The sixth graders at Joan Mac Queen Middle School returned from camp at Cuyamaca this past Friday and 65 11-year-old girls were pretty upset. It seems that an employee (not a teacher) at the camp, on numerous occasions, made the girls sit in the East Wind dormitory while she lectured them on lesbianism. 
     She told them about her first lesbian kiss and her first lesbian experience. She told them that out of the 65 girls in the cabin at least 10 of them would grow up to be lesbians.
     Several parents called me to report this. According to one, several of the young girls asked her to change the subject. 
The counselor told them that they needed to hear this and that, if they mentioned it to anyone, she would either not allow them to shower or she would turn off the heat.
     As of this writing, I do not have many details on just who this employee was. I do know that she is 22 years old and her first name is Emily. Since this camp is run by the County Board of Education, I would imagine she is an employee of the board. I understand that she may have been discharged already.
     Her discharge does not change what happened to our students. I have to ask where our teachers were? Joan Mac Queen was collecting ADA funding during this week of camping and has primary responsibility for our children’s well being. In the future, 
     I believe that a teacher, not a county employee needs to oversee the living accommodations at the sixth grade camps.
To the credit of Ms. Katy Woodward, Joan Mac Queen’s principal, a letter was immediately sent out to each of the girls’ parents informing them of what had happened at the camp. She suggested that parents talk with their daughters and stated that she and/ or Jane Firth would be available for meetings.

Mark Price
     Mark Price, President of the Alpine School Board has been appointed co-chair of the Governors Coalition on Education. Sharing the duties here in San Diego County is Jim Kelly, President of the Grossmont Board.
The coalition is charged with the responsibility to look at our present education system and make recommendations as to how to improve the quality and resources that our students require. With both of these co-chairs coming from East County, we are well represented.
     Price stated that one of the areas that would be looked at was how to redistribute existing funds so that they are more effectively utilized. Possibly, more money will actually reach the classroom. Another area favored by the governor is a major thrust toward the creation of charter schools. This appears to me to be a win-win situation. We’ll be watching to see what conclusions the coalition presents to the governor.

Prop X and high school
     Prop X was defeated overwhelmingly in Santee. What does this mean to Alpine? Now that the developer has the approval of the Santee citizens to build around 1,500 new homes in the Fanita Ranch area, there may very well be a large influx of families with high school age children.
West Hills High School is close to capacity and Santana doesn’t have a lot of space currently available. Will this jeopardize plans for a high school in Alpine? 
     Remember back not so many years when there was talk about the Grossmont district building a high school here? Then along came major development in Jamul and we lost out when Steele Canyon was built. I spoke with Grossmont Board Member Priscilla Schreiber about this. She told me that Alpine remained on top of the list for the next school to be built. Schreiber said that she could not speak for the board, but felt that other board members would agree that Alpine’s time has come. I called Ms. Wills, Ron Nehring, Larry Urdahl and Jim Kelly for comments; however none had returned my call in time for publication.
     Dr. Terry Ryan, Grossmont’s superintendent was kind enough to call me back. He felt that Santana High School and West Hills High School should probably be able to handle additional students and that, at this time, no change in planning for a school for Alpine was contemplated.

     Chuck Taylor is an Alpine resident and former school board member. He may be reached by phone at 251-6998.

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