Christian Officials

The article about Christian school board members (“Christian Fundamentalists Make Influence Felt on School Boards,” March 23) contains some errors which merit correction, and it exhibits some journalistic maneuvering, which I feel is noteworthy to the reader.

Although it is stated that many of the new school board members have criticized a popular spelling curriculum called “Wizards,” Jonathan Gaw, the article’s author, is unable to identify any district or any school board member which has criticized the curriculum.

The article also states that “ . . . other parents, led by board member (Deidre) Holliday, raised questions regarding the use of the novel “Candide,” by Voltaire, in a high school English class . . . . “ In fact, there was only one parent who questioned this novel; she contacted each of the board members, and to this day is someone I have never met.

Several readers have commented on the editorial nature of this news piece. One case in point is the sleight-of-pen used with my statement about marriage and homosexuality. Mr. Gaw brought up that subject in an interview and asked for my opinion on it. The fact that it is printed twice, once in large bold type next to a photo of me, gives it emphasis as if it were a salient issue in my job. Since the issue has never come up in any board decision which I have participated in, I question its pertinence to an article which purports to chronicle the influence and inroads made by new school board members.

DEIDRE HOLLIDAY

Member

Vista Unified School Board

Editor’s note: Parents at an elementary school in Vista objected to the “Wizards” curriculum.