When I was a kid, I would spend hours lining up dominoes in anticipation of starting a chain reaction which resulted in all of the dominoes falling down in sequence. Recent events in Conejo Valley Unified School District have reminded me of this activity, and I'm frightened at the negative repercussions that loom as a result.

Faced with a projection of declining enrollment, the board voted 3-2 a few months ago to move forward with the closure of two Blue Ribbon elementary schools. In doing this, they started in motion a chain reaction, or "domino effect," that will very likely be felt for years to come.

Since the vote, families have already begun to make plans to pull their children from the district. When they follow through, the board will be back where it started in terms of having to consider which school to close next.

To avoid the closure of these schools, the board will have to approve additional cuts in spending. While these decisions are tough, it will be even tougher when the board is faced with the same situation in a few years due to further declining enrollment as a result of the earlier closures.

The difference next time is that there will only be one Blue Ribbon school left to consider closing. The further exodus of families means layoffs of additional teachers and staff, the very people who make this district what it is today. The remaining teachers will surely suffer from lower morale and as a result may not be as effective. For our children's future, this board needs to focus on growth rather than reductions.

On June 17, the board will vote on whether or not to move forward with the closure of University and Meadows. I don't know where the money is going to come from, but I do know that we're going to have a bigger mess if enrollment shrinks even further.

If you care about our kids, I encourage you to attend the meeting and remind the board of the domino effect. Steve Levine Thousand Oaks