1 Candidate In LAUSD Board District 6 Was Willing To Answer Questions

“My goal as the next school board member for district 6 is to deliver courageous and transparent leadership that inspires trust in our public schools.”
- Marvin Rodriguez

Running for public office is a process that forces candidates to set their vulnerabilities out for all the world to see. Especially in the era of social media, one's entire life is laid bare with the possibility of any misstep being exposed. One only has to look at the example of lame-duck City Councilman Gil Cedillo’s 2017 challenger, Joe Bray-Ali, to see the personal risks of challenging power. Candidates who put themselves on the line in this way should be commended for their bravery.

Also under the microscope is a candidate's policy positions. Every comment that someone makes is an opportunity to turn away a potential voter who disagrees. To defend against this many candidates, particularly incumbents, will say as little as possible in an attempt to run out the clock. LAUSD School Board member Kelly Gonez, who represents Board District 6, appears to be following this playbook as she ignores invitations to many debates or other ways to engage with the voters. She has also refused to answer any of the questions about issues facing the district that I have sent her during the entire campaign.

In comparison, her opponent in the November 8th election, Marvin Rodriguez, has responded to every one of the questions that I have sent him. These answers can be found in the following links:

• Marvin Rodriguez: Revoke The Charter Of Any School With Ongoing Unpaid Debt
• Marvin Rodríguez: Community Through Inclusion and Collaboration
• Marvin Rodriguez: Prioritizing Community Participation In The LAUSD
• Marvin Rodriguez: Honest and Courageous Leadership
• The Incumbent Stays Silent While Challengers Make Their Final Pitch

As ballots are mailed to the voters, I gave the candidates one last chance to make their positions known to the voters along with the opportunity to make a final appeal to the voters. The 20 Questions covered a variety of topics and, in an effort to respect the candidate’s time constraints during the final days of campaigning, were designed so that they could be answered with a “yes” or a “no.”

As could be predicted, Kelly Gonez refused to answer. Marvin Rodriguez’s answers can be found below along with his appeal for your vote:

Representation:

1. The Los Angeles City Council has 15 seats. The LAUSD covers a larger geographic area but only has seven representatives. Would you support an effort to increase the number of seats on the LAUSD School Board?

• Marvin Rodriguez: YES

2. Many LAUSD schools have rules that prohibit students from having their cell phones out during school hours. Should the LAUSD Board have the same rule during Public Comment?

• Marvin Rodriguez: YES

3. The Brown act does not require general public comment during “special” meetings but does not prohibit it. Should the LAUSD maintain a public comment period during every board meeting?

• Marvin Rodriguez: YES

4. The Superintendent announced that there would be four “accelerated days” in the 2022-23 school year without getting input or buy-in from the community. Should there be a requirement that major changes like this one have a community comment period before being implemented?

• Marvin Rodriguez: YES

5. If the Superintendent position becomes vacant during your term do you commit to an open process that complies with the Brown Act and gives parents a voice before a final vote is taken to extend a contract to the selected candidate?

• Marvin Rodriguez: YES

6. If you vacate your position before the end of your term to assume office for another elected position would you agree to reimburse the district for the cost of a special election to pick your replacement?

• Marvin Rodriguez: YES

Charter Schools:

7. The North Valley Military Institute settled a lawsuit alleging “abhorrent child sex abuse” without notifying parents on the campus where they are co-located under PROP-39. Does transparency need to be increased for charter schools operating on public school campuses?

• Marvin Rodriguez: YES

8. Would you vote to authorize a charter school that plans to operate in a building that is not compliant with the Field Act that protects students in an earthquake?

• Marvin Rodriguez: No

9. Would you vote to authorize a charter school that plans to operate on a site that has not undergone a complete environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)?

• Marvin Rodriguez: No

10. Will you support a directive that charter schools co-locate with other charter schools before expanding onto neighborhood school sites?

• Marvin Rodriguez: YES

11. Will you support a full investigation for inconsistencies by the Charter School Division on the implementation of AB1505?

• Marvin Rodriguez: YES

LGBTQ+ Rights:

12. Should the LAUSD avoid doing business with entities that discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community?

• Marvin Rodriguez: YES

13. If elected will you work to rescind the LAUSD’s $6 million contract with a subsidiary of The Florida Department of Education?

• Marvin Rodriguez: YES

Special Education:

14. The Aut Core program has been eliminated at many schools. Do you pledge to work with parents to reinstate this as an option during the IEP process?

• Marvin Rodriguez: YES

Student and Staff Safety:

15. Do you agree that LAUSD attendance policies need to be brought in line with CDC recommendations which state that “Schools should…provide excused absences for students who are sick, avoid policies that incentivize coming to school while sick, and support children who are learning at home if they are sick.”

• Marvin Rodriguez: YES

16. Should the district look into programs that allow employees at the Beaudry building to work remotely when they can do so without reducing efficiency?

• Marvin Rodriguez: YES

17. Will you prioritize upgrading air filtration systems in classrooms to better protect against COVID-19 and reduce harm when there are wildfires?

• Marvin Rodriguez: YES

The Hack:

18. The LAUSD is still dealing with the effects of the hack into its computer systems. Would you demand a complete public investigation of this event to find out if the district had implemented changes suggested by previous audits?

• Marvin Rodriguez: YES

E-Choices:

19. Many parents find it difficult to navigate the E-Choices program. Will you support a re-imagining of this program?

• Marvin Rodriguez: YES

The Budget:

20. There are allegations that there are persistent inconsistencies in the LAUSD budget including warnings of a third-year deficit that never flows to the following year. Are you going to have a person on your staff who is capable of understanding the budget so that it can be properly vetted before you vote to pass it?

• Marvin Rodriguez: YES

Rodriguez’s Final Pitch To The Voters: My goal as the next LAUSD School Board member for Board District 6 is to deliver courageous and transparent leadership that inspires trust in our public schools. I want to leverage the fundamental role parents and teachers play in the success of our students to benefit our schools and communities. Together, we will find the solutions necessary to deliver the meaningful learning opportunities in our neighborhood schools that our children need to succeed.

Carl Petersen is a parent advocate for students with special education needs and public education. He was elected to the Northridge East Neighborhood Council and is 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.