MALIBU — Members of the Malibu Parent Teacher Student Association packed the Malibu High School library Thursday morning to question two members of the school board about issues facing the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.
MAIN LIBRARY — If there are opponents in Santa Monica’s business community of the proposed law banning stores from giving out free single-use plastic bags, they haven’t made themselves known to the local Chamber of Commerce.
The school board will hold a special meeting this Thursday, Jan. 20 at 6 p.m. at district headquarters (1651 16th St.) to discuss and agree on a timeline for the search of a new superintendent to replace Tim Cuneo, who is retiring in June.
Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday selected former Santa Monica High School Principal Ilene Straus to serve on the state Board of Education, according to reports.
SMMUSD HDQTRS — The school board is pushing back against a line-item veto by Gov. Schwarzenegger that education activists say could greatly harm mental health services for some special education students in school districts here and across California.
Regular readers know I think the current Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education has failed in its oversight and demonstrated an appalling lack of leadership in handling problems such as continual budget shortfalls.
DOWNTOWN — As Nov. 2 nears, a certain sector of the Santa Monica electorate is beginning to wonder: What’s more important, experience or newcomer enthusiasm? And who’s got the right mix of both? The question may have the most relevance to the campaign of school board challenger Nimish Patel.
One of the most interesting and contentious contests this election is the race for the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education with Kelly Pye retiring and board chair Barry Snell, Ralph Mechur and the always controversial Oscar de la Torre seeking re-election.
• Name: Barry A. Snell • Age: 55 • Occupation: Certified public accountant/ school board president • Marital status/children: Single with three children • Your neighborhood? How long have you lived there?: South of Montana, 15 years • Own or rent?: Rent • Public school or private?: Public schools in
• Name: Laurie Lieberman • Age: 57 • Occupation: Education activist/parent/ attorney • Marital status/children: Married/two children, three step-children • Your neighborhood? How long have you lived there?: 30-year Santa Monica resident; north of Montana (nine years); previously, Ocean Park and Suns
• Name: Chris Bley • Age: 37 • Occupation: High school history and government teacher • Marital status/children: Divorced/none • Your neighborhood? How long have you lived there?: Montana, Ocean Park, Harvard Street/34 years • Own or rent? Rent • Public school or private? Public through college exce
• Name: Oscar de la Torre • Age: 39 • Occupation: Founder/executive director of Pico Youth & Family Center and school board member • Marital status/children: Married with two children • Your neighborhood? How long have you lived there?: Lifelong resident of Santa Monica’s Pico Neighborhood • Own or
