ON THE TOWN:Advice, cautions for incoming board

On Dec. 12, three new people will be sworn in as members of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District board of trustees.

Since my specialty is giving unsolicited advice, here are some things for the new board members to consider.

First, a warning. From the moment you start your new position you will be welcomed with open arms and as a member of the team.

Watch out for the path down which that leads, and keep your head, for by becoming too much of a team member you may succumb to the “rubber stamp” syndrome. If you resist, you may be made to feel like an outcast. But that is a badge of honor. I cannot overstate the pressure you will receive to go along with the “team.”

Second, very soon you will be overwhelmed with facts, information and studies. The volume of this bureaucratic wheel-spinning will be massive. Harness it or be overcome.

The long nights you feel you have to spend boning up on all of the numbers and studies will sap from you the creative energy that your constituents crave.

I urge you to drive right to the bottom line on every issue. Ask the direct question and insist on the direct answer.

Third, try to limit your goals to one issue. Pick one target, own it, and make it your passion. In the same way that trying to learn too much will sap your initiative, being pulled in too many directions will have the same effect. Learn to say “no,” and don’t let anyone make you feel guilty for it.

A couple of ideas have failed to materialize that you may want to embrace, including the following:

A meaningful vocations program. The Westside of Costa Mesa needs a board that understands that not every kid is college material and that these kids should not be made to feel as though they have failed if they do not go to college. You can help these kids by reducing the focus on college. Doing so is not giving up on these kids, it is giving them a meaningful alternative. Their current alternative is to drop out or to graduate and work at a job, not in a career.

A charter school. This time, instead of asking the next charter school candidates to perform another dog-and-pony show, post your specific requirements on the district website. It will save everyone time and trouble.

Third, you must now abide by the Brown Act, which states that “Meetings of public bodies must be ‘open and public,’ actions may not be secret, and action taken in violation of open meetings laws may be voided.”

You may witness violations of this act. Should you witness any violations, you are obligated to report them. Violations of the spirit of the Brown Act, not just the letter, should be pointed out to your colleagues and should not be tolerated. Let me state clearly that I have no direct evidence that any violations of the spirit or the letter of the Brown Act have occurred. This is merely a caution.

Fourth, trust your instincts. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Talk it up. You will have more support than you realize.

Fifth, report the challenges as well as the successes. For far too long, the former make-up of the board has minimized the problems or failures in the district. Your constituents know that this is not a perfect world. We know that sometimes programs do not work.

Sixth and most important, take care of the people who take care of you. This is a call to initiate some real action in reducing the amount of curriculum our teachers must process each semester, which has been cited to me by teachers as the main obstacle to better grades, test scores and their job satisfaction.

It is time to move past the unproductive trips to Sacramento to accomplish this goal. I suggest that you partner with the teacher’s union. The union is big and powerful, and when it speaks, Sacramento listens. If you don’t believe me, just ask Arnold.