There might be a perfectly good reason for the recent trip to China by SAUSD officials, including former Superintendent Rick Miller, Deputy Superintendent Dave Haglund and School Board Members Valerie Amezcua and John Palacio. But since the district did not announce the visit, we have no idea what these folks are doing in China.

Who paid for this junket?  Why?

Niskayuna, NY school officials visited China this year while “exploring a partnership with a private Chinese school that wants to model its curriculum on an American school as it grows to serve older students,” according to the Daily Gazette.

Chasam, NJ school officials visited China in 2009, on a trip that was sponsored and funded by Hanban/Confucius Institute Headquarters in partnership with the U.S. College Board, to “establish relationships with schools and organizations that promote the study of Chinese in both China and Taiwan,” according to the New Jersey Hills Media Group.

Wabash, IN school officials visited China in 2012, on a trip that was  funded by a federal grant, College Board and the Hanban/Confucius Institute. The trip was part of a program allowing American educators to learn more about starting or growing Chinese language programs in their schools, according to the Indiana Economic Digest.

Palacio and Amezcua have been in the news of late as they are sponsoring two candidates for the SAUSD School Board, Santa Ana Planning Commissioners Bruce Bauer and Beatriz Mendoza. I am sure that our local teacher’s union, which is sponsoring their own slate of candidates for the SAUSD School Board, will want to know if district funds paid for this Chinese adventure.

Miller retired this year, after coming to our district just a couple years ago. As we predicted he came here to pad his pension. Perhaps he is in China trying to drum up some business now that he is retired from the SAUSD?