Vote for anyone but McDonald Please vote...

Vote for anyone but McDonald

Please vote in the school board runoff election. Do not vote for

the incumbent Michael McDonald. I was surprised that McDonald

received almost 2,000 votes in the last election. Several people I

asked told me they voted for him because, “He is a nice guy.” I will

give him the benefit of the doubt and agree that he is a nice guy. He

is just not the right man for the job.

At school board meetings, when he is asked a question, he sounds

like he doesn’t understand how the school system works.

There are good reasons to vote even if you are not directly

involved with the Burbank schools. Everyone is affected by our school

system. If we have a good school system, people will want to live in

Burbank so their children can attend the schools.

A good school system increases property values. A good school

system brings affluent people into the community, which benefits

local stores and businesses. And an educated community is less likely

to have gang violence. Good schools affect every one of us -- retired

people, people with no children and people who send their children to

private schools. We are all affected economically.

Please vote in the runoff election. Remember to vote out the

incumbent and to vote in a new school board that will benefit our

community, teachers, parents and students.

TOM AND SUSAN DEVIN

Burbank

Coach explains his side of story

I’m writing this letter to squelch rumors or untruths that might

have surfaced in the past couple of months regarding my coaching

situation at Burbank High School. In meeting with Burbank Coach Greg

Sobiech, I inquired about coming back as the head freshman coach and

was told that it was the “natural progression” for the Burbank Viking

senior division head coach to have the head freshman football

coaching position at the school, so my position was no longer

available to me. At the time, he offered to me an assistant position

at the junior varsity level as well as an assistant position on the

varsity level.

After speaking with the JV head coach, he welcomed me with open

arms on his staff. When I notified Sobiech of my decision to be part

of the JV staff, he said no and that we would need to meet again.

Three days later, I was told that all those positions had been

filled. It seemed interesting to me that it was varsity assistant or

nothing.

I am very saddened that I won’t be coaching at Burbank High

School, but look forward to the opportunity to coach at John

Burroughs High School as its freshman head coach.

I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all the student

athletes who worked so hard on and off the field and to assure them

that I did not quit on their program. Congratulations to all of you

for completing the most successful season record in more than a

decade -- 8-2.

ART YANEZ

Freshman football

head coach

John Burroughs High School

Reader holding out for $100 land

I am writing in regard to the great deal the city of Burbank gave

the Cusumano family -- a parcel of land for $100. If the city has any

more, can I get in on it? Or is it just for a family that has a lot

of money vested in the city?

It is a crime for the City Council to do this. How many of the

City Council members have taken donations for their City Council

campaigns? It just isn’t right, city of Burbank. I understand that

the first half of the parcel was sold for $3 million. We couldn’t get

any takers for the other half that the council gave away for $100?

What is next? A new terminal for the airport?

I am afraid to live in Burbank.

DAWN WIRTH

Burbank

Laying off teachers is not the answer

Do your readers know that 46% of the teaching staff at John

Burroughs High School received layoff notices last week? These

layoffs sever two-thirds of the school’s math and science teachers

and 60% of our English teachers.

These laid-off teachers are gifted, dedicated resources. Several

of these teachers were recently recognized in “Who’s Who Among

America’s Teachers.” One of these discontinued teachers was honored

as the Regional Occupational Program Teacher of the Year for Los

Angeles County. These teachers have helped Burroughs exceed its

target API scores three years in a row, an unprecedented feat.

Surely the district does not need to prepare for upcoming budget

shortfalls by decimating one of its most successful schools. What

possible good can come from this demoralizing meat-ax approach to

budget cuts? How will laying off almost half of the staff benefit

students?

These teachers have mortgages to pay and families to care for.

They cannot gamble their livelihoods on the vagaries of the district

and state Legislature. In a time of real teacher shortages, who will

replace the well-qualified teachers we’ve chased away when money is

found to fund classrooms again?

L. BERNARD GANTZ

Automotive Technology

teacher

John Burroughs High School