The meeting came to order at 7:10 pm with an opening speech by the Mayor. The packed gallery of eclectic citizenry sat in rapt attention as the 15 member committee began their introductions.
The initial meeting role call is as follows:
Tim Kelly, Altadena Town Council
Connie Rey Castro, President, Board of Trustees, Pasadena City College
Representative from Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich's Office
Susanna Miele, Board of Trustees, Pasadena City College
Renatta Cooper, Board Member; Pasadena Unified School District
15th member added after a discussion: Ed Honowitz, Board Member; Pasadena Unified School District
Esteban "Steve" Lizardo, President; Pasadena Unified School District
Mayor Bill Bogaard
Janet Pope-Given, Public Information Office, Pasadena Police Department
Representative from Assemblymember Anthony Portantino's Office
Pastor Jean Burch, Community Baptist Church
Representative from State Senator Jack Scott's Office
Councilmember Jacque Robinson
Councilmember Victor Gordo
Councilmember Steve Madison
Okay, forget this boring AP style (as in Associated Press not Aaron Proctor). Here's the straight poop on the H to the how and W to the what happened:
An L.A. County Deputy District Attorney read through the instructions and details of The Ralph M. Brown Act. It has lots and lots of pages. Madison and Gordo looked perplexed trying to locate pages 70 and 72, as the DA instructed. The DA warned committee members against emailing, or even talking to each other about this outside of the scheduled meeting. It sounds like being on a jury panel during deliberations.
Aaron Proctor was in the gallery with his video camera capturing all kinds of little things. In an effort to provide clarity to what might appear to be confusion, Mr. Madison offered to the committee the important knowledge that he was a prosecutor (mentioned "prosecutor" 3 times in .5 sec.) but was never assigned to street crime. He later cited a section number of The Brown Act by memory for the Mayor, saying that the council uses it all the time, and that he himself is intimately familiar with it.
And so go the dais of our lives.
Item #3 on the agenda was determining a number for a quorum. They decided on 6. The Mayor said it's usually a majority of 7 but he thinks the committee will shrink (absences) so, 6 it is.
Item #4 was the election of a vice-chair. Councilmember Madison requested there be two vice-chairs (anticipating absences). He nominated PUSD President Steve Lizardo and Councilmember Jacque Robinson. Gordo seconded.
Item #5 was a discussion about where to have the meetings. They decided to have it at different locations around the city. Locations at park buildings and schools were favorable. No decision had been reached by 9:10 p.m. (when your reporter left the building feeling like walleyed pike) I hope they remember to tell us where they are meeting.
The committee brought up the question of how they were going to engage the population in need of current programs. How do they reach the kids that are at risk for gang involvement?
It was suggested to have one of the monthly meetings on a Saturday morning, when kids hang around parks. Then the committee could jump out of the bushes, and have an intervention. Oh strike that last sentence-it's been a long night.
Mr. Madison blurted out that some of the shooters in gangs are only 11 years old. *
(crickets)
We need a REPORT!
The Mayor suddenly announced Pasadena Police Chief Bernard Melekian. The chief reiterated that Pasadena is not in a crime wave. There had been a shift in the types of crime starting sometime last year; eleven murders, retaliatory in nature and not random acts. He mentioned the shooting death of Ebony Huel, an innocent bystander murdered.
The chief said they had instituted a thing called "OPERATION SAFE CITY." The mission: to pick up fugitives, and problem parolees. He said they made 85 felony arrests.
The police department has evidently received a vast amount of feedback from the community, as to what people want. He said, that for youth the desire for more programs and exposure to art and music were favored over computers and sports activities. (yearning for culture?)
Then he introduced Officer Lisa Perrine, who will be a rep from the department (including PIO Pope-Givens) attending future ad hoc committee meetings.
Mr. Gordo asked if the committee could see profiles of known gang members that are in the justice system. You know, compare and contrast. How did they go wrong? Let's save the world.
Mr. Kelly asked if the crime in Altadena was the same as the crime in Pasadena. The chief said, yes. The chief mentioned that Supervisor Antonovich had funded a crime program for both areas and during that three year period there were no homicides. (ca-ching)
Chief Melekian says we should care about attending to the good kids. The ones that are doing the right thing (and he didn't mention God, for once).
Item#6 Review of the committee charge. In other words, what are they supposed to accomplish at the end of this 6 month period? PUSD Ed Honowitz, PCC Connie Castro, and PCC Sue Miele were lively in their questioning and comments. Their main concern was educating youth. Isn't that a surprising fact? Training. The gap between skilled/educated labor and the dwindling entry level opportunities for the unskilled/uneducated. Stunning new ideas. Uncensored. (spank me I'm a smartass dropout)
The Public Health Model as part of redevelopment was mentioned. It's main focus being that of prevention and intervention. Some think this model appeals to those that believe any kids, youth, young adults that are put in jail, should stay there and rot in jail. See what happened to me? I disintegrated.
Mr. Gordo spoke at great length propitiously interrupted, after some time, by Pastor Burch. She made the point that violence is a mental health issue, and that ought to be included in the discovery of the problem.
The district attorney's office provided the committee with a list of non-profit agencies and programs. But the feedback from the committee on this was that it was incomplete. Renatta Cooper said, the youth club (a nonprofit) where Ebony Huel attended was not on the list. Then, when on to say that the main priority of the committee should be to determine the unmet need in the community.
Tim Kelly received a loud cheer from a corner of the gallery when he beseeches the committee to not miss the forest for the trees. The list he said, was a list of trees and a look at the big picture was important to keep in focus.
Some really excellent public comments and submissions to the committee were heard.
Tony Massengale, Senior Consultant, L.A. County Human Relations Commission, submitted some documents explaining his work and that of L.A. County.
*Mr. Massengale said that only 5% of all gang members are shooters, and there are a lot of misconceptions in need of address.
Najeeba Syeed-Miller, JD - Executive Director of the Western Justice Center, once again offered her support and told of a research document that she would soon make available to the committee.
The next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 18, 2007.
A presentation from Fuller Seminary is expected.
- Miss H
UPDATE: 10-5-07
Questions to ponder-
1) What does Chief Melekian mean by "good kids"?
Kids that have never been in trouble in any way?
Would that include kids that have been caught tagging?
Kids expelled for having a perscription drug-not theirs?
Kids that reject religious practices?
What exactly defines a "good kid" from a law enforcement perspective?
What constitutes a bad seed from a pedagogic perspective?
Why the label?
2) How is the committee going to address bias in our justice system, and in our school system?
3) Oct. 2, 2007, Tuesday, Bethel Missionary Baptist Church hosted a community meeting to address youth violence and gangs. This group plans to meet every Tuesday night from 6-7:30 p.m. - (Star News)
Update: 10/6/07
More to ponder:
4) Outsiders may think by reading this report that we are a city of idiots. This is not the case. We are a city of innovative thinkers despite the fact that we paid $5,000,000. to pretend that sex doesn't exist in our world.
Speaking of back to basics, there are only two things that motivate a healthy living creature:
a) Sustenance.
b) Sex, ie. How to get busy. (Planned Parenthood?)
Is the sexual component going to be addressed by this committee? (not the components under my bed)
c) Who on the committee has the expertise? Don't we all? (Where are all the private schools?)
d) Am I a pervert for even bringing this up? (and not you)
Carry on.
27 comments:
Not one of the folks on the YAC can make anything happen.
It's not so bad as the Water Department guy recommending rain, but it's pretty close.
D.
Thanks to Miss H. for the report btw.
D.
Awesome review.
I did a mini-review as well.
Au contraire. I met a guy in the back row of the meeting who whittled the committee down to four--Tim Kelly, Sue Miele, Renatta Cooper and Bill Bogaard.
I was a fan of Tim Kelly when he spoke about the forest, but quickly fell off the wagon train when he suggested hiring a consultant to sift through the mountains of information available.
The committee needs to do its own homework.
Tim Kelly speaks very well.
And I think I can do a good vocal impression of Ed Honowitz.
I think City Council should offer stuff like pizza and soft drinks - more people from the community would show up.
Or maybe open a bar in City Hall and show the meetings!!!
Did Tim Kelly offer up Altadena $$$ to pay his consultant? No? What a surprise.
Renatta Cooper looks impressive. That's it so far... she looks impressive. She's just another do-nothing leech on the school board with Honowitz and Lizardo.
PCC people are useless ACT political hacks and shameless bottom feeders.
Bogaard? How impressive can he be when all he does is keep his mouth shut amid a group of talkative, self-promoting fools?
Mike
Yesterday was Day 1 of the Madison 2011 Mayoral campaign.
I wish I could punch him in the face and not get in trouble for it.
YW, D. It was vetty hard to pay attention, my ADD was flairing up.
At one point, I think it was while Gordo or Madison were talking I took a long trip in my mind to a lovely white sand beach, blue water, sea turtles... no cars
no drive-thrus...
Have a great weekend.
Fuller Seminary is presenting?
Sock On Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John?
The YAC can't really do much about the problem. Youth violence is the symptom not the disease. In the interim I have devised my own three point plan. 1. Go to School 2. Do your homework 3. Go to bed.
I love the YAC's 3,618 point plan.
To learn how Juan Casimiro can bring value-added youth development programs to your community, please read below for some background.
Juan P. Casimiro is the former Executive Vice President of EDGE, an entrepreneurship education and development company. Prior to co-managing and growing EDGE he was New York City’s Board of Education’s Community School District Six Entrepreneurship Director, where Casimiro was responsible for co-managing the Business Studies Academy at Salomé Ureña Public School. Mr. Casimiro has educated thousands of Afro-Caribbean, Latino, Asian and European students with diverse backgrounds, including those coming from wealthy and economically challenged and at-risk communities.
His interest and commitment to teaching financial literacy and entrepreneurship, dates back to 1988, when he taught at Jane Addams Vocational High School in the South Bronx, NY. Since then, he has taught more than 100,000 students, educators, CBO/NGO staff, administrators and adults throughout world including the USA, Europe, Latin America, Asia and the Caribbean. Casimiro created several student-operated school retail stores, administered and conducted hundreds of entrepreneurship courses, workshops, business camps, and conferences at leading Business Schools and universities. Some of these institutions include: Harvard University, Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, New York University, University of Southern California, Berkley, University of Puerto Rico, University of Miami, ITESM (Mexico), and PUCMM (Dominican Republic), Nanyang Polytecnic, Singapore to name a few.
In addition to the example he sets with his own successes as an educator, entrepreneur and mentor to hundreds of his students, Mr. Casimiro is President and Co-Founder of Insight, LLC, an entrepreneurship, financial literacy and leadership training company. He is also the founder of CASMAR, Inc., a small business and economic development company focused on Afro-Caribbean, cultural and diversity training for adults. Mr. Casimiro is the Founder and CEO of the Casimiro Foundation, an organization dedicated to the advancement of Afro Caribbean and Latino youth. Some of the foundation’s programs include: the Youth Chamber of Commerce, college scholarships for economically challenged students in the Caribbean and in emerging markets throughout the world. Additionally, the foundation works to support community building and strategic planning leading to sustainability for displaced people. Casimiro Foundation also offers book scholarships, mentorship, and a Social Enterprise—Seed Capital Fund.
A phishing, spamming, self-promoting non profit leech? See above.
Who else is out there wanting to profit from our community ills?
I gotta agree youth violence is a symptom. A couple of other points to the plan:
4.) Economy that provides jobs. 5.) PUSD that really educates junior high and high school kids so they can get these jobs or go to college.
D.
4.) Economy that provides jobs.--- A little out of the scope of PUSD's Mandate. And another thing...I googled Juan P. Casimiro and the site is incomprehensible. I suspect the punchline is he wants public funding for something called the youth chamber of commerce.
Why was Ed Honowitz added at the last second?
Probably because he is running for re-election and is trying to pack his resume.
Why aren't representatives from the private school community on the Committee?
The Committee claims its about youth development and violence protection. Don't children in private schools get any youth development and violence prevention consideration?
Why isn't anyone from the small business community on the Ad Hoc Committee? They are the first employers that our youth will come in contact with and can help to provide them jobs as a diversion to the temptation of the streets. I would like to see as many small business people on board as there are politicians. At the very least one small business person with experience in hiring youth.
I love how people are posturing on this committee for re-election.
- AP
They're posturing because it's all about them and not about the youth. I guess it's fair to say that some are posturing for a mayoral run.
---------The Committee claims its about youth development and violence protection. Don't children in private schools get any youth development and violence prevention consideration?--------- When was the last time a kid in a private school got shot? Or "SOM"ed.
Sock On Math?
The last time I heard of a private school (Maranatha HS) kid being shot, he was attending a Blair HS party. In the wrong place at the wrong time...
My experience as both a public and private school parent, is that there seems to be a higher percentage of private school parents investing time in their children. In my opinion this is defined as sitting down as a family for dinner as much as possible, accountability for homework, grades, respect for instructors and fellow students, contributing to the family unit by performing chores, and parents being vigilent about who their children's friends are, and where they're going.
If little Johnny and Gina have learning challenges or mental disabilities, good parents knock themselves out to get their children help. Parents are their children's greatest advocate.
Simply put, parents need to parent. Everything else will follow.
Yes parents do need to parent and my wouldn't it be wonderful it were so simple. The biggest determinant of whether a child will become involved in anti social or criminal behavior is their peer group. If their peers are little thugs, then it ends up not mattering so much what I do. And even great parents who cannot find consistent and reliable help at a school (like a teacher who has been there more than a minute) are out o' luck. Not everyone can buy their way out of this awful district.
I will repeat myself. I am a parent of PUBLIC and private school children in Pasadena.One is currently in a PUSD middle school, the other two attended at least K-6. One of them, currently in private school has a learning difference and bipolar disorder. This child attended PUSD schools K-8. She had the choice between hanging out with losers (gang types or druggies, plentiful in both schools she attended) or students that made good decisions. Thankfully, she chose to make friends with students that did their homework, and behaved themselves in the classroom.
I am hard pressed to believe that every student in your PUSD school is a thug. Your child has a choice between seeking out thugs or students that behave themselves. This teaching comes from you, the parent. The longer you feed the victimization of your child, and blame the teachers, the longer you and your child will suffer. You do have a choice, and it does matter what you do!!
If you think the teachers are horrible, your time would be well spent finding tutoring assistance (CORAL has free assistance from what I've heard). If your child has learning challenges, there are laws in place that require the school district to test and give your child the special assistance he needs. Have you explored this avenue?
Blame solves nothing. Be proactive, advocate for your child, be involved in your school (studies show that the more involved the parent is in the school the more successful the students are), and know who your child spends time with in and out of school by making them accountable to you. YOUR INVOLVMENT in your child's life is what will make the difference.
And the legislative, policy decision that mandates good parenting is?
There are any number of places to look for indicators of a child's success:There are the 40 developmental assets, the seven indicators of student success and a host of other similar lists.
What I haven't seen is an effective way for a government to force parents to do a good job. To me, saying good parenting is the answer may be true, but it doesn't really advance a solution.
I don't think throwing money at the problem will lead to a solution, just as throwing money at PUSD won't solve their problems.
What can the city government, the PUSD, Altadena Town Council, Supervisor Antonovich, LA County, PCC and others do to effectively stop the youth violence? Isn't that the question to be answered.
Paul - the real one, not the pretender(s)
ps. My kids have PUSD (through 8th grade) and private (high school) experience, if that matters.
There is much more to this than school, homelife, and religion.
Did you hear the chief mention the community feedback on the desires of youth? Music and art.
Expression.
What does school, homelife, and religion have in common? Lack of freedom of expression, judgement, etc.
That travels cross all economic levels, and ethnicities. I think it's worth looking at, especially in our current world when we are as a species in a process of mutation. We are fortunate to have many resources in arts and music in this town. We should not overlook the obvious.
Dear Mr. Parent, congratulations on working hard at what you have done for your kids. You have every right to be proud. But some of it is luck that others did not have. Some of it is resources that others do not have. Some of the schools and some of the classrooms suck and all the good parenting in the world cannot change that. Be glad that your kids were not stuck in that type of situation with no recourse. And if you think that everyone has an equal chance, well, they do not. Some things good parenting cannot change. Humbly thank the good Lord, or your higher power, for the gifts. Parenting did not do it alone.
Mr. Proctor, you need to add your name to your City Manager idol.
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