Leece is asking the same question

Thank you for your excellent editorial (“Snub of Leece raises

questions,” Saturday). I raised the same questions in my letter to my

colleagues, but only two of my colleagues answered. The rest were silent.

The two who spoke to me, cited a “trust” factor as to why I should not

be board president. But they redefined the word “trust.” To them, trust

means control. The problem is theirs and not mine. I won’t be controlled

and fit into their mold. My ideas, which are conservative, are not

dangerous and are overwhelmingly supported in this community. I am not a

loose canon. I am consistent. I do my homework.

Making sure all children have the best education is my goal. Limiting

the government’s arm from reaching into our homes and families happens

to do with maintaining individual liberty. It means saying no to money

for some federal and state programs. Decisions made in Washington, D.C.,

and Sacramento are not always the best for local public education in the

long run.

I did run on an “anti-tax” forum in 1989 and 1994 because taxes are

too high and government bureaucracy is inefficient. I believe we do run a

tight ship here in Newport-Mesa Unified, but can always find better ways

to use precious tax dollars.

When it came to supporting the bond for repairing our schools (Measure

A), I researched all the other possibilities, and after many hours of

meetings, determined the bond was a very conservative approach to fix

40-year-old buildings. I know everyone will benefit when we see our

children in safe and updated facilities. Home values will certainly

improve, too. I campaigned vigorously like the other board members. In

this community, had I not supported the bond, the outcome may have been

different. Now I am visiting schools regularly to find out how we can

improve what is going on inside those soon-to-be-repaired buildings.

For 27 years, I have had a passion to see all Westside public schools

become all that they are meant to be. We are slowly improving over here,

after a lot of hard work by parents, teachers, principals and students. I

am proud of those accomplishments. But it is wrong that parents who live

near any public school should be forced to send their child to private

school or drive across town to take their child to a school that boasts

better test scores. Often a mom has to go to work to pay for private

school tuition and that should not be. Kids should be able to walk to

their neighborhood school in this district and their parents welcomed to

be involved in school programs like PTA or to work in their child’s

classroom.

My not having a prime position on the board does matter to the future

of Westside schools. Talk about a group of people being disenfranchised!

Did you know that I received 24,704 votes in 1994? I have lived in Area 7

since 1972. I know the challenges. I have been intentionally kept from a

full year for any office for six years for vague and meaningless reasons.

Were I an outspoken member of a minority ethnic group or of another

cultural minority, I would not be sidelined.

What is there to be afraid of? I am glad you asked my colleagues to

articulate why I should not be board president someday. Perhaps you will

get better response than I did.

WENDY LEECE

Newport-Mesa Unified School District

school board member