Newport-Mesa Unified school board President David Brooks said at a Dec. 13 meeting that he doesn't want to hear criticism, but I feel it's hard to hold back being critical when the trustees continue to focus on the wrong issues.
At that meeting, Trustee Martha Fluor attempted to take undue credit for the current teacher compensation package, which the administration resisted before compromising with the teachers union, but Supt. Jeffrey Hubbard also had a disingenuous moment.
Hubbard crowed that our school district has a high school graduation rate of 94.8%.
At first glance, this is quite an achievement. But there is more to graduating high-schoolers than just handing them a diploma. These students should be prepared for the next steps in their lives, including mastery of the "A-G" courses required to gain admittance to California State University or University of California systems.