Quick update…we’ve just learned of an excellent article that is now on Alternet. It’s a great read.
Timothy Ritter, TVUSD Superintendent
Email: tritter@tvusd.k12.ca.us
Telephone: (951) 506-7904
Tim Ritter is one of three people within the Temecula Valley Unified School District (TVUSD) who were aware of the undercover police operation that occurred for several months on Temecula school campuses.
According to sworn testimony by TVUSD Director of Child Welfare and Attendance Michael Hubbard, Mr. Ritter is the person who authorized this operation.
In 2012, Mr. Ritter's salary was $183,508. In the 2011-2012 school year, under Mr. Ritter's stewardship, the district paid more than $500,000 in legal fees for special education legal related matters alone.
Michael Hubbard, TVUSD Director of Child Welfare and Attendance
Email: mhubbard@tvusd.k12.ca.us
Telephone:(951) 506-7983
Michael Hubbard is one of three people within the TVUSD who were aware of the undercover police operation that occurred for several months on Temecula school campuses.
Mr. Hubbard was in frequent communication with the law enforcement officials responsible for this operation, and provided personal information about our son to the law enforcement officials several weeks before our son’s arrest.
On Feb. 1, 2013, Mr. Hubbard directly engaged several readers of this site.
Robert Brown, TVUSD School Board member
Term Expires: December 2014
Email: bbrown@tvusd.k12.ca.us
Robert Brown is one of three people within the TVUSD who were aware of the undercover police operation that occurred for several months on Temecula school campuses.
At the time the operation was authorized, Mr. Brown was the TVUSD School Board President, and it has been reported to us by district officials that Mr. Brown did not notify any of the other TVUSD board members of the operation.
The Temecula Special Ed Scandal is a rapidly developing, expanding story, and we will keep you informed of the next developments as soon as we are able to share them.
With this story now getting coverage on a national level after being picked up by numerous sources, including ABC News, the Associated Press, and many more, it would stand to reason that the Robert Brown's fellow TVUSD board members would be concerned that their positions as TVUSD board members could be turning into a negative. And it would be not be unreasonable for them to be concerned that any new revelations which may be coming in the near future would only magnify that perception, and garner intensified public scrutiny. To draw a parallel, it may sound good on one's Curriculum vitae to have been a city council member, but it doesn't sound as good when one is a former city council member in the city of Bell, CA.
Despite what has been revealed so far, the district is giving the outward appearance of doubling down. While most of the staff at our son's school have been very supportive of him, the administration has continued to blatantly attempt to harass and intimidate our son and our family. Many of the methods in which this is being done are outlined in the Notice of Claim that we filed against the district, which will be revealed in the near future.
On March 8, 2013, our son prevailed against the Temecula Valley Unified School District in a due process hearing, and the judge ordered that he be returned to his High School, where he had been arrested, handcuffed and led away nearly three months earlier.
On Friday, March 15, our son returned to his school, vindicated.
On the same day he returned to school, the lead attorney who represented the Temecula Valley Unified School District in the due process hearing sent a letter to the TVUSD Board of Education members, asking them to postpone - not cancel - our son's expulsion hearing, which had been scheduled for March 22. The rationale, according to the letter, was that the District intended to appeal the judge's decision.
Last week, they actually filed the appeal. In order for the expulsion process to be revived against our son, the District would have to persuade a Federal Judge that the Administrative Law Judge abused its discretion when making its factual findings and legal conclusions on not just one, but both of the issues, which is quite ambitious and misguided.
But here's the kicker.
Even if an appeal were to be heard, our son will have graduated by that time, which would make expulsion irrelevant, and the District’s true motive questionable.
And here's the kicker, part deux.
They've served the appeal three times. Once to our son, once to my wife, and once to me, knowing that it will triple our fees for filing what should be a single response.
Here are ways you can help.
Contact elected officials, especially those of you who are in California. CommonCause.org has a good elected official finder. And by the way, TVUSD's address is 31350 Rancho Vista Road, Temecula, CA 92592.
Contact the other members of the TVUSD Board, and let them know about the damaging reputation they are gaining from the Temecula Special Ed Scandal.
Please donate to the E.A.S.E. Legal Fund. There are significant legal fees that have been spent to defend our son, and there will be additional legal fees incurred in the pursuit of justice for the him. This will help to defray these fees.
But the most important thing you can do, is continue to offer your moral support. This has been a bizarre journey which we never asked for. The various forms of positive communication we've received have meant more than you will ever know to all of our family, and especially to our son.
For reference
Our Autistic Son was Handcuffed and Arrested in School, We Were Not Notified
Our Autistic Son's Arrest in the Press, YOU got the District's Attention, They Freak Out
Undercover deputy targeted mentally disabled teen, parents say
Our Autistic Son's Arrest: The Judge Has Ruled, VICTORY!!!
Our Autistic Son's Arrest: We're Suing the Bastards
Our Autistic Son: Stunning Claim Alleges School Used 8th Grader as “Bait” in Secret Drug Sting