Foothills Sentry - October 2022

Page 7 Foothills Sentry October 2022 Circulation … 41,750 Published on the last Tuesday of each month and distributed to residences, businesses, libraries and civic centers. Printing by Advantage, Inc. 714-532-4406 Fax: 714-532-6755 foothillssentry.com 1107 E. Chapman Ave., #207 Orange, CA 92866 © Foothills Sentry 2022 Publisher/Editor Anita Bennyhoff 1969-2013 Editor Tina Richards editor@foothillssentry.com Sports Editor Cliff Robbins sportseditor@att.net Graphic Designer Stephanie Gundran graphics@foothillssentry.com Advertising Sales Andie Mills advertising@foothillssentry.com 714-926-9299 Office Manager Kathy Eidson officemanager@foothillssentry. com Guest Commentary Bring tree trimmings & brush for chipping to the end of Overhill Dr. at Peters Canyon. October 22, 2022 9:00am - 3:00pm More info at www.fcahome.org Foothill Communities Association Chipper Day 2022 �� –�� walk and leave it to the taxpayers. There are so many unknowns. We do know that Milan has NOT been a good steward of the land and feels the rules do not ap- ply to them. We also know Milan has been a big contributor to Mark Murphy who supported their last By Ronna Sarvas Weltman When I reminisce about my kids’ schooling, memories inevi- tably revolve around a teacher. We all have stories of teachers who helped our children through challenging times. We remember their tireless efforts, their surpris- ing tricks for helping kids learn, and ultimately, their kindness and good grace. They were there for our kids. That is why we must not toler- ate Orange Unified School Dis- trict (OUSD) and Tustin Unified School District (TUSD) school board candidates who accuse our teachers of having a politi- cal agenda that indoctrinates our children. Our teachers and staff are not the enemy. Instead, the en- emy is an outside political force pushing misinformation to inten- tionally weaken public schools. Public schools, funded by tax- payers, are by definition broad- based. This political faction advo- cates a taxpayer-funded “alterna- tive” approach to education that instead presents a narrow cultural curriculum reflecting its own mi- nority beliefs. We need school board trustees who understand this, and value public education. A board mem- bers’ role is to ensure that our classrooms are responsive to the values, beliefs and priorities of our entire community, and not just a few. Taxpayers deserve accountabil- ity, and that includes focusing on strengthening our public schools instead of tearing them down. As I write this, I’ve just seen the agenda for a public meeting held by the extremist candidates for the Orange Unified School Board. It includes a panel discussion on how to leave the public school system in favor of homeschool- ing. One candidate, Ms. Miner, a former homeschool mom herself, has promoted the forum on social media. One of these candidates' chief backers, Jeff Barke, said the loss of funds to school districts by homeschooling was a "win-win." We should vote for public school board candidates whose objective is to strengthen public education, not defund it. It’s also a simple pocketbook issue. For many of us, our home is our most significant financial investment. Maintaining aca- demic excellence in our schools helps maintain our home values as well. What happens when districts elect trustees who are out of touch with the realities of public education? OUSD experienced this in the 90s and early 2000s. Voters elected an extremist group who created chaos, and the district bled both staff and students. The instability that board created took years to repair. And that chaos is not just in the past. We need look no further than the Placentia-Yorba Linda School District. Its school board has be- come dominated by extremists. Teachers are feeling bashed by the chaotic lies directed at them by anti-public education board members. It has created a hostile environment that is reverberating in their community. They’ve lost a quality superintendent and have had an unprecedented number of teachers and staff leave. Open- ings remain unfilled. And why is this happening? A radical political group cen- tered around Michigan’s Hills- See "Letters" continued on page 7 dale College, whose mission is to dismantle public schools, has increased its focus on Orange County. This is a small minority with loud voices. They threaten our teachers, staff, principals, and even children walking to school. In TUSD and OUSD, increased security was required to guard against violence by a small cadre of hardliners, many from outside our district, but aligned with the same radical forces as the candi- dates. The last thing we want to see is our children becoming pawns in a larger political game where prof- its and politics rule the day over education. History has taught us. This will sow chaos, division and anger. Quality teachers and administrators will leave and go to districts that treat them as the professionals they are. Our community will suffer. Our home prices will suffer as well. Most importantly, our students will suffer. School board races are not, and should not, be partisan. Instead, we should be looking for candidates who have proven they are invested in our schools, have experience in our schools and have a vision for the district that will strengthen our public schools. It is important to know who our classroom teachers support. In Tustin, that is Lynn Davis. In Orange Unified, it is incumbents Kris Erickson, Kathy Moffat and Andrea Yamasaki, and public middle school special education teacher, Sean Griffin, all of whom have actually sent their children to OUSD schools and have spent decades volunteering in OUSD. Parents and community mem- bers who want our children to have a well-rounded education that prepares them for the future global marketplace will gladly join our beloved classroom teach ers, and support these candidates. Ronna Sarvas Weltman is a North Tustin resident who is an active community volunteer. project which was overturned by the voters. I scratchedmy head when I saw on the agenda, “issuing bonds for the purchase”. I thought it must be a typo. Should it not read, “is- suing bonds for the BAILOUT”? Then I wondered why is coun- cil racing to bail out Milan? I think it is just an election stunt. Be very cautious when you get those slick mailers. It is time to get rid of the guys that caused this problem and re- place them. We need qualified, community minded folks that will listen to residents and hold Milan accountable for properly cleaning up the site. David Hillman City of Orange Jessie Bullis The canyons are my home and my community. I have enjoyed serving as an SMRPD interim board member, and I relish the opportunity to continue serving. The canyons are a special place where people of all persuasions share a genuine connection with nature and their neighbors. Our parks, trails and community spac- es need to be cared for, preserved, and developed as a resource for everyone. If I am elected and given the op- portunity to continue my service as a Silverado-Modjeska Rec- reation and Park District Board member, I pledge to act responsi- bly with the SMRPD's resources and to seek out every opportunity to improve the quality and utiliza- tion of its impact within the dis- trict's sphere of influence. More specifically, I will do my best to preserve the character of our community, ensure account- ability in our actions and expen- ditures, and not fix what isn’t broken. Our trails, parks, open spaces, community center and children’s center need to be looked after and improved. I believe this is best done by members of the commu- nity with a vested interest in the outcome. Please support my efforts to be a good steward of our shared re- sources with your vote. Candidate for the Silverado-Modjeska Recreations and Park District Jessie Bullis missed last month's opportunity to provide her statement. Elks braved the heat at the street fair The City of Orange celebrated the 50th year of the Orange Inter- national Street Fair, Sept. 2-5. In previous years, the Orange Elks have hosted a booth selling fish and chips and beer. This year, the Orange Elks 1475 opted to host a Community Booth, which gave them an opportunity to tell the city and neighbors about the organization, and what it does. The Elks handed out Drug Awareness brochures, coloring books and crayons. The highlight of the weekend was watching the kids spinning the vintage Wheel of Fortune to win an Orange Elks frisbee. Elks, from left, Steve Baez, Claudia Castillo, Heidi Lasky, Exalted Rul- er Roslyn Peggins, Rosie Cash and Tim Reissmueller. Public schools deserve public support, not destructive political agendas