Wow! Wagner is at it again. So sad that she spends so much of her time vetoing this kind of thing. She really needs to get a life!

Shouldn't this decision be up to more than just one person, who obviously had no clue what this sport is about? Do we really need to protect high school students from bikinis?

MUSD is low on funds. Why is it only the decision of Linda Wagner and not any one else. Seems rather selfish to me!!!

A) What about the scantily dressed men? B) Clearly this woman has never walked on campus and seen how the girls dress these days. It's all about being sexy with push up bras and low cut blouses (why their mothers let them out of the house is beyond me).
C) Body building is not about sex and seduction. It's about muscle and fitness. The people who participate work hard to get into that kind of shape. It takes years of work and special diet to do it naturally.
Sorry Linda, your intentions are misguided. Maybe you should require Hi. School students to wear uniforms instead.

Body building is a sport and this event is "drug free", which sends a strong message to students and the population as a whole.
There are many misconceptions about body building and "scantily clad women" is one of them. Apologies are in order to our own Jennifer Wheelan and the other women that compete as members of Foothill Gym.
Bringing this annual competition to Monrovia High School and Monrovia would be a benefit all the way around. Positive publicity and much needed revenues to both MUSD and the City are just an example. I say that the Board should have a say in this decision.

Under California Law, anyone may require that this matter be placed on the School Boards Agenda and then it will be up to the MUSD Board to make this call, not the Superintendent.

Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code) Section 54950.

School Districts (Education Code) Section 35145.5.
It is the intent of the Legislature that members of the public be able to place matters directly related to school district business on the agenda of school district governing board meetings.

Actually, this is quite an opportunity for MUSD for some fund raising. Also, the groups on campus like Band, Sport Supporters, Theater and who knows what else could make a buck by hosting car washes or who knows what else during the event to capitalize on the traffic generated on campus as well.

It seems to me that Ms. Wagner is very mis-informed. Has she attended a High School Wrestling competition ? Aren't the outfits for this sport a little risque for the prunes of this world? Money raised for the school in this way beats Chuckie Cheese pizza any day.

Great timing Monrovia School Board Elections Nov. 8,2011 do you know who is running . What is the policy or procedure for booking events at the high school

Not only would this competition set a good example for high schoolers, but Brian Whelan's story is one of determination and hard work. Having spent 13 months in a wheelchair and then having to re-learn how to walk is an amazing example for anyone to face adversity and never give up. I can't imagine a better role model for high school kids. And on a side note, it's ridiculous to consider that a bodybuilding competition would be considered "sexual" in nature. It's a sport!

People, are we reading all the words here ?... This piece says that 1) Whelan said that 2) the promoter said that 3) Ms. Wagner said. That's THREE steps from the reputed source of the statement! Does that kind of hearsay, which wasn't verified, warrant this kind of outrage, regardless of what its about? 3rd-source "information" is usually considered "Gossip"... even in journalism. If I say my neighbor told me she heard the mayor say the world is ending, does that make it a newsworthy item? Or could it just be BS? In this case, its proving to be a VERY GOOD way for this body building event to get PR here in town. (Would most of us have known or cared about it, if not for this little 'she-said, they-said" item ?) Why don't we all wait for FACTS and direct-source reporting before assuming that the Superindendent (and not her assistant, for example, who returns many of the calls to MUSD, for example) spoke with the still un-named/unidentified promoter). I'd like to see some direct-surce reporting on this: Facts, please?

The items will be placed on the agenda for discussion during the meeting of October 26. See you all there.

From: Linda Wagner [mailto:lwagner@monrovia.k12.ca.us]
Sent: Friday, October 07, 2011 10:28 AM
To: Cyrus
Cc: Kris Mariconda
Subject: Re: Agenda Item for School Board

Thank you for your request. These items will be placed on the agenda for discussion during the meeting of October 26.

Linda Wagner
On Fri, Oct 7, 2011 at 8:51 AM, Cyrus <cyrus@cyruskemp.com> wrote:
Dear MUSD Board,

I am requesting that two items be placed on the next MUSD Board Agenda as provided for in the following citing.

Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code) Section 54950.

School Districts (Education Code) Section 35145.5.
It is the intent of the Legislature that members of the public be able to place matters directly related to school district business on the agenda of school district governing board meetings.

Items for regular MUSD Board Meeting:

1. Whether to allow the staging of the West Coast Classic Bodybuilding and Figure contest at MHS during next year's summer break.

2. Develop a clear policy for the types of events that may be held on school property.

Please inform me of the date of the meeting that will have these two items on its agenda.

Sincerely
Cyrus Kemp

Maybe in the downtime between bodybuilding events the MHS drama club can perform vignettes from Rent.

Thats what happens when you hire from the outside you never know what you are going to get. Bad move from the get go should have promoted within the district.

On additional reading, the offensive words are actually 4th-hand--- the promoter got the so-called "quote" from his assistant, an unnamed female.

The ISSUE here should really be whether Monrovia is renting the new high school facilities to for-profit commercial events, of any kind. Is that the case? Have other for-profit commercial enterprises rented our tax-built facilities ? If so, I certainly hope we, the taxpayers, are getting MORE than a mere $5 per person for the use of our nice, expenisive facilities. And I hope the money is going to us, all the taxpayers, via the school or city, which is paying for the upkeep of these facilities. Ticket money should not be going to the Boosters or some other small group.

Bottom line is our schools and community need to find more creative ways to raise much needed funding to continue to provide the quality of life we all want. Too many school programs around the nation are being cut because we must follow this rule or the other. This would be an outstanding event for our schools and community.

What and what is the role of the Boosters of Monrovia High School

They look great! I hope they promote steroid free building. I hope someone asks them. That would be my only issue.

People: Maybe I am old fashioned, but isn't a school suppost to reflect the values of the community? What on earth does a bodybuilding competition have to do with getting my child into a good college? How will looking at musclemen and women promote better study habits? And why can't the community agree that the contest might be held at a more appropriate venue--like a bodybuilding club or gym? Then if Mr. Generous & his wife wants to give $5 from each ticket sold to the school, that would be a wonderful gesture.

Elections are in November-let's be sure to watch who on the board supports academics and who else supports almost anything BUT scholastic achievement? Or is that not the point of school anymore?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Is this how the board president supports the superintendent he hired? Way to throw her under the bus Ed! You can be sure I'll remember your lack of a spine in the coming elecition, and I'll be sure to remind my friends, acquaintences, coworkers, and anybody else who votes about it too. Monrovia deserves real leadership from the people we elect.

Dear Cyrus Kemp-I look forward to hearing what you consider appropriate events for school property. Does my daughters need to see a bunch of people who are not students at school parade around for a totally unrelated purpose to school? What if this does happen, where will it end? Wet tshirt contests or poledancing competitions or something else that is not at all related to school or learning ? It dont matter if it happens in summer or in the fall school is for school and gyms are for body building and gym things.

It seems to me like once again the purpose of school is taking a back seat to sports. Yea it is great to win championships and have parades and rings and do bodybuilding contests but what about setting examples for kids who use their brains? Where are the parades for them?

what's this clown got against the musd and linda wagner anyway? looks like yet another hack writing job and at lot of smoke with no flame. don't know what the hidden agenda is but motives are pretty transparent. get a real journalism job blog boy.

Article says the promoter teaches at Pasadena City College, why have they never let him hold the event there? Seriously??? Did anyone on the board besides superintendent ask why its more appropriate for a HS than on a college campus?

I spoke with Linda Wagner and she said that the truth is that the high school will be closed for campus-wide painting in June when the body building competition is supposed to take place. I agree with Mury's comment. Nathan McIntyre should get his facts straight before he writes his "articles".

Renting school space falls under “The Civic Center Act” which also promotes the use of school facilities for community recreation, but it has a much broader focus than the Community Recreation Act. Its purpose is to establish at each public school a space for citizens and organizations to engage in activities, including supervised recreation.
When the California Legislature enacted the Civic Center Act in 1917,
it declared:

[T]here is a civic center at each and every public school facility and grounds within the state

The California Civic Center Act

EDUCATION CODE
SECTION 38130

38130. This article shall be known and may be cited as the Civic
Center Act.

Call your MUSD Board members and share your feelings about the matter with them as it will be on the Oct,26th. Please take the time to attend that meeting to show your support.
Regular Board of Education Meetings are held on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Monrovia Unified School District's Central Office at 325 East Huntington Drive, Monrovia, California.

THE MONROVIA BOARD OF EDUCATION
Contact Ed Gililland by phone at:(626) 359-2197
Contact Chris Rich by phone at (626) 485-6478
Contact Alex Zucco by phone at: (626) 806-6934
Contact Bryan Wong by phone at:(626) 688-8233

EDUCATION CODE
SECTION 38130-38139

38134.
(e) In the case of entertainments or meetings where admission fees
are charged or contributions are solicited and the net receipts are
not expended for the welfare of the pupils of the district or for
charitable purposes, a charge shall be levied for the use of school
facilities or grounds which charge shall be equal to fair rental
value.

Definitely good information sayitisntso. Thanks!!

CALL THE MONROVIA BOARD OF EDUCATION
Contact Ed Gililland by phone at:(626) 359-2197
Contact Chris Rich by phone at (626) 485-6478
Contact Alex Zucco by phone at: (626) 806-6934
Contact Bryan Wong by phone at:(626) 688-8233

TELL THEM THAT SCHOOL IS FOR LEARNING, AND BIKINI SHOWS ARE FOR STRIP BARS.

TELL THEM YOU KNOW THAT "COMMUNITY RECREATION" DOES NOT APPLY TO A BODYBUILDING COMPETITION, AND THAT THE CIVIC CENTER ACT DOES NOT APPLY (good try tho, sayitisntso!).

AND THEN TELL THEM YOU VOTE!!!

Is this the part where we say "I'm mad as h*ll and I'm not going to take it anymore?"

I have been following this for the past couple of hours and although I am not too familiar with these types of events they certainly do not seem like "strip bar" shows. I do know that our school rents out buildings for all kinds of things and gets paid a sizeable fee, whch is good for all aspects of the school. The article mentioned money for booster clubs which is a seperate thing and helps enormously with the costs involved in school activities. The comment made that our school is to be repainted in June is odd, its a brand new facility, just finished, I highly doubt that it would be time to repaint?. Anyone from the school care to comment on that point?
The last portion of the article seems to make most of this discussion a mute point:

Teper said he was put off by the superintendent's reaction and plans to host the event elsewhere.
"They want me to have the show at El Monte. They're welcoming me with open arms," he said. "I don't want the facility if they don't want me there."

I do feel though that future events should recieve more consideration and not be dismissed too easily. If the superintendent did say those words than perhaps she should clarify and express no intent to offend anyone who participates in what seems to be a very demanding sport.

There are a lot more important things to get upset about.

Who's upset? People here are having healthy debates and good clean disagreements.

Completely apart from the above concerns about what's appropriate, etc.--- Its my recent understanding (perhaps incorrect?) that the usual fees for Monrovia High as well as other MUSD school facilities are far higher than the $5/head audience revenue this event "offered". If this is so, why would/should MUSD rent to this group for less than their stated rates? Just wondering...

That is exactly right sayitisntso. And as far as Bodybuilding competitions being compared to strip clubs and pole dancing is so off base and incorrect. The athletes that compete in these shows are intellectual, disciplined and highly motivated people promoting health and fitness. Discipline is something students of every age need to learn. I work with bodybuilders everyday and I can tell you firsthand these are people who exhibit values and morals that are of the highest standards. To compare them to strippers is an insult. To deny Monrovia the opportunity to hold one of these venues that show the best of the best is a great loss. We support Monrovia schools every year and we work with the students firsthand. Our staff has always been students who work at our gym until they graduate and most even come back to work during their breaks or summer vacations. We teach them the value of good health habits and we feel satisfied that what they have learned from us is something they will carry for the rest of their lives.

To Ed Gilliland,
Sorry to hear you feel Nathan likes to create conflict, but that is clearly not the case. The publics perseption is reality as we can all agree on, and when the MUSD board drags it's knuckles and refuses to respond to requests for information in a timely manner, well then MUSD has created conflict by not answering local media groups questions in its entirety. You are doing a great job Nathan, I cannot say the same for MUSD's board.

Ed Gililland,
When I spoke with the district office I was told that no rental policy existed but that the board was currently working on developing one. That was also confirmed by a member of the MUSD board prior to my posting. Many different stories. If there is not one then shame on the Superintendent for not having the board development one when she took office.

I have seen the students leaving the campus. Most of the "students" have inappropriate clothing. I think a little common since is in order here

The Board Policy is Number 1330 (Use of School Facilities). A policy has been in effect for many years, but the current version was adopted on December 5, 2010. Some revisions have been recommended since that time. The Board is scheduled to consider this policy in November so this discussion is very timely. I am sorry if anyone associated with MUSD gave any information that this policy did not exist.
I would also like to address the comment that the campus was just renovated and should not need to be painted. The exterior painting of the existing buildings was not done under the modernization contract. We determined that we could save taxpayer money by having a separate contract just for exterior painting after the major construction and modernization contracts were completed. That is well documented in previous open meeting minutes. Since the modernization contract was not completed in time for that painting to take place before the start of school this year, the decision was made to do the painting at the end of this school year when the campus could be closed. I hope that clears up those two issues.

Thank you Ed for clearing up this mess and pointing people where to look for answers.

Thanks Ed, I will be requesting a copy of Board Policy, Number 1330, along with the painting and sandblasting contract and event application to help sort out fact from fiction.

Kristin K. Mariconda
Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent

Dear Kris,
I am making a request, to review copies of the following documents per our conversation 10/10/2011:
1. Board Policy, Number 1330
2. The painting and sandblasting contract for the High School that conflicts with Bodybuilding Event rental application
3. The Bodybuilding Event application to rent High School facilities
Thank you,
Cyrus Kemp

Ed, it seems that a lot of misinformation has been put out by MUSD. Let’s look at some facts received by me through an information request at MUSD.

Application date 9/22/2011

Event date 6/23/2012

June 8, 2012 Last Day of School (K­12)

In an email from the District Office - “A copy of the contract for sandblasting and painting at MHS during the time requested by West Coast Classic is not available because the District has not gone out to bid yet for this work.”

After reading, Board Policy 1330, reviewing the date of the event and seeing that the Sandblasting, Painting is not scheduled or even put out to bid I see no reason that this event and the revenue it would have brought the MUSD was denied, except for the personal tastes of the Superintendent to the detriment of the District. The work would have over two months to be completed after the event was held and could be put out to bid for that time frame.