Letter to the Editor - March 3, 2008

As a veteran Hesperia teacher, I not only support the recall, but recently I helped to gather signatures from Hesperia voters who came to shop at Stater Brothers. While we were gathering signatures, a school board member facing recall, Robert Kirk, and his wife came to the store. They walked in the opposite door from where we were gathering signatures. A minute later, Kirk's wife Vicky came out the door closest to us, walked in front of our table, and took our picture with her cell phone. While none of us have a personal relationship with the Kirks, I'm sure they don't want ourf picture for their family album. I can only assume this was an attempt to intimidate us and prevent us from exercising our constitutional rights.

Petition signatures are not part of public record, and are destroyed after the registrar of voters verifies the count and information. If this is the law, I wonder why the board member's wife needed pictures of petition signers and petition gatherers.

While gathering signatures, we hear many stories about why people have been to sign the petitions. We also hear stories from HUSD employees who are afraid to sign the petitions for fear of retribution. I don't remember another time in my 20 years as a district employee when employees were afraid of the school board. Have we forgotten that we live in the USA?

The Hesperia CSEA (classified employees) February 2008 newsletter presented a public service announcement. It reminded members they were U.S. citizens with constitutional rights. It also told them they should have no fear of signing a petition.

Protect our school district, and don't let intimidation stop you from signing the recall petitions.