Trustee Choices Rebutted

Your editorial endorsement “Three Trustees for Education (May 19)” exhibits limited understanding of the County Department of Education as it today operates.

If Supt. (John) Dean brings a “new vitality” to county education then why is the management structure identical to that under former Supt. (Robert) Peterson? If Times reporters ever went to the board meetings you might be aware of this. It is as if Peterson had handpicked Dean as his successor, and is now controlling the Education Department from his rocking chair. Some “vitality.”

Trustee (Francis (Frank)) Hoffman “ineffective”? Before he took office there were no rules of procedure for board operation, there was no budget review committee of the board, there was no policy review committee of the board. There wasn’t even a policy book for the Orange County Board of Education. Now there is some structure to the meetings, rules are followed, and board members have to spend some time with the yearly budget before it is presented by the administrators.

Hoffman has consistently pushed for night meetings, so that parents and teachers can attend. He has opposed excessive junketing, and has himself set a highly responsible example in that regard. He has had a major impact on several grand jury education reports during his tenure. He has often been the only voice speaking out against excessively high salaries and perks in county education.

The Times appears willing to endorse only those who never say no to a bureaucrat scheme. Your endorsement of the other two incumbent trustees illustrates that. God help us all if that ever becomes the accepted definition of “effectiveness.”

I for one continue to place a premium on independent thinking, and am happy that someone in education is willing to say “no” once in a while. Frank Hoffman is doing the job the voters elected him to do. Given the current failures in public education, Orange County doesn’t need another member of the “business as usual crowd.”

J. TILMAN WILLIAMS

Garden Grove