The Sunnyvale Sun
Letters & Opinions
Speak Out
Writer stands by his point regarding location
Hilary Lujack took me to task in her letter (Courier, Oct. 18) for pointing out that I did not do my research and did not know that students from many cities go to Cupertino schools. I am fully aware of that after living in Cupertino for 30 years. My point in my letter (Courier, Oct. 11), which apparently was not clear enough for Ms. Lujack, was that if you are going to write a letter as Mrs. Orvick from Los Altos did, to be printed in the Courier lecturing how undisciplined, rude and dangerous in their driving habits Cupertino parents are when dropping their students off at Kennedy Middle School or Monta Vista High, it would be much more effective coming from someone with a Cupertino address. I still believe that.
Jim Carlisle
Cupertino
Bill Wilson would be a
fresh addition to board
Like other local parents I know, I became concerned this summer when I read about what was happening with the Fremont Union High School District Board. In particular, I felt the board was not putting what was ultimately best for students first when making decisions.
That's why I'm very pleased that Bill Wilson is running for a position on the board. I've known Bill and his family for several years. I cannot think of a person better suited or more qualified for the job. Without a doubt, I know that Bill will put what's best for students in first place. I know he'll listen to students, parents, teachers and administrators when making important decisions. I also think he'll bring a positive spirit of cooperation in working with other board members and district officials.
I encourage all voters to vote for Bill Wilson for the Fremont Union High School District Board on Nov. 7.
Pam Marino
Cupertino
Vote for candidate who
supports all students
Until someone has a child who has been lost through the school process, one will never understand and appreciate community advocates. As a grandparent and guardian of a school-aged child, I do understand, because my family and I have suffered through the frustrations and lack of clear guidance for children who are not classified as special needs.
I have been to the county board meetings on behalf of our concerns and have witnessed Lynette Lee Eng in her efforts to work with the county board in bringing forth solutions that will benefit the parents and children of our community. I am grateful to know that there are parents like her who have tirelessly dedicated themselves to parental and child advocacy. Lynette Lee Eng would be a wonderful addition to the County Board of Education. It is time that we have a representative who will truly represent the needs of our community.
Don and Betty Neely
Cupertino
Teacher questions the identity of letter writer
I was surprised you published a letter from a nonexistent person (Sun Oct. 11) taking insulting pot-shots at both the administrators and the teachers' union president of the Fremont Union High School District. If you look carefully at the letter from "Esther Radol," you will note she refers to "our paychecks" while commenting about events at an internal staff gathering, suggesting that she is a union member; yet she signed the letter as a Homestead High "parent." There is no teacher union member named Esther Radol, and no Homestead parent in the district records named Esther Radol. This is obviously a pseudonym for a disgruntled union member whose opinions are completely at odds with the rank and file, and who is unwilling to put her own name on her libelous remarks. Your readers should be informed that there is no more truth in the contents of her letter than there is in her false identity.
Jon Stark, teacher
Monta Vista High
Yes on Measure A will
preserve rural lifestyle
In Cupertino there has been a lot of debate about limiting development, but growth and development pressure is very real and could turn Santa Clara County into another sprawling Los Angeles if it is allowed in the wrong places--for example, on the county's remaining hillsides and working farms.
Have you taken the time to think about what that could do to our county's quality of life? Hillsides and farmlands replaced with subdivisions and gridlock. This would be a waste of valuable natural resources. Communities can choose to have vibrant and attractive downtowns, which Cupertino is working to achieve, or they could instead act to push growth out onto rural lands, spreading our activities further and further apart so it is absolutely necessary to drive everywhere, like in Los Angeles.
That is what leads to traffic, to smog and to polluted drinking water. It would destroy the scenery that makes this such a beautiful place to live.
Measure A--the county's Land Conservation Initiative--would protect us from harmful and unnecessary development in the wrong places and would safeguard our quality of life. Rural lands should remain rural. That balance would lead to a healthy future for our children. Join me in voting yes on Measure A Nov. 7.
Paul Fong
Cupertino
One incumbent,
two new-comers
needed on board
The FUHSD school board is in disarray. Rather than working for our students, the school board is overwhelmed by anger from students and parents, bogged down by disagreements between board members, and embroiled in an avoidable and costly lawsuit.
As president of the board, Avie Katz must shoulder much of the blame for the circus-like atmosphere in which the board is now operating. Rather than demonstrate leadership to bring board members together and lead the district to work on pressing issues, Avie Katz was at the center of the firestorm surrounding the regrettable resignation of one of the best teachers in the district. Mr. Katz was then one of three trustees who voted hastily to terminate the superintendent and thus subject the district to a costly lawsuit.
These actions have dominated board meetings for months and continue to inhibit the effectiveness of the board. It is clear that Mr. Katz has become a distraction and should not be returned to the district school board.
Kathryn Ho has also demonstrated that she does not deserve to be re-elected to the FUHSD board. Her vote to fire the superintendent without thoughtful review of the wasteful financial consequences shows she is not a good steward of the district's limited resources and does not have the foresight to understand the disruptive consequences of her actions.
With the worst attendance record at board meetings between 2004 and 2006, Ms. Ho has shown a remarkable indifference to the responsibility that was entrusted to her. This inadequate attendance record over an extended timeframe is certainly reason for us look to other candidates who will be more committed to this important position.
FUHSD deserves trustees who will support development, retention and promotion of our teachers, protect the assets of the district and work together to address pressing academic needs. I urge all voters in the FUHSD to vote for thoughtful and proven leaders Barbara Nunes (incumbent), Bill Wilson and Don Mackenzie for FUHSD school board frustee.
Carol Stanek
Cupertino
Special interests are
behind Measure A
Measure A is a disaster and deserves a no vote. Conceived by special interests behind closed doors and without public hearings, it would require a minimum lot size of 160 acres per home in most of the rural parts of the county, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. The county already has reasonable ordinances in place to control rural development. If Measure A passes, its unnecessary restrictions on private property will make it even harder to obtain the needed affordable housing in the county and will hamstring farming and other commercial operations. No wonder the county supervisors from the areas most affected oppose Measure A.
If you read past the high-sounding platitudes at the beginning of the measure, you'll find all the nasty details of unnecessary control and restriction of property owners' use of their own land, as well as considerable vague terminology and unclear adjectives that would lead to costly legal battles (involving taxpayer funds) to resolve interpretation and enforcement. Of course, it's all in the name of "politically correct" open space, but when you realize that with the open space land already preserved by the Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District, county parks and nearby state parks, there are well over 100,000 acres already permanently set aside, there is no reason to rush ahead with this measure, which can only be modified (or corrected if need be) by further costly elections. The county already has a general plan in place for reasonable regulation of rural and hillside lands, and we don't need further "big brother" government encroachment. Vote no on Measure A.
Mickey Miller
Sunnyvale
Board members create
tension with teachers
FUHSD board members commissioned a letter that was sent out to district teachers threatening them with jail time if they used district email to express their views on election issues. At the last board meeting, the teachers union president countered that the board has often encouraged teachers to use the exact same resource to promote board and election issues, and the union had been awarded with recognition for its previous efforts.
Now some board members threaten teachers, because they fear dissention from teachers for the coming election.
We do not need the turmoil of litigation nor suppression of opinions on our valuable partners--the teachers and district staff.
There is an article in the Chinese World Journal about the FUHSD election and incumbent Kathryn Ho. In it, a supporter implies that Asians should vote for her because she is Asian.
As active Asians and proud of our diversity, we want to encourage all voters to focus on the real facts of this election. Please examine carefully the qualifications, commitment and goodwill of the candidates as the most important attributes for our district leaders. These qualifications do not have a color or race. We should not elect a person simply because of race. How we handle this election serves as a valuable example for our students.
We need new leaders who are skilled and empathetic, who can promote unity, common trust and mutual respect.
Chiu Nora Chuang, Henry Sang. Miao Chuang and John Barber
FUHSD Families, Cupertino
Homestead parents want
answers on Rowley firing
Good news. Test scores are up in the Fremont Union High School District. Our students continue to achieve at high levels and are accepted into the best universities. Superintendent Rowley led the campaign to successfully pass the parcel tax allowing the restoration of teachers' salaries voluntarily reduced two years ago and some of the classes previously eliminated. Under his guidance, the district had established a long-range plan that brought together the entire community and district staff in an unprecedented exchange of ideas and show of cooperation.
So what happens in the district when you do a good job?
Bad news.
In August, three members of our school board, despite the objections of the other two members, voted to fire our superintendent. How important should complete unity have been in considering such an important decision?
For a district with a superintendent who laid the foundation for long-term excellence and an atmosphere of cooperation, the cost will be enormous. There will be the cost of a superintendent search and the "buyout" of Dr. Rowley's $330,000 contract.
What is the cost to defend the district from the likely wrongful termination lawsuit? Some estimate the final cost may approach $1 million. How many teachers and classes could be added with the money that will be wasted? Will a potential superintendent come to FUHSD, where the result of doing a "good job" could be your termination?
Barbara Nunes, Kathryn Ho and Avie Katz are up for re-election in November, Homer Tong in '08. To make the record clear, Nancy Newton and Barbara Nunes voted against termination. Kathryn Ho, Avie Katz and Homer Tong voted to terminate a superintendent who, by all measures of performance, was doing an outstanding job.
Elected officials should represent our community. We decide if they have represented us well. Our students, teachers, and schools deserve our support. In November, it is only fair that we ask if Avie Katz, Kathryn Ho and Homer Tong deserve our trust.
Rodney B. Norling DDS, Mary Anne Norling
Parents, Homestead High School
Kathryn Ho is missing
from many meetings
Incumbent Kathryn Ho needs to get her act together before criticizing other school board's members. At a recent forum for candidates running for the Fremont Union High School Board, Kathryn verbally attacked a fellow school board member. It was totally uncalled for and is representative of the divisive nature of the current school board.
This was the only negative attack by any of the participants during the entire forum. Ho's closing statement was that she wanted to strive for "harmony with and respect for" those on the new board.
Negatively attacking a school board member in a public forum does not add up to "harmony and respect." It looks even worse in retrospect when only three members of the board made an ill-advised decision to unceremoniously fire the school superintendent without the proper, legally required, notice--and without considering both the cost and the amount of negative publicity for the district. Before she throws any more verbal stones, she needs to look at her attendance record at board meetings. Over the last three years her attendance has been only 66 percent (we would be fired by our employer if we only showed up 66 percent of the time).
The other board members have averaged well over 90 percent attendance. We need people who want to attend board meetings, commit the time and have the interest to truly understand "harmony and respect." Therefore, we need a change now. I urge you to vote for Don McKenzie, Barbara Nunez and Bill Wilson.
James Black
Cupertino
Prop. 83 is the wrong
approach to pedophiles
I am a parent of two school-age children. I love my children and I want them to be safe. Prop. 83 does not accomplish that because:
* Registered sex offenders are the ones that comply with the rules. Many are in programs to reduce their chance of recidivism. Many are in stable home and family situations, which also reduces recidivism. Prop. 83 is directed at these offenders. However, I worry about offenders that do not play by the rules. We need to go after them.
* Prop. 83 reclassifies most sex offenders as violent, whether they are actually violent. Violent offenders must be closely monitored. This is already difficult, leaving many dangerous offenders on a loose leash. The reclassification dramatically increases the number of people who must be monitored. Even less time will be available to monitor those offenders who are most likely to harm my children.
* I am not afraid of the sex offender whose address I know, whose picture is public and whose life is under constant scrutiny. I am worried about the one who has not been found out yet. Instead of wasting it on Prop. 83, I would like to see more money spent on schoolyard and playground supervision and screening of applicants for jobs that require close contact with children.
* Many registered sex offenders served their sentence years, even decades, ago. They have not re-offended. They have families, children and jobs. They live in a stable environment that supports them--a major factor in reducing recidivism. If Prop. 83 passes, they will be torn out of their lives, their partners and children punished along with them. Many will lose their jobs, their homes and their support network. They will disappear into the large pool of the untrackable homeless. There will be thousands of new loitering vagrants with no incentive to control their urges. This should make me feel safer?
Having my children hurt is a horrible thought. Prop. 83 puts my children at risk. I vote NO on Prop. 83 because I want my children to be safe.
Val Haecky
Sunnyvale
Slate of school board
candidates has formed
I attended the FUHSD Board Member candidate forum last night at the Cupertino Community Hall. The reason for five school board members is to ensure that a diversity of opinions, backgrounds and views are represented among those five individuals. However, it is quite clear that three candidates, Barbara Nunes, Don Mackenzie and Bill Wilson have formed a slate. This slate is backed by a special interest group that has pooled together $7,000 of soft money. If the slate wins, who is to say that these three candidates will not be influenced by the special interest groups when it comes time to making important decisions?
Frances Geefay
Former FUHS student
Slate's supporters are
engaged in shady politics
FUHSD teachers' union president, Tom Avvakumovits, has been using district resources to campaign for three of the district's school board candidates, Barbara Nunes, Don Mackenzie and Bill Wilson. This violates the law and Tom Avvakumovits has even received a warning. However, these three candidates deny any wrongdoing. Do we want our board members who represent our voice to have shady ethics?
Barry Chang
Two term former CUSD board member
Traffic around high school
tagged to student drivers
As a Monta Vista High School student reading about the traffic around the schools, I felt it was important to respond.
I find it amazing that we have the number of cars around Monta Vista that we do, considering what the other options are. I live approximately a mile away from Monta Vista, and it's outrageous the number of students from my neighborhood who end up driving to school every day. At least 10 students get rides to school every morning and every afternoon, and these people for the most part are all going individually. Walking down Orange Avenue, I see a couple students that live on Orange or one of its cross-streets getting rides to school.
With the current situation, not all students feel safe riding their bikes or walking to school, even from a single mile away, and I can understand that. There have been several times where I have been nearly hit, and once where I actually was. But there are other options. Carpooling, especially with several students from the same area, would greatly reduce the number of cars that people have to deal with every morning and afternoon. Walking in large groups also helps the visibility of a single student.
The other issue with student safety is that those walking and riding their bikes need to exercise the same patience as those driving. All too often, I see fellow students walk straight into the crosswalk without looking for cars first. This was something we should have learned as little children; not something that we think doesn't apply to us. Also, with the rise of students listening to iPods or other mp3 players, we need to keep the volume low enough to hear the cars around us. In either case, keep eyes on the road ahead and around you. Sometimes, simply moving out of the way of oncoming danger can save injuries or, in a worst-case scenario, lives.
Cars and drivers are not the only ones to blame. Everyone needs to be careful while traveling to school.
Judy Hanna
Monta Vista High
Lieber's qualifications for
22nd District questioned
Recently I read my ballot statement for the November election. Sally Lieber, the incumbent for the 22nd Assembly District, conveniently left off her education while her opponent, Roger Riffenburgh, proudly listed his many academic achievements.
During her first Assembly race four years ago, Lieber misstated her occupation as "Transit Director" and caused a great amount of furor. Lieber also at that time said that she went to Stanford, and it was revealed that she only attended a class there.
In 2002 Lieber ran a despicable campaign against Rod Diridon, Jr. Lieber was also the subject of a recall movement while she was on the Mountain View City Council.
More recently, she knowingly endorsed some candidates, some of whom had questionable pasts and serious ethics issues. She endorsed candidates who in their past had filed bankruptcy, been the subject of foreclosure, threatened seniors for political gain, been sued by the federal government, sued a city, had income tax liens, failed to pay property taxes, dropped out of high school and failed a GED exam, been the subject of an ethics probe and one who had no experience whatsoever who also embellished their occupation on the ballot. Lieber foisted these questionable individuals upon an unsuspecting electorate and they are all now representing some of you. Voters in the 22nd Assembly District deserve better.
My vote will be for Roger Riffenburgh, an individual with impeccable integrity, ethics and real credentials.
Yolanda Risch
Former chair, Sunnyvale Planning Commission
