A View from Main Street: Recall: It's time to move forward

Nine months after the move to recall the three newest members of the Hesperia Unified School District’s board of trustees began, it has come to an abrupt, unceremonious end. Needing nearly 7,000 signatures to put the issue on a special election ballot, recall proponents claim they gathered just over 5,100 signatures for each of the three. Falling almost 1,800 short, the proponents elected to not hand in the signatures to the county Registrar of Voters office in San Bernardino by the April 7 deadline.

The three board members -- Robert Kirk, Hardy Black and Lee Rogers -- started 2007 determined to do things differently. But their choices rankled some. Specifically, four moves were specifically cited by proponents of the recall:

1) Awarding the Oak Hills High School contract to one of least experienced bidders, according to district standards;
2) Hiring a consultant that duplicates the job of district managers in the amount of $10,000 per month;
3) Eliminating sixth grade schools;
4) Spending thousands of dollars on a survey for an unpopular calendar change.

Additionally, with the exit longtime Superintendent Dick Bray, who accepted another position in Orange County, they looked to Hank Richardson to helm the school district. Half a year later, however, Richardson would leave the district. The absence of a permanent school superintendent added to the uneasiness.

By having a voting majority suddenly in place after the November 2006 election, the three were able to implement numerous changes. Perhaps that power led to over-confidence. But today is a new day. Now that the school board recall drive is dead, it’s time to move forward. While some Hesperia residents were unhappy with the decisions of a new school board perhaps it’s time remember that the three were voted into office in late 2006 by a community ready for change.

Earlier this year, the board named Mark McKinney, who appears to be popular among both teachers and administrators, to take superintendent post. Appropriately, McKinney agreed to a lesser salary compared to other area school superintendents.

The five-member school board -- yes, Helen Rogers and Bruce Minton also were elected earlier -- faces new challenges. They must tackle state budget issues. Recently they approved handing out pink slips to more than 50 teachers. That’s not an enviable task, but it appears they had to do it. More challenges -- along with the rewards of leading a dynamic school district -- are certainly coming down the pike.

With the failure of the recall drive, the three school board members get a do-over. Let’s give them ample opportunity to do what they believe needs to be done. After weathering the last nine months, Robert Kirk, Hardy Black and Lee Rogers have earned your support.