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Speech disorder camp canceled after dispute with SLO County

March 5, 2015

img_1344A summer camp for Central Coast children with speech and language disorders has cancelled its 45th year of operation, following a dispute with the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education over a legal issue, according to a news release issued by a volunteer group that runs the camp.

Camp Hapitok is a four-week program for speech-impaired elementary school students that has partnered with the county for at least the past 40 years. The county provides funding for the camp, as well as a sleep-away facility at Rancho El Chorro Park.

County Superintendent James Bresica told KCBX that he was planning on renewing the annual agreement with Friends of Hapitok, and he asked his legal counsel to review the document. But, the attorney informed Bresica that the county, rather than the volunteer group, must operate the camp if the county is to keep funding the program and providing a location.

Friends of Hapitok President Marie Larsen said in the press release that the county informed the volunteer group of the situation in January. That did not leave enough time to make other arrangements, Larsen said.

“We are devastated,” Larsen said. “We have explored all avenues to find a solution, but we need an additional $80,000 that we can’t raise in time for summer.”

Campers are not currently charged to attend Hapitok. They are paired with teen volunteers, and they sleep four nights a week at the camp.


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How sad is this, another bureaucrat justifying their job at the expense of those who are the most vulnerable and easy targets. Barely monetary funds to even defend themselves. What a cowardly move. Hope you can sleep well tonight Mr. Brescia. I hope your family never needs help in hard times. You will find swallowing that bitter pill quite hard to choke down. JMO. Bless these people who continue to fight for these kids, They are true of our human kind.


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“the attorney informed Bresica that the county, rather than the volunteer group, must operate the camp if the county is to keep funding the program and providing a location.”


WHY?


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Because some lawyer said so, that’s why.


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Perhaps the most generous Mr. Ian Parkinson will step up and sell his new and unnecessary panga boat chaser and donate the proceeds to this noble cause.


IAN?


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hey….we need that boat to be cool….

typical Government: buy an unneeded boat or fancy hotel room and let you people you are elected to “serve” get their camp canceled!


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This is just a preview of things to come from the office of the superintendent. Obviously he’s more interested in his own welfare rather than those in need.

Throw out the book Dr. Bresica, grow some balls, and do what is right…KEEP THIS CAMP GOING!


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More of the same from the trough feeders.


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Don’t know the particulars, but sounds like CYA. CYA always trumps common sense, mathematical odds, helping the poor and defenseless, and above all, improving the education system. It has also caused our medical system to become unaffordable in the US, especially to the middle class.


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Dr. Brescia made a decision based on legal counsel, which has thus far been silent on the matter regarding the change in MOU with the Friends of Camp Hapitok. What exactly changed in the last month? Did nobody at the county’s legal office see this change coming? Was Dr. Crocker aware that these changes were coming? In essence, when and where did the ball get dropped?


It seems to me that when working with a group of volunteers (Friends of Camp Hapitok) who provide a program for students in need, that the county’s legal department *must* work to ensure that this program is protected. It is a sham that mistake of the magnitude has come about at such a late hour in the camp planning process.


The Friends of Camp Hapitok is working hard to make sure camp runs in 2016, but in the meantime we all need to keep an eye on the COE and their legal counsel.


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Nice work from the new Superintendent…working out just like the Bureaucrat who anointed him, King Crocker. Maybe if someone would have run against him, we would have found out what kind of human being he was…that comes out in an election. But the anointing did nothing to expose his character…only the 95 people in his district knew anything about him…the state of education is a joke.


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Just how many more examples do we need before people will slowly wake up from the Fog.

Government and the Bureaucracy that makes up ALL Government programs doesn’t give a rats ass about you, the children, the homeless, the battered woman, Nothing.

They care about the process, the paperwork, and their Jobs. If this example of SLO Government booting out special needs kids doesn’t wake people up nothing will.

This is Government at Normal and today you are seeing what the future holds for a people willing to place their trust in Government rather than themselves.


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amen brotha!


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