Pop quiz: Unions set to mail questionnaire to candidates
The two unions representing local teachers in classrooms from kindergarten through college have joined forces to endorse candidates on the November ballot.
It’s the first time the union for teachers with the local school district and the union for Santa Monica College faculty will back candidates jointly. They hope to influence the races to fill a combined six seats that will be up for grabs on the two local school boards.
“It makes sense, because the goal is to elect members of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District school board and the Santa Monica College board of trustees who care about education for all Santa Monicans — from kindergarten through community college,” said Kelly Hayes-Raitt, spokeswoman for the new group, “Santa Monica’s Education Team.”
Incumbents are expected to run for reelection in five of the six races. They will be challenged by a handful of long-time Santa Monica residents, school parents, former teachers and local activists who already have expressed an interest in running.
On the SMMUSD school board, current members Jose Escarce and Maria Leon-Vasquez are expected to run for reelection, while board member Michael Jordan has said he will not seek another term due, in part, to health problems. Several names have been floated as possible contestants, including former City Council candidate Ana Jara, SMC professor and school parent Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein and Kathleen Wisnicki, an active Malibu school parent.
All three members of the SMC board of trustees whose terms expire this year — Graham Pope, Margaret Quiñones and Annette Shamey — are expected to seek reelection. Among those that may challenge the incumbents are former judge and City Councilman David Finkel, entertainment attorney and political activist Rob Rader, Susan Aminoff, a benefit coordinator for Los Angeles Community College, and Charlie Donaldson, a retired SMC faculty member.
The union for SMC teachers is called the faculty association. At SMMUSD, it’s called the Santa Monica-Malibu Classroom Teachers Association.
In efforts to determine which candidates to endorse, leaders of the political action committees for both unions will review questionnaires filled out by the candidates. The questionnaires — due this month — ask a range of targeted questions, from why the individual is running to how they would budget through tight economic times to what is their impression of the current leadership.
Formal endorsements will be made June 9. The Education Team likely will be holding candidate forums and conducting campaign efforts this fall, organizers said.
“We’re delighted to be working with the teachers association,” said Lantz Simpson, SMC English professor and president of the faculty association. “My mother taught first grade, so I know the importance of starting education early. It’s vital to have a strong elected board supporting students from kindergarten through high school. And we’re pleased that our community’s teachers understand our need for a board of trustees at the college that is responsive to students and faculty.”
Jenny Lipson, a teacher at Grant Elementary School, agreed.
“It’s natural we should work with the college faculty,” said Lipson, who chairs her union’s PAC. “We all recognize the importance of both an academically vibrant community college and a local school system that reflects our community’s deep appreciation for education. We make a powerful coalition.”
Jenny Lipson
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 12, 2004. Read the original PDF.