Site for Juan Soria School

* Re “School Site Foes Tour Alternatives,” Jan. 18.

When I was the president of the Oxnard Elementary School District school board, I went to the Local Agency Formation Commission meeting at which LAFCO voted down the proposed site for Juan Soria Elementary School. In a public statement to LAFCO and to the audience, Supervisor John Flynn pledged to work with the district in a positive manner and that he would let bygones be bygones.

At the same meeting, about 20 parents spoke in favor of building Soria School at the proposed site. Yet Flynn’s group, which has now toured four “new” sites (two are parks, one is a school site and one is next to the old dump), has the same four people who have continually spoken against the district’s preferred site.

What happened to Flynn’s pledge to work with the school district? Who is he really supporting? Has his pledge changed because the district still has the option to build on that site? Was his pledge only good if that site was not used?

It appears that Flynn’s pledges have caveats attached to them. Reality is that the district has spent four years looking for school sites. The district has used field experts and staff to investigate the serious need for school sites. Three additional sites are needed including a 25-acre intermediate school.

If Flynn truly wants to work with the school district, he needs to work on these additional sites instead of threatening the district with lawsuits.

There is a great potential that businesses or homes may have to be condemned to build these three additional schools. Maybe Flynn could start working on changing the location of the Oxnard Airport to Point Mugu. That would be a positive approach.

I am disappointed in Flynn and alarmed at his method of mixing politics with the needs of our children. Those 20 parents knew their priorities for our children. The Oxnard school board knows its priorities. The City Council supports the school district’s priority of children first.

Where is Flynn?

SUSAN E. ALVAREZ

Oxnard