Twenty-six-year-old Karlo Silbiger, the baby in the race but the dominant daddy of the 6-candidate field, likely advanced his already favorable chances yesterday in the run for the School Board.
Intentionally or not, the precocious leader in the chase for 3 open seats staged a sophisticated Town Hall meeting that surely accented the gap developing between him and his rivals.
As if he were the symphony orchestra of Board candidates, he struck every note, harmoniously, as he has at all of his public events, which are stacking up.
For the rest of the School Board field, there was only one note of encouraging news to emerge from a couple of productive hours at El Rincon School:
No matter how well Mr. Silbiger’s supporters believe he is destined to fare on Nov. 3, he can only win one-third of the seats.
Even his two Republican opponents, Prof. Patricia Siever and Alan Elmont, were in the audience, as they also were last Wednesday when Mr. Silbiger overwhelmingly was endorsed by fellow members of the Culver City Democratic Club.
“Youth and education can’t tell the difference between Republican and Democrat,” she said.
“And if we teach our children they are completely different, how can we ever do anything in this world?
“So why not? I am likely to learn something here, and vise-versa.”
On the other side of the room was Mr. Elmont, Culver City’s quintessential parent activist.
Why did he attend the Silbiger event?
“It was that or walking the neighborhoods (knocking on doors),” he said. “I did that yesterday, and I’m tired.”
To criticize young Mr. Silbiger, who proudly announced he is beginning his 9th year of teaching, would be to criticize the textbook understanding of how to conduct and win elective races.
He was the first to declare his candidacy last April, more than 6 months before Election Day. He started with a full satchel of issues to solve and multiple solutions for each.
By miles, he may be the best connected candidate — thanks, only in part, to his parents, both of whom hold/have held elective office. He was weaned on electoral politics.
As an orator, he is matchless compared to the field, as is his command of the issues.
The Establishment of Culver City is heavily on board for his campaign. As a high school teacher, he is more wired into the community than any of his opponents.
He knows the issues better than his name.
It might be a stretch to imagine another contender arranging the quality of program Mr. Silbiger sponsored yesterday — to a similar lofty degree of organization and professionalism.
During a 20-minute, no-notes presentation, Mr. Silbiger outlined 7 of the pillars on which his campaign is residing. He lined up hometown experts to lead the discussions — and take notes — at the following tables:
Individualized education.
Safety and anti-bullying.
Budget and finance.
Transparency in the School District.
Environment, and greening of the schools.
Health and nutrition.
City Hall-School District relations.
