Feedback -- Much ado about a trustee’s plea

I read with interest the letter from trustee Wendy Leece expressing

her desire to be president of the school board (“Trustee requests board

presidency,” Dec. 6). She has thus far been denied this position by the

board for good reason. The board does not trust her to lead in a fair

manner.

In trying to decide whether you trust someone, it is best to look at

their underlying motivation. Leece’s underlying motivation is to convert

others to her religion. In a free country such as ours, it is

inappropriate to have a leader in the public school system with this as

their goal.

Our children are precious to us. We give of ourselves as parents so

that they will hold dear what we value as individual families. Leece

would gladly penetrate this inner sanctum where spiritual family values

reside.

The reason there is a separation between church and state is to ensure

that the state will in no circumstance invade this personal area. With

all of her talk of values, I don’t feel Leece truly believes in this

intrinsic American value, which has brought us greatness as a nation.

KEN MILLIAN

Costa Mesa

Great Sunday editorial (“School boarding is not a team sport,” Dec.

16). With trustees Martha Fluor and Dana Black’s way of thinking, why do

we need seven members on the board when they only want one mind. After

enduring many years of name-calling (narrow-minded, extremist, etc.),

trustee Wendy Leece must be singing that old playground standard: “I’m

rubber, you’re glue, whatever you call me bounces off and sticks to you.”

MICHELLE ROE

Costa Mesa

Much has been written about tolerance. Wendy Leece claims she is

marginalized as a school board member because of her “different” views.

However, tolerance means that you do not sit in judgment of another’s

views. Leece simply can’t claim her colleagues on the board are

intolerant because they do not accept her views as their own.

From watching the board meetings, it is apparent that board members

and staff listen intently to Leece’s comments, patiently answer her

questions and tolerate her diatribes and reading of prepared political

statements.

In fact, I witnessed a board meeting in which Leece attacked fellow

board member Jim Ferryman’s character and called for his resignation.

Ferryman politely accepted her criticism, responded that he respected her

opinion and her right to express it. That to me was the ultimate lesson

in character.

JoANN COPP

Costa Mesa

* EDITOR’S NOTE: JoAnn Copp teaches at the Davis Education Center in

Costa Mesa.