Divorce is a traumatic and difficult subject that many folks have to deal with in their lives. However, it is often the only path that can be taken when one spouse becomes abusive and deceitful to the other. There is no better metaphor than divorce to describe what must be done by the Alpine Union School District (AUSD) to escape the abusive and deceitful relationship it has with the (GUHSD).
The word “unification” is the euphemism that is used as the citizens of Alpine seek to secede from Grossmont. Like a divorce, unification can be a long, drawn out and bitter process in which the two parties contest custody over the students and how the “community” property should to be divided. But in the end, unification will provide Alpine with an independent K-12 school district and its fair share of GUHSD’s assets that will fund the construction of our long overdue high school.
Why are we seeking this divorce?
For over a decade Alpine has been promised a high school by GUHSD. With political and financial help from our community, GUHSD succeeded in passing two bond propositions that contained explicit commitments to build a 12th comprehensive high school to serve the “Alpine and Blossom Valley” communities.
On numerous occasions, members of the GUHSD Board promised to build the school and went so far as to approve purchasing the 93 acre Lazy A property (just east of Alberson’s) for the school site. GUHSD has now spent close to $20 Million of bond funds to acquire the site (including condemnation of homes on the site), obtain construction and environmental permits, and develop detailed architectural plans for the school.
Despite these commitments and expenditures of your tax dollars, last year a majority of the GUHSD Board decided to indefinitely suspended school construction. In the meantime, the District has spent millions of bond funds on numerous other projects, including some ‘pork barrel” projects that were never contemplated or specified in the bond propositions. It is clear that the current Board majority has no intention of ever building a high school in Alpine. To rectify this injustice and the misappropriation of your tax dollars, the citizens of Alpine have now turned toward unifying our school district and commencing the necessary petition process.
What can YOU do to help?
For unification to succeed we need support from the entire community and help from individuals, businesses and organizations. At the outset, learn as much as you can from the unification website – www.alpinehighschool.net . The site provides the history leading to the unification drive and other important information. It also provides information on the signature petition, how to gather signatures, and getting others involved and energized. Once we obtain about 2500 signatures then our “divorce” petition can be officially filed with the County and State Boards of Education.
We also encourage you to attend meetings of the Alpine High School Citizens Committee (AHSCC) which is spearheading the unification effort. Meeting dates will be regularly posted on the web site. The AHSCC will also sponsor community forums within Alpine to solicit your opinions and input.
Finally, you will have an opportunity to cast an important vote in November. Seeking re-election to the Grossmont Board are incumbents and Gary Woods. Ms. Schreiber has been an unwavering supporter for our high school and deserves your vote. The only other person on the ballot who can be relied on to support construction of our high school is Board candidate , a former chair of the AHSCC. On the other hand, incumbent has been an opponent of our high school and a pawn for the Board majority that has consistently lied to and betrayed Alpine. Woods needs to be thrown out of office and this is your chance to do so.
So please join me and all of your fellow citizens of Alpine in supporting unification, divorcing Grossmont, and getting the long overdue high school our kids deserve.
Sal Casamassima
Chair of the Alpine High School Citizens Committee
