May 6 issue:
An open and fair election in Area 5 would help instill trust in the end result
Excellence. . . respect . . . transparency . . . integrity. These are the values that have made the San Dieguito Union High School District number one in San Diego County. Superintendent Bill Berrier, who served from 1972-2001, laid a stable foundation under which we have thrived as a district. For years after he retired, we enjoyed stability and continued excellence. We built state-of-the-art facilities through Prop AA and created an atmosphere for student achievement that is the envy of San Diego County.
Recently, our well-respected Area 5 board trustee resigned, and within 20 days, a new trustee was appointed without regard for community input. Because our board is elected by area, the recent appointment put that replacement decision squarely with four sitting trustees, none of whom are Area 5 constituents.
In partnership with our community, the educators of SDUHSD launched a petition for a special election in Area 5. This would ensure a proper introduction to the candidates, and thereby allow 26,000 voters to have an informed choice through a fair, transparent and public process. We do not have an opinion on any of the seven candidates who applied for this position and would welcome the opportunity to get to know them all in an open and fair election.
Some have concerns that a special election could be costly. While factors may mitigate that, it is important to point out that this board majority chose to prematurely buy out our superintendent’s contract at a cost of $280,000. This fiscally irresponsible decision allowed this majority to name an interim superintendent within a mere 48 hours of Dr. Haley’s resignation. In prioritizing use of district funds, we support choices that uphold our values and respect our community.
Also of primary concern to us is the chaotic nature of our board’s decision-making process, most notably since Trustee Gibson’s resignation. The process of filling the superintendent and trustee vacancies was rushed, not transparent, and fraught with abuses of power, all circumventing board policies and Education Code.
In this pandemic, we have also seen hostility grow within our community -- hostility and disrespect for teachers, administrators, parents, and the very fabric of public education.
We cannot stand by.
We don’t just work here - we live here, our children go to school here. We are your children’s teachers, counselors, and educational specialists dedicated to serving all students. As we strive for continued excellence, your schools depend on the integrity of their leaders, on sound processes and sound choices. In this case, an open and fair election in Area 5 would help instill trust in the end result. On that, we cannot put a price.
Duncan Brown, on behalf of 96 co-signers/local teachers, the names of whom can be seen on the Teachers of San Dieguito Facebook page.
One View: Best route for Del Mar train tunnel
By Gordon Clanton
Recent studies by SANDAG show that a route beneath Crest Canyon is the highest rated of five potential choices for a railroad tunnel that would take the tracks off the crumbling coastal bluffs in Del Mar. A shorter second tunnel would penetrate “Miramar hill,” just south of Sorrento Valley Road. The Del Mar and Miramar tunnels would reduce the travel time between Oceanside and San Diego from 56 minutes to 39 minutes. Travel time from Solana Beach to Old Town would be reduced from 31 to about 20 minutes.
The proposed tunnels would permit double tracking (two-way traffic), removing a major bottleneck to both passenger and freight service between San Diego and Los Angeles, the second-busiest rail corridor in the country.
SANDAG (the San Diego Association of Governments), the North County Transit District, and other local agencies have talked for years about removing the tracks from the bluffs, but only recently have the agencies received grant money for the preliminary studies required.
Construction will cost $3 billion or more. Completed tunnels probably are 15 to 20 years away, but these studies are a big first step.
Recall fever update. The April 1 column called attention to the current rush of recall campaigns, including those targeting Governor Gavin Newsom, San Diego Council President Dr. Jennifer Campbell, and perhaps Supervisor Nathan Fletcher. The campaign to recall the governor got the needed signatures, so Newsom will face a statewide vote of confidence by the end of the year.
Now Carlsbad Councilwoman Cori Schumacher faces a recall campaign led by Carl DeMaio, radio talk show host and former San Diego councilman. DeMaio also is the founder of Reform California, a well-funded political group pushing for the recall of Gov. Newsom.
Schumacher is pro-labor and an advocate for strong enforcement of COVID-19 public health restrictions. She supports having Carlsbad join other cities in the creation of a community choice energy program to provide residents with electricity from renewable sources.
Recalls are usually a bad idea except in cases of criminal activity, corruption, or gross malfeasance. Recall campaigns are expensive (perhaps $400 million for the recall of the governor), divisive, even polarizing, distracting elected officials from doing the people’s business. Gov. Newsom and Dr. Campbell are up for re-election in June of 2022, just a few months past the proposed recall votes. Why not let voters settle these matters at the polls?
— Gordon Clanton teaches sociology at San Diego State University. He welcomes comments at gclanton@sdsu.edu.
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Opinion/Letters to the Editor May 2021 - Del Mar Times
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