Leece’s positions are not good for students

Cyndie Borcoman

I have serious concerns about Wendy Leece returning for another

term of office for the Newport Mesa school board.

Leece prides herself on having moral courage to stand up for

controversial issues. Though it is admirable to bring up opposing

views to facilitate discussion and explore all aspects of an issue,

dissenting when the welfare of many students in the district are in

peril is not commendable.

Leece represents the Westside of Costa Mesa. There are a great

many families that are at the poverty level. She talks about the

ideology of “no student left behind,” but the federal programs that

aid disadvantaged students she opposes.

Leece has stated that the local government should be in control of

how these funds are dispersed and to whom. If she is re-elected and

like minded candidates as well, Title I programs, the breakfast and

lunch program providing a much-needed meal to hungry students and the

remedial program are at risk of being eliminated. Leece routinely

votes against accepting federally funded programs. Yet these are the

very programs that help disadvantaged children get a step up

educationally. If Newport-Mesa does not take advantage of these

federally funded programs, the money to fund low-achieving schools

and assist low-performing students will come out of the general

school budget.

Leece has gone on record opposing the teacher’s union. She was

listed last year as an elected official that advocated for the

organization “Stop the Union Takeover” in Orange Unified School

District.

Leece attended many of the school board meetings in Orange

Unified. Orange Unified has gone through many tumultuous years by

having a board majority that was in direct opposition to most of the

teachers and administrators. Many gifted teachers and administrators

left the district after years of bickering. Finally, the school

members were recalled and peace and harmony returned to Orange

Unified. One of my biggest worries would be if a similar situation

occurred in Newport-Mesa.

At a recent local voter forum, Leece credited herself to be an

independent thinker criticizing the other school board members. I

take issue with Leece’s assertion that she is a free thinker. She

takes the exact same position as her cohorts, the recalled school

board members from Orange Unified. They, too, wanted to ban books,

citing the adult nature of the themes; they voted as a block against

federal funds that assisted disadvantaged students including student

health and counseling centers; they wanted to have creationism taught

in the classroom; and they remained in direct opposition to the

teacher’s union.

I believe the price is too high for our children to have Wendy

Leece re-elected.

* CYNDIE BORCOMAN is a teacher and Newport Beach resident.