School Districts

The Hueneme Elementary School District recently presented an award to Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) in recognition of his support for children of military personnel. More than 1,700 children of enlisted personnel attend public school in the Hueneme, Ocean View and Pleasant Valley elementary school districts. Most of the students live on the naval bases, which are exempt from state and local property and sales taxes that support public education.

The article "Moorpark Schools Enter Real Estate Realm" (Dec. 1) was a real eye-opener. In order to raise money now, we will have school districts selling their property at "rezoned" values. Wow! Wouldn't that be nice for the ordinary person? Rezone your unusable piece of property for development and--voila!--instant cash. Once again, however, "Joe Ordinary" wouldn't get such treatment at the hands of the government. But another government entity? Why, of course! What else would it like?

Re "Suspended Senior Returns to School on Judge's Order," March 4: Congratulations to Judge Robert E. Thomas for allowing Ryan Huntsman his day in court and his time at his school. School districts across the nation have taken a policy to end weapons and violence on campus and made it "carte blanche" for every school to control its school population. In Fullerton, a middle school had "zero tolerance" on hugs! We need to teach our children how to be good citizens, not humiliate them.

In a move that should benefit severely overcrowded and rapidly growing school districts, the State Allocation Board has adopted new rules that will more fairly distribute coveted school construction dollars on the basis of need. The old first-come, first-served policy was based on the speed with which a school district could acquire land and file a completed application. That policy punished crammed, expanding districts like Los Angeles Unified, Long Beach, Anaheim and Santa Ana.

These candidates are running for two full terms and one unexpired term on the Placentia Unified School District Board of Education in the Nov. 6 election. Karin M. Freeman Age: 43 Occupation: Board member/ former supervisor of customer service at Southern California Edison.

DESIGNING STUDENTS: Trustees of the new Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach unified school districts have chosen student-designed logos that will appear on everything from district stationery and business cards to vehicles. Seventh-grader Pam Tantiprasertchai of Lincoln School in Redondo Beach designed the logo for the Redondo Beach Unified School District, while ninth-grader Michael Mantel of Mira Costa High in Manhattan Beach created the one for the Manhattan Beach Unified School District.

The state Department of Education scrutinized the finances of the Montebello Unified School District and the educational standards of Compton Unified School District andthreatened to take over if the districts did not take steps to improve. Should the state step in to assist a financially or academically ailing school district? * Willard H. Murray Jr. Assemblyman (D-Paramount) The state is already authorized to take over a school district with financial problems.

School construction fees on new residential and commercial buildings in Santa Ana became effective Wednesday under a resolution passed by the Santa Ana Unified School District, the district announced. The fees will help the school district, which is suffering from serious overcrowding, build new elementary and high schools. The school district board, by unanimous vote, on Tuesday night unanimously adopted the fees of $1.

At least three of the four school districts that borrowed heavily to invest in Orange County's ill-fated investment pool have responded to a federal notice that they could face fraud charges. The Irvine Unified School District, the Orange County Department of Education and the North Orange County Community College District told the Securities and Exchange Commission that they didn't violate securities laws, said Robert Beall, the attorney representing the districts.

Three Orange County school districts were recognized with Golden Bell awards at the recent California School Boards Foundation banquet in San Francisco. The awards, given to teachers, administrators and school board members, were presented in recognition of innovative programs. The Santa Ana Unified School District received two honors.