LAUSD School Board Member Ref Rodriguez Resigns. Now what?

“Rodriguez’s misdeeds…made a mockery of the laws governing elections.”

- LA Times Editorial Board

When Ref Rodriguez was first charged with felonies related to his 2015 election to the LAUSD School Board, his attorney declared that it was “much ado about nothing”. It actually amounted to a great deal since Rodriguez is now a convicted felon after pleading guilty and stepping down from his position on the Board. Unfortunately for the students of the district, this will not undo the damage that has been done in the 11 months it took to resolve the case. During this time, the charter industry supported majority that included Rodriguez, appointed a Superintendent without any experience in education and dismissed an Inspector General who dared to investigate corruption at charter schools that were authorized by the district.

It is clear that Board President Monica Garcia has no interest in quickly filling the seat vacated by Rodriguez or in protecting the scarce education funds that are supposed to benefit the students of the LAUSD. With immediate action, it appears that the Board could have called for a special election that would piggy-back on the regularly scheduled November election in time for the August 11 filing deadline. However, Garcia has not even bothered to call a special meeting in the wake of Rodriguez’ resignation. Therefore, it appears that the issue will not even come before the voters until the Spring in a special election that will have to be paid for with education funds. This matters little to Garcia, Melvoin, and Gonez as the charter schools that supported their campaigns receive their funds directly from the state and will not have to contribute financially to this election.

“For LAUSD board seats choose Galatzan, Rodriguez, Vladovic and McKenna”

- LA Times Editorial Board

The information that was used to criminally charge Rodriguez was available before the election took place, but the LA Times Editorial Board still endorsed him. Now that their preferred candidate has been pushed from office, they decry how “his actions have shown how little he considered what he owed the public.” Even worse, they want the seat to remain empty and the stakeholders to remain unrepresented until an election can be held. They hold up the…