Still no word from Pedro Garcia

February 22, 2012

By DANIEL BLACKBURN

A laudatory letter from his bosses extolling the professional virtues of Coast Unified School District Superintendent Chris Adams was sent home with students last week, further fractioning a divided community and raising — once again — the mystery of Pedro Garcia.

Adams’ three years at the district helm have been controversial. Both his wife, Julie, and his father, Larry, have received contracts and district funds for various services rendered. Some parents claim he retaliates against those who speak against him.

On letterhead bearing Adams’ name and writing that she spoke for the entire board of trustees, president Cindy Fratto insisted in the Feb. 9 dispatch that she wanted “to express our support” for Adams, praised his “tireless energy” and said he provides “strong leadership and vision.”

The one-page letter only vaguely references what Fratto called “the inferences and accusations that have swirled around our small community” about Adams and his reputed behavior.

Nowhere in the letter, noted Coast Unified parent Jude Basile, is the “Pedro letter” discussed. That was a letter-to-the-editor published in The Cambrian, the area’s local newspaper, which praised Adams profusely, congratulated him on his efforts on behalf of the local Hispanic community, and cited specific programs Adams has helped initiate.

Only one problem: No one in Cambria knows a “Pedro Garcia,” who purportedly signed the letter. And the fax that was used by The Cambrian to publish the letter originated from a Redding phone number assigned to Adams when he lived in that Northern California city. California law prohibits the writing of letters to newspapers using false names and attempting to secure publication.

“What kind of character is shown by such an attempt to falsify support from an (ethnic) group?” asked Basile. “A fake letter is sent to the local paper, with the superintendent’s name and a number they once had — and may still have — across the top of the letter. And this is ignored by the board?”

Another parent, Peggy Walker, wrote in a January 27 letter to the school board that “the board has the responsibility to address the ‘Pedro’ issue… surely it wouldn’t be too difficult to find out who the sender was. And if it was someone from the Adams family, this matter should be dealt with in the appropriate manner.”

No comment regarding an investigation has been forthcoming from Adams, the school board, or the sheriff’s department.

However, Cambria resident Lee Chamberlain asked The Cambrian’s editor, Bert Etling, “How’s the (Pedro) investigation going? When did you file a criminal report with the police?” And Etling responded in an email Tuesday: “I expect to hear more next week.”

CALIFORNIA PENAL CODE SECTION 538a:

“Every person who signs any letter addressed to a newspaper with the name of a person other than himself and sends such letter to the newspaper, or causes it to be sent to such newspaper, with intent to lead the newspaper to believe that such letter was written by the person whose name is signed thereto, is guilty of a misdemeanor.”


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Mesage to Board of Trustees: Megalomaniac on board.


QUOTING ARTICLE: “A laudatory letter from his bosses extolling the professional virtues of Coast Unified School District Superintendent Chris Adams was sent home with students last week, further fractioning a divided community and raising — once again — the mystery of Pedro Garcia.


Why do the Adamsites continue to stir this fetid pot of nepotism stew? What could they possibly have to gain?


Every time the scandal of greed and lies that now defines the Adams gets shoved to the back burner by other, more interesting stories, the Adams or their sycophants insist on setting it afire again.


Now, in what is the type of screwball ineptitude befitting a Lucy & Desi episode, Board of Trustees member Cindy Fratto–on letterhead bearing Adams’ name writes of the glories of all that is Chris Adams, insisting that ALL board members endorse her opinion.


If Fratto’s opinion is endorsed by all members of the Board of Trustees, that opinion would have been written on Board of Trustees’ letterhead AND signed by all of the board members.


And why would one person of the board take it upon themselves to issue an opinion, claiming it is the opinion of all board members? Why now? Why in the form of a letter sent home with the students?


Could it be that a REAL investigation–such as by the State Education Secretary–is on its way, and Fratto is desperately trying to paint her leige as being what he is not?


This is my bet: we can count the days until another Adams scandal hits the news.


Perhaps it is linked to an interesting coincidence: Yesterday’s LATimes published two articles on nepotism in local government agencies.


#1: ‘Political incest’ in Garden Grove?

Despite a large number of applicants and a city policy designed to limit nepotism, two people with family ties to the City Council were given seats on traffic and planning commissions.

(latimes.com/news/local/la-me-garden-grove-council-20120221,0,6107531.story

latimes.com)


#2: Burbank Leader (LATimes website)

Board working on nepotism policy


Civil service commission is fine-tuning new rules regarding hiring family members.

(burbankleader.com/news/tn-blr-0514-hiring,0,4704737.story)


Thanks Mary, but why dont we look a little closer to home! With the inexperienced asst. superintendent now in charge of the district financials, it’ll be no time before we get compared to Paso! We are going to hell in a handbasket and we have our board to thank for that! And how shall we show our appreciation back? I say BOYCOTT COOKIE CROCK and any other businesses the board is associated with! Maybe they’ll listen if we aim for their wallets instead of their ears!


I learned a concept from my mother when I was very young: “Vote with your pocketbook.”


For some of us, decisions we make about who and what we will support with our $$$ last a lifetime.


It was over 20 years ago when I learned that the owner of Domino’s Pizza was a big supporter of the religious right, as was the founder and leader of Amway.


It was no big deal to say no to Amway, never having been into the pyramid-scheme enterprises. But I loved Domino’s pizza, and that was harder to quit buying.


I still don’t either with my $$$, and I can’t imagine what it would take to convince me to ever support them in the future.


Yep, here we go again. This guy isn’t going anywhere any time soon. Would you? Making a ton of $$$, hiring your friends and family, unquestioning support from the board, benefits galore (in every sense of the word) and still no PhD. Where do I sign up?? Did anyone catch that the principal from the high school is going to be the new business manager? What are his qualifications? We get lovey dovey letters from the district, but NO ANSWERS!


Another government agency shovelling it under the rug… Business as usual for the kings (and queens) and to hell with the sefs, we only get to pay the bill. If the board accepts this as Ok, normal, acceptable, it says alot about the moral correctness and the great role models for our youth. And we wonder why the kids today are messed up!


“And if it was someone from the Adams family, this matter should be dealt with in the appropriate manner.”


It must have been crazy Uncle Fester.


If Adams was superintendent of a school district in Paso Robles, the Adams family member who would most appropriately deal with it would be Thing.


Thing Stutters

http://tinyurl.com/733cast