LETTUCE-GATE

J&L Produce Market at 311 Moffett Blvd. in Mountain View is a small grocery store specializing in produce, but carrying every kind of groceries imaginable from many countries. There is also a taqueria inside. I have gone there almost daily for over 6 years, as it is within walking distance from my apartment and has lots of neat stuff.

It seems to be family operated, and has changed ownership and names about twice over the years. The lines for check-out are often very long, going all the way to the back of the store and sometimes winding around the aisles. Mostly, the employees are very friendly and helpful.

All was well until one day recently I bought a lot of stuff, and when I got home noticed that a head of lettuce was not in my bags. I looked at my receipt and everything was there, listed by name, as well as one item that said “No Description” and was exactly the price of a head of lettuce. I was not worried and went back a day or two later with my receipt and asked for my head of lettuce. The cashier took me to see a woman who was stocking the shelves. The woman said the item was not lettuce because it did not say lettuce and would not give me the head of lettuce. The cashier rings up things very fast, and maybe hit “no description” instead of “lettuce.”

In all my years of shopping, nothing like this has ever happened to me, especially for a $1.99 head of lettuce. (If I had wanted to cheat them, I would have said the $15.00 bag of shrimp was missing.) In my opinion, this store has one of the most miserable business models I have ever seen in my life.

I finally went to the nearby Safeway, which I also patronize a lot, and bought a nice head of lettuce for the same price, as well as items I otherwise would have purchased at J&L Produce Market.

I cannot say I will never go to J&L Produce Market again, but it will be only for 1-2 items, and only if I do not have time to go anywhere else.

J&L Produce Market is an interesting place, and I do not suggest boycotting it, but if you should go there, do not let the haste of the cashier be overwhelming, make sure everything gets into your bags, and check the receipt before you leave. At least all I lost was a head of lettuce, not a bag of shrimp.

Didn't Mr. Chiang send his own kids out of district to a private school? That's so unethical that it makes his opinion piece laughable. Bad Board Member. Bad!

I'm sorry but Chris Chiang has no standing with me to pass on this wisdom after resigning from the Board with his tail between his legs and being totally unable to stand up for himself. Not to mention sending his kids to private school.

Now if Steve Nelson wants to write a primer on how to be a terrible board member, that's another story-- he has total credibility.

I did not intend for my comment on "Lettuce-Gate" to appear in the discussion of Mr. Chiang's worthiness to be on the school board. I wanted to start a new topic on a comparison of neighborhood groceries. It is quite silly where it is. Please disregard. Thanks.

To clarify, my wife is an elementary school teacher at an independent school, and when we receive a scholarship, it made sense for our one and only child to attend her school, since I myself often work late at my own school.

The best future for our local schools is one that doesn't pit neighborhoods against each other, or lambast any family for making the education choices they think is best for their children, whether it be local, choice, charter, homeschool, or private school. Just as public hospital districts take a broad view of helping all children be well, a public school district should aim to keep a broader view as well. This includes looking at their students before they attend K-8, after they leave for high school, what they do after school in summers, and yes, also the kids that don't even attend district schools. A broader view builds space for collaboration and partnerships.

I resigned because I wanted to draw attention to the board's broader dysfunction, I stand by that. In those three years, I stand by my work securing extra funding for disadvantaged schools, facilitating new partnerships between school reform organizations and our district, implementing extra transparency through Youtube streaming of board meetings, defending better compensation for our educators, sustaining the superintendent search through unforeseen challenges, and maintaining a positive atmosphere at board meetings, all the while calling out and apologizing for unacceptable behavior by our board.

I'm not in elected office anymore, but I hope those quick to criticize their elected representatives will give their new trustees a chance to serve you. We are very fortunate to have so many dedicated candidates to choose from.