Re “In Rapping Supervisor, Zeidman Says Ridley-Thomas Is No Sen. Price”
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I am writing to express my disagreement and dismay with Culver City Unified School District Board President Scott Zeidman’s calculated misrepresentation of facts pertaining to my office’s involvement with the Building Bridges International charter school petition.
In addition, I am troubled that thefrontpageonline.com bolstered Mr. Zeidman without finding out all the facts.
In a speech to the Culver City School Board reprinted by thefrontpageonline.com, Mr. Zeidman wrongly implied that my staff did not obtain the Board’s reasoning for denying the charter school petition. He omitted a crucial fact that undermines his argument. A 29-page opinion letter from his district’s legal counsel fully articulated Culver City’s position regarding the Building Bridges International charter school petition, therefore making a conversation with the School Board moot. The Culver City School Board president and its superintendent did not articulate any new or different reasons for the denial of the charter school petition during the conversation with my staff. The opinion adequately and admirably laid out its case regarding Building Bridges International.
My letter of support for Building Bridges International drew Mr. Zeidman’s ire because we have a philosophical difference about charter schools. Although I am not in support of giving a blanket endorsement to all charter school petitions, I believe that additional consideration for Building Bridges International was warranted. I was not alone in this position. Building Bridges International also was supported by a Culver City School Board member and two Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) members.
What Mr. Zeidman omitted from his Board meeting statement was his open disdain for charter schools in Culver City. In a conversation with my staff, Mr. Zeidman and the superintendent stated that the Culver City School District is opposed to having charter schools in its district in general because it takes money away from their schools. Thus, the issue is not really about the timing of my office’s conversation with Mr. Zeidman – the issue is his fundamental opposition to charter schools, at least as it was expressed in his June 24 conversation.
I will only add that my door is open. I welcome further dialogue with Mr. Zeidman and his colleagues.
Mark Ridley-Thomas
Los Angeles County Supervisor, Second District, may be contacted at http://ridley-thomas.lacounty.gov
