[Unregistered]

Los Gatos has the residency requirements posted here and it also says they investigate as needed to avoid making a mistake about it: http://www.lgusd.k12.ca.us/registration/residency.php

Mary, even though there is this policy in place now, you still only have to provide documentation once, and you're in until 8th grade. Our district has not done enough to discourage cheaters, or go after all the ones reported. Why they went after this one, could be the 504 issues, could be something else, we will never know. I just wish our district would pursue ALL reports of residency cheating, publicly, to make the future ones think twice. Each parent who knows of these cases should report them, our district simply cannot afford to provide for children who don't live here legally.

[Unregistered]

Let's be honest here....the poor kids were just used as props to set up the lawsuit we all know is coming.....

[Unregistered]

2 things: What are odds of all kids in one family having the same allergies (non hereditary --- like nuts)? Seems suspect. Hmm...and can anyone comment on Munchausen syndrome? Anyway, all boils down to residency. If you do not LIVE here in the boundaries of Los Gatos Unified, you SHOULD NOT go to school here. Shame on all of you (and there are a lot of you) that feel entitled to do that. Not if you live 1 block from the border line, or a mile from the border, or you lived here once, or you work here...blah blah blah. You don't LIVE here NOW and do not pay property tax, please go to your own PUBLIC school.

[Unregistered]

i just hope that these poor girls don't get trained to be so paranoid and selfish.

[Carol T.]

I attended a meeting today where it was confirmed that this is a residency issue plain and simple. Diana temporarily has allowed the girls to return to Van Meter pending receipt of appropriate paperwork. The statement she read was approved by legal counsel that the family provided first one address and is now attempting to set up residency using another address. The first address was fictitious. If I am recollecting properly, Diana said she and Marla Rodriguez had spent 5 to 6 weeks on the district investigation and it was absolutely not about nut allergies ... the family is using this as a red herring while they attempt to get their paperwork in place and have found a reporter who wants to make a name for themselves with this story. Family has until next Wednesday to get all of their paperwork in or they will be leaving again.

[Unregistered]

I am suspicious given that they've been residents since August 1 but had PG&E bills and doctors bills to use for registration on August 20.

[Mary B]

I think we're all developing allergies to "nuts" like Shuly but the district has brought this on themselves for not having an appropriate policy in place which gives this freakshow a degree of credibility they would not otherwise be entitled to. I agree that diana should kick them out but she should also be working on getting the proper written guidelines in place.

Per my note yesterday, Los Gatos does have proper written guidelines in place regarding residency requirements and they're posted on the school district website. I read them and they're pretty specific. That said, people can claim or say whatever they want to the media -- but that doesn't mean that's what this issue is about. And they can also challenge whatever rules the district has in place about residency. Not much you can do about that either. However, if you can figure out a way to stop "freakshows" and people trying to use the media to get what they want, that would be amazing. I'm not holding my breath though.

[Unregistered]

I attended a meeting today where it was confirmed that this is a residency issue plain and simple. Diana temporarily has allowed the girls to return to Van Meter pending receipt of appropriate paperwork. The statement she read was approved by legal counsel that the family provided first one address and is now attempting to set up residency using another address. The first address was fictitious. If I am recollecting properly, Diana said she and Marla Rodriguez had spent 5 to 6 weeks on the district investigation and it was absolutely not about nut allergies ... the family is using this as a red herring while they attempt to get their paperwork in place and have found a reporter who wants to make a name for themselves with this story. Family has until next Wednesday to get all of their paperwork in or they will be leaving again.

Thanks so much for going to the meeting and getting the right information. It sounds like Diana is doing everything legally to avoid a lawsuit. Good.

[madhaus]

2 things: What are odds of all kids in one family having the same allergies (non hereditary --- like nuts)? Seems suspect. Hmm...and can anyone comment on Munchausen syndrome? Anyway, all boils down to residency...

I'm not so sure nut allergies aren't hereditary and am curious you'd make that claim. I know a family with four children, all four have nut allergies, two of them have such severe allergies to many foods to the point they don't eat anything not prepared at home.

I've met several "allergy moms," and some of them expect the entire school to ban huge categories of food. Fortunately, most of them are not this confrontational. And to be fair, I've met plenty of parents who don't get how life-threatening allergies can be, to the point of emotionally arm-twisting kids with allergies to "try it, it won't hurt you" when the kid explains s/he shouldn't eat foods with unknown ingredients.

Thanks for the great story, Kir, we'll be covering it on Burbed, either tomorrow or Sunday.

[Unregistered]

You guys I think dont know what you are talking about. People with serious allergies can go into shock if they brush by another kid who had nuts for lunch. Many other districts have a nut policy because of this fact. Yes there are some people who exaggerate their allergies. I know happen to know this family and know this is not an exaggeration.

[Unregistered]

LGUSD has never had as much bad press and poorly managed issues until Diana Abbatti showed up in town. Even FCMAT didn't put our schools in the press as much and it was a really serious issue.

[Unregistered]

Just a couple of interesting tidbits. Shuly Edwards was a school principle at a Hebrew school a few years back. She also was planning on opening up a "Allergy friendly" bakery in the Los Gatos/Campbell area.

[Unregistered]

The issue is residency. Since when is "Dr's Bill" a proof of residency as they showed on NBC news? You can write anything down on those forms. Ridiculous. We had to show tax forms and months of utility bills. Sticking with the residency issue, they should have enrollment revoked...the end. And, sorry, they should not be allowed to keep attending until the "Find residency"...who get's to do that? That just makes a mockery of everyone who follows the rules. People can't even remodel a house they OWN and live out of the district temporarily during the remodel and maintain residency. If in fact there was a fraud committed with a previous, they should be denied access forever! Wasn't there a Mom prosecuted in Massachusetts for lying to get her kids in a neighboring school district??

[Anonymous too]

The issue is residency. Since when is "Dr's Bill" a proof of residency as they showed on NBC news? You can write anything down on those forms. Ridiculous. We had to show tax forms and months of utility bills. Sticking with the residency issue, they should have enrollment revoked...the end. And, sorry, they should not be allowed to keep attending until the "Find residency"...who get's to do that? That just makes a mockery of everyone who follows the rules. People can't even remodel a house they OWN and live out of the district temporarily during the remodel and maintain residency. If in fact there was a fraud committed with a previous, they should be denied access forever! Wasn't there a Mom prosecuted in Massachusetts for lying to get her kids in a neighboring school district??

We do not have enough information to state anything more than opinion. NBC showed what the family provided to NBC, Diana showed nothing and then permitted them back in. With what information I have seen, it does not appear to be a residency case or it would have been the end. And if they do prove to be residence, I'm going to be upset with all the money spent - and there might be more money lost with the family filing suit.

[Unregistered]

The issue is residency. Since when is "Dr's Bill" a proof of residency as they showed on NBC news? You can write anything down on those forms. Ridiculous.

I agree it's ridiculous, but Dr bills are listed on the district website (they were yesterday anyway) as a valid document for residency in LGUSD. It's the policy that is ridiculous, if they allow Dr bills and that's what she used, she's technically following the rules as posted. No foul there.

[Unregistered]

Since today was the deadline for residency paperwork, I'm wondering if anyone has an update?

[Unregistered]

sometimes you fell like a nut. sometimes you feel like a nutsack.

[Unregistered]

I saw Shuly Edwards at Van Meter today, so I guess it remains to be seen what the ruckus is about. If it was pure residency, then why are they not gone?

[not surprised]

Guess once again our superintendent didn't have her facts correct and clearly must not have the legal standing to take action because in other cases the DO has gotten people out within a week of telling them. Something is a miss on this one.

[Unregistered]

Yes the family was there. I was extremely disappointed to see them blatantly defying the rules. probably has something to do with their threats of litigation. The superintendent does have the facts straight about their false claims of residency. They are proven liars, forgers, and for sOme reason given time to look for a home. How's that going to work when everyone catches wind of the fact that you can attend our schools while "looking" for a house in Los Gatos?? Shameful. I'd like to see the District stick to their guns, kick them out permanently. Why aren't more people disgusted by these people? If everyone who cheated the system were gone, who knows, we might be back to small class sizes and a less dire financial situation. Get mad people!!!