During the summer of 1967 (the “Summer of Love”) between sixth and seventh grades, one of my best friends disappeared, with his parents telling me that “He’ll never be back.” I didn’t know what that meant at the time, but now I know that his parents sent him off to a military academy in San Antonio, Texas. He’s a big-time banker in San Antonio now, so I guess he actually never did go back to our home town!
When I was up in North San Diego County a couple of weeks ago visiting the San Pasqual Battlefield State Park for my San Diego Historical Landmark series (see here), I found the San Pasqual Academy.
I am always interested in schools because they educate the population. Notwithstanding how many Republicans would prefer the populace to be ignorant sheep doing what they say…. So I just zipped right on by that sign, through a huge orange grove, and onto the campus. Nowhere did I find any signs telling me that it was private property and for yo-yos to stay away.
So I was driving around campus taking pictures of the beautiful buildings in a beautiful setting….
….when I see a woman waving at me from a doorway….
What do you think I did?
Well, I was born and raised in South Texas—I’m a pretty laid-back, friendly person—so I waved back. That seemed to infuriate her. She came running out to my car and yelling at me. I stopped to see what the problem was. It was Sunday morning, so maybe there was an emergency that I could help with.
Nah….
She informed me that the Academy was private property and that I couldn’t take pictures. I apologized and told her I would leave. Then I asked her what the Academy was. She said, “It’s an Academy.”
“Well I know that! You can’t tell me what it does?” I asked. She sneered at me and told me to leave. “I’m leaving! I have to go do a Google search on San Pasqual Academy.” She sneered again and pointed towards the exit.
Yes, Google was informative, especially since it pointed me directly to San Pasqual Academy’s very own web site. Not so private after all….
Before I tell you about the Academy, here are a few more pictures that I took before she flagged me down to sneer at me:
So, then, what is San Pasqual Academy? From their very own web site:
San Pasqual Academy is a first-in-the-nation residential education campus designed specifically for foster teens. The Academy is located in Escondido, CA and provides foster teens with a stable, caring home, a quality, individualized education, and the skills needed for independent living.
The Academy opened in October 2001 and currently has a capacity to serve 184 youth.
The 238-acre campus features individual family-style homes, an on-site, accredited high school, a cafeteria, a technology and career information center, an auditorium, recreation fields, a gymnasium, a Health and Wellness Center, a Day Rehabilitation Clinic, and a swimming pool. The San Pasqual Fire Department is also on the campus and provides internship opportunities for the youth.
Teens live and learn at the Academy, as they prepare for college and/or a career path.
So why was it so hard for her to tell me? Is there something about foster teens that I don’t know about? Heck, I’ve spent 48 years volunteering my time and money to charitable organizations. If she had told me even half of what I found on their web site, I would have volunteered on the spot. As it is, she’s lost whatever volunteer time and charity money I might have been able to give the Academy…. And I feel so sorry for those foster teens if she’s an indication of what they have to put up with there.
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Oh wow. Some people… You’ve had quite the adventure 😉
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And without even trying!………LOL
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Those are often the best, haha :p
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A bit over protective, but as you say, she may have lost sight of being human in the process. (and yes, what’s wrong with waving?It’s friendly thing to do…like smiling)….Did she think you were possibly an abusive parent seeking a child? Some “investigative reporter snooping around…maybe it’s really a secret Twilight Zone area. (leading the sheep minded doesn’t seem to be limited to one party….all of the ultra rich elected officials as so unlike us and they are only interested in enriching themselves and holding power among themselves…no you can’t have any)
It’s beautiful spot, but you have to laugh at her less than friendly response….and as you say, suspect those stuck there get scowls, too?
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I was sooooooooo disappointed when I got home, Googled “San Pasqual Academy,” and found that it was just a foster teen home. I just knew I had found San Diego’s Area 51……..LOL
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I’ve always thought it was cruel to send kids away to school — no matter what their age.
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Totally agree with you.
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In her defense (and only cos we’ve worked with the kids that go to that school and other foster youth) you aren’t supposed to take pics of them or of the campus to protect them from possibly being harmed by whatever circumstance or parent that caused them to become foster kids in the first place. We used to run a non prof with boats and couldn’t take pics of the foster kids for our brochures and they couldn’t be on TV when Ch 10/39 came to promote our program. I think they should have told you the reason why, instead of being rude, but it’s really to protect the kids. They’re not hiding anything negative.
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Once I found out what the Academy is, I fully understood her protective mode. Maybe she figured I was a predator, an abusive parent, or whatever. I still don’t think she had to be as rude as she was, though. Maybe she could have started with, “Who are you and why are you here?”
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No, she did not have to be rude, but I’ve noticed that’s a default attitude with some people.
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I agree with you Russel. If this is what is there at the door of a place that cares for foster children, then maybe they need to re-think who they have working for them. I find this appalling actually. Thank you for your post!
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I’m hoping maybe she was just the Sunday morning help………….
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Sounds like a weirdo!
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Maybe just a little overprotective on a Sunday morning.
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Her intentions were probably good, but her delivery sucked.
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Yep. Especially for a Sunday, I thought.
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Well, that is an odd way to greet folks isn’t it? She could have been much friendlier and explained that they are responsible for minors and can’t have un-authorized vehicles on their property. I laughed at your quick response to her question. She wouldn’t give me the ‘safe and homey’ vibe either. Weird that there’s not a single kid outside.
Zoey sleeping in the cupboard on your dinner plates is hilarious! LOL, funny girl x
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During her first few days here, Zoey the Cool Cat got into everything. She now knows, though, where she cannot go, which is only a few places:
►not on the leather couch
►not in the kitchen cabinets
►not on the dining room table
►not on the kitchen counters
►not on the top of the refrigerator unless she can figure out a way to get up there without a momentary stop on the kitchen counters
►not on the grand piano
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I shall now refer to you as the Cat Whisperer Russell. How the heck did you train a cat to ‘not’ go in or on things. My kitties still go there but jump down when I come around the corner, LOL.
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LOL…….Same way I used to train my dogs. She understands a loud “NO!” and a loud handclap whenever she’s doing wrong. It has to be immediate, though, just like with a dog. That’s negative reinforcement, though. I now know, courtesy of the “Pets Rule” show at SeaWorld, that positive reinforcement works, too.
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