There are certain things that impress me in politics. One of them is a clearly positive campaign approach: providing a statement of your position that is not focused on trashing your opponent. It is such an approach that got me to vote Republican the one time in my life that I did: it was the approach taken by presidental candidate John Anderson in 1980. Why am I mentioning this? Read on, McDuff…
Back in March, I wrote about the nasty school board fight that we’re having in our school district. This fight, primarily between the UTLA-backed incumbent Jon Lauritzen and the mayor-backed candidate Tamar Galatzan, was extremely nasty in the primary. The mailers we were receiving were almost entirely mud-slinging back and forth: trashing the other candidates, not clearly stating what was going to be done. At that time, I tended to back the incumbent because I was turned off by the negative ads, and he was a former Math/CS teacher.
I’ve changed my mind.
Why? A single mailing. Recently, Tamar Galatzan sent out a mailing with her plans for reforming Los Angeles schools. I read through this closely, and I have to say that I agree with it (although she missed a thing or two–such as the fact that magnet school parents shouldn’t have to foot the bill for technology refreshes). The other camp? Still no website, still a relatively-detail-free position statement.
I mention this now because the election is rapidly approaching (May 15), and because the LAUSD is back in the news. The new Superintendent, David Brewer, commissioned a Diagnostic Report of the district when he was hired. Phase 1 is in. This report states that LAUSD is disorganized, lacks financial controls and suffers from a “pervasive” lack of accountability. It notes that “The current culture in LAUSD is one typified by not responding to priorities and deadlines, and there is no sense of urgency among managers”. The report found a district run by a school board that is too involved in management, but that also operates with nonexistent or outdated policies. Much of the findings seems to echo was Galatzan was saying in her position paper.
I know the LAUSD can produce good results. I’ve seen it in the past (I’m a product of LA Unified), and I’ve seen it in the schools that my daughter has attended. But I also know that the success is based on parent involvement. There are many many schools that simply do not make the grade. Some are improving slowly, but the district still has problems. So this mailing, and Brewer’s report (and his reaction thereto) is encouraging to me.
Let this be a lesson to candidates: Some voters react to positive campaigns.
Updated 4/26 to add: It appears I’m not the only one swayed by the mailer. Louis Pugliese has also been swayed, according to the Daily News, which said,
“Pugliese said he was swayed by Galatzan’s detailed proposal for reforming the district – which was sent to voters in a 23-page mailer – while Lauritzen had not drafted any such plan.”
