Gonez is reelected; Rivas wins open seat on L.A. school board
Election results: L.A. school board races
In case you weren’t looking on Election Day, here’s what you missed:
The Los Angeles Unified School District elections: A look at how the races played out
At the helm: Candidates for the school board seats now in play
Candidates for the two open seats on the school board were facing off in a forum on Wednesday — and they both made it clear that neither candidate is backing down after a tumultuous year that started with two black administrators being forced out — and one of them charged with stealing money.
Election results: L.A. school board races
A look at how the races played out
The polls closed last week, but with neither candidate making himself more palatable heading into the election, the school board race that includes the first two open seats in eight years remained a tossup.
Candidate for the open seat on the Los Angeles school board
Candidate for the open seat on the Los Angeles school board
The two candidates, both of whom represent districts that are predominantly Latino, had a lot to say about the state of education, the impact of the district’s financial position, and the state of civil rights in California.
The winner will fill in for outgoing board member Tony D’Amico, who retired earlier this year. The incumbent was facing a strong challenge from incumbent Tony Vazquez.
Both candidates expressed optimism that the district will soon be able to meet the district’s $1.2 billion budget shortfall and keep the schools open as required under state law. They also emphasized the importance of keeping the board open, in contrast to the two last elections when it closed before the Nov. 8 election due to a deadlocked board vote over the school board, which means both were barred from serving on the board.
The election, while still highly contested, was far closer than a poll’s model predicted.
Vazquez
Vazquez, a lawyer for 30 years, has served on the district since 1984. He said he took office because he wanted to serve.
“Today is more than a day of change — it’s about the future of the district and the students are going to be the beneficiaries,” Vazquez said. “I hope that I can take this next step and be the best person to build on