Re: your June 6 article, “School board votes to censure member�:
Conejo Valley Unified School District board members Michael Dunn and Tim Stephens and Superintendent Mario Contini got together and wrote school board protocols so that the board would work together more harmoniously. All board members signed a pledge to abide by the protocols in March.
Dunn did not think the district was moving fast enough to inform the public about possible school closures in 2008-09. The district staff, meanwhile, was trying to gather all of the facts and analyze the impact of the May state budget revisions on our district. Dunn broke his word and started calling school secretaries and PTA presidents to ask if they would rather have their school closed, have a parcel tax or cut funding to instructional programs. All of this caused fear and panic where none needed to be.
After he was censured for this act, he e-mailed a candidate for assistant superintendent to give advice on housing in our district. He then called and left a message for this person to check their e-mail. When this did not elicit a response, he called the man's mother-in-law, refused to identify himself and, after telling her to have her son-in-law check his e-mails, finally identified himself as a member of the school board. The candidate turned down the job and told the superintendent that he and his family did not want to have to deal with this man. In doing this, Dunn broke the protocols once again. The board voted to again censure him.
Dunn should have held himself to the same standards he expected of others. That does not mean that he is not entitled to his opinion, only that he needs to keep his word. Making a pledge and then breaking it when inconvenient is not a family value by anyone's standard. The children of this district deserve better.
— Peggy Buckles, Westlake Village
I find it interesting that Peggy Buckles, a perennial candidate for school board, would comment on the Mike Dunn issue when Mike simply welcomed the prospective candidate to the area and offers housing advice whereas Mr. Stevens, also a board member drove the candidate around town trying to make a buck selling him a home. Seems as though Ms. Buckles is a biased individual, as the others board members, against the kind efforts of Mr. Dunn. Maybe Ms. Buckles can comment on the words spoken by the current president of the board Ms. Didio, regarding "unprotected sex" to elementary school children at the Reagan Library or will she see past the obvious misuse of Didio's board position. If anyone should be censured, or rather, resign, it should be Ms. Didio for embarrassing the entire community and especially the school district with her inappropriate comments to children. Ms. Buckles, are you fit for the school board? Will you denounce the words of Didio and will you step up and ask for her resignation?