Committee to Hear the Pros, Cons of an Orange County Section Today

A seven-member Section Relations Committee will hear arguments about a separate Orange County Section during a meeting at 10 a.m. today at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. However, it appears as if the discussion might be moot.

The committee, made up primarily of administrators representing Northern California sections, will make a recommendation to the State Federated Council at its next meeting, May 8-9. The State Federated Council will make the final decision.

And apparently, the council is not in favor of an Orange County Section.

Stan Thomas, commissioner of the Southern Section, didn’t hesitate when asked to speculate how the federated council would rule regarding the county section.

“It will all happen at the federated council meeting,” Thomas said. “I think the federated council has already indicated that it doesn’t want a county section.”

Fifty-two of a possible 101 votes would be necessary for approval to form a separate county section. The Southern Section controls 24 votes, and Thomas said the Southern Section’s general council would instruct its federated council representative to oppose an Orange County section.

At today’s meeting, the committee first will hear supporting arguments by James Fleming, superintendent of the Placentia Unified School District, who will represent the county’s 15 public school districts.

Consultant Barbara Wilson is also expected to review a study detailing the costs of forming a county section involving 76 public and private high schools and the effects it would have on the existing Southern Section.

The committee then will hear opposing arguments by Gary Smidderks, principal of Los Angeles Baptist High, who will represent the Southern Section and its 484 member schools.

Smidderks also will present the results of a Southern Section survey of its member schools in which 261 high school principals (54% of those who responded) did not approve of an Orange County section.

Representatives from three of the county’s private schools also will present arguments against forming a county section.

Representing the private schools will be Clark Stephens, principal of Liberty Christian High; Dave Rolph, superintendent of Calvary Chapel schools; and William McKinley, superintendent of Whittier Christian High. The three will argue that a separate section will cause an inequity in competition among the county’s private schools.

“We’re sensitive to their concerns and willing to support whatever they think is best for their schools,” said Peter Hartman, superintendent of the Saddleback Valley Unified School District.

When asked what he thought might be the outcome of today’s meeting, Hartman was uncertain.

“I really don’t know what’s going to happen or if the committee will even make an immediate decision,” Hartman said.

Thomas said: “It’s hard to say what the relations committee will recommend following this meeting. The (county) superintendents are pressing this (new section) real hard.”