Thank you for addressing the height of the Valencia Valley fence on May 8. During the past year, I spoke at countless school board meetings and wrote numerous letters to all school board members regarding the height of the fence.
Since only Newhall, Peachland, and part of Wiley had 8 foot fences, I questioned why Valencia Valley, which was not on a main street and was embedded in a loving, protective neighborhood needed an 8-foot fence. My question was never publicly answered. Eventually, I was given a private response stating that a complex a quarter mile away is known by the sheriff’s as having one of the largest heroin problems in the valley and that we have a very busy paseo. Also, I was told that “cars drive way too fast down Carrizo,” but since the front of the school is not even being fenced, that is hardly relevant.
I understand that the school board cannot leave one school unfenced, allegedly due to liability, but I believe they ignored the community’s pleas regarding aesthetics. I know that not all teachers and staff were in favor of the fence and I suspect that the main proponent for an 8-foot fence over a 6-foot fence was the actual builder of the fence. I watched Valencia Valley be built 33 years ago and become the heart of our neighborhood. Now it will look like a prison.
Jody Liss-Monteleone
Valencia
