Bay View’s Shaky Start


For all its educational innovation promise, Bay View Academy Board’s first major action (some of us dissented) was to fire the principal (“Bay View Academy board fires principal,” posted Oct. 26). This is the same principal who miraculously got a new school up and running successfully in just a few weeks with almost full student enrollment, two experienced teachers and five beginning teachers, and through a haze of intense harassment by one parent and limited direction or support from the BVA Board of Directors. 


Are the remaining eight of the original 17 BVA Board of Directors a governing body or just the “ol’ Bay View clique?” Does our neighborhood need a smaller clone of a MPUSD school with a retired, mainstream principal and a strong female in the background pulling the strings? 


Do I have the patience to deal with another retired colonel who wants to control a public agency? Life is short, especially for me, I do not have the answers to these questions nor the time to figure them out. Sadly, I am no longer associated with Bay View Academy. Hopefully new board members and MCOE can put BVA back on track with clear policies so the school can pursue its promised educational innovations. - Barbara Bass Evans | Monterey


Pearse wrong about Byrne and “scare tactics”


John Pearse, in his Oct. 23 letter, accused Jeanne Byrne of using “scare tactics” in her campaign. Time to set the record straight with facts. The Cease and Desist Order states as of December 31, 2016 Cal Am pumping from the Carmel River is limited to its legal right of 3,376 acre feet. Fact. The adjudication order for the Seaside Basin states Cal Am pumping from that basin is limited to 2,299 acre feet for 2017 and 1,820 acre feet in 2018. Fact. Residential water use will be limited to 35 gallons per day per person (current use, 60 gallons per day per person). Fact.


This means the hospitality industry, for example, could be out of business without replacement water. 20,000+ jobs lost. $40 million of local tax revenues generated gone and TOT revenue drastically diluted, directly impacting city services. All fact. 


Certain individuals and organizations in this community love “process” but never get anything done, thus our water crisis. A hard fact.


This is precisely why the Coalition of Peninsula Businesses supports Jeanne Byrne for MPWMD Board. The incumbent thinks about alternatives and promotes more conservation. Byrne recognizes the crisis and is committed to solving the problem. - John V. Narigi | Monterey


(Note: Mr. Narigi is chair of the Coalition of Peninsula Businesses.)


Kreitman’s the Man


Schools work to teach our children above the distractions of Facebook, Twitter, iTunes and the rest. And each education entity has a distinct personality and sense of itself.


One of the peculiarities of public education is that we have a lot of districts and charters and it, like the Web, is a noisy place. Carmel Unified, for the large amount of money it has, has not always been a high performer. But in the last five years, that has all changed. A committed group of parents, not unlike those who form charter schools, wanted to have kids who were as good at academics as the Carmel teams were at athletics. It took hard work to get this done.


Richard Kreitman, a parent of two Carmel students, was surprised when his kids entered the District that it was not more concerned with the academic performance of its students compared with similar communities around California. He took it upon himself to learn how state testing worked, to examine how the District reported its results, and to look at the rigor of the District programs. Then he offered practical and well-reasoned advice and worked very collaboratively for years with District personnel and other parents to build the educational excellence we now proudly enjoy.


Richard is running again for Carmel’s school board. He stands out for his ability to understand the issues, to investigate what does not seem right and to advocate for excellence. Richard will enrich not only the Carmel District but make it a collaborative force in our region. - Gordon Freedman | Carmel


(Note: Mr. Freedman is co-founder of the International School of Monterey.)


Zip It


Open space is being taken away from the working class and given to the wealthy for an amusement park (“Squid Fry,” Oct. 27-Nov. 2). Wooden platforms will be built on the forest floor to hold up tall metal towers—multiple lines will run up and down the cathedral of the pines on Jack’s Peak. The wild animals: the deer, raccoons, bats and birds will run in terror down the residential streets which surround Jack’s Peak. This plan to degrade 764 acres of gem-like forest shows that we have forgotten our past and have lost touch with the needs of our soul. Of the artists and writers who made our place famous around the world—which of them could afford a ride on the zip line? - Helene | via Web


Hotel Hell


A lot of loyal workers being laid off. It’s really, really a shame. (“Hotel workers protest in front of La Playa Hotel,” posted Oct. 28) - Kira Godbe | via Facebook


Very unnecessary! So sorry for all these long-term employees who were so loyal all these years. - Jackie Shaffer | via Facebook


Once you have your hands cuffed behind you, it does change things to be sure (“16 arrested in Carmel in Civil Disobedience” Posted Oct. 29). Yet it was worth it to support the La Playa Hotel workers in this very important manner. - Karen Araujo | via Web


Men who would be king


If Rich Pepe is serious about running for mayor of Carmel, he should move to Carmel (“Hats in ring for Carmel Mayoral Race,” posted Oct. 28). If Jason Burnett is serious about running for mayor of Carmel, he should step down from his current seat on the City Council immediately. If Adam Moniz is serious about running for mayor of Carmel, he should learn to talk less and listen more. - Pacific Grove Bound | via Web