Stop Legal Battle Over Tustin Base

* Re “Santa Ana Unified Will Pursue Building at Closed Marine Base,” Orange County Voices, Feb. 25:

The intellectual foundation of citizens to manage and build a prosperous community begins in early education. However, education once again is shortchanged. The Tustin base is in the Santa Ana Unified School District boundaries. Its children are crammed into portable classrooms and need additional space; nevertheless, the community’s pleas for additional campuses are being undervalued.

The need for education could not be less important for these students than for South Orange Community College District’s students. Based on the percentages presented in Nadia Maria Davis’ column, it would appear as if discrimination against ethnic minorities is the case.

The lawsuit supports use of this vacant land for schools; however, these legal costs rob schools of money that otherwise could be used for education. I hope that others join with Tustin City Manager William A. Huston, who has been diplomatic and has tried to negotiate in good faith. As Davis points out, “We hope the City Council will follow his lead.” Save the money wasted on legal battles and put the funds into building needed campuses.

Standing by the original 1995 allocation of land for the “Learning Village” will demonstrate community support for the children in the Santa Ana Unified School District and raise self-esteem. Let us show these children their value to our community.

NANCY KANDEL

Aliso Viejo

* For months the Tustin City Council has taken a beating from Santa Ana because Tustin can’t solve Santa Ana’s very real school overcrowding.

Decent Santa Ana citizens have appeared at Tustin’s council meetings--but so have boors with name-calling, booing and catcalls. Now Santa Ana is about to waste money on lawsuits. Instead, they should examine the generous offer made by Tustin and start building the schools they need. Lawsuits will only ensure that nobody gets anything from that base for years.

MARALYS WILLS

Santa Ana