MAILBAG - Oct. 18, 2007

School sales would shortchange children

I recognize that the Independent poll is going to come back with overwhelming responses on one side of the issue. Most of these types of polls on the Internet no one takes too seriously as we all know they can be manipulated to allow more than one vote per person.

I have no argument with the school district when it comes to disposing of vacant school sites. They are expensive to maintain and become an eyesore after a short time.

However, to think of closing two school sites that are thriving and providing quality educational programs to hundreds, if not thousands, of children each year, is just petty and moronic.

I applaud the Huntington Beach City School District for trying to find ways other than digging in the pockets of taxpayers to meet budgets, and I am comfortable with their decision to sell surplus sites.

However, the sites where Huntington Christian and Brethren operate are certainly not surplus. There is plenty to be made off leasing or selling Kettler or other sites that are empty. Don’t gouge good tenants, and don’t send the kids who go to these schools to another city.

KEVIN JACKSON

HUNTINGTON BEACH

School district should discuss plans openly

When Huntington Beach City School District trustees were asked what would be done with the profits from the sale of our public schools the following possibilities were given:

• Building a new district office

• A new bus yard

• A theater (A luxurious frill compared to essential classroom needs)

• Gymnasium at Sowers (A repeat of the monster gyms fiasco in the Ocean View School District!)

The sale of our public school campuses would be a tremendous loss to the community. We would lose:

• Open space and park areas. They would be gone forever

• Classrooms for future community growth — gone

• Quality of life would be lost to high density development (More traffic, noise, crowded services)

• Income from private schools which lease campuses would disappear.

Why are the school trustees even considering such an outrageous plan so suddenly and behind closed doors? Why has there been so little communication with the community? If it’s a good plan they should be willing to discuss it openly. The schools belong to the taxpaying public.

MARINKA HORACK

HUNTINGTON BEACH