OPINION: NMUSD address verification plan cumbersome

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District is requiring that all students graduating from high school by the year 2011 or later must jump through a series of hoops to verify residence in the required zone to attend each school. It was my impression that, in this country, we were all presumed innocent until proven guilty. I have done nothing to cause the District to have any suspicion that my daughter does not live where we live. I think asking me to spend the time to gather the required documents and then go stand in line for an hour so I can show the papers to a school district representative is out of line. If there is some reason to suspect that my daughter does not live where she lives then tell me where that impression came from or leave me alone. I wonder how much this is costing the District in manpower and who approved this expenditure. I don’t want my tax dollars paying for this witch hunt. I am not very clear on the problem they are trying to solve. I can’t say that I really care if a student or two or twenty get to attend a school that they live a little bit farther from than other students. Aren’t school revenues calculated on attendence anyway?