Editorial missed point by a mile

Bill Wallace

I am very disappointed in your editorial of Feb. 24, “Rutherford’s

parting shot.”

1. Gary Rutherford’s proposals for meeting the $2.5-million

deficit that the Huntington Beach City School District faces next

year included a proposal for $1.2 million in salary cuts shared

equally among teachers, administration and classified staff, not, as

you stated, $1.2 million in cuts to teachers’ salaries alone. This is

hardly “ ... starting a war between the teachers and administration

... “ It only becomes a “war” if people and organizations like yours

irresponsibly stir up the community to believe that this is or should

be a war.

2. You apparently did not think that the process for proposing

cuts was as deliberate and thoughtful as Rutherford said it was. The

budget-cutting process has been going on for four years in this

district. In that time three budget committees including many parents

and staff have contributed to this process. The district has

conducted several town halls to receive input and to explain the

situation. I can assure you that every trustee and administrator in

this district -- not to mention hundreds of staffers and parents and

other community members -- have been alerted to and working

assiduously on these issues for four long, hard, painful years.

3. Rutherford recommended the consolidation of two schools. His

recommendation did not name any particular school. A committee

composed mainly of parents recommended that the schools to be closed

should be Kettler and Peterson. Yes, they are both California

Distinguished Schools, as are nine of the 10 schools in our district.

It is not possible to close two schools without closing a California

Distinguished School. Declining enrollment in this district would

have meant the closing of one or two schools in the next few years in

any case. Closing them now only saves the money now when we need it

rather than later. Your suggestion that the sole reason the district

would close schools is to save money is inaccurate and unfair.

“Compromise and sacrifice,” as you suggest, are indeed “the best

path to solving the budget crisis that is bedeviling most districts

across the state.” Rutherford did not create the crisis. This problem

has arisen because neither the state government nor the federal

government will provide the money for education that each has

promised to provide.

Rutherford received an offer from a unified school district that

would give him a broader experience than this district can provide.

Should he have turned it down?

Compromise requires working together to find a solution. It is not

found by listening to a one-sided source and laying blame where it is

not deserved in a parting shot at an administrator who has served

this district creatively and with distinction. I have not always

agreed with Rutherford’s proposals in the past, and I have not yet

taken any position on any of his proposals to reduce our impending

deficit. Nor does this letter necessarily represent the view of any

other trustees or anyone else. But it is apparent that the editors

made no effort to talk to any trustees or administrators to get an

alternative (and more accurate, I should say) view of Rutherford’s

proposals or his decision to move on.

This kind of misinformed journalism does nothing to help our

community to come together to solve this problem. In the final

analysis, this sort of irresponsible attack can only hurt your

credibility, the caring temper of our community and ultimately those

whom we all care most about: our children.

Rutherford deserves an apology.

* BILL WALLACE is a trustee with the Huntington Beach City School

District. To contribute to “Sounding Off” e-mail us at hbindy@

latimes.com or fax us at (714) 966-4667.