November ballot a potential disaster

The California Department of Education recommends that "the election for the governing board will take place on the first regular election following passage of the reorganization proposal."

In other words, see if unification passes, then elect a board for the new district. Ventura County Superintendent of Schools Chuck Weis, however, placed unification and the election of a Camarillo Unified School Board on the November ballot.

I wonder if he considered the impact this decision will have on the democratic process in our community. It will be extremely difficult to run for one of the local school boards this year. Without any way of knowing how the vote on unification will go, why invest in a costly, timeconsuming campaign for a possibly nonexistent board seat? Potential scenarios for Pleasant Valley residents interested in serving on a local school board include:

1) Run for the Camarillo Unified School Board. If unification loses, you ran for a board that does not exist.

2) Run for the Pleasant Valley School Board. If unification passes, you ran for a lame duck board that will be disbanded shortly.

3) Run for the Oxnard Union High School Board. If unification passes, you will no longer live in the district's boundaries and have to resign shortly. Oxnard Union High School District trustees will appoint a new trustee.

Waiting to see if unification passes before electing the new board would mean a delay in getting started and additional election costs. However, one of the many delays and costs we've already had in this process, this is one I could stand behind - one that would be in the best interests of our staff and students so that we could transition to a new unified or nonunified district properly, democratically and with the best leadership possible.

It's interesting to note that the ones most anxious to unify are, in fact, the ones paying for the latest delay, as they sue the State Board of Education. It appears even they can wait.

The only people who benefit from Weis' decision are the local school board incumbents. We get more of the same, and that's not in anyone's best interest.
Kim Marra Stephenson
Camarillo