The word equity comes from the Latin root aequus, meaning fair. Equity and fairness should be the foremost constructs when it comes to students and public schools. Lately, I have been pondering whether there is a real or perceived Machiavellian plot to create a rulebook for Charter schools that is inequitable toward public schools and their districts. What is good for Charters should also be good for district schools and vice versa. I am getting increasingly suspicious and concerned.

“From June 17th to 23rd of 2008, the blog they say I run posted eight times. What was I doing during this period? I was on my honeymoon,” Bump wrote on July 24.

The Santa Clara County Water District received $44.1 million in federal stimulus money for a number of flood protection and water recycling projects. Of the funding, $18 million will go to the Lower Silver Creek flood-protection program to protect land adjacent to the creek from flooding. Another $12.5 million will be used to build two new bridges—one for cars and one for trains—over downtown San Jose’s Guadalupe River.T he South Bay Water Recycling Advanced Treatment Facility Project will receive a much-needed $8 million.

The fact that every eligible resident can attend a state university, long a source of pride in California, will soon be a distant memory as a result of massive state budget cuts. As the fall 2009 CSU semester approaches, thousands of college students will return to campus to find fewer instructors, slashed classes, empty dorms and diminished services. Some will be denied university admission altogether.

While nonprofits throughout San Jose are struggling to survive, at least one cultural organization received a much needed boost, when the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation of Miami, Florida, announced that it would be granting $975,000 to ZER01: The Art and Technology Network, producers of the 01SJ biennial, which focuses on inspiring creativity at the intersection of art, technology and digital culture. The festival, which attracted more than 65,000 visitors in its first year, highlighted the works of more than 350 artists from over 40 countries. The next biennial is scheduled for mid-September, 2010.

A privacy-invading anonymous website known for personal attacks on journalists and political adversaries of local labor-backed politicians has been tied to the inner circle of former vice mayor and newly-appointed South Bay Labor Council chief executive Cindy Chavez.

According to electronic evidence inspected by San Jose Inside, an administrator of the site, “San Jose Revealed,” is Manhattan-based former SBLC political director Philip Bump. The labor council made payments to Bump until earlier this year, according to two sources.

San Jose Inside’s open forum for ideas and opinions on any topic is open for business. What’s on your mind?

I reported for jury duty last week to the Santa Clara County Superior Courthouse on Hedding Street in San Jose. Once I checked in I was asked to report to Department 38. As I walked into the courtroom, I was brought back to a time when my job included monitoring a middle school dress code.

I sat there rather surprised by some of the attire worn to court by fellow prospective jurors. I felt similarly many times as a principal, when I had to reprimand students for inappropriate attire and ask them to change into something appropriate for class.

Do you ever wonder what it takes to move a bus stop?  Especially those that are located at busy intersections or located right in front of retail establishments? Well, if you have, you are not alone. My council office gets requests to move bus stops on occasion. Sometimes the request is moving a bus stop that has been in the same location for 30 years, after a the new adjacent homeowner wants it moved. Other times, the request involves genuine safety concerns with bus stops being to close to the intersection. 

For example, at the corner of Willow/Meridian, a bus will make a turn onto Willow and then stop, which backs up traffic into the intersection creating gridlock, or causes cars to swerve around the bus blindly.

Happy 4th of July from SJI’s Rants & Raves. Thoughts and comments on patriotism, citizenship, independence and (yes) fireworks are welcome, as are thoughts on any topic.

San Jose State University recently announced the results of its annual Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest. The contest is named for Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, fondly remembered for a bastardization of the opening words of his 1830 novel Paul Clifford: “It was a dark and stormy night.”

Lt. Jose Salcido will be leaving the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office after more than three decades to become a senior policy advisor to San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed. Salcido is currently the sheriff’s liaison to the county Department of Corrections and has taken out papers to run for sheriff. The mayor, who has known Salcido for 12 years, says the new appointee will be doing “community outreach’ on “community issues” and will advise him on law enforcement policy issues.

What a week it was, and I am not just talking about Michael Jackson’s tragic and sad death…A newly released Civil Grand Jury Report titled, “Who Really Benefits from Educational Dollars?” (Hint: It’s not the students), and the calculated demise of the 117-year-old school/district known as Montebello, were discussion points at weekend gatherings.

It’s SJI’s open forum, and today’s topic is anything you want it to be. What’s on your mind?

All opinions on any topic are welcome on SJI’s weekly open forum. What’s on your mind?