The Orange County Register recently published an editorial, "It's the principle of the thing, principal" (Commentary, October 9) about Dana Hills High School Principal Carolyn Williams' phone call to residents within Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) urging them to vote against the recall of the CUSD Board of Trustees.

As a recipient of the phone call from Principal Williams, I, too, questioned the ethics of her call. Whether or not her call was legal, to have first identified herself as the principal at Dana Hills High School (DHHS) followed by her "personal opinion" about the recall did nothing to dispel the impression that she was acting on behalf of Superintendent Fleming and the CUSD trustees. Regardless of her personal views, to use her position to try to influence the recall election was at best unprofessional.

From a parental and taxpayer's viewpoint, having seen the poorly maintained facilities at DHHS, I cannot understand Principal Williams' desire to defend this current administration. The superintendent and board of trustees chose four years ago to build themselves a new 128,000-sq.-ft. administration building with money that could have been used to "modernize" school facilities in San Juan, which in turn would have freed up money to replace some of the more than 40 portable trailer classrooms on her campus with bricks and mortar buildings. 

Parents in CUSD are fed up with the status quo that puts administrators first and kids somewhere after that. I hope that Ms. Williams hears the message loud and clear.

K. Lefner
Capistrano Unified School District resident and parent