Clash of Views on the School Board

County Supt. of Schools Charles Weis recently told a group that the religious right was threatening public education in Ventura County and “democracy as we know it.” This comment was directed at school board trustees Wendy Larner, Marty Bates and Angela Miller, who banned Planned Parenthood and AIDS Care from conducting teacher training.

I think Mr. Weis missed the point entirely. The trustees in question were selected by a majority of voters because their campaign positions represented the priorities of our community. The trustees acted in the interest of those voters by keeping their campaign promises. This is how democracy is supposed to work.

In contrast, Mr. Weis referred to politically active Christians as being “narrow-minded and deceiving.” I believe that his statement made an eloquent case for his own personal prejudice and intolerance. While our schools should not be in the business of teaching religion, they also should not actively undermine the spiritual values instilled in the homes of most of their students.

As a parent, I am tired of groups representing viewpoints that attack moral values being given free access to my children, while groups representing traditional values are barred because they discuss morality and therefore must violate the separation of church and state.

BOB BROOKS, Thousand Oaks