Former Official’s Comments on Grand Juries Misleading

Re “Peterson Leaves the Office but Not the Arena” (Jan. 6): Defeated Orange County Schools Supt. Robert Peterson’s most recent attempts to further discredit the county grand jury system are disappointing and deserve comment.

Peterson’s contention that the so-called political motivation of a few subcommittee members influenced an entire 19-member grand jury panel is simply preposterous. Jury panels act on written citizen complaints concerning county agencies.

How can Peterson be so knowledgeable on the subject of how and when committee recommendations are discussed and voted on by the full panel?

The public should be made aware of the fact that not only did the grand jury denounce Peterson as having a policy and practice of educational isolationism, but county educational leaders pointed out to the jury and The Times that Peterson and his department were entrenched and out of touch with the 28 school districts they purportedly serve.

As was characteristic of his practice when reviewing the many years of criticism leveled at waste, duplication and mismanagement in his department, Peterson now leaves office with yet another, final cheap shot at your ever-faithful and alert county government watchdog, the grand jury.

KENT S. MOORE, 1981-82 Orange County Grand Jury, Corona del Mar