[img]493|left|Karlo Silbiger||no_popup[/img] Karlo Silbiger, who has been seeking, for awhile now, to break through the resistance and become the flag-bearer for a new generation of leaders, already is breaking into a sprint for a seat on the School Board in the November election.
The 27-year-old scion of one of the most politically oriented families in Culver City, many of the young teacher’s supporters have believed, at least since his teenage years, that holding elective office and spreading his acres of politically astute insight, was his destiny.
From grade school on, he has not missed a political campaign.
Always, though, to the benefit of others, if not his parents, Gary Silbiger and Barbara Honig, then a candidate with whom he synchronizes philosophically.
Since he was in high school, he has — separately — looked, talked, sound, acted well beyond his years.
He might have been even readier than he is perceived to be this afternoon, except that he did not seriously plunge into a study of politics until he was 11 years old.
The receding hairline, which has trailed him through his 20s, only enhances his image of maturity.
Resembling his lawyer-teacher mother more than his lawyer father, Mr. Silbiger chose, many years ago, to become an educator, another life decision that seems to fit into the destiny mold. Why did he become a teacher?
“My parents brought me up with the concept of using your life to try and improve the world a little bit. There are a lot of ways to do that. My Dad went into law, and my mom, as well, for awhile.
“As I was growing up and looked at what was going on around the world, it became real obvious to me the main impediment to social justice is the quality of education available to poor and minority students. I thought, potentially, I could make a big difference in society in that field.”
During your seven years of pursuing undergraduate and advanced degrees in the Boston area, did you run for office?
“No, this is a first for me. All of my political work — I can tell you the first campaign I was involved in was in ’93 when my Mom ran for the School Board — my family was completely apolitical in local stuff.
“My parents were always very big in national and international stuff, but not locally — except for my Mom being involved in schools. At that point, we had lived in Culver City for almost a decade.
“So my Mom decided she was going to run for the School Board, and she asked us what we thought. All of us thought it was a good idea. But she said, ‘I’m not doing this alone. I’m doing this to help you and your sister. When I walk, you’re going to come with me, and you’re going to see what’s going on.’
“That had an effect on me. I really enjoyed the process. I loved the idea of campaigning, and I became involved with campaign thinking.
“But I never had had an interest in running. I very well could have gone my whole life without it, quite honestly. I love politics. I love to be in back, though. I love the wonkish side.”
What moved your spirit to run for the School Board in November?
“The big thing for me is in the budget stuff. Culver City schools are so good. They have been good for a really long time. I went to Culver City schools.
“I don’t want to overplay this. But I do see sort of a potential turning point here. As the budget gets so bad, potentially, so many programs and other things that made Culver City schools great now have to be altered. I watch these meetings, and I worry about what the future is going to bring.
“For the first time in as long as I can remember, we have a School Board with no educators on it, no one in the classroom, no one in the schools. Well, I guess it is true Saundra Davis would be an exception to what I just said because she does teach one class in LAUSD.
“But certainly there is no one in there fulltime or half-time.”
(To be continued)
