Seeking Truth at Laguna Schools

When reading your Nov. 24 editorial “Keep an Eye on Bottom Line to Get Schools Back on Track,” one is reminded to keep a sense of humor in light of the editorial’s point of view.

On one hand, and correctly so, The Times relates the string of setbacks that hurt the Laguna Beach Unified School District, from the firestorm losses (and the flood that occurred subsequently), the bankruptcy of Orange County, the flattening of the property tax on which Laguna Beach almost exclusively relies, and the bookkeeping error, all of which in total cost the district well over $3.5 million. And with a budget of $13 million, survival would be difficult.

On the other hand, the editorial reminds the district of its responsibility to restore public confidence by “keeping an eagle eye on the budget.” I support the sound advice inherent within the reminder; however, I have to ask: How does one predict firestorms, floods, bankruptcy (the largest of a public entity in the history of the United States), and a major drop in property tax revenue brought about in part by the bankruptcy itself?

My hope would have been that your editorial congratulated Laguna for its history of working together to solve its problems and chastised those few persons who spent an inordinate amount of time, for personal gain and self-aggrandizement, exacerbating the situation and deriding the efforts of those who were making a solution happen. The threats and misdirected discussions of a few stalled the necessary and inevitable solution.

Frankly, too many people have suffered enough by an unfortunate and impossible-to-predict set of circumstances.

PAUL M. POSSEMATO

Anaheim

The writer is a former Laguna Beach Unified School District superintendent.

* I would agree with the editorial that the Laguna Beach Unified School District fiscal disaster has been a good example of cooperation among workers. After all, it is the clerical staff, the teachers and the school administrators who are correcting the error made by faulty bookkeeping of a top-paid manager and a lack of oversight by the Board of Education. Unfortunately, though, the bottom line is on the backs of the faculty and staff who are taking not only a pay cut, but a retroactive cut to last July 1.

The editorial concluded on the note that the trustees of Laguna Beach will have to “make the restoration of parents’ faith in the school their top priority.” What about those of us who are being affected the most? The school district’s incompetence has resulted in layoffs of staff, a serious decrease in benefits and now a pay cut that forces many of us to seek part-time employment elsewhere.

It should be noted that the vast majority of students and parents of the Laguna Beach schools have not been adversely affected by the fiscal crisis. In fact, most do not feel a thing. Why? Because their children are still getting a top-notch education and are still applying, and are well-prepared for, Ivy League schools. Also because all of our enrichment programs are still in existence: There is a 20:1 ratio in the elementary schools, starting in the kindergarten classrooms; the programs in the arts have not, nor will be, touched; there is a vital sports program; class sizes at the high school and middle school are still comparatively small; sons and daughters are attending a Blue Ribbon high school that has also been named one of California’s most distinguished schools.

And as for the interim superintendent taking a 20% cut in his $8,000 monthly salary, you might add that he is only working for the district in this capacity from September to November. He announced that he was stepping down at the end of last month. Compared to the cuts the schools’ staffs are making, his 20% cut over two months is a token gesture. Add to this the fact that the school board has approved spending $20,000 to hire a firm to search for a superintendent and that when one is selected, his or her monthly salary will be in the range of $8,000 to $10,000.

Now, tell me, whose faith needs to be restored in the district?

I am a teacher at Laguna Beach High School. I have worked in the district for seven years.

DAWN MIRONE

Aliso Viejo