LAUSD Redistricting Commission Votes on New Proposed Map

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Redistricting Commission voted Thursday night to support a version of new district maps that would preserve three Latino-majority seats on the seven-member Board of Education.

The city rearranges school district lines every 10 years to account for population changes. Based on the 2010 Census data, three districts shrunk in population  while two districts grew in size.

Commissioners voted 14 to 1 in support of the proposed map known as Cv1. It now goes to the Los Angeles City Council for approval, possibly next week.

Cv1 would create three seats in Latino-majority areas, one seat in largely African American communities and three in other areas.

Many residents opposed the commission-backed map, feeling it did not take into account the needs of specific communities.

“I feel that this is not a very democratic process,” said Ingrid Villeda, a South Gate resident and teacher.

Villeda is concerned that the Cv1 map omits voting and population data on African Americans, but includes Asian, Latino, Jewish and Armenian voters data.

“It bothers me as a citizen that the commission hasn’t looked at this information,” said Villeda.

The commission’s technical director, Paul Mitchell, said the data was omitted because it was deemed inaccurate.

Under the proposed map, South Gate would continue to be in board district 5,  which is currently represented by Board Member Bennett Kayser.

There was also public outcry over the possibility that some school board members, such as Steve Zimmer from District 4, would lose their seats due to the redrawing of district lines.

"A lot of these cities worked really hard to elect the board members that we felt represented our cities very well,” said Villeda.

Commissioner Michael Trujillo argued to have the Latino-majority district seats filled at the same time as the Los Angeles mayoral election because of its high voter turnout. But the idea was met with disapproving sighs and shouts of "no" from members of the audience.

Commissioner Jimmie Woods Gray, who voted alone against the Cv1 map, criticized Trujillo’s proposal.

“Were we sent here to draw lines to make equal districts or to set up a voting pattern?” asked Woods Gray.

Although the Cv1 map received support from a majority of the commission, individual members can submit their own minority reports on how they wish to see the districts redrawn.

Both the majority and minority reports are only recommendations that the City Council can consider in making the final decision on district lines.

The commission's last meeting is set for Wednesday, Feb. 29, 6 p.m., at the LAUSD headquarters. Its final report will then be presented and adopted for submission to the City Council on March 1. For more information, go to redistricting201.lacity.org or call 213-473-5961.