Chino school dispute continues

Parents expressed disappointment Tuesday after a newly elected school board member announced he was recusing himself from discussions about next fall's opening of the Preserve school.

James Na, who was elected to the board in November, accepted campaign contributions from Chino Development Corp., the school's developer.

The developer, a member of the Lewis Group of Cos., filed legal action against the Chino Valley Unified School District after board members in November voted that the school have open enrollment.

Lewis officials said the action went against a deal that indicated the school would open as a resident-only neighborhood school.

Several Preserve parents -- who attended a public-comment period to discuss the litigation prior to Tuesday's closed-session district meeting -- said they believed they had Na's support.

"So I have great sympathy with Preserve residents, but this is the announcement I have to make today," said Na, who declined further comment.

Randall Lewis, executive vice president of Lewis Operating Co., said he did not know exactly how much Na received from his company.

"It was probably a few thousand dollars," he said.

Lewis said he was surprised by the district's move to bar Na from discussions about the issue.

"It's not unusual in California that candidates get support, and we'd like to understand what the district policy is, and we'd like to make sure that the district policy is being applied fairly to all the board members, on all of the issues," Lewis said.

Mark Glaudini -- a Preserve parent in opposition to the district's decision for open enrollment -- said Na should be allowed to take part in the issue.

Glaudino in November unsuccessfully ran for a board seat.

"I'm kind of shocked at James Na not being able to take part when president (Sylvia) Orozco and (board member) Michael Calta both have children at the Briggs school and they're allowed to vote on the issue and that directly impacts their kids," Glaudini said.

"But because he accepted campaign contributions, then he can't have a vote or say on what's going on with the Preserve situation. I think that's ridiculous."

Lewis Group hopes to overturn the decision -- which transplants students in the K-8 Briggs Fundamental Elementary School about 10 miles away in the northwestern part of Chino to the Preserve community in southern Chino.

A number of Briggs parents had opposed the decision because of transportation and enrollment space issues.

Preserve parents and area residents said they were also worried about enrollment space, decreased property values as well as increased vehicule traffic that would come with the operation of an open-enrollment school.

"We have enough children that will attend the school," Preserve resident Sejal Gangula said. "As far as bringing in kids from another community, it lowers our property value because it's supposed to be a neighborhood school."