Tustin School District Must Give New Superintendent a Chance

I am writing to you as a lifetime resident of Tustin, a former student in the school district, a parent for 18 years, a member of the Republican Party and a teacher at Columbus Tustin for 27 years. Never in the past have I felt the need to write a letter to the newspaper, but I feel that the time has come for me to speak out.

I have never belonged to my professional teacher association, never walked a picket line nor gone on strike. I have observed Tustin schools go from a warm, caring, united family to one of unhappy, frustrated parents, students, board members, teachers and administrators. Most important, those who suffer the most from this turmoil are the children--the education of whom is critically the No. 1, and, in fact, the only purpose of the people involved.

Through all this time of unrest, I have chosen to remain as an educator in Tustin. I stay because it is my home and I truly believe the future of our nation is in the hands of our young people. It is a challenging and rewarding task to nurture them.

With our new superintendent, David Andrews, there is a chance for change, a chance to renew and to communicate openly. Most important, I see a refocus on commitment to what is most critical--our children in the classroom.

I fear that having former Supt. Maury Ross on the board will thwart the excitement that is building.

I strongly believe that in order to go forward, we need to clear the way for the new superintendent by eliminating the constraints of the former superintendent on the school board.

I bear Ross no ill will, but in closing I must say, “Please, Dr. Ross, let go! Let us all have our new beginnings!”

BETSY BANYARD THAXTON, Tustin