected to the June 2024 Supreme Court decision in the case of City of Grants Pass v. Johnson. T which allows local governments to enforce camping bans through citations or arrest regardless of the number of shelter beds open.  

The decision overturned Martin v. Boise, a Ninth Circuit case from 2018 that held that individuals could not be cited for sleeping on public property unless they were first offered alternative shelter.   

In Grants Pass, the Supreme Court upheld enforcement of local ordinances regulating camping on public property even if no shelter beds were available. Under this new guidance, the county’s existing camping ordinances could be enforced. 

While all Supervisors voted for drafting an update to the county’s Unsafe Camping Ordinance, Supervisor Monica Montgomery-Steppe wants to be sure shelter space is available for anyone displaced. The County currently operates no homeless shelters, other than two safe parking areas for unhoused people living in vehicles, though plans are in the works to build sleeping cabins in Lemon Grove.

"We have a moral obligation before we put handcuffs on somebody to say, `We have a place for you to go," Montgomery-Steppe said, ECM news partner 10 News reports.

Asked if there is information on any separation of homeless encampment fires vs. fires started in migrant camps, Anderson said County Fire and CalFire have indicated that “these separate data points are not currently tracked in the unincorporated areas.” 

An ECM article last year reported that at least six local fires between May 1 and June 1 were attributed to migrants or smugglers near the border, according to Cal Fire. Those fires ranged in size from less than an acre to 50 acres.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Anne Meador: Federal workers protest at Capitol (CC by NC-ND)

March 14, 2025 – Two federal judges have ruled that the Trump administration’s mass firing of federal workers was illegal.  Both judges ordered thousands of probationary fired workers rehired, at least temporarily, though the two rulings differed on the scope of agencies affected. Combined, the two rulings order that 18 agencies immediately rehire those fired, affecting a broad range of jobs from national park rangers to Veterans’ Administration workers and many more.

 The judges also issued scathing rebukes of the purge of agencies done by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and accused the administration of lying when it claimed the firings were based on performance issues, since many of the laid-off workers had extremely positive performance reviews.

U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup in San Francisco called the mass terminations a “sham.”  He stated in open court, “It is sad, a sad day, when our government would fire some good employee and say it was based on performance when they know good and well that’s a lie.  That should not have been done in our country.”

Judge Alsup ordered the immediate rehiring of fired probationary employees in these six departments:  Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs. That lawsuit was filed by federal employees’ unions. His order lasts until  whenever the case’s outcome is ultimately resolved in court, a process that could take years.

U.S. District Judge James Bredar in New York issued a broader but more temporarily order in a case filed by Democrat state attorneys general.  Judge Breder’s order requires 18 federal departments to immediately rehire the fired probationary workers for at least 14 days, though he indicated he would consider a longer relief.

His order requires reemployment be offered to the fired probationary workers in these departments: Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior (which includes the National Park Service), Labor, Transportation, Treasury, Veterans Affairs, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, General Services Administration, and the Small Business Administration.

However, Bredar found the states’ failed to meet the burden of proof to show illegal firings at three other agencies, which he excluded from his ruling:  the Defense Department, Office of Personnel Management, and the National Archives and Records Administration.

Judge Bredar found that the mass firings failed to provide 60 days required notice and follow other requirements,  and concluded, “The sheer number of employees that were terminated in a matter of days belies any argument that these terminations were due to the employees’ individual performance or conduct...The government’s contention to the contrary borders on the frivolous.”

Bredar also found arguments from the states compelling, noting that the lack of notice left states “impaired in their capacities to meet their legal obligations to the citizens.”

Judge Alsup bristled at the Justice Department’s refusal to make acting Office of Management and Budget Director Charles Ezell available for testimony yesterday, and suggested the Trump administration’s attorneys were withholding information on who directed the mass firings.

The Trump administration has already filed an appeal in one case and will likely do so in both.  White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a statement after the ruling, saying, “A single judge is attempting to unconstitutionally seize the power of hiring and firing from the Executive Branch...If a federal district court would like executive powers, they can try and run for President themselves,” she sniped. “The Trump Administration will immediately fight back against this absurd and unconstitutional order.”

In fact, the hiring and firing of federal employees is dictated by federal law, which contains numerous civil service worker protections. In addition, many legal scholars have said it is illegal for the Executive branch to usurp the power of Congress, which created many of the agencies being gutted under the guise of streamlining government efficiency and saving taxpayers’ money.

Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said he is “pleased with Judge Alsup’s order to immediately reinstate tens of thousands of probationary federal employees who were illegally fired from their jobs by an administration hellbent on crippling federal agencies and their work on behalf of the American public.”

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who led efforts to sue the Trump administration on behalf of states, issued this statement: “The Trump Administration’s callous and reckless mass firing of probationary federal employees has caused chaos and prevented these workers from providing critical services that affect the everyday lives of Americans, from offering support for veterans and farmers, to protecting our cherished national parks and public lands.”

Bonta added, “I am pleased that the federal district court has promptly granted our request for a temporary restraining order, which will block the Administration’s unlawful mass firing directive and reinstate affected employees. I, alongside my fellow attorneys general, will be closely monitoring to ensure that the Administration follows the court’s order.”

Sources:

https://www.newsweek.com/list-federal-agencies-rehire-fired-employees-2044763

https://www.npr.org/2025/03/13/nx-s1-5325694/maryland-court-fired-federal-employees-trump

https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/judge-trump-reinstate-thousands-fired-federal-workers/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=089i2Ex5Nlw 

 https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/03/trump-mass-firings-doj-judge-youre-fired.html

https://www.afscme.org/press/releases/2025/federal-court-orders-reinstatement-of-fired-probationary-federal-employees

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-live-updates-president-ordered-by-judge-to-rehire-thousands-of-workers-which-doge-fired/ar-AA1yZWhw

https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/MD%20v.%20USDA%20-%20TRO%20Order.pdf

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/federal-judges-order-trump-to-rehire-thousands-of-fired-probationary-federal-employees-234392133708

LIVESTREAMING UPDATE:   For those unable to attend  in-person, here are platforms where organizers plan to livestream this event:  

• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/indivisiblencsd/
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@indivisiblencsd 
• Youtube Live - https://www.youtube.com/@IndivisibleNCSanDiego
• Twitch.tv - https://www.twitch.tv/indivisiblencsandiego; 

By Miriam Raftery

March 14, 2025 (Escondido) – After weeks of rebuffed requests for Congressman Darrell Issa  (R-48)to hold a community townhall to discuss constituents’ concerns, activists have scheduled an “Empty Chair Town Hall” at the California Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, March 23 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The event, hosted by Dr. Allison Gill from the "Mueller, She Wrote" podcast, will provide constituents with the opportunity to voice questions and concerns they would typically address directly to their congressional representative, particularly regarding potential cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and Veterans Services.

Following recommendations outlined in the "Indivisible Guide" (indivisible.org/resource/guide), this Empty Chair Town Hall is part of a nationwide effort encouraged by Indivisible National during the congressional recess from March 13-23.

"When our elected officials refuse to engage with their constituents, democracy suffers," said  Pamela Albergo of Indivisible North County San Diego. "Rep. Issa hasn't held a town hall since 2017, but the concerns of his constituents haven't gone away."

San Diego’s four other Congressional members, all Democrats, have not held live town halls in the past year, Times of San Diego recentlyreported. But Issa, the lone local Republican representative, has not held a townhall since 2017. Issa has been a vocal supporter of the Trump administration and has refused pleas from constituents to hold one,  despite regular protests outside his Escondido Congressional office since Trump took office.

The event will feature a panel of five to six community leaders, including a veteran advocate, school board member, city council member and other local experts.

Each panelist will be briefly introduced by Dr. Gill, and panelists will take turns answering questions. Attendees are asked to bring their 60-second questions written on paper. Selected questioners will be invited to the front of the room to ask their question, followed by a three-minute response from a panelist.

The venue has 375 seats, which are filling quickly. Community members can register at eventbrite.com/e/darrell-issa-empty-chair-town-hall-presented-by-indivisible-tickets-1274626525249. A waiting list is also being established.

Information about livestream channels will be distributed as the event date approaches.

Members of the media are invited to attend. Rep. Issa's office has been formally invited to the event.

Indivisible North County San Diego is a grassroots organization dedicated to advocating for progressive policies and holding elected officials accountable to their constituents.

Update January 7, 2025 A GoFundMe site has been set up to help the victims' families with funeral costs, emotional support, and legal costs to pursue justice.

East County News Service

January 6, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – The victims of a fatal pedestrian crash on New Year’s Day in Lemon Grove have been identified as Nadia Charles and Junior Joseph Juste.  Both 20 years old, they were cousins who immigrated here from Haiti last year in hopes of a better life in the United States, after surviving earthquakes,poverty, violence and political instability in their homeland.

The cousins were killed when two vehicles collided at the intersection of Buena Vista and Broadway shortly after 11 a.m. on January 1^st. .The impact sent one of the cars into the path of the victims, who were crossing the street.  Despite life-saving efforts by paramedics and deputies, both victims died at the scene.

The drivers of the vehicles and a passenger were not injured. Sheriff’s investigators say that speed was a factor in the collision.

Pastor Johny Oxeda at the First Haitian Baptist Church in City Heights said both of the young immigrants “dreamed to do more,” ECM news partner NBC 7 reports.

The cousins had planned to attend a church workshop led by San Diego Police for new immigrants on Sunday to help them adapt to the new culture in America. Instead, a Sunday church service was held to honor the memories of the two young people.  A public memorial is planned for Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the intersection where they lost their lives.

By Alexander J. Schorr

Photo, left, via Grossmont Education Association: angry crowd turns back on Acting Superintendent Sandra Huezo and the GUHSD board

March 13, 2025 (El Cajon) – The Grossmont Union High School district staff and its students have been protesting the board majority’s controversial firings of teaching, librarian, and counseling positions in recent days, including student walk-outs, picketing at schools by parents and teachers, and a petition signed by more than 3,500 people opposed to the cuts. Opponents held a rally outside Wednesday night’s contentious board meeting, where 500 people filled the hall and every speaker criticized the board’s action.  But their pleas fell on deaf ears, and the board chairman refused to allow a motion by trustee Chris Fite that would have reversed the vote authorizing the lay-offs.

Image, right:  GUHSD board announced various restrictions including requiring tickets for board meeting and threatening to “retreat” if the audience gets “rowdy.”

Parents picket schools, students walk out in protest

On the morning of Monday March 10, teachers and GEA representatives protested outside of nine school campuses: Grossmont, Monte Vista, Mount Miguel, Granite Hills, El Capitan, West Hills, Santanna, El Cajon Valley, and Valhalla High School. This is in the wake of the Governing Board’s decision to eliminate 64 jobs in the district: This includes 9 librarians, 23 teachers, 4 school psychologists, 10 vice principals, 1 principal, 2 program specialists, and 14 support staff. The board previously cut 30 temporary certificated employees earlier this year, which includes mental health counselors and A-G requirements counselors.

Photos by Alex Schorr: Left, teachers and Representatives holding signs to oncoming traffic in protest of the GUHSD Governing Board’s decision to terminate teaching, counseling, and librarian positions. Right: Protestor holds sign demanding transparency on the Board’s decision making.

GEA members and school staff such as counselors and teachers were picketing at these key school sites before the contracted day began; they did so on public property  (on sidewalks and in the front and backs of these schools) facing traffic and public crossings. Morning walking shifts went from 7:45 a.m. to 9:10 a.m., leaving 5 minutes for members to get to class where students would arrive in 15 minutes.

Students also staged noon walk-outs on GUHSD campuses to protest the firings.

GEA has 950 members. The union plans to continue protests over student safety and education concerns related to the firings, as well as the welfare of those set to lose their jobs and those still employed, who may face larger class sizes and other challenges.

Photos by Alex Schorr: Left, GEA Representatives protest Board’s cuts on faculty. Right: Sign board expressing these concerns.)

One Grossmont High School Psychologist, Katy Abruzzo, had this to say regarding the board’s latest decisions to the cuts: “It’s really disappointing that the board is, it seems like, ignoring public opinion about the layoffs, that the layoffs aren’t necessary… and our students definitely deserve more, not less.” Additionally, she stated that the “public needs to understand that the board is laying off a large number of counselors. It’s not getting as much attention as the librarians, because they were temporary positions, but the number of counselors being laid off is high. At Grossmont High School, we’re losing two out of seven, and that’s a big impact on the services that our students will be receiving, so it would be helpful if the board reconsider those positions and letting us keep those so [that] we can continue to focus on student’s mental health.”

Kristen Lopprell, a Grossmont High School math teacher, gave her comments on the Governing Board’s decisions in cutting key roles in staffing across the district. “I am out here to advocate for students to get the best education possible, and that starts with the Governing Board, [which] makes actions in their interests, not behind closed doors, not without consulting all of the many people that work to make this district. If we need to make budget cuts, ask the people who know something. Parents… weren’t even asked about what would be the easiest thing for them to eliminate. I can tell you, it is not our school psychologists, our librarians, it’s not our counselors, we need those desperately. Things are feeling really eerie out there.” 

For context, Lopprell was awarded California Teacher of the Year, receiving state commemoration for her work in Sacramento; the Governing Board neglected to invite her to celebrate her contributions to Grossmont High School due to their opposition to her personal orientation. She went on to say that “for someone in a minority group who feels attacked by my board, I am so grateful that people are waking up and showing up. Please, do your research and be aware. Things are not going well for students in Grossmont Union School District.”

Photos by Alex Schorr, left and right:  at Valhalla High School, teachers and psychologists wave boards and banners protesting the board's cuts to key teaching and counseling positions.

GUHSD governing board meeting draws protest and angry crow

The next evening on Tuesday March 11, a GUHSD Governing Board meeting convened at Grossmont High School in the old gym,  where elected officials and students, teachers, counselors, and librarians spoke on behalf of the cuts to the district's employment. 

Speaker cards were available in person at 3:30 p.m. Attendees were given a ticket to guarantee a seat; no personal chairs or seating was permitted, and those present were told via a memo on Instagram and Facebook that there would be no sitting or standing on the floor, and that those who left the building for any reason would end up forfeiting their ticket. Unlike the previous GUHSD Board Meeting at El Cajon Valley High School, where approximately 600 people showed up at the meeting in protest of the board’s decision, only 500 people were allowed in the gym. Additionally, the flyer stated that the board would retreat for brief recesses if the crowd became “rowdy.” A link to the meeting was provided as well.

Photos by Alex Schorr:  left and right: students, parents, teachers, and staff protest at GUHSD campuses.

At 3:45 p.m., people were allowed in and given a ticket for participation at the meeting. A call to order was made at 4:00 p.m. by Board President Gary Woods, PhD, who stated that the meeting would reconvene at 6:00 p.m. At about 5:00 p.m. protesters marched between the gym and the science building; many were students, parents, teachers, and librarians chanting "save our staff" and "serve our students."

Photos by Alex Schorr: left: protesters of budget layoffs of credentialed  teaching and librarian positions rally outside in the rain by the Grossmont High School Old Gym. Right, protesters in the audience at the March 11 board meeting.

Those present in the auditorium included agitated parents, students, teachers, librarians, counselors, and Grossmont Education Association (GEA) union representatives from Grossmont, Monte Vista, West Hills, Valhalla, Granite Hills, Santana, Mount Miguel, and El Cajon Valley high schools. The audience roared "vote them out" and "shame on you" at 5:45 while applauding Chris Fite by name, the only trustee who voted against the cuts.

At 6:06 p.m. the meeting began. Superintendent Mike Fowler spoke on a video that was shown to the audience, displaying his concerns about "strength, stability, and continuity" with the Governing Board. He stated that he will end his tenure as Superintendent due to complications with pursuing health issues.

The Governing Board meeting at Grossmont High School is the latest in a continuous resolution of the Governing Board’s decision to terminate key teaching, counseling, and librarian positions; NBC 7 News lists that 49 accredited employee positions could be eliminated, including principals, vice principals, and psychologists, as well as an 11 classified school positions, such as support personnel.

The main focus of the meeting was for speakers to express their grievances about the indifferent cuts and layoffs to librarians, teachers, and counselors across the Grossmont school district, with many contending  that the Board’s promoted budget cuts were fiscally irresponsible. There was a great deal of disrespect between both audience members and key figures of the Governing Board majority; slurs and chants demanding accountability and removal were hurled at the board members. Certain Governing Board  members, particularly Jim Kelly, frequently ignored the audience by looking at his phone; trustee Robert Shield scolded the audience, hinting that he could be encouraged to be transparent if the proper respect was given. 

The agenda covered the more general issues of the district budget moving forward, and was written in a way to exclude, not address the issue of layoffs that concerned the speakers. This caused great unrest and massive rebukes from the approximately 500 people present.

Zahara Nuristani, a student board member, and Jodi Hostetler, the Senior Executive Assistant, outlined the rules and procedures for speakers giving public comments. Each person who received a speaker card was given three minutes to speak within a given time frame of 40 minutes total. Each person was instructed to follow the agenda items which focused on the current budget. The meeting was divided into two parts by a recess in the middle of the presentation. GEA representatives, math teachers, alumni, librarians, English teachers, and parents from Granite Hills, Mount Miguel, Valhalla, and West Hills High School gave their condemnations of the board's refusal to retract the cuts from the budget moving forward. 

Here is a sampling of the many public comments:

GEA President James Messina spoke about the impact of the firings and cuts which the board deliberated on in their previous meeting in February at El Cajon Valley High School, where the board voted 4 to 1 in favor of terminating and firing key teaching, counseling, and librarian positions across the Grossmont Unified School District. “Business services have not asked for these cuts,” Messina said. “The original revenue projected for 2024-2025 was $222 million, and we ended up getting over $380 million in revenue. That’s a big difference. This is why we use deficit spending to fill [in] any budget problems we have each year, then use the 30 to 40 certificated retirees we get at the end of the year to balance the budget going forward—that’s what Grossmont’s always done. This new process of layoffs first will create [a] whiplash effect with the firing and then hiring each year to match the new budget—it will destroy all longevity or progress that Grossmont made.” He went on to warn that these unpopular cuts could open up the possibilities of the Board being sued for personal damages and liabilities with a defund in school operations.

Valhalla High School Teacher Librarian Stephanie Macceca rebuked the board for an apparent lack of transparency with their constituents: “You haven’t been responding to the emails that you have been receiving.” An individual next to her stood up holding a pile of papers of alleged printed copies of these emails, much to the surprise and anxiety of the crowd. She went on to say that there were over 1300 copies. Referencing the board's concern for budget shortfall, Macceca said that the same $2.2 million short fall on the budget is not a deficit; this shortfall is a total that is projected for over three years.” Macceca stated that after a Covid pandemic-era staffing, saying that the board was preparing to reduce the library space at each school to “one employee running the entire space. This is not an example of overstaffing, this is an example of understaffing.”

Jay Steiger, a former GUHSD candidate and bond oversight committee chair, rebuked the board.  “The district has more than enough money to cover its deficits, in fact, there is enough to cover these deficits for years to come,” he maintained, directly contradicting district claims.  He added that cutting 49 teachers and numerous staff in the budget is “ridiculous. There are districts around the state which are in very difficult shape—Grossmont is not only not one of them. It is far, far, far away from anything approaching danger.” Steiger referenced a justification the board made for the cuts to save money, blame of the Los Angeles wildfires for potential state cuts in education funding.  “The wildfires are not going to wreck [this] educational budget… What about preparing our students for the future?”

A parent and alumni of Grossmont High School lamented, “There’s no transparency in your hirings, in your firings, and it is already impacting our students. She emphasized that mental health positions, which the board was keen to cut, is an “honorable position,” and in emphasizing with other parents whose students could not show up, said that individuals like her were “making sure that their voices were being heard” for them.

A resident of La Mesa, who referenced having a decent education at Valhalla High School, and a passionate individual who derived values in the community of her church, stated the governing board “would have voters believe that they are righteous men. These men, who bring us lawsuits and lies, but these (referencing the audience) people are righteous…these people are educators, who protect and guide our children, they are the righteous.” With religious rhetoric, she asked the audience what they should do concerning “these men,” with people shouting “vote them out.”

A student named Molly from an unnamed school campus spoke, rebuking the perspective of Jim Kelly, Robert Shield, Scott Eckert, and Gary Woods concerning the priorities of the budget, saying that “elected officials are meant to serve not only the people who voted for them, but the populations they represent… Those people are telling you that this is a mistake. Listen.” 

Photos by Alex Schorr: Left: printed copies of emails to the board. Right: the Governing Board members, from left to right, Chris Fite, Jim Kelly, Scott Eckert, Robert Shield, and Gary Woods.

El Capitan High School Associated Student Body President Darby Powers stated that “budget cut related layoffs…were counterproductive.”  She referenced how a “bureaucratic position was created” which ”takes money that could be put towards credentialled staff salaries.” Powers emphasized the apparent hypocrisy facing the Governing Board where they claim to be concerned with the fiscal priorities of the Grossmont School District,  while creating a new chief of staff position answerable to them directly, all while maintaining the taxing task of monitoring and addressing the needs of each position left open from the results of pink slips. She emphasized that in cutting key teaching and librarian positions, students in key language programs, who worked “hard for 12 years,” would be gone, and that students would be stripped away by “these unnecessary cuts.”

Many students present in the library referenced Suzanne Sanwald, a West Hills High School Librarian, and their love and gratitude for her help and care as a mentor and parent-figure in the lives of many students at West Hills. Concerning the budget, one student stated, “I’m not going to stand here and pretend like I have all the numbers because I don’t. But you know who would help me find those numbers? The staff and librarians!”

A parent representing a senior student at Mount Miguel High School added that “libraries and school programs were all critical to student’s success. We voted to improve these programs, not to have them taken away.” She referenced the large audience turnout, and the thousands of student walkouts from the major school campuses at places like Grossmont, Granite Hills, West Hills, Valhalla, and Monta Vista. She emphasized that these cuts “are the wrong types of cuts to make at the wrong time. For the budget, please reverse your votes.”

At 6:58 p.m. Sandra Huezo, the Acting Superintendent, spoke and referenced former Board Superintendent Mike Fowler’s contributions to the board.  She also surmised that, according to the Governing Board’s summation, the layoffs and cuts to teaching, librarian, and counselor positions are key to the budget because these are “overstaffed.” She referenced that “other schools in other districts” had this problem, but did not specify any figures, or schools by name. She suggested that in addition to the cuts, “these students could be served by alternative programs,” which drew a  fierce verbal backlash of “no” from the crowd.

In an earlier internal memo obtained by ECM,  Huezo offered details on the district’s rationale behind the firing notifications issued, which she said were not fully explained at the last meeting due to disruptions. Huezo explained that the state requires school districts to submit budgets by June 30, even though the state’s budget including education funding isn’t finalized until late June.  State law requires that district’s notify full-time employees earlier, by March 15 if their positions may be eliminated, with final notices required by May 15—before state budget funds are known.  Her memo saidthat  the GUHSD is projecting structural deficits in the future long-term, with enrollment declining and the Calif. Legislative Analyst projecting growing state budget deficits in coming years.  The district currently employees over 200 more full-time positions than a decade ago, according to her memo.

Pearl Izuka, the Interim Deputy Superintendent of business and services, added that the budget “shortfalls would continue,” unless they cut staff from schools, though she did not provide any evidence. 

The majority of the audience rose up in defiance of Huezo the Governing Board, with their backs facing trustees out of rejection of the board’s reasoning. At 7:43 p.m., Dr, Woods called for a 15-minute recess.  Woods along with Eckert, Shield and Kelly exited through the back door with Hezo and Administrative Assistant Denise Broadfoot.

It is important to note that the budget, which was the focus of the meeting’s agenda, makes it very clear that while a revised graph projecting a decline in enrollment, their own budget states that they have a surplus: the original prediction for the 2024 to 2025 time frame was $282 million, with a determined amount of $308 million in revenue accounted for at the beginning of this year. The projected risks to the budget are defined as stock market vulnerability, elevated interest rates, natural disasters, and immigration. 

As of February 6, 2025, the Governor's  budget projects a $17 billion in surplus. The risks of inflation persisting, the slowing of interest rate reductions by the federal reserves, the presence of tariffs and alterations in immigration are highlighted as the main factors for financial downturn, not how many teachers, librarians, or counselors are present at key schools in the district. Both Huezo and Broadfoot illustrated this point, but emphasized the need to save more money “in case.”

Photos by Alex Schorr:  Audience displays numerous protest signs.

At 7:57 the board reconvened.

Trustee Fite, who voted against the layoffs, spoke briefly concerning the priorities of the budget. He requested that the board rescind the February 27 vote to implement the layoffs and cancel the board-created chief of staff position. 

Woods stated that because the layoffs were not listed in the agenda, it was “not the appropriate time to discuss” the layoffs.

Fite fired back, “it is overwhelmingly clear that the students realize that these cuts are a danger to their education… We are not a bank,” he added. “Taxpayers give us the money to educate their kids… We can have a structural deficit for years and we would still be fine” with the present reserves, he stated, then asked other  board members directly, “If we are going to try to get the maximum of students that we lost from Covid, from online charters… how on earth are we going to get those people— these students, back if we can’t outperform the charter [schools]?”

Trustee Shield stated to an angry audience, “Chris Fite’s motions are out of order because they were not on the agenda.” He continued, “I would love to be transparent— I cannot be transparent if you don’t listen.”

Board President Woods stated that “positive expressions [of the board decisions] are welcomed, negative expressions will result in a time out.” He then insulted the audience, saying they behaved “like kindergarten students.” He later retracted and apologized for the comment he made

 It is worth noting that under Senate Bill 1162, employers and the elected officials must consult their constituents on matters of employment and firings. It states, “Employees who understand how their pay is determined are more likely to feel valued and respected in their roles. This leads to greater job satisfaction, reduced turnover, and a more engaged workforce. Workers are less likely to feel resentful or uncertain when compensation is transparent and justified.” Additionally, “employers, in turn, can address concerns directly, creating a more transparent workplace culture.” 

The board majority acknowledged the desire of the audience to preserve key positions and jobs that they would be laying off and terminating, and despite this, created a chief of staff position which critics say was done without proper vetting, advertisement, consent or acknowledgement of the public. 

Several additional public speakers aired their views.

Mohammad, a senior from Mount Miguel High School who was originally involved in an engineering program, expressed his concern for the board’s budget layoffs of faculty. He said that his school’s “counselors, teachers, and librarians face pink slips instead of our appreciation, and we refuse to stay in silence while the people who make our schools what they are, get pushed out.” He made reference to how the library is a center for work and support, adding, “We are organizing, and we will not back down.”

A Grossmont High School representative who did not give his name reminded the board that when it comes to budgets, “When items disappear, they don’t come back… We know we’re not running out of libraries, but if there is no one to take care of them, it's going to be a place that people stop going to go… The kids have to know how to find the resources.” In a rare show of empathy with the board members, he said, “I understand it's hard when you sit there and while we berate you, but it is so hard to fathom that counselors, psychologists, librarians, would be cut from schools. That’s why everybody’s here.”

An alumni from West Hills noted that with the increased risk of students “being radicalized,” especially in the age of changing media literacy and social media, “our most vulnerable students are at risk.” He empathized that librarians make education more cohesive, and without them, “our community is less safe.” 

At 9:01, there was a brief outburst from one of the individuals in the audience towards Jim Kelly to “get off your phone.”

A woman asked the Governing Board rhetorically how many schools in California have certificated librarians. “You are going to tell us that we are so poor, that no one in the district, in California, is so poor as us, that are so poorly structured as our district, that they have to eliminate librarians?” She accused the board of “being fooled into destroying education” in order to gentrify the education of future students with the directive of private charter or religious schools.

Granite Hills High School Site Learning Specialist Gavin Preston criticized the board’s transparency, stating that  “not responding to the emails, public comments of your constituents and hiding behind closed sessions in emergency board meetings is a dereliction of your duties as elected and public officials.” Taking aim at Shield directly, she criticized him and the board majority for not listening or responding to the needs of their electors, concluding, “Clearly, we must speak louder.”

After the speakers finished, Dr, Woods adjoined the meeting at 9:12 and members left out the back door.  No additional vote was cast on the matter of the budget or concerns of the faculty layoffs or cuts.

Despite the massive protests and  obvious unpopularity of the Governing Board’s recent decisions, layoffs or pink slips must by state law be sent notifying employees by March 15 if their positions are at risk of elimination for the following school year;  with final notices required by May 15.