By unanimous vote of the Crenshaw Subway Coalition Board – and while I recused myself – we have committed to aggressively supporting the broad, growing community effort demanding the LAUSD School Board appoint Dr. George McKenna III to complete the late Marguerite LaMotte’s term. The following call to action is sent on behalf of the Appoint McKenna Coalition.
Show up early for Tuesday’s School Board meeting – 1 o’clock, at 333 S. Beaudry Ave., Los Angeles 90017. You are strongly encouraged to come early. Parking will be validated.
Oppose the LAUSD Board’s attempt to leave Ms. LaMotte’s seat vacant for six to eight months.
Sign the petition now, at Change.org, that will be emailed to all of the Board Members.
Call two Board members.
Demand they appoint a caretaker and not leave our seat at the Board table empty for six to eight months – Dr. Richard Vladovic: 213.241.6385 and Steve Zimmer: 213. 241.6387.
For more information and to get more involved go to http://appointmckenna.wordpress.com or email appointmckenna@gmail.com
[img]2335|right|Dr. George McKenna||no_popup[/img]A McKenna appointment puts kids first. A special election is playing politics at the expense of Marguerite's babies.
So many of us have been devastated by the loss of our friend and a real champion for our school children, Marguerite Poindexter LaMotte. Before we can even provide her a proper home going ceremony, the LAUSD Board is scheduled to vote on how to fill her seat. The fact that the LAUSD Board would even discuss this now is disrespectful to Marguerite. Nonetheless, we must be prepared to stand up for the kids Ms. LaMotte left us to look after.
School Board Has Two Options
Its choices are a special election or an appointment of a caretaker to finish the term, as they did when Diane Watson moved from the School Board to the state Senate.
Special Election Hurts Our Children
A special election process would not be finished until at least June, more likely August. That means District 1 would have no vote on the Board for half a year. While the adults would be busy playing politics, the children of our community and LAUSD would be left to suffer, as District 1 would have no vote on a host of critical items decided by then, including the 2014-2015 school year budget, the $6 billion school construction bond, the Local Control Funding Formula, Title I funding, the billion-dollar iPad project, and Common Core curriculum. That’s not good for the children.
Community United Behind Appointing Dr. McKenna
The harm to our kids from a special election is why our coalition of former School Board members, educators, parents and education groups joining with other community groups is calling for an appointment not a special election. We are rallying behind our community’s most esteemed school principal and school administrator, Dr. McKenna III, to complete Marguerite’s term. The Board cannot deny that Dr. McKenna is supremely qualified and ready to lead District 1 on Day 1.
A community organizer, Mr. Goodmon may be contacted at dg@crenshawsubway.org
