Mexican American Studies supporters cheat Burns of her legacy (updated)

The evidence being used to support the apotheosis of former TUSD Governing Board member Judy Burns is being challenged in an effort to secure a place on the TUSD Governing Board for Bruce Burke, her former arch enemy. Yesterday, on the Buckmaster radio show, Baja Arizona’s Paul Eckerstrom fought hard for Burke; Superintendent Pedicone’s preferred replacement, even going so far as to deny Burns her legacy.

In response to community leader Bruce Ash, Eckerstrom denied the involvement of Burns in the student takeover of the TUSD Governing Board meeting in April. In his effort to promote Burke, Eckerstrom stripped Burns of the credit for this action that gave her such a feeling of pride.

It is widely known that Judy Burns did not favor Bruce Burke at all. She took issue with his attempts to control fellow Board members’ governance by issuing Requests For Information on his colleagues’ emails. Their distrust and disrespect was almost always evident during Governing Board meetings. The only thing the two had in common was a desire to keep the hate-promoting Mexican American Studies (MAS) classes alive.

In the appeal by the district of SOPI Huppenthal’s determination that MAS classes violate the law, the involvement of Burns in, and support for, the takeover of the School Board meeting became an issue when an e-mail written by Burns calling the takeover “impressive” and Superintendent Pedicone’s e-mailed response that it was “unfortunate, the students were well meaning but manipulated by adults,” was offered into evidence.

Prior to public notice of Dr. Stegeman’s proposal to turn the classes into electives, Burns notified MAS director Sean Arce of the plan. She advised him through Facebook that they could not let Stegeman’s proposal happen. The rabid racist Raza blogger, David Abie Morales, otherwise known as the Three Sonorans wrote in response, “Our education is under attack, what do we do… FIGHT BACK!

It has been reported that Adelita Grijalva texted one of the organizers as to when the Executive Session was reaching a conclusion and when the takeover should begin. Rumors of the takeover had been widely known around the district in the days before the regularly scheduled Board meeting.

During the takeover, Judy Burns and Adelita Grijalva joined in the demonstration. They clapped and swayed with the music. Judy Burns raised her clenched fist in defiance for the cameras. One of the reasons Burns was so vocal about the Raza Studies classes, according to a district insider and close friend of Burns, was that Burns grew infatuated with the attention she received from the New York Times.

Burns also developed a loyalty to Curtis Acosta, one of the teacher spokespersons of SaveEthnicStudies, due to her belief that during a period where her son was having serious difficulties he was “saved” by Acosta.

Bruce Burke has been Superintendent Pedicone’s choice for the vacated Board seat from the first few minutes after Pedicone was notified of the death of Burns. The two of them, as well as a number of other district officials were attending a luncheon, when Pedicone received the news. Within minutes of the notification, Burke was asked if he was interested in the vacancy. Burke replied in the affirmative, and the selling of Burke began even before memorial arrangements for Mrs. Burns were made.

As an attorney, Burke understands how to intimidate other Board members through legal maneuvering such as the use of frivolous Requests For Information, and he has the training in “rubber stamp governance” provided by the Arizona School Board Association.

Any choice other than Burke will not guarantee Pedicone both the rubber stamp he needs for his own continuation as one of the worst superintendents in TUSD history and unquestioning support for the Mexican-American Studies classes.

From the Arizona Daily Independent: The TUSD Ethnic Studies Saga Continues: Judy Burns and her role in the exploitation of students

FACEBOOK

Hernán Jesús Mendoza: Brother its going down at CSI Sacramento! Day 3 of campus admin take over. April 15 at 7:29am

Melissa Bonillas: organize and moblize! April 15 at 8:44am

Joseph Arenas: Organized! Now what Jefe? April 15 at 11:43am

Jorge Paez: ORGANIZE NOW WHAT The trial of hb2281 where is it going down at and time jefe, digame porfavor Jefe? April 15 at 2:17pm

Joseph Arenas: Are you running for School Board in the next election Sean? April 17 at 7:42am

Sean Arce: Organize! April 15 at 2:20pm

Sean Arce: Backs Against the Wall… What we Gonna Do? April 18 at 11:35pm

Sean Arce: 1969 —> 2011 ??? TUSD Headquarters, 1010 E. 10th St., 1969 By: Sal Baldenegro
April 18 at 11:30pm

RECENT ACTIVITY
Sean and Judy Burns are now friends.

Joel Garcia: knock down all wall April 19 at 12:09am

Lorena Howard: come out swingin’ hermano April 19 at 12:37am

Georgia Mitchell: regroup April 19 at 3:30am

Cam Juarez: time to kick some nalgas April 19 at 6:51am

Miguel Ortega: ORGANIZE and MOBILIZE! April 19 at 7:22am

Judy Burns: Wait until you see what the board president has proposed for next Tuesday’s mtg. Can’t let it happen. April 19 at 8:06am

Judy Burns: Call me if you want more details 429-5151 April 19 at 11:24am

David Abie Morales: Our education is under attack, what do we do… FIGHT BACK! April 19 at 12:00pm

Arnold Xikano de Aztlan: Do what we have always done. Survive! April 19 at 4:09pm

Jorge Paez: FIGHT BACK FIGHT LIKE HELL!PRAY THEBN FIGHT LIKE gUERREROS WE ARE ! SWING PRAY FIGHT! SHOW THE STATS AT COURT THE TESTIMONIES SPEAK for themselves! April 19 at 10:54pm

Michael W Simpson: pastiche??? April 20 at 2:34am