RUBEN PEREZ EMBARRASSES HIMSELF AGAIN IN A RAMBLING AND INSULTING DIATRIBE
| As you have been reading in our previous emails, Promises made, Promises Broken has made it our mission to keep you informed of the actions of the COD Board Of Trustees and report on what progress they are making to fulfill the promises they made to the students and taxpayers of our Valley. Unfortunately at what should have been a happy occasion, the swearing in of the newly elected Board of Trustees, the selfish and immature antics of outgoing Board Chair, Ruben Perez marred the entire meeting. Instead of a dignified and professional swearing in of Trustees, their December 16, 2022 meeting turned into a public embarrassment for the entire Board. Former Chair of the Board and newly re-elected Trustee Ruben Perez embarrassed himself, his family, the students, faculty and public that were in attendance. Calling it his final remarks as Chair of the Board of Trustees he launched into a shocking denunciation of all that have tried to move COD forward as a premiere community college. Completely ignoring a call “to be statesman” Trustee Perez proceeded to unleash a vitriolic diatribe that managed to insult or demean groups including the local newspaper, past and present Trustees, and anonymous past faculty and staff. He accused the Trustees, the public and a “very loud minority in the community” of misogyny, racism (“racelighting”) and greed (without any specifics of course)! He attacked former COD employees and Trustees by stating they had created a “cesspool” that he had to remedy. He went on to demean and insult the current Board by stating, “Welcome to the first day of the new official College of the Desert puppet show.” Even after being booed for his comments by the entire audience, he continued by adding that the meetings were nothing more than a puppet show. You can watch to the entire 5-minute diatribe by clicking here. Those of us at PMPB thought we had turned a corner towards transparency, professionalism and accountability following the election of Dr. Joel Kinnamon to Trustee for the Forth District of COD. Unfortunately we fear that Trustee Ruben Perez will continue to obstruct and block any planning that would put COD back on track to provide the community with the educational opportunities that have continued to allude the students of our Valley. All of the antics displayed however will not deter PMPB from pushing ahead to help the students of this Valley. We will double our efforts to move forward the Cathedral City Automotive Campus and the abandoned Palm Springs Campus. Our students deserve more than what has been made available to them. Please help us keep the Board of COD Trustees on track by supporting our efforts and making your voices heard. The next time you meet a young person ask them if they can get the classes they need to complete their degrees. Most will reply no. That is unacceptable. We will continue to advocate on their behalf to bring exemplary educational opportunities our students deserve to this Valley.To help contribute and expand our awareness campaigns and coalition efforts, please click on the DONATE button below. |