First in a series
[img]1805|left|Ms. Kathy Paspalis||no_popup[/img]Six months before Election Day, and on the eve of School Board member Karlo Silbiger’s first campaign event, at The Actor’s Gang, Board President Kathy Paspalis sat down this morning at Tanner’s to talk about her own re-election intentions.
To show how comfortable she is on the School Board, perched on a sidewalk-facing chair at an outdoors table, she called out the names of students as they passed by, and warmly greeted them.
As an attorney, Ms. Paspalis is accustomed to fast, or at least steadily, moving events. But when overseeing a 6,000-student school system in which Sacramento is a ubiquitous player, the rhythm of the barely advancing events can be exasperating.
How is your second campaign different from four years ago?
“Getting into something as large as the School Board, with such deep responsibility as running for and being an elected official is kind of like having a kid,” said the mother of two.
“You have no idea what you are getting into to. Then you have a second kid, and you are, like, ‘Okay, I know what I am getting into. I have done this.’
“Running for re-election is a bit like ‘I have done this.’ I want to finish up some of the work I have been doing. I do feel like I am doing a good job fore the School District.”
How do you measure that, determining you are succeeding?
“The pace of change in education is glacial, although I don’t know if I can say that anymore with climate change because glaciers tend to melt pretty quickly these days.
“The pace is slow. But I do see changes made, and I do see them as a result of things I have advocated for, subjects I have discussed, panels I have been on, groups I have been part of. I feel I have had a positive influence on the District becoming even better than it already was.”
Is the attitude you bring to the School Board as important as policies you advocate?
“I would think so. I look to be positive, forward-thinking, with a sense of urgency. There are kids in school now who need something now, not after we ponder the need for 15 more meetings and five more years and mull it over and see what happens.
“That is not to say you should change with every whim that comes along. Plenty of those come down the pike. But there is nothing wrong with trying something out in a classroom. If it works, maybe it needs to expand to that school or the entire School District. If it doesn’t work, you need to put it aside.”
Are you, or should you be, influenced by the opinions and feelings of Board colleagues?
“What I bring to the table – I am an attorney. I have a background in land use, in municipal law, a background in civil litigation. I am a mom.
“I have my fingers in lots of different things. What I don’t have is a whole lot of is professional experience in curricula issues.”
For that, Ms. Paspalis looks down and across the dais at fellow Board members.
“(Colleague) Laura Chardiet, who is an administrator with LAUSD, knows curriculum. She brings something to the table in that.
“(Colleague) Karlo (Silbiger) is working on his Ph.D., in education. (Colleague) Nancy Goldberg has been at our high school for many years.”
(To be continued)
