Closing out their month-long tour of Culver City yesterday, the five candidates for two open seats on the School Board showed one more audience, the Exchange Club, they won’t need cue cards after next Tuesday’s election.
Only two of the five have previously held office, Mike Eskridge and Steve Gourley. But the tone and substance of the presentations of the newcomers and the veterans have grown stronger and more confident each week.
Their comprehensive command of seven or eight major issues has allowed them to sound like career politicians who, by the way, are stars of the Toastmasters Club, too.
Ready for Election
On the eve of the election, they are as polished as non-professional politicians can become.
As moderator of the luncheon program, Mike Fate of the Exchange Club briskly took Roger Maxwell, Scott Zeidman, Alan Elmont, Mr. Gourley and Mr. Eskridge through their paces.
They fielded several new questions, including merit pay for teachers and the proper venue for homework.
For the fourth forum in a row, the candidates concurred on their answers — not because of me-too’ing by contenders who might be less informed, but because of genuine intellectual agreement.
The Divide Is Narrow
They are separated only by varying accents on certain topics.
For example:
Mr. Zeidman, the most youthful, expressive and reliably the most exuberant at every stop, may seem to be the most anxious member of the field to resolve the School District’s permit dilemma.
Mr. Eskridge, a favorite son-type who sat on the Board for eight years in the ‘90s, like many, has money on his mind. He regularly hones in on finding financing that will be needed in the coming five years to cover $11 million in prefunded retiree healthcare benefits.
Calling the Manager
Mr. Elmont, who brings a managerial air to the race, sounds as if he would be the most fiscally conservative prospect. He pounds away at making sure that all cost-based programs and related ventures throughout the School District are sufficiently funded before being approved.
As the only retiree, Mr. Maxwell stresses that he has more available time than any other candidate. A pioneer computer programmer, he would do double duty as a Board member, being available to lend his technological expertise.
A Leader in Experience
As the only challenger with City Hall and statewide office experience, Mr. Gourley has been the patriarch whose saddlebags pack a permanent supply of witty, sometimes needling, lines. He also has billboarded a lengthy list of accomplishments throughout his public life, and has portrayed himself as the best known figure, routinely calling out members of the audience by their first name.
Unlikely as it may seem that the School Board ever will address homework, the five of them eagerly tackled the following conundrum:
Unusual Policy?
The questioner described a class at Culver City High School where the last 20 minutes every day are devoted to doing homework.
Each candidate, naturally, scored the concept. “That,” said Mr. Elmont, “is why it is called ‘homework,’ because it is supposed to be done at home.” He also said that “a balance must be struck” in the amount of homework assigned on a daily basis, “not too much and not too little.”
When he was on the Board, Mr. Eskridge said, a homework policy was formulated. But, he added with regret, like many concepts and policies established during his tenure, the homework directive, too, seems to have been replaced.
A Limit on ‘F’s’
On his way to answering the homework question, Mr. Maxwell segued into another problem area. At this year’s ninth grade orientation, “I almost fell out of my chair,” he said, when Principal Pam Magee announced that no student with more than two “F’s” would be admitted.
After stating that homework should not be allowed, much less encouraged, in the classroom, Mr. Zeidman said parents should carry their complaints through channels, from the principal to the superintendent to the School Board.
A Question of Timing
Mr. Gourley was equally scornful of the classroom practice. “Everybody knows that you do your homework during the first 20 minutes,” he cracked, “when nothing is happening.”
Some candidates, such as Mr. Eskridge, were sympathetic to the concept of merit pay for teachers.
But they were unanimous one more time in agreeing that a fair, objective barometer has not been found for determining worthy recipients. “It sounds good in theory,” said Mr. Elmont, “but education does not work the way the private sector does.” Mr. Gourley suggested taking a closer look at incentivized pay to retain teachers after Mr. Zeidman pointed out the annual departure rate is twice the statewide average.
Spreading the Word
Although in certain circles the School Board contenders and their messages are as familiar as any Culver City landmarks, word of the election is not that widespread.
One candidate was standing near the door when an Exchange Club member entered. Introducing himself, the candidate paused, awaiting for recognition to click in.
The club member did not budge.
His silence informed the candidate his name was insufficient introduction. Who was he? the member wondered. And what was he doing at the Exchange Club’s regular meeting?
