Trustees Score an ‘F’ on Revamp Plan

The board of the Ocean View School District should remember the old saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

According to “Trustees OK Broad Reorganization Plan” (June 5), the “officials acknowledge the district’s existing structure has been successful.”

Yet, in spite of strong opposition of parents, the wise officials have decided that the present system should be changed and are willing to “spend as much as $2.5 million to buy 10 buses, add portable classrooms, and make other building modifications. . . .”

Of course “the district expects to recoup $140,000 from state desegregation funds. . . .” If integration is one of the aims of the change in configuration, how about dividing Oak View (school population) into quarters and send pupils from each quarter to the nearest school adjacent to the area?

If the district is willing to spend $2.5 million for a change that may not improve the quality of education, why not use the money to reinforce the present successful system?

For instance, the board could raise teacher salaries and hire more teacher aides.

I think that we, the taxpayers, should have some say in how our money is spent by putting the issue to a vote, especially when so many parents are unhappy with the board’s decision.

SHOICHI ASAHINA, Huntington Beach