Mission Viejo Teachers Protest the Depiction of Their School in Story

On May 4, the Times published a thinly veiled editorial by Jason Reid titled, “Diablos Having Devil of a Time;” unfortunately, this article, filled with half-truths and insidious innuendo, was printed as a news story about Mission Viejo High.

For “one of the world’s great newspapers” to make this mistake is unforgivable. By printing this gossip as fact you have demeaned the efforts of athletes, coaches, teachers and parents. The reader asks, “Is a disgruntled ex-assistant coach, who has made three unsuccessful attempts at becoming the head football coach, a reliable source? Did you investigate factors other than ‘the devil made us do it’ in determining why we missed the football playoffs? With all the positive stories at MVHS, does missing these playoffs once deserve a front page headline?”

Even a freshmen journalism student would notice several inconsistencies. Could a principal who was a professional baseball player and is now an avid runner and tennis player be anti-athletics? Would a football coach, at a time when coaching jobs and coaches are at premium, be dismissed only because he disagreed on the depiction of the mascot? If the principal was the direct cause of the alleged “infighting,” would 139 staff members and spouses have turned out for his salutary banquet last week?

Not a single phrase from the entire article was new news. Every paragraph twisted with old controversy, long since discussed, debated and hopefully rectified. The timing, as incoming ninth-graders choose their schools, could not be more inappropriate and damaging.

Changes in administration should provide at least a few years without distraction from “education bashers” seeking to create issues where they do not exist. And if Jason Reid is looking for a truly newsworthy story, he should visit MVHS next week when the school will again be recognized by the state of California as one of its most outstanding schools.

ROY BEVEN, JERRY CHRIS,

CAROL DUCOMMUN, SONIA

GRYSKE, CAROL HANKINS,

JUDY HEWETT

Mission Viejo High faculty