School counts chickens before they’ve hatched

Unless silently, without a public hearing, regional planning (of L.A. County) has approved the application and conditional use permit for the Heschel Day School to start construction in Agoura Hills, we are all being misled with a representation being made to the public by an ad and article in The Acorn dated March 25 that the Heschel West Day School has announced the appointment of Yuri Hronsky to the position of assistant principal and director of its new middle school slated to open in September 2005.

A telephone number is listed for more information, "please call Jan Saltsman, principal, at (818) 707-2365." In calling that number you learn that they are "going to open a school in 2005 and . . . will keep (us) posted." There is no comment that it has not been placed before regional planning; there is no statement made that they have yet to file a revised Environmental Impact Report. Not only does this insult my intelligence, but the arrogance and the gall is astounding.

This school has failed the course, so to speak, at regional planning and in all other aspects to date. I suspect that they will be resubmitting a revised EIR report, but to represent to our citizens and others that the school will open in September 2005 at the intersection of the 101 Freeway and Chesebro Road is outrageous and certainly an insult to the (L.A. County) Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors. It certainly evidences that this particular applicant will not be cooperative or appropriately build a school that will fit into the complex interactions that occur in neighborhoods, and become part of the community.

The misrepresentation an)d presumptiveness are astounding, particularly in the face of an organization that preaches a philosophy and teaching of a strong sense of self, lifelong commitment to learning, combined with morals based on Judaic philosophy. One wonders how this behavior can support the constant statements that they can be good neighbors and be a vibrant part of the community.

George Colman

Agoura