[img]737|right|Prof. Siever||no_popup[/img]The School Board bade farewell last evening to its two teacher members, Prof. Patricia Siever, by her choice, and (almost Dr.) Karlo Silbiger, by the voters’ choice.
Union leaders David Mielke and Debbie Hamme, along with the woman who knows Mr. Silbiger best, Barbara Honig, his mother, essayed fitting epitaphs to them as visionaries and pragmatists.
“Karlo has been an amazing Board member,” said Ms. Hamme, president of ACE, the Assn. of Classified Employees. “I have been involved in the School District for 20 years, and I can’t remember any School Board member doing as fine of a job as Karlo has.
“He was a person who understood the concept of ‘partnership’ before we formally had a partnership in the School District. He always has tried to be inclusive. He always has tried to reach out to members of the community for opinions.”
Accommodating Listener
[img]1789|left|Mr. Silbiger||no_popup[/img]Ms. Hamme said Mr. Silbiger is sensitive and thoughtful, and he doesn’t merely go shopping for people who will validate his views.
“He listens to different opinions and takes them to heart,” she said. “Every decision he ever has made has been based on multiple opinions. After he processes them, Karlo makes what he feels is the best choice for the students of this School District. He always has their best interests at heart.”
Ms. Hamme was as shocked as many others, especially in the education community, were three weeks ago when Mr. Silbiger fell short of re-election behind three other candidates.
“I have given it a lot of thought,” she said. “But to be honest, I still can’t figure out why.”
Searching for the right formulation, Ms. Hamme said “I thought the community would see what a fine person they had in Karlo, and that he would win.”
To the question of whether the outcome was related to the year-old parents union, United Parents of Culver City, who endorsed the three successful candidates, Ms. Hamme said:
“I am not sure how to answer that question.”
At that point, Mr. Mielke, who became president of the Teachers Union when Mr. Silbiger was a child, entered the conversation.
“Patricia and Karlo were great Board members,” Mr. Mielke said. “They listened to us. They listened to our concerns. They were both strong advocates for kids, really responsive to the unions in a way that we will miss.
Will the String End?
“Hopefully the new people (Dr. Steve Levin and Sue Robins) will be responsive as well.”
Both Mr. Mielke and Ms. Hamme lauded Prof. Siever for bringing a fresh and needed perspective to Board meetings.
“Through Patricia,” said Ms. Hamme, “we have a lot more transparency in the budget than we had before. She asked for pertinent information to be provided for Board members regarding the costing-out so they could understand more about the monies being spent.”
Ms. Hamme was alluding to Prof. Siever’s consistent habit of probing especially arcane expenditures in the budget and challenging their value. “She deserves credit for that, and I happen to like her spunk,” Ms. Hamme said.
“I will second that,” Mr. Mielke said, “and here is one for you: When I stand up to address the Board (at virtually every meeting), invariably I pick somebody out to talk to. I don’t just talk to them all. More often than not, I am talking to Patricia.
“Here is what that says: She was listening. She was responsive.”
Why She Left
Although it has received scant attention, Prof. Siever, who surprised and disappointed supporters when she chose not to run for re-election, she attributed her verdict to unforeseen family circumstances and added responsibilities as a West Los Angeles College faculty member.
The 30-year-old Mr. Silbiger is that so-rare School Board member who says farewell in the presence of his beaming parents, former School Board member Ms. Honig and former City Councilman Gary Silbiger.
“I am very proud of my son,” Ms. Honig said. “I believe the legacy he has left in four short years on the Board has affected the children of this District as well as staff members. He has everything to be proud of.”
What will the School Board miss most about Mr. Silbiger?
“His thoughtfulness and his ability to analyze,” said his mother. “Not just data, but to take a look at a situation, listen to the views of his colleagues and others who speak on the subject, and synthesize the views into a response that will move the issue forward, an agreeable position for everyone.
“The Board is going to miss that,” Ms. Honig said.
