Feedback -- Leece’s leadership request draws fire

I have never seen anyone have as much face time in the Pilot than

trustee Wendy “toot-my-own-horn” Leece (“Newport-Mesa Unified trustee

requests board presidency,” Thursday).

She posits a question: “Why don’t my colleagues elect me into

leadership?” The answer is simple: It is because she is an extremist;

does not represent the best interests of children, schools or voters; has

her head in an intellectual bucket; and shouldn’t be on the school board

at all. Is this answer enough? If not, I’m sure I can come up with

another 50 or so reasons.

ELIZABETH VERITAS

Newport Beach

I reside in trustee Judy Franco’s district. I am a former Fountain

Valley resident, where I was elected Huntington Beach Union High School

District trustee. I was not part of my board’s “majority” during my

four-year term, yet I had the opportunity to be clerk, vice president and

president. My record would show that I voted about 95% of the time with

the majority of the board.

Our closed sessions were filled with hot debates, disagreements and

lots of differing of opinions. My fellow board members were my

colleagues, not my friends. Whether they liked me or disagreed with my

minority viewpoints never kept me from being an officer on the board. It

is my opinion that an elected school board is the ambassador for the

school district.

Therefore, they should lead by example. School boards set policy, and

the employees of the school district enforce theses policies.

Newport-Mesa Unified School District trustee Wendy Leece has been

twice elected by her constituents. Leece has served a segment of the

community that has elected her to be its voice. Whether the board members

agree with Leece’s religious convictions or political convictions is

irrelevant. What is relevant is that the school board is elected to serve

all constituents, even those who share Leece’s religious and political

convictions.

As a resident and a constituent of this school board, I am more

concerned with the drunk driving arrest of a sitting board member. What

is the example that the Newport-Mesa Unified School District is

attempting to set for its students?

Everyone must think alike, spout the “team” message, not question and

must be afraid of healthy debate, expression of different viewpoints and,

above all, not use their 1st Amendment rights of free speech.

I challenge the school board trustees to show their courage and lead

by example and send the message that they serve all their constituents,

not just the ones that agree with them.

BARBARA JOHNSON

Newport Beach

Leece’s commentary is the most self-serving article I have ever read

in my life. The last sentence speaks volumes. It says, “A board under my

leadership as president is nothing to fear.” As you know, absolute power

corrupts absolutely, and that statement says everything.

Please, fellow board members, do not allow this woman to be your

president.

GEORGE LAMPINEN

Newport Beach

I do not feel Leece is an appropriate choice for board president. I

have watched her on the school board for a long time, and I do not

believe she can separate her personal philosophy from the president’s job

of representing all community perspectives. Her proposals speak for

themselves.

For example, if I wanted my child to go to a religious school where

the Ten Commandments were posted in every classroom, I would send them to

a private religious school. Likewise, I feel her proposal to ban certain

award-winning books to be a very dangerous and limiting approach to

education. I have chosen the public school system for its separation of

church and state, and the diversity of perspectives that are promulgated

there.

There are private educational avenues for people to select if they

want a conservative Christian education for their children. This is their

right. Leave the public schools nondenominational, free thinking and

multi-perspective. This is the public’s right.

KIM PAWELL

Newport Beach