The Campbell Reporter

Education

CUHSD candidate forum addresses communication and bond measure

By Alicia Upano

This is the second of three parts that will feature profiles on candidates running for a trustee seat in the Campbell Union High School District.

--Editor

Communication was the clear theme at the Campbell Union High School District candidate forum just two weeks before the November elections.

Five of the six candidates-- Mathew Dean, Pam Parker, George St. Clair, Philip Reynolds Jr., Royce Lorraine Peterson--answered questions fielded ahead of time from the audience. The sixth candidate, Joe Pandit, was not at the forum.

For Dean the answer to better communication was simple:

"Communication, communication, communication," Dean said. "If we begin to change this, we begin to change everything else."

Dean's comment followed several questions about the district's lack of communication with the community. Audience members, through anonymous questions read by moderator and League of Women Voters representative David Zuverink, expressed disappointment with the current board not returning phone calls and emails and not communicating effectively with the district's students.

Peterson, a retired Prospect High School teacher, said the board could be more available by changing its meetings from 5:30 p.m. to a more parent- and student-friendly time.

Reynolds, a parent and community activist, took it a step further. He suggested bringing the board to the communities--holding meetings at each high school on a rotating basis.

St. Clair, who's served 16 years on the board, said the district has two student representatives and parents who regularly communicate with the board. He said communication could be improved by ensuring their knowledge is passed on to the community at large.

Dean said the use of technology would improve the spread of information. The former Campbell councilman suggested recruiting students to archive board meetings into indexed podcasts and store the information on the web for public access.

Measure G--a $90 million Campbell Union High School District bond on the November ballot--was another issue raised by those in attendance.

Many of the candidates support the bond measure, which renews the 1999 bond passed by voters for facility upgrades.

The audience wanted assurances about future plans and wanted the candidates to respond. One of those questions was, "In 1999 the voters passed Measure C and in 2003 voters passed Measure M; now there is Measure G. What guarantees do you have you won't be back to us in the future?"

While incumbent Parker said there were no guarantees the district would not seek voter-approved funds again, she said the bond money is sorely needed to finish renovating the schools.

Dean said the problem goes beyond bond measures. He wants to see school districts create a process that puts funds aside for future facility upgrades. He also questioned whether the district was legally using school time to support the bond. As an example, Dean said it would be illegal for the district to use any school resources to campaign for Measure G.

The audience wanted to know if the teachers were beholden to "special interests," namely the teachers' union and sports boosters club.

Parker and Peterson, endorsed by the teachers' union, said they are serving all the students, not just particular groups. Dean points to his record on the Campbell City Council, which he said proves his independence. St. Clair said will continue the objectivity he's demonstrated during the past 16 years.

"I've never accepted campaign contributions, and I've never regretted it," St. Clair said.

The League of Women Voters, The Campbell Reporter and the Los Gatos-Weekly Times sponsored the forum.