Questions Raised by Frogue’s Resignation

* Every silver lining has its cloud, and the resignation of South Orange County Community College District Trustee Steven J. Frogue, a seemingly felicitous if tardy event, casts its own dark one.

The departure of Frogue, target of two noble, failed recall efforts, comes in advance of an election pointing to the future of a college board long controlled by Frogue’s allies. These folks will appoint an interim board member, no doubt their candidate on the November ballot.

For me, celebration of Frogue’s resignation points to the moral and ethical failures of that board majority, which consistently supported Orange County’s briefly famous flirt with fascism.

Tellingly, none of Frogue’s allies on the board challenged him or said they were fed up.

As a teacher in the district, the question I’ve consistently asked students, teachers, college administrators, deans, presidents and district officials is: Did you oppose Frogue?

Their often embarrassed responses are one political measure of their complicity--whether from fear or ignorance--in keeping Frogue.

Now these moral and political mutes are up for reelection.

I suggest South County voters ask, among other important questions about public education in South County: Did candidates--incumbents or challengers--speak out when they had the chance against the gone, but not forgotten, Frogue?

ANDREW TONKOVICH

Laguna Beach

* For many months following Frogue’s cancellation of his odious “Warren Commission” seminar, those of us who attended South Orange County Community College District board meetings endured the painful spectacle of racial separatists and anti-Semites, speaking in defense of the embattled trustee, sometimes dragging with them an alarming entourage straight out of a Mad Max movie.

Such was the support for trustee Frogue.

Not once during these episodes did Frogue repudiate that support. That fact revealed that he was not fit to serve on the board of this once-fine college district.

Trustees Dorothy Fortune and John S. Williams have been Frogue’s allies through it all, helping to make the district the laughingstock of the state community college system. Indeed, Fortune now feels compelled to assert that Frogue has “never ceased doing an excellent job.”

In November, voters will have an opportunity to express a different judgment by voting these two out of office.

ROY BAUER

Professor of Philosophy

Irvine Valley College

* The resignation of Frogue gives us little to celebrate.

The fact that he survived two recall attempts, despite these attempts being supported by religious and civic leaders, and both the Republican and Democratic Parties, shows that what he represents is alive and well in Orange County today.

Today’s report (June 27) mentions that “Frogue earned the enmity of professors, students, gays and Jews.” He was “accused of downplaying the Holocaust.” He invited “two speakers who wrote for an anti-Semitic newspaper.”

The support of Frogue by the majority of his fellow trustees, the failure of two recalls, and the open support he receives in letters and board meetings by admitted and boastful racists does not bode well for the future of education in our county. Frogue has never rejected or disclaimed any of this support.

Frogue now says, “It is time for me to move on to new challenges and new opportunities to serve in other capacities.” If past history is any indication, he should have no problems from the citizenry of Orange County.

This even though his hypocrisy in claiming to be fiscally frugal for the district is openly displayed in the timing of his resignation: “By resigning from the board at the same time [as from teaching at Foothill High School], he would dramatically increase his pension by adding his years as a trustee.”

IRVING E. FRIEDMAN

Laguna Niguel