"Big money pull a million strings" - Neil Peart
By all early indications, LAUSD Board Member Kelly Gonez should be facing an easy re-election campaign next year. Besides having the usual advantages of incumbency, she holds the board's presidency, which gives her easy access to the media. Unlike Nick Melvoin, her charter-industry ally on the board, she has not been caught in any scandals. Also, only one of her three competitors, Marvin Rodriguez, has declared that they have raised any money, in the amount of $ 6,920.00.
Even with all of these advantages and the primary election seven months away, Gonez has already spent $32,500.00 on campaign consultants. This seems like a lot of money for a candidate who is supposed to be a "sure thing."Tracy Austin, Inc., based in Beverly Hills, is the recipient of the most money, raking in a total of $26,250 since February. While this company does not seem to have any web presence, it probably does not need one due to the connections of her husband, Ben Austin. He worked in Los Angeles City Hall during the Antonio Villaraigosa administration and has been involved in various astroturf organizations trying to privatize public education. Austin is also the same person who argued the anti-Jewish tropes used against Board Member Scott Schmerelson were acceptable because it was less than other types of anti-semitism. Schmerelson's opponent in that race paid $22,750.00 to Tracy Austin, Inc.
The money being used to pay for these expenses is largely being raised from outside Board District 6, some of it from out of state. New York residents sent $2,900, including $1,300 from Emma Bloomberg, who sits on Kipp Charter Schools' Board of Directors. Apparently, being anti-public education runs in the Bloomberg family. Other states represented in this local school board race are Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Illinois, Maryland, and Virginia. There were $3,850 in donations from Washington DC.
The other six school-board seats are also well represented. Failed school-board candidate Marilyn Koziatek has donated $100 as has current School Board Member Tanya Ortiz Franklin. Former Superintendent John Deasy, who was forced from his position after the iPad and MiSiS Crisis scandals, cost LAUSD students over a billion dollars, also contributed. Caprice Young, the former board member who voted to approve the purchase of the Beaudry headquarters building and then moved on to shill for failing charter schools, pitched in $100.Young was just the tip of the iceberg for charter-school-industry support. Employees from Alliance, KIPP, Gabriella, Citizens of the World, Green Dot, Stem Prep Schools, and Granada Hills Charter all donated. Charter-school supporters Lynda Reznick (Deasy's boss at The Wonderful Company), Bill Bloomfield, and George Pla all donated the maximum amount of $1,300.
A galaxy far, far away was represented with donations from Kathleen Kennedy and Jon Favreau. More Hollywood money came from Kristen Bell, a former board member of the Citizens of the World nationwide chain of charter schools.
I asked all four candidates in the Board District 6 race to comment on the amount of money that is coming from outside the board district in next year's election. No responses were received from Gonez or challenger Benito B. Bernal. The newest candidate to enter the race, Jesus Arana, sent the following statement:
Let's get down to the crux of the matter; I believe the real question isn't the amount of money coming from outside the district but the intent behind it.
Whether it be to impose radical biases onto our children or to leech money from the already underfunded education system, I believe there are special interest groups and/or organizations that pour money into our elections because they have mal-intent. Those officials who have twisted or abandoned their fiduciary responsibilities to our children and community, for political or monetary gain, need to be ousted.
There are many positive people, groups, and organizations that donate money in support of School Board Candidates because they want the best for our educational system. It is up to the candidate to listen to all the stakeholders in the community to determine what is best. One of the reasons I am running for School Board Member is because I have lost faith in some of our elected officials. I am not a politician. I am a parent, community member, coach, and mentor who is looking out for the rights of our children, staff, and stakeholders.
Marvin Rodriguez, who was the first candidate to announce that he was running against Gonez, responded with the following comment:
A candidate who welcomes funds to pour into their campaign from outside monied interests is selling out the community they seek to represent even before the community has given them the chance to serve them.If Gonez has been serving her community during her first term, she would not need boatloads of cash from outside her district to win re-election. However, when the biggest accomplishment that you can cite is that you kept parents from having a voice, goodwill with the voters is not going to be enough. With $82,185.84 in the bank and California Charter School Association spending yet to begin, this is going to be a very expensive race. There has to be a better way for us to choose our leaders.
Carl Petersen is a parent advocate for students with special education needs and public education. He is an elected member of the Northridge East Neighborhood Council and serves as the Education Chair. As a Green Party candidate in LAUSD's District 2 School Board race, he was endorsed by Network for Public Education (NPE) Action. Dr. Diane Ravitch has called him "a valiant fighter for public schools in Los Angeles." For links to his blogs, please visit www.ChangeTheLAUSD.com. Opinions are his own.