( New Ventura County Superintendent of Schools Stan Mantooth.)

What do you think accounts for the different memory about what happened at the interview for the position of Superintendent of Ventura county Schools?

Here are the two positions:

1. Leslie Frank says Board Member ML Peterson asked her about her husband Steve Frank's political activities.

( For some fun go back and read about Operation: Eagle Defense! )

She wrote a letter to The Star on the subject. You can read it by clicking here.

2. ML Peterson said she asked no such questions. She sent a letter to The Star with a transcript of comments made. You can view it by clicking here.

It looks like ML Peterson has the stronger argument here. She didn't ask any questions about politics, but she did make a comment about it. I wasn't there but maybe she was responding to some of the earlier speakers that brought it up.

I have heard mixed reviews over Leslie Frank's leadership but GS, a frequent poster on my blog that supports many Democratic candidates has said very kind things about her professional capabilities. GS, tell us more about what brought you to support her as a professional.

So, what do you think? Is this story over with yet? Did ML Peterson prove herself?

Is this story going to keep on going past this entry?

( Did Leslie Frank's application get hurt or helped by her husband's political involvement?)

I was going to let this go away but Leslie Frank wrote a a letter to The Star about ML Peterson and the appointment process.

Click on continue reading to see the letter.

After you get chance to say what you think I will tell you what I think about it.

Looks like the process to replace outgoing Superintendent of county schools Charles Weis might take some time. Here are my quick thoughts on the replacing him, the county board of education, and the recent articles about Charles Weis.

1. It is true that most incumbents win election or reelection when they choose to run again. That means that if the person who replaces Charles Weis plans to run after this term ends in 2010 they will have a significant advantage and will likely win.

Being that Charles Weis was appointed and then ran again do you agree with me it is a problem when there are very little open seat elections?

If you have been paying attention to county politics long enough when was the last competitive election for county superintendent? When was the last open seat election?

Of course, many people appointed to an open seat go on to serve the public in great ways. I am not denying that they have good intentions and frequently great outcomes.

But in a democracy people should choose their leaders.

What could be done to fix this problem?

2. None of the articles I saw have the details of Charles Weis's new compensation package. That is sure to upset my reader Andy Levinson. Maybe it is because his new employer is out of this area and makes it less news worthy?

3. Do you remember the governor's push to eliminate the county boards across California to save money? Do you think we will see such a push again anytime soon? Do you favor eliminating the county boards?

4. Not many people can explain the policy portfolios of the county board of education. Is this a problem? Voters are often educated during election about the functions of government positions they are voting on. Maybe more competitive elections could help out with this ignorance. There is a move to recruit candidates for this November to run. Do you know anything about it?

5. But for the people that use the county services this board is critical. Do the stake holders think they could be better served by local school districts? What do you think Donna Prenta? You seem to understand the county board better than most of the people that comment here, myself included.

6. Do you think there should be term limits for the county superintendent or the board members? How much exactly do they get paid? How can I check the figures? Citizens would be better served if this information was easy to access online/

7. Two of the current board members are on their party's central committee and a third is a political activist. Do you think the next Superintendent will be free from being involved in partisan politics?

8. You can apply online for the job. Anybody planning on doing it? Have you seen any names being mentioned for the position?

9. I am impressed that even with all of their disagreements between the board and the superintendent they were able to keep their working relationship professional. Grudges are so easy to keep it impresses me when people keep to Reagan's maxim:

• "I always throw my golf club in the direction I'm going."

Does it further your interests to stay angry? If not, move on.

10. That's it but I didn't want to stop a list at #9. What are your thoughts on these issues?

ML Peterson is a trustee of The Ventura County office of Education. What questions do you have for her?

Thanks again ML for answering questions of voters.

This one was sent in from a reader that spotted it in the Knolls on the way up to Rocky peak. I don't know all the regulations covering The Knolls but I know it is outside the city of Simi Valley's sign regulations.

Candidates and their supporters lose track of all the locations that their signs are up at. If you see an old sign snap a picture and e-mail it in so they can go and pick it up. I know Donna Prenta will have it picked up right away.

Donna, is it okay if any reader picks it up for you?

ML left this comment on another entry. I figured it deserved an entry all by itself. -Brian Dennert

ML Peterson wrote:

I am interested in learning how Dennert bloggers define "public" education? "public" schools?

Do we still have "free public education"?