READER'S EDITORIAL: DIVISIVE POLITICS IN ALPINE'S SCHOOL BOARD RACE

By George Barnett, Alpine

October 27, 2014 (Alpine)--Alpine’s Steve Hunyar has been staking-out positions this week on “dirty politics coming to “little old, sleepy Alpine”, and has been attacking AUSD board members Eric Wray and Glenn Dickey.

But let’s get real. Dirty politics has always been a feature of Alpine, and Steve Hunyar has been a willing part of it for many years.

He served on the AUSD board once.  What are the memorial achievements of Steve as a local school board member?  There is one, he consistently voted with a former district superintendent’s agenda to spend, spend, and spend some more.  Steve was a foundation stone in the cracked school district financial foundation that has taken a lot of effort driven by Eric Wray and Glen Dickey, and the others, to reverse and correct.  Steve never stood for re-election.  I wonder why?  Wasn’t he committed to education in Alpine?

Steve concurrently wrote “educational” pieces in the print media. His record of divisive politics are enshrined in the archives of the Alpine Sun, East County Herald and the Union-Tribune.  Here’re a few examples.

One time Steve wrote to a local school board race as being “…a contest for liberals versus conservatives, Democrats versus Republicans, secularists versus traditionalists.” How is this divisiveness constructive to the education of children?

Steve also endorsed a Matt Schumsky in a school board election; an “enforcer” of Grossmont’s Jim Kelly’s business – the man most singularly responsible for denying an Alpine high school across his 12 long years on the Grossmont school board (and seeking re-election this November). In a U-T expose’ on Alpine school race politics Schumsky was reported to have said, ““There’s no such thing as a nonpartisan race!” and “I don’t think it’s bad for people to represent themselves in a partisan way!” According to the astounded U-T, Schumsky “scoffs at the concept of a nonpartisan race”! This fellow was endorsed by Steve!

In a local school race some years ago in which both Scott Barr and Bill Weaver ran, Steve alleged that Weaver was only posturing for election, that Bill had no real intent towards bettering education. How come then Bill has stayed a vital part of the high school movement for the next decade plus (still is) – and Steve never participated (and still doesn’t)?

There was an anonymous email blast across the community a couple of days before an election in 2004 (as I recall) that alleged Scott and Bill were forces intent on introducing gay, lesbian, transsexual, trans-gendered politics into Alpine’s school district and curriculum. The email said it represented the Alpine Children’s Coalition. I back-checked on Google and Google reported that domain named was owned by Steve. That doesn’t mean that Steve was behind the divisive email – but it would be consistent with a long record of divisiveness….

Does Steve support a high school for Alpine?  In the past he has spoken directly to the Grossmont Board against Prop U to fix-up the Grossmont schools Alpine kids go, and he spoke against an Alpine high school.  He had the identical position on an Alpine high school as Jim Kelly.  Is Steve endorsing Kelly for the November Grossmont board election?

Lastly, did you ever listen to Steve’s radio talk show on FM107.7 before the owner switched format to country?  Steve was the alter-ego mouthpiece of Lou Russo – probably the most divisive person ever to have lived in Alpine – and willing to repeat every Russo attack on many in Alpine; and like Russo never acknowledging facts like rebuttals and exonerations of Russo’s charges by the legal authorities such as the County Counsel and the District Attorney.

Yes, as Steve posts on the Alpine Community Network were his rant about dirty politics was first posted, “Someday the truth will be exposed”!

George Barnett, Alpine

The views expressed in this reader’s editorial reflect the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of East County Magazine. To submit an editorial for consideration, contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org.