EDITORIAL

It took much study -- and just as much discussion -- but the

Huntington Beach Union High School District Board of Trustees agree with

the community. When the sinking Building No. 300 is razed this summer,

all of its space should be replaced with modular -- or permanent

relocatable -- buildings.

Since October, district officials met with school and community

members, as well as consultants and engineers, to discuss how to replace

55,000 square feet of space that is now used to house a cafeteria, band

room, wood and auto shop classrooms, a photography lab, vocal music

program room and drama and technology classrooms.

The building, which sits on liquefaction -- weakening soil -- must be

repaired or rebuilt. However, it cannot be renovated because the cost to

repair it would be more than 50% of what it would be to replace the

building. Under state guidelines, state money -- in this case the

$11.4-million earmarked for the project -- cannot be used under those

conditions.

In November 1999, the community defeated the $137-million Measure A.

If approved, these funds would have gone toward repairs at all of the

district’s nine campuses.

Because there are safety concerns regarding Building No. 300’s

stability, the district didn’t have much of a choice in what should be

done. Sure, rebuilding the entire structure would be nice, but the money

to do that just isn’t there. And there isn’t enough room at the school to

move these programs to other buildings.

A task force consisting of school and community members was formed to

come up with a solution. And we support their recommendation, even though

the school board barely did -- the issue was passed by a 3-2 vote.

Listening to the community was the smartest thing this school board could

have done in this situation because everyone will win in the end.

The students will continue gaining a well-rounded education from these

programs, and the district won’t have to dip into its wallet to pay for

it.