After a year and a few months on the School Board, Karlo Silbiger’s reputation for being an independent thinker, isolationist if necessary, shines like new.
A fortnight ago he teamed with Steve Gourley and Kathy Paspalis in a stunning poll of members that restored the job of Culver City High School drama teacher Sheila Silver. A wildly popular decision across the community.
Earlier, however, he resisted the call of another wildly popular personality, Interim Supt. Patti Jaffe. He shoveled against the tide, refusing to agree to amending her contract to make her eligible for the fulltime position.
“I sat there two meetings in a row, listening to people making very persuasive arguments, feeling that my job is not to take a poll of the community but to do what I believe is right.
“Other times, I have gone with what seems to be the majority view. There are times where you have to stand for principle, times where you listen to all sides. I have tried very hard never to go in without some open mind. It’s tough sometimes. I give a lot of thought before each meeting to how I am going to vote, and I talk to a lot of people whom I respect.”
What’s the Rush?
Mr. Silbiger said the school community should not become impatient because a Superintendent has not been chosen nine months after Dr. Myrna Rivera Coté surprised many by announcing her resignation.
“This takes time,” he said. “We finished interviews some time ago. We have been talking regularly, as you have seen on every agenda.
“These things are not quick because not only does a decision have to be made about the person, negotiations of the contract have to take place, and that is a mass of documents.”
Since there was a 3 to 2 vote last month to drop Ms. Silver and 3 to 2 to rehire her, what about a 3 to 2 vote for the new Super?
“I never have done this before, obviously,” said the 29-year-old youngest member in Board history. “Most experts who do this for a living will tell you a 5 to 0 vote shows confidence in the person, which is important because the person will be head of the entire staff in the School District. Although the person works for the School Board, she or he is our voice with the people in the community.
“If there is a 3 to 2 vote, you are sending a message to your staff:
“No. 1, ‘this person may not be here very long,’ No. 2, ‘that at the end of the day at least two members will not be supportive of the person, and so come to us when you need something done.’
“Experts will tell you having a 5 to 0 vote is very important. Our search consultants told me they never have done a search that hasn’t been a 5 to 0 vote. And they have done 30, 40 searches.
“Every City Manager search I have seen in Culver City, every Superintendent search always has been a 5 to 0 vote.”
(To be continued)
