RE: Public Safety Berkeley District 1: Action Item for City Council

[Charis Kaskiris]

Hello Linda,

Thank you for getting back to me. It is unfortunate that Nicole had to go through an article in the press to locate the e-mail in the first place.  I am cc:ing the bas-accountable group as it has been privy to the original letter. My letter was never send to BUSD; just to you.

 

I do understand that City Council does not have jurisdiction over educational matters however as I stated in my letter I believe this is an issue that will impact the tax-base (it is a taxation and discrimination issue) of the city in which case I feel it is under the jurisdiction of the City Council. The more I look into the data the more I am convinced that BAS alone has already impacted this neighborhood in a negative manner. To this day the suitability of its current location was never evaluated. I intend to do so and demonstrate its impact on our neighborhood.

 

Regards,

 

Charis Kaskiris

 

From: Maio, Linda [mailto:LM...@ci.berkeley.ca.us]
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2011 3:22 PM
To: cha...@kaskiris.com
Subject: Public Safety Berkeley District 1: Action Item for City Council

 

 

 

Dear Mr. Kaskiris, I read over your email to the School Board and understand your concern about neighborhood safety.  I have raised the issue of neighborhood concern several times with staff and board members, both at the Berkeley district office and with the County board.  I have also raised concern about the space that is proposed for the Community School.  It is less than ideal.  I have received comments from neighbors like yourself and from those who are not opposed.  As you are aware, this is not matter the City Council has jurisdiction over.  Linda Maio

 

[Heather Wood]

Ms. Maio: The decision may not rest in the City Council's hands, however, you could be more proactive in advocating for your District's concerns. Obviously, you don't need to advocate for those who are not opposed -- but you are still required to advocate on behalf of those of us who are opposed. Either way, your concerns -- at least those which we have seen -- have been far more concerned with the quality of education for these students (which you yourself admit has nothing to do with you) than you have the concerns of the neighborhood.  

Your questions about community safety and neighbor's concerned have been secondary to your concerns about quality of education. For the record, I agree with you in that the classroom is not suitable for what has been (vaguely) proposed, but that has nothing to do with whether or not this program is suitable for all concerned -- in particular -- your constituents. 

If, as you state, you are an 'educator' perhaps you should be sitting on the School Board, and not trying to overtake the longevity of Betty Olds and Maudelle Shirek on the City Council.

Thank you for your concern.

-Heather Wood

--
Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others - Groucho Marx

[Charis Kaskiris]

Councilmember Maio,

In your response to Erika Kemp (http://berkeleyadultschoolneighbors.com/2011/06/07/letter-from-linda-maio-stating-her-position-on-the-community-school-at-the-bas) you have stated the following:

 

“I realize that some neighbors feel quite threatened by the up to 15 students who may be spending their days at the CS if it is approved. It has not been proven to me how real that threat is, but I respect the worry and concern that some neighbors feel.”

 

I challenge you to prove the counterfactual. Prove to me that these kids once they are located at BAS will not commit crimes against neighbors. I have not seen any analysis, studies, or data from you or your office that proves that these kids will not commit crimes once located here. This is not an educational issue of some student who does not live in your district. This is a crime risk problem that directly impacts your constituents that you have been entrusted to represent.

 

Respectfully,

 

Charis Kaskiris

This message will be posted on berkeleyadultschoolneighbors.com

[Charis Kaskiris]

Hello Ms Maio,

I am puzzled by your response. It seems you are operating under double standards. By your logic it is also impossible to prove that you will get cancer or not hit by a car. Under this logic nothing can be proven to you; a cop-out mechanism for you not to reveal how you came to the conclusion you stated to Erika. This approach is unacceptable. Your faulty logic impacts my family’s, Erika’s family, Heather’s family, Brad Smith’s family, my neighbors’ families in ways that you most obviously do not seem to comprehend.

 

Obviously my question was a risk related question. The counterfactual risk is 1 – the risk of the event you expect to happen. You can go ahead and show us your work on the risk of crime that you claim was not proven to you.

 

In my professional life I am director of analytics – everything we make decisions on is based on data, analysis, risk assessment. If I am trying to build something new we always make a risk assessment in the design phase and once implemented we assess it and monitor it until it is proven to work or shut down. I have worked on accounting fraud, designed missions operations through operational risk management, health-care modeling of readmissions based on health behavioral risk, and a while back on juvenile delinquency.  

 

When I look at the following risk factors:

·         Expelled students are expelled for criminal activity not educational incompetency.

·         The seriousness of their offenses:

o   Possession of firearms

o   Possession of stolen firearms (they are under 18 they cannot legally own a gun)

o   Theft

o   Drugs possession and/or distribution

·         Chief Meehan’s assessment that the highest priority for the BUSD is to turn BHS into a closed campus to alleviate juvenile crime perpetrated on the neighbors of the BHS campus

·         Chief Meehan’s admission that juveniles studying at BHS are a major cause of crime on the neighborhoods in the vicinity of their school campuses

·         We provided data regarding the crime rates around both BUSD campuses reinforcing Chief Meehan’s assessment.

·         Berkeley Police’s indication that two groups of 5 juveniles have committed over 40 burglaries in neighboring areas

·         BUSD’s inability to think on how their decisions impact communities

·         Case in point, BUSD NEVER bothered to assess the impact of BAS on our neighborhood even though our neighbors’ experience has been one of burglary, theft, auto burglaries, vandalism, drug violations and exorbitant amount of disturbances. The reported property crime went up by 15% as indicated in the data we have provided you.

·         BUSD and ACOE has not provided a plan yet

 

When you look at all these factors you claim there is no evidence of RISK of crime by these students. I challenge you again to provide us with your assessment.

 

Regards,

 

Charis Kaskiris

 

From: Maio, Linda [mailto:LM...@ci.berkeley.ca.us]
Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2011 12:17 PM
To: cha...@kaskiris.com
Subject: Public Safety Berkeley District 1: Action Item for City Council

 

 

Dear Mr. Kaskiris, It is impossible to prove that something cannot happen.  Can I prove that I won't get cancer or hit by a car.  Think not.   Linda Maio

[Charis Kaskiris]

According to Sheila Jordan the plan is prepared AFTER it is approved (http://vimeo.com/23923301) so that will not work because by then it will be too late.

 

My question to you remains how you came to the conclusion that these kids do not pose a crime threat to the neighbors and even in light of the risk factors we have presented to you. We all want to hear your logic and be presented by your evidence.

 

Given that this is an agenda item on June 22, 2011 I would expect an answer from you before that.

 

After all in your letter to the BUSD you did say: “… I am well acquainted with the neighborhood issues regarding locating the proposed Community School at that site, largely regarding safety. While we continue to look into that issue…”

 

Would be great if you also provided us with what are you still looking into.

 

Charis Kaskiris

 

From: Maio, Linda [mailto:LM...@ci.berkeley.ca.us]
Sent: Friday, June 10, 2011 8:48 AM
To: cha...@kaskiris.com
Subject: RE: Public Safety Berkeley District 1: Action Item for City Council

 

Then, isn’t it best to wait for their plan? 

Linda Maio

[Charis Kaskiris]

Linda,

You state that you are waiting for the Chief’s assessment of the risk. Yet you did previously state that “It has not been proven to me how real that threat is…” when you sent your response to Erika. You did not say you are waiting for the Chief’s assessment; you said you did not see “proof” of how real the threat is. So did you make a assessment before the evidence was presented?

 

My original question is still unanswered. How did you come to the conclusion that there is no real threat? Do you still think there is no real threat?

 

I strongly suggest that the same way you have contacted BUSD regarding suitability that you demand a proper crime impact assessment (which needs to be circulated to us – after all we do have risk management and public policy expertise amongst us to properly evaluate it) before any decision is made. I do however agree with you that if the program quality is not high enough it will increase crime risk. Hence if no plan is ready by next week I believe it is fair to say that CDS will increase crime risk. If you are not willing to do so please let us know so we can find other avenues of approach.

 

Charis Kaskiris

 

From: Maio, Linda [mailto:LM...@ci.berkeley.ca.us]
Sent: Friday, June 10, 2011 12:44 PM
To: cha...@kaskiris.com
Subject: RE: Public Safety Berkeley District 1: Action Item for City Council

 

Charis,

The District has posed a number of questions they will be getting answers to.  With no place to go, and no guidance, these kids are more apt to be problematic to all of if they are not  in school.  That speaks to the quality of the program, then, which I have doubts about.  The Chief has been meeting with the District, and I have made inquiries about that with regard to the CS and want to know his assessment of the “risk.”.  Also, note the areas they are coming from.  Those from Albany and Emeryville will likely be using San Pablo bus system.  No BART access for them.  They can be directed west.  Piedmont students—who knows how they will get there.  It is an affluent community.  That leave some number, likely very small, of Berkeley students who may take the San Pablo bus, walk, and may walk near your house to get home.  Also note that any criminal behavior is dealt with through juvenile hall, not through the educational system.

[Charis Kaskiris]

Hello Ms Maio,

I would like to see and share with the rest of the neighbors the Chief’s response/report. Do you have a timeframe when it will be ready? In the meantime I am working with other organizations to collect and evaluate crime trends around BAS as well as identifying policy decisions that may have generated/exacerbated the crime problems in the first place.

 

Regarding the plan; have you seen it? Moot point now but still – there is no plan. A public records request to ACOE will exactly prove my point.

 

Looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Charis Kaskiris

 

From: Maio, Linda [mailto:LM...@ci.berkeley.ca.us]
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2011 3:13 PM
To: cha...@kaskiris.com
Subject: RE: Public Safety Berkeley District 1: Action Item for City Council

 

Mr. Kaskiris,

I want, for myself and to share, a true profile of the crime trends in the area around the Adult School, from the Chief.  I am also inquiring about your statement that the Plan comes after approval by BUSD, which seems counterintuitive.