Commentary: Newport-Mesa trustee area map is a reminder that the school board needs new leadership

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District trustee area map is a story of failed leadership and mismanagement from start to finish and a story all too familiar to a growing group of concerned community members who follow the school district. School officials were in a position to know they were in possible violation of the California Voting Rights Act for many years but only took action when a lawsuit was filed, wasting valuable classroom dollars on legal costs.

They minimized the importance of the law by emphasizing the lawsuit was about district population balance rather than gaining equal representation on the school board for the Latino community in Westside Costa Mesa. They showed disregard for the law and the public throughout the redistricting process of map-drawing and approval, a process the law dictates be driven by public input. It began with a superintendent’s committee and consultants’ maps instead of community input meetings.

The process had inadequate community outreach and a special board meeting late in the game where a new map was born. The lines on this map were less favorable to District 7 and more favorable to existing trustees. Extra meetings were held for the new map only after further public demand for a fair, transparent process.

Despite public opinion and the superintendent’s own committee’s recommendations, the board voted 7-0 in favor of the new map and moved on to the next step: approval by the Orange County Committee on School District Organization.

I assumed district officials would learn from their mistakes and have a well-prepared, professional presentation for the committee that would honor the importance of the Voting Rights Act and reflect our outstanding community. It did not. It was shoddy, just like the process of choosing a map. Important facts were missing, and top school district executives who earn six-figure salaries couldn’t answer basic questions.

They received approval, sliding by on a mediocre performance. Once again I was embarrassed for our community and reminded of all the other debacles: the Estancia pool, field poles and toxic odors; Swun Math, the Corona del Mar High School cheating scandal and many more. Our district has outstanding students, families, teachers and a community with vast resources that deserves outstanding leadership.

We deserve a school board and leaders who put students and the public first, don’t waste our tax dollars on lawsuits, consultants and excessive executive salaries, are transparent and respect our democratic processes and laws. We deserve leaders who are proactive, not reactive, and innovative. We have an opportunity to put our school district back on top by electing four new school board trustees this November.

LAURIE SMITH is a retired Newport-Mesa Unified School District teacher.