Yesterday’s election was the first time in our community we have had two distinct slates of candidates, one by United Parents of Culver City and one led by School Board member Karlo Silbiger.
How influential was the idea of slates of candidates in the outcome? Were the candidates endorsed by the UPCC that much stronger, more varied in their views? Did they attract a wider range of voters?
Did offering a rival slate of candidates affect the results? Was it a mistake for Mr. Silbiger to counter the UPPC’s slate with one of his own? Was his too onesided, too liberal, too teacher-oriented in its views?
The UPCC slate garnered 2848 votes in the early mail-in balloting, the Silbiger slate only 1685. The results indicate UPCC backed the complete slate instead of choosing individual candidates.
How does one run against a slate with another slate? Was it a mistake by Mr. Silbiger to package himself with these two, first-time candidates? Did his association with them cost him votes?
Should Mr. Silbiger have run solo? Unworried about relative unknowns hindering his race, did he feel so politically invincible that he was confident he could get his running mates elected?
Fundraising
Did fundraising have anything to do with the results? There seemed to be a correlation. In losing the fundraising race to Ms. Paspalis, was Mr. Silbiger so sure of victory that he didn’t have to raise money that aggressively?
Mail-Ins Set the Tone
Once again, the early voting by mail results reflected the final outcome. Will our election season be extended by future candidates as they start their campaigning even earlier as mail-ins become more important?
Stand Up, Be Counted
Did the UPCC get their supporters to the polls? Did the Teachers Union fail that mission? With all the hoopla over campaign flyers, is it time for the unions to look for a change in leadership? With a new School Board, what about the previous Board goal of basing District employee pay on the County median?
Being the lone Silbiger-supporter left on the Board, will Nancy Goldberg still carry the liberal banner? Will she find herself isolated if she does?
End of an Era?
With this defeat, will Mr. Silbiger seek friendlier ground, following his father’s footsteps to the City Council? Or will he seek an even higher, appointed, paid-position in California’s education bureaucracy?
Has a new generation of parents grabbed the torch from the Baby Boomers? Will this next generation of Xs and Ys do a better job of educating our children? Do they still need the Baby Boomers to get things done?
Time will tell.
Mr. Laase may be contacted at GMLaase@aol.com
