Irvine Co. Scolded for Additions to Schools Survey

A school district survey was not tainted by unauthorized questions added by the Irvine Co., school board members said Tuesday night.

But Irvine Unified School District officials expressed dismay that the company added the questions without the district’s knowledge. The added questions related to a range of community issues, including the city’s November mayoral election.

“I immediately contacted the Irvine Co. and told them I thought that was inappropriate,” Supt. Dennis M. Smith said. “It left the wrong impression with our community, that we were somehow involved in city politics.”

The school district had asked the Irvine Co. for help in funding the $15,000 phone survey, which included 50 education-related questions approved by school board members. Irvine Co. officials say they agreed to pay for the survey and subsequently added questions on “a wide range of issues.” The questions have since been dropped.

“We’ve apologized to the board members and the superintendent,” Irvine Co. spokesman Franz Wisner said. “In hindsight, we should have done more to inform them of the questions.”

Wisner declined to disclose the precise wording of the added questions.

Councilwoman Christina Shea, who is running for mayor against former Mayor Sally Anne Sheridan, accused the Irvine Co. of deliberately using the survey to benefit Sheridan’s campaign.

Sheridan dismissed such accusations.

“This is the sort of thing the Irvine Co. does all the time,” she said, “particularly during election years.”