The editors of The Signal have failed Journalism 101 by failing to adequately — and fairly — cover the elections for College of the Canyons board of trustees. COC is facing major budget reductions in the coming months. Competent and steady leadership from the COC board of trustees is going to be critical to steer the college through this crisis. Three of the five seats on the board are open for election this year. The editors had previously stated that the paper would not endorse candidates in this year’s elections, but they abruptly changed course last week when they published short and overly vague endorsements of three candidates.
The logic of their endorsements makes no sense. They endorse one candidate already serving on the board due to that candidate’s experience having served on the board. Yet, they also endorse the challenger of another current member of the board (who happens to have extensive experience in education) despite the fact that the challenger has no experience on the COC board and no experience whatsoever in education. The people of the valley deserve better from The Signal and ought to disregard this paper’s recommendations when they cast their vote for the COC board of trustees.
Erik Altenbernd
Faculty, College of the Canyons
Agoura Hills
Editor’s note: We have never said we would relinquish our right to endorse candidates, in this election or any other.
