The League of United Latin American Citizens is not opposed to the unification of Camarillo High School and the Pleasant Valley School District. We are concerned about ensuring that all district residents have the right to discuss and vote on the issue.

An underlying argument for those in favor of unification has been that two new high schools have been built in the last few years as Camarillo High School is crumbling. Bond measure H granted $135 million to build one high school in Oxnard and one in Camarillo.

Looking at the votes from the measure, this bond would have failed had Camarillo already been separated. The Oxnard Plain made up for the rejection by Camarillo voters and put the overall tally in the winning category.

At first, unification proponents wanted to be able to spend their share of the building funds from measure H and to have the Oxnard Plain pay for Camarillo's new school. LULAC has been told that this issue has been settled, that the bond funds would be paid for by the proposed separate districts: We want the assurance that comes with a vote by all the Oxnard Union High School District's residents.

The arrogance on the part of many unification proponents has summarized the proceedings. Many Camarillo residents do not like the education given to students in the Oxnard Plain and seem to be angry that they must spend their tax dollars on Oxnard's students. In fact, the funds flow up the grade in this case. If unification occurs, those remaining in the OUHSD will find that more of Oxnard tax dollars will stay in the local schools of Oxnard and Port Hueneme.

LULAC believes that all students in every high school in the current OUHSD deserve a good education in well-maintained environments. All students deserve to fulfill the demands of the local and extended communities to graduate from high school prepared to advance their educations and better our community.

Those who have spoken for unification seem to believe that they will lose if a vote is given to all who live in the OUHSD. LULAC disagrees. If the issue is solid, both districts will benefit. Taking the vote away from the entire affected district will not allow for the details of the plan to be made public.

In fact, much of the plan has been speculation, at best. In many ways, Oxnard and Camarillo look different. They are not. Both wish for a better life for their children and a safe and productive community in which to live.

Less segregation according to race will advance both communities. An equitable distribution of tax dollars to build an equitable educational system is fair and is the law. Equal representation in the voting population is the foundation of the democratic system on which this country is based. Excluding a vote or an equitable education will take our entire society back.

LULAC asks that we be inclusive and that we all move forward together. Local control should not exclude those who are locally impacted on the issue, but who do not have the political clout shown by the unification proponents.

— Denis O'Leary, of Oxnard, is District 17 director of the League of United Latin American Citizens. David Rodriguez, of Ventura, is national vice president of LULAC.