John and Ken coming to Temecula (high school, live, cost)

[Gurbie]

John and Ken are doing a live broacast of their KFI 640 radio show from Temecula tomorrow (Thurs). Their purpose is to present a check for $50,000, raised from listener contributions, to help finance a trip to a competiton in Arizona for the Oak Hills High band.

How do the residents of Temecula, especially those with relations with Oak Hills, feel about this? Was lack of funds really the reason for cancelling the trip in the first place, or was it political, due to Arizona's illegal immigration policy? Will the school use the donations to finance a trip? Is the trip back on? Is the community grateful for the attention (and the money)?

Does anyone feel like your community and school are being used as pawns to inflame a radio show's "base" and jack up ratings?

[Danalysd]

Originally Posted by Gurbie

John and Ken are doing a live broacast of their KFI 640 radio show from Temecula tomorrow (Thurs). Their purpose is to present a check for $50,000, raised from listener contributions, to help finance a trip to a competiton in Arizona for the Oak Hills High band.

How do the residents of Temecula, especially those with relations with Oak Hills, feel about this? Was lack of funds really the reason for cancelling the trip in the first place, or was it political, due to Arizona's illegal immigration policy? Will the school use the donations to finance a trip? Is the trip back on? Is the community grateful for the attention (and the money)?

Does anyone feel like your community and school are being used as pawns to inflame a radio show's "base" and jack up ratings?

No clue what you are talking about, never heard of Oak Hills HS.

[Fontucky]

Well of course they're doing it to jack up ratings. Would you expect them to pick an event designed to lower the ratings?

[31st State]

Do you mean Great Oak?

[Gurbie]

Originally Posted by 31st State

Do you mean Great Oak?

Yes, Great Oak, sorry...

[Gurbie]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

Well of course they're doing it to jack up ratings. Would you expect them to pick an event designed to lower the ratings?

Hi Fontucky, yeah, that was kind of a rhetorical question. I'm interested in what, if any, reaction the people involved with the school have. Is the attention (and the money) welcome? Or do they resent being used as pawns in the illegal immigration debate?

[Gandalara]

In education, money is always welcome.

[evolutionrules]

jon and ken are idiots who drum up outrage to make themselves millions. whatever. if they can help some high school kids then great but anyone with half a brain can easily see through their show.

[Gurbie]

Originally Posted by evolutionrules

jon and ken are idiots who drum up outrage to make themselves millions. whatever. if they can help some high school kids then great but anyone with half a brain can easily see through their show.

Hey, I tend to agree with your opinion of John and Ken. And any plan that separates their listeners from $50,000, which then gets handed over to a local high school band, I'm all for it! I just hope the checks don't bounce!

There is an immigration angle here,of course, or John and Ken never would have got involved (they are not known for big-hearted gestures of philanthropy). The school was apparently prepared to send the band to a competition in Arizona. Then, the state of Arizona announced the passage of SB 1070, and the school cancelled the trip.

John and Ken got wind of the story, and concluded, rightly or wrongly, that the school's motive for cancelling the trip was political. They contacted the school, and were told that the reason for cancelling the trip was financial. John and Ken began a fund drive, and are now prepared to present Great Oaks High with a check for $50,000, to finance the band's trip.

That is the story as I understand it. Anyone who knows first-hand what is going on, feel free to correct any factual errors in my account.

My reason for starting this thread was to try to get a response from anyone in the community (parents, students, or staff) from Great Oak High in particular, or Temecula in general, as to what they think of all this. Why was the trip really canceled in the first place? Is it back on? Does the school plan to accept the donation? Is the community grateful, or resentful (or indifferent?) for the attention?

[Gurbie]

Well, I heard the second half of the John and Ken show today. They did indeed do a live show from Pat and Oscar's. About 30 members of the school band were there, and played some tunes (sounded good!)

John and Ken presented a check (two checks, actually) totaling $55,000. The checks were accepted on behalf of the band by the "booster president", who I assume is a parent of a band member or something. Apparently, the proposed trip is going to cost about $100,000, so they are half-way there (The guy was very gracious, reminding everyone that ALL school's music programs have had their budgets cut, and need community support)

Oddly (or not), in case I missed it, no one from the school Admin or the city were there. At one point, John called out to the band director to say a few words. Everyone laughed a little uncomfortably, as I guess they all knew he wasn't there- guess he was involved in the original controversy. That was the only time I heard the original "issue" raised, though, like I said, I missed most of the show.

So bottom line, the band got the money, so that is a win. But my initial questions remain unresolved...