Readers Respond -- Parents continue weighing in on Mariners library

Imagine dedicated community members working in cooperation with the

school district and city to build a new library that not only would

provide more services and resources to school-age children but benefit

all citizens in the community. Imagine this library bridging the gap of

technology resources available to students (the haves and have nots).

Imagine now a minority of people that through whispers and innuendoes

attempt to destroy all the good, hard work done by this dedicated Build a

New Library Committee.

The strength of our community is measured by its resources. Having a

state-of-the-art library that provides more learning materials, computer

stations and meeting rooms is an indicator that our “village” is strong.

What has happened recently with the criticism that joint-use will make

the library unsafe is akin to “poisoning the well.” The tactic is to

tarnish the reputation of the new library by saying “bad people” could

get our kids and then people will be scared and the dream of the new

library will die.

Well, I for one refuse to stand by and let the efforts of so many

community members be for naught because the new library has been

“sullied.”

Where were these naysayers in the last year when all the meetings were

going on? Why weren’t these concerns discussed? I have attended several

meetings and I did not hear any of these problems brought up for

discussion. The scare tactic is that predators would stake out the

children’s section of the jointly used library.

The school and the city have many safety procedures in effect. I have

worked with victims of abuse for over 25 years. The reality is the

children in our community are physically and sexually abused not by

strangers they meet in the library, but by those family members and

friends they trust.

This time is a defining moment for our community. Are we going to let

a few critics with scare tactics destroy a wonderful vision that will

strengthen our community? A new state-of-the-art library adds value to

our property, our culture, our resources and gives greater access to

technology to those members of society that can’t afford it. If you read

the biographies of great men and women in our country, often it is cited

that the library provided a step up in their path of success. I say we go

full steam the last two weeks of this campaign and build a new library.

CYNDIE BORCOMAN

Newport Beach

I am writing in support of the new proposed library. I feel that the

opportunity to build and improve our present library is an amazing

opportunity for the students of Mariners School and as well as our

community. I understand the concerns of a handful of parents, but I also

think the positives overwhelmingly outweigh the negatives.

It is always wise to explore the possible problems, but we need to

also carefully look at the plan as it has been proposed. The few

concerned parents need to stop spreading false statements and stick to

the facts. Many wonderful and involved parents have worked tirelessly to

bring this project to fruition, and all of these families want the

absolute best for their children also.

LISA MAYER

Newport Beach

I am writing to express my concern over the proposed joint-use

Mariners library. I do not feel the public is being adequately informed

of the specifics concerning the proposed development. For instance, until

recently, my husband and I did not know the new library would be on

Irvine Avenue, alongside a 50-car parking lot and that the existing

tennis courts would be demolished. We were also unaware that the existing

Mariners Elementary School library will be dismantled. There will be only

the public library to serve both the school and the public -- with one

children’s section that will be open to the general public at the same

time it is open for use by school children.

As the mother of two preschool-aged children in the Mariners

Elementary School boundaries, as a former student of the Newport-Mesa

Unified schools (K-12) and as an attorney, I have serious concerns over

the safety of the proposed library. Not only am I concerned about the

traffic and pedestrian safety issues in an already congested area of

Irvine Avenue, I am very concerned about the safety of our local children

and the liability exposure of the city, Mariners Elementary School, the

Newport-Mesa Unified School District, teachers and librarians with

respect to the joint-use library.

Students are currently free to visit the on-campus library during

their recess and lunch times. If students are no longer able to visit a

new joint-use library unchaperoned at these times, they will be losing a

privilege they currently enjoy with their existing school library.

If they are allowed to visit the joint-use library unchaperoned by

school personnel, as is the current understanding of the Mariners school

principal, our children will be mingling with the general public without

adequate supervision.

Frankly, even if a teacher were to accompany students on every visit

to the joint-use library, I would still be concerned. A 20-to-1

children-to-adult ratio in the lower grades and a 30-plus-to-1 ratio in

the higher grades is insufficient for adequate supervision. If I were a

teacher, I would not want to be in the position of trying to keep track

of all my students in a public library as well as acting as a guarantor

of their safety.

Some have proposed that a librarian could simply ask adult visitors

their purpose in being there, and exclude any visitors who cannot state a

“compelling reason” for their visit. This suggestion is ridiculous, as

well as a likely violation of the visitor’s civil rights. This is a

tremendous burden to place on the shoulders of our city librarians and

opens the school, the school district and the city up to potentially huge

liabilities.

In short, I believe the proposed joint facility creates unnecessary

risks without any overriding benefit to our children. This sort of

project should not be undertaken without further, comprehensive study,

including exploration of various alternatives, and certainly not on a

“rush basis” to meet funding deadlines.

CINDY R. HUGHES

Newport Beach