But an investigation by The Coast News into the financial records of the Sonima Foundation reveal, among other things, a complex web of payments from the Sonima Foundation to the director of the USD center that conducted the survey, raising conflict of interest concerns among parents and experts.... and much, much more. Read the whole thing.
The Coast News also found that the very report the district has used to advance the yoga program calls into question its effectiveness, but that Baird, USD and the Sonima Foundation — which is primarily funded by several billionaire hedge fund investors — have highlighted only the positive aspects of the report.
In addition, Baird’s own daughter appears to have been employed by the Sonima Foundation at the height of the partnership, raising further concerns about the relationship between Baird and the foundation.
Sunday, June 26, 2016
Coast News explores Baird ties to yoga foundation, USD researcher
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Run the bum out of town!
ReplyDeleteFollow the money!!!
ReplyDeleteThen run the bum out of town!!!
A fish rots from the head first, Mr.Baird is the tip of the nose. What stinks?? This entire fiasco, keep digging and you might find the judge has some sort of connection to this also.
Baird needs to be fired or recalled - whatever works for that position. Looks like he thinks he can feather his own nest and that there will be no repercussions. He represents the reason people are revolting against governmental systems - he can't separate his personal interests from his authority.
ReplyDeleteBaird is doing ok...lives in a $1,600,000 manse in Encinitas Ranch with killer views.
DeleteAnd some people still think $10 million for the Pacific View site wasn't a Baird scam!
ReplyDeleteNot quite instant karma, but Bairds long overdue actions are finally coming home to roost. This goes for everyone on his amenable school board too, who have allowed he and themselves to operate without inside criticism, except from their disapproving public.
ReplyDeleteTheir intransigent selfish mismanagement should send them all out of here, but as there are only two new school board members this go around, it may take a couple of years to clean out this bunch of dinosaurs. Perhaps if Baird is fired, the process of cleaning out this school board could be accelerated, we may be able be rid of this group of intractable school board members. Karma is a beyatch EUSD and it can't come soon enough for this bunch.
I was disappointed to read, also in the Coast News, that the Yoga funding still will go through, although at about half the amount requested, originally, of $800,000 from the General Fund.
ReplyDeleteBaird is awful; the trustees can't see this; they're in denial because he is their puppet master, pulling their strings. I hope there are consequences, and that Baird can be ousted. He was brought in, I believe, to capitalize on surplus school sites, donated to the public. The "farm-lab" is spending far too much on administration, paying someone without farming expertise to manage it at over $100,000 per year, nearly $130K, as "fully loaded" (with benefits). The woman who administers the progam has experience as a grant writer, not as a farmer, or a teacher. And all the schools in the district have individual gardens.
Baird engineered himself and the other administrators a hefty pay raise, while parents are still being asked to raise money for school supplies, and science classes.
Baird's tactics are bogus. He is a bully, and so are members of the board, who are rude to public speakers. Come November, please don't vote for either of the two incumbent trustees.
Baird hopes this will blow over like his other "indiscretions." Apparently accountability is passé these days.
ReplyDeleteA full accounting by Baird is owed to this community. What kind of measures can parents and the community take, what tools are available?
ReplyDeleteI'd like to have Baird and his daughter spend every day of the rest of their lives selling Sally Foster wrapping paper to fund the reading, science, and PE programs at EUSD!
ReplyDelete