This is about the petty, spiteful School Board member Steve Gourley
I was at the Fiesta La Ballona on Saturday, circulating petitions for Prop. 1481, the Tax on California Oil, Revenues to Education Initiative when I came up to the Culver City Unified School District booth.
Mr. Gourley was sitting in a chair at the booth when I approached and asked if he could sign the initiative.
In the past, Mr. Gourley publicly has stated that he hated all oil companies. I thought he might be sympathetic to the initiative that calls for imposing a 15 percent tax on the value of each barrel of oil extracted in California and would allocate approximately $3 billion to non-capital educational funding.
Mr. Gourley looked at me scornfully. He refused to sign the initiative. I was perplexed and asked him if hatred for me was the reason he would not sign the initiative. He indicated that it was 50 percent of the reason.
I told him that was a petty reason. We should all be above that when it comes to educating our kids. After all, we had all supported Measure EE, and this initiative will bring a lot more money to the educational system than Measure EE.
Mr. Gourley's particular animosity towards me probably stems from my being the first person ro criticize him when he called David Mielke, the leader of the Teachers Union, a “liar.” Others followed suit in criticizing his outrageous and boorish behavior. He probably blames me for that, too.
I don't hate Mr. Gourley.
I think he has gotten burned out and disillusioned as a Board member.
I think it was at least a prudent decision for him not to run again. After all, who wants a bitter, spiteful person who lets personal feeling interfere with the well-being of our kids when he refuses to sign an initiative that would raise $3 billion for our educational system.
I haven't given up on Mr. Gourley, however. I urge your readers to approach him and have him vote to pass a resolution supporting the initiative.
I'm not out trying to take credit for promoting the initiative. I want all the Board members and candidates for School Board to share equally in supporting this initiative.
Mr. Zirgulis, a candidate for the School Board, may be contacted at zirgulisr@yahoo.com
