Re: 'Area 1 voters, please support…' [Village News, Cavanaugh letter, 8/31/23]

How sophomoric and hypocritical of you to make backwards name-calling associations of an ethnic man you probably have never taken the time to get to truly know. If this is the maturity level and sense of logic for the supposed diverse, equitable, and inclusive values of Tauna Rodarte's supporters, it is cause for concern in their ability to discern who would be a good leader and example especially for our children.

Since Lief Hansen is a bi-racial Latino businessman and an EMT/Firefighter in an already very increasingly diverse city like L.A., I am certain he can give a firsthand account of how important it is to be able to work with a variety of people from all over the world with technologically advanced equipment and ideas.

I also caught the use of the word "appropriate" parental involvement towards the end of your letter. It seems to me you are advocating that Tauna Rodarte will sit in the seat of God, even though she has stated on social media that basically she is not a fan of religion. Consequently, she will decide for the parents of FUHS if something pertaining to their student should be of any of their concern and when it is "appropriate" for them to have input into or make decisions about their child's education, mental, and physical health, etc.

We don't elect board members to take over for parents. We elect them to effectively educate our kids in academics and innovative skills, not secular religious values.

The fact that another Op Ed letter thinks this Special Election's primary candidate requirement was driven by expecting to be selected solely based on gender tells us how little the writer knows of Mrs. Hansen's vast experience and how out of touch the progressives are with the families they serve.

Ironically, it is the progressive that don't really care about the diversity, equity, and inclusion that they preach about when it comes to supporting gender or ethnic groups if your opinion is diverse from their point of view. They only want their perspective to be given a platform and power. In practice, they also don't seem too open to considering others' ideas for differing ways of raising their own children.

Thus, it explains their need to call for some form of parental override or speech censorship constantly and use CIA and Communist coined terms like "Conspiracy Theory" with a dismissive attitude for any potential concerns that differ from theirs whether legit or not. They do not truly seek to listen and understand, but rather shame differences of values and control, especially your influence on your own children.

This election is more about trust (or lack of) in those in the progressive majority on the FUHS board in the past. This Special Election is about being more inclusive to parents and accommodating to their varying choices in all topics concerning their child.

It is also about providing an exemplary, quality education in an environment that is truly safe for a very diverse set of opinions and makes everyone feel valued and teaches our youth how to discuss varying ideas with continued respect and diplomacy.

Once again, the progressives make false, immature statements and do not take the time to fact check in order to make sensible conclusions. Since Lief Hansen currently has four boys in the system, there is no way he will allow his children nor others' children to graduate without having the opportunity to be tech savvy or prepared to be productive, healthy contributing members of society in all ways necessary for the future.

His children will be using equipment and facilities like the pools, so Lief Hansen has even greater incentive to make sure repairs and upgrades happen in a timely, cost effective fashion for them and all their peers. It is my understanding that the other candidate has no children currently in Fallbrook Elementary or High School which was also important to the voters of Area 1 last November.

Therefore, it will be Lief Hansen's and other families' children who will be the ones bearing the impact of any failing policies she chooses to continue or implement in the future, not her children directly.

Amusingly, it turns out that it is Bill Cavanaugh's candidate who represents the old way of doing things, since his candidate holds similar values and ideas to the majority of board members over the past decade and current. The progressive direction has brought Fallbrook schools years of failing academic performance and spikes in violence even before the pandemic. It is likely to predict that she will continue leading in a similar fashion with the same dismal results.

I am a former teacher and know many teachers (not the teacher's special interest politically agenda driven unions), who are for Lief Hansen. If you want more of the same failing educational policies, lack of discipline or classroom support for teachers to effectively teach and students to learn best, along with a mentality that parents are to be kept in the dark about their students in "appropriate" areas, eroding swimming pools, and overspending on the massive growth of administration positions in comparison to a much lower student population growth, then vote for another progressive.

If you prefer direct classroom resources and an increase in teacher's aids, plus a trustee who truly has every reason to value the whole child including sports and arts of which Lief Hansen's four boys are talented at both and more, then he is the most worthy choice.

Finally, if you believe insanity is continuing to do what hasn't worked in the past and you are ready for a positive change, Lief Hanson has the experience, and knowledge combined with a wealth of community connections and resources to get his Trustee responsibilities done right and is the one for whom to cast your vote.

Jacqueline Castillo