To the Editor:
“The Board of Education has been elected by the community to provide leadership and citizen oversight of the district.” This is the opening statement of the FUSD bylaws. The most important job of a school board member is to select a superintendent with absolute integrity. The superintendent must live and work following an ethical code of conduct.
The superintendent’s job is to run the district, but it is the school board’s job to ensure the district’s policies and procedures are followed. The board must not be misled by a charming and persuasive superintendent, who knows the educational code better than board members. Members must be vigilant that their natural tendency to trust the superintendent does not cause them to back away from their duty of providing leadership and oversight.
On September 24, I requested math be placed on the agenda. It should not take a letter from Ventura County Special Assistant District Attorney, Michael Schwartz, to ensure its addition to the board agenda. He reminded Dr. Nishino about the California Education Code Section 35145.5 “that members of the public be able to place matters directly related to school district business on the agenda of the school district governing board meetings.”
In district policy, it is the president of the board and the superintendent who decide what is placed on the agenda. The California Education Code supersedes school board policy.
I believe that Dr. Nishino has intentionally misguided the FUSD school board on this and other agenda issues.
Karen Ashim
Retired Head Counselor, Fillmore High School
MS Counseling & Guidance
MA School Administration

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To the Editor:
I think a new bike track is great, but only if the City does not have to put any money into the construction. Two Rivers Park has not been completed---we are still waiting for the tennis courts and parking near the playground equipment on the back side and several other things on the drawing board. Let’s finish up the current plans before we expand into any costly new activities. (Since I live near the park, I can assure everyone, the skateboard park is being used every day, and I am sure the bike track will be also. Certainly the exercise is good for the kids too.)
I hope a grant provides money to make this improvement but we should not use City funds for it until the balance of the park plans are completed.
Marie Wren
Fillmore