San Domenico In Crisis

Why Donate to SD's Annual Fund? San Domenico has not disclosed its finances in recent memory, but we do know that the school has no endowment and no real assets. (The campus and facilities are owned by the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael.) We also know that the tuition revenues do not cover operating costs. Therefore, the school’s ability to keep the doors open another year depends, quite literally, on the success or failure of the Annual Fund. It seems like each year the fa...milies are subjected to a barrage increasingly bizarre promotions in support of the Annual Fund. This year’s promotion, though, hit a new low. The school printed and mailed out literally hundreds of full color cards, offering a pair of custom SD socks to those who made an Annual Fund donation between March 5th and 9th. We will not judge the tastefulness of the socks, other than to say that the only people we have seen sporting them on campus are the teachers and staff, who have been told to wear them. We don’t know how much money was raised by this promotion, but since there was no minimum donation required, we doubt it was much at all. Numerous studies have shown that offering gifts such as these actually REDUCED donations. What would normally have been an altruistic gesture becomes an economic transaction when a gift is involved. How much are a pair of these socks worth to you? A few years ago, the School announced that it was expected that each family would donate to the Annual Fund an amount equal to $2,500 for each child enrolled! That suggestion went over like a lead balloon. Now, the School is so happy with just a $50 donation that they will throw in a pair of socks too! The long term financial viability of the school is a fair question, since the Annual Fund is used to fund operating expenses, and families have to be offered socks just to get them to make a small $50 donation.

The Sandy Hook Massacre and San Domenico As we discussed recently, following the arrest of a convicted sex offender who was caught prowling the San Domenico campus, the school installed a security gate which prevented vehicle access to the back side of the school. However, even this modest attempt to control access to campus was quietly dropped a couple of years later. Why, you may ask? To understand, unfortunately we need to take you back to the morning of December 14, 201...Continue reading

We continue to get questions from concerned San Domenico parents about the security surge on campus. The surge started 3 weeks before the Parkland shooting, and continues to this day. Security personnel continue to roam the campus regularly. Also, they are slowing down cars at the entrance and peering in. The Administration has repeatedly said there is no "specific" threat, but will not respond when asked point blank if that means there is a "non-specific" threat. As we said several weeks ago, parents have a right to know what is going on so that they can do their own evaluation of any risks. As usual, no transparency from the San Domenico Administration.

Uninvited visitor.

School Safety Welcome back, dear readers. We continue with a little more background about school safety, since there is a lot of interest in that topic. After the arrest of the convicted sex offender who freely and openly drove onto and all around campus in 2010, a large group of concerned parents demanded that the school administration take concrete steps to control access. Parents made dozens of common sense suggestions, which a knowledgeable, high-ranking member of law en...forcement called very sensible and reasonable. At that time, our Number One request was that the school control all vehicle access, to prevent another dangerous person from driving onto campus, and then escaping quickly by vehicle, as the sex offender had done. The school administration rejected most of these suggestions. But they did take one significant half-step, which was to control vehicle access to the back side of campus. They installed an electric gate on the driveway by the corner of the Library, in order to keep unauthorized persons from driving back to the Primary School playground, and the girls’ dormitories. The then Head of School told us that those were the areas where the students were most vulnerable. He decided that the students at the front side of campus did not need the same protection. For the first couple of years after its installation, the gate was kept closed at all times, except during a short period in the morning and afternoon to allow for Primary School drop off and pick up. At all other times, drivers had to be identified before entry was allowed. Although the front side of campus was still totally exposed, many of us took comfort in knowing that the back side was protected to some degree. Some of our readers may be wondering, what gate is SDIC referring to? You may never have noticed it. The gate was quietly disabled in early January 2013. It is still there, but hasn’t been closed since. Next time, we will explain why.

We saw last night that the San Domenico Head of School was patting herself on the back for the security surge at the school two weeks ago. As we all head off to our Ski Week vacations, we thought you might want to contemplate some school history. Although this happened years ago, we will soon explore what actions the current administration, including Ms. Stock, did NOT take in response to security concerns at the school that were publicly exposed over 10 years ago. For those of you who think this was a big nothing, you should know that Mr. McCampbell's little visit to San Domenico campus, which included time hanging out at PreK and K during pickup, cost him several years in Kern Prison. The sad truth is that it can happen here, again. In the meantime, we wish you all a safe and restful ski week.

In the wake of recent events at other schools, many questions are being asked about what has spurred a dramatic increase in security at San Domenico. In announcing three weeks ago that there would be additional security on campus, the school stated that this was NOT due to any specific situation or threat. Of course, this begs the question as to whether it IS due to a non-specific threat or situation. As usual, the school is refusing to say anything more on this topic.... Full-time security guards are, for the first time, vigorously patrolling the campus. Students have reported that guards are routinely seen in the library, cafeteria, and locker areas. Cars entering and exiting the campus are being checked. Staff and teachers are closely watching students for signs of suspicious or illegal activities. Two more security cameras have been added at the main entrance to campus. Perhaps most surprising, video cameras have been added to all the school buses. The buses transport almost all students, with all grade levels mixed, Kindergartners up to Seniors. Families have a right to know what is happening on those buses that warrants security cameras. Based on our experiences at San Domenico, we believe that the administration’s judgment, at least as it relates to matters of school security and threat assessment, is pretty deficient. We will cover some of those items later. In the meantime, the school owes it to the families to explain why, abruptly, three weeks ago, there was a need for a security surge on campus. Let the families have the information so that they can make their own decisions about the safety of their children.

But What Is It? San Domenico has a few months under their belt as "not a Catholic school." We now begin to look at what they have become. Today, the school distributed ashes to the students, which they described as "a Catholic tradition." When a Catholic priest or minister distributes ashes, they mark the sign of the cross in ashes on the foreheads those present and say one of two things. First, they can say "Repent, and believe in the Gospel". Or they can say "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." We don't know whether those details were followed today, but would appreciate any intel. Veritas.

Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Go to San Domenico... According to the San Domenico Administration, when non-Catholics are confronted with a 24" high statue of a peaceful St. Dominic, they become "offended" and "alienated". We wonder, then, how do non-Catholics feel when they come to "holiday concert" last week at their newly inclusive, non-Catholic school, and they immediately confronted by a holy Cross, made out of a sugar-coated cookie, and assorted other Christmas-t...hemed treats? Or when they go into the supposedly inclusive holiday concert, and they are immediately confronted by their own children singing a sacred Christmas carol, "O Holy Night"? The opening verse of the first song at the concert is "O holy night the stars are brightly shining, It is the night of our dear Savior's birth." Surely most of the children singing, and their families, do not believe that Christmas is the night of their dear Savior's birth. Would non-Catholics be alienated and offended by this? Further, would they be offended to discover that the holiday concert for the first time this year does not include any music from religious traditions other than Christianity? It is well known that some Jews and Muslims find the symbol of the Cross offensive for various reasons, including their belief that it is a symbol of oppression, or the Crusades. What's more, some could be offended that the school seems to be using this sugary treat, which is so attractive to children, to push a religious "truth" that their faiths explicitly reject as "true". For several decades, various public and private schools in the U.S. and abroad have prohibited the use of the Cross, on the grounds that it may offend Jews, Muslims and others. As just one of many, many examples, almost 15 years ago a school in the UK banned hot cross buns for exactly this reason. And a few years ago a group of Muslim students sued Catholic University on the grounds that Crosses in the classrooms constitute a violation of their human rights, because they maliciously prevent Muslims from praying. The insensitivity of the overtly-Christian holiday concert treats, and the selection of only Christmas music at the concert, boggles the mind. Can someone please explain? Maybe San Domenico isn't as sensitive and inclusive as they make themselves out to be. If you don't want your children to be confronted by Christianity, then by all means stay away.

The oldest Catholic school in California has relinquished that designation, dropping its official affiliation with the Catholic Church.

The Parable of the Talents As we continued to reflect on the decision last week to bury San Domenico's 167 year relationship with the Catholic Church, on Sunday we heard the Gospel reading of The Parable of the Talents. We thought we should share this short column about that reading. We hope you have a Blessed Thanksgiving. Veritas.