Re: “Open Letter to School Board Members”

A former School Board president was surprised – at least – yesterday when he read George Laase’s report that the Board may be considering tampering with what is supposedly a sacred rule:

Order of succession of leadership.

According to some, this perennial dispute originated in Eden’s Garden.

For now, though, Scott Zeidman  will be the spokesman for law and order.

When he was on the School Board seven years ago, he rewrote the bylaw intended to clarify order of succession.

The thrust of 9100: The Board member who has served longest without being president is next in line.

In contemporary Culver City, Mr. Laase reported that Sue Robins — who has the longest tenure without having served as president – should be the only candidate when the School Board votes on a successor to Dr. Steve Levin.

He said ambiguity may exist regarding Dr. Levin’s successor,

“I rewrote Board Bylaw 9100,” Mr. Zeidman said, “to try and avoid any ambiguity.”

He described his motivation. “At every School Board meeting, we would go over a couple different bylaws. Many had not been updated in years.

“I specifically asked to review Board Bylaw 9100 (a),” said Mr. Zeidman, “because something funny was going on with the City Council. I don’t remember what it was.

“I wanted to make 9100 clear so that individual Board members don’t have to make a decision. It would be clear to them.”

Mr. Zeidman does not recall the outlines of the previous 9100. “But I think it was somewhat ambiguous,” he said.

Ironically, he added, “someone apparently think the current 9100 is ambiguous, too.”