Mailbag: Newport-Mesa should implement term limits

Newport-Mesa should implement term limits

We believe it is long past time that the Newport-Mesa Unified school board has term limits. According to the California School Boards Assn., “the role of the school board is to ensure that school districts are responsive to the values, beliefs and priorities of their communities.”

By requiring a new board member at least every 12 years (maximum of three terms), we would ensure that the evolving needs of the community are reflected on the NMUSD School Board.

One of the key responsibilities of the school board, according to the CSBA, is “ensuring accountability.” The school board ensures accountability by approving and directing the actions of the superintendent and his cabinet.

To effectively ensure accountability, the school board should be comprised of thoughtful community members who are transitioning from leadership in their child’s school to leadership within the broader NMUSD.

Of the seven current members of the NMUSD school board, none have children attending our schools, and three have served between 20 and 36 years. They are simply out of touch with the learning community they serve.

They have stopped listening to the voices that matter: those of the students, teachers and parents, and seemingly take their direction from those they were elected to oversee — the superintendent and his cabinet.

This has resulted in the district being embroiled in scandals: a fired superintendent; a cheating scandal at Corona del Mar High School; a former administrator alleging wrongdoing; issues with executive-level pensions; the CdM and Costa Mesa High School stadium issues; math curriculum failures; the exodus of families from the Estancia Zone schools; student injuries from poorly maintained school equipment resulting in legal settlements; and allegations involving Mariners’ Gold Ribbon application.

Limiting service to three terms will mandate a regular change, guaranteeing new voices and perspectives move through the board. Our current board rarely questions the administration on any issue — from curriculum design to fiscal accountability.

In 2006, as current board member Karen Yelsey was running for school board, she was quoted as saying, “I think there are a lot of issues, but basically we need new voices. We need to be more than a rubber stamp, meaning we need some fiscal oversight and accountability that has not been there.”

Yes, Ms. Yelsey, you are right, we do need new voices, but not just when an incumbent member wants to step down or not run for reelection. We need periodic turnover in the voices, so that our school board can be “responsive to the values, beliefs and priorities of their communities.” We need to set term limits to ensure that our school board stands apart from the district and the members represent the needs of their constituents.

At the next school board meeting, on June 28, we will ask the board to add term limits to the November ballot and let the voters decide.

Amy Peters
Michael Schwarzmann
Leslie Bubb

The writers are candidates for school board in the November election.

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Motel families need alternative housing

I read the commentary “Don’t be in denial over sources of crime,” and the the mayor’s letter to California state legislators regarding affordable housing. Once again, Mayor Steve Mensinger shows his lack of understanding, shortsightedness and favoritism to developers rather than a commitment to Costa Mesa residents.

He suddenly wants to hear from the the public about design review, environmental effects and public input. He expects Sacramento to finance affordable housing, accusing the governor of trying to “avoid a discussion of how to replace those lost funds by undermining public input, environmental and design review.” He makes no effort to bring developers that build affordable houses to Costa Mesa.

He implies that proponents of affordable housing are satisfied with families living in older motels. At the current time, what are the alternatives, Mr. Mensinger? It is false to make it either a den of prostitution and drugs or housing for families unable to afford more permanent housing. These are families, with children in our local schools, trying their best to provide for their families in the face of adversity.

Costa Mesa police are finally able to return to some specification of police patrols and functions, and arrests for prostitution have risen. The means to focus on an illegal behavior seems like a rise in such behavior. We should not be surprised that arrests are on the rise.

Margaret Mooney
Costa Mesa