College District’s Troubles Persist

* Re “Board Backers Win College Races,” Nov. 5:

It is unfortunate that the electorate decided to retain the status quo instead of electing new members better equipped to end all the negative controversies.

The South Orange County Community College District is facing many solvable problems, among them finances, accreditation, divisiveness and accusations of bigotry. The two new members, Donald Wagner and Nancy Padberg, bring nothing new to the table. They simply represent the views of the present problem-causing majority.

The only potential improvement is that they both agree that Trustee Steven Frogue should resign. Frogue has been accused of anti-Semitism for years now.

For the Board of Trustees of the SOCCCD to be associated with bigotry is more than the community deserves, regardless of their foolishness in retaining the status quo.

IRVING E. FRIEDMAN

Laguna Niguel

* Re “College Trustees Take a Preelection Hit,” Oct. 30.

This harsh criticism of the South Orange County Community College District comes as no surprise to those of us who have been concerned about this district for several years.

Accreditation is crucial for student financial aid and acceptance of student credits by universities. The accreditation team leader is quoted: “We did not anticipate the deep and painful divisions that we witnessed. . . . We were, frankly, stunned.”

Well, he shouldn’t have been “stunned.” These problems go back a long time, [and include] the President Kennedy assassination seminar conceived by Trustee Stephen Frogue, which included unsupported accusations that Israel was behind the assassination.

Frogue even invited a “speaker who contributed articles to anti-Jewish publications.” Is this the real function of a tax-supported educational institution?

DON WINTON

Corona del Mar

* Re “Anti-Semitic E-Mail Sent to 400 at College; Officials Seek Sender,” Oct. 23:

College officials claim to be at a loss to explain why Irvine Valley College was targeted. This official bafflement on the part of college officials seems disingenuous. Where have they been?

After all, the South Orange County Community College District has fostered an attitude of tolerance--tolerance of anti-Semitism, racism and homophobia. There’s a history here.

Few in the district leadership have denounced and discouraged the white supremacist leaders who now attend board meetings with regularity. These leaders claim to be supporters of Trustee Steven Frogue. George Kadar, whose film “Wetbacks” is distributed on the Nationalist Web page, is the founder of Friends of Steven Frogue. While Frogue cannot be held responsible for the views of his supporters, he has yet to repudiate them.

College officials might be at a loss as to why employees of Irvine Valley College received hate mail, but both those of us on campus and in the larger community who have witnessed the conduct of Frogue and his fellow board members are not. They are responsible for creating the poisonous atmosphere where such hatred flourishes.

LISA ALVAREZ

Professor of English

Irvine Valley College