America's second largest school district is under FBI investigation for its half-billion dollar iPad program, still struggling over chaos from a failed student tracking system and settling millions in claims against a teacher convicted of child abuse. An 82-year old interim superintendent is negotiating with impatient teachers who haven't had raises in years. Four of seven LA Unified School District board members are up for election next month.
District 5 of the LAUSD includes Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Vernon and South Gate. The incumbent is Bennett Kayser, former teacher and administrator. He's challenged in next month's election by Ref Rodriguez of the Partnership to Uplift Communities charter schools and Andrew Thomas, who teaches education online and founded the parent-teacher organization at Marshall High School.
Photo: (L-R) Andrew Thomas, Bennett Kayser and Ref Rodriguez