Decision to Post Commandments

I read with utter incredulity your Nov. 14 article on the decision of the Val Verde School Board to post the Ten Commandments. It is instructive to consider the level of care the board employed in considering this issue. The board met and considered the issue twice, both times without its lawyer present. Everyone knows that the issue is controversial and has many legal implications. A prudent person would have consulted counsel before taking such a step and, further, would have considered the potential costs to the district.

It is apparent that the individual board members breached their fiduciary duty to the district. The district is undoubtedly going to get sued and money that should have gone to educate students will be spent defending the wrongful conduct of the board members. It seems to me that the board members who acted in contravention of their fiduciary duty would be personally liable for damage that they cause the district. On this issue, they have a serious conflict of interest--they have a duty to the district to consider suing themselves. I would urge the state of California to seek the appointment of a receiver to take over the district, at least for the purpose of evaluating and, if appropriate, commencing an action against the individual board members.

MICHAEL LUBIC

Pasadena

* I was wondering as I read the article if the parents who have students in the Val Verde district fully understand how much money a lawsuit over the Ten Commandments could remove from their district, for the teaching of their children. If they did, they would implore, in an urgent voice, the ACLU, or other such organizations, to not file suit, as the money the district will spend defending itself should be spent on the direct educational needs of the children. The ACLU should have protected the children by not filing suit.

RICHARD L. DILLY

Lakewood

* Instead of posting the Ten Commandments in the Val Verde district schools, how about having the schoolkids themselves discuss and come up with a code of ethics? The process would be educational, they might feel more committed to their own code and there would be no violation of Supreme Court decisions and the Constitution.

JOHN F. GLASS

Studio City