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Debate Preview: Garcia on the Hot Seat

Hillel Aron | February 11, 2013



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Tonight’s District 2 School Board debate in El Sereno (see flyer here) is not one of the candidate forums that have been organized by United Way and sponsored by numerous nonprofits, but the Monday night event may be one of the first and only times incumbent School Board President Monica Garcia will appear on the same stage as all of her opponents at the same time.

There was some confusion about Garcia’s attendance at the Monday event, but a Garcia campaign aide confirmed today that she would participate.

The debate, sponsored by the  LA-32 Neighborhood Council, will feature Abelardo Diaz, Annamarie Montanez, Isabel Vazquez, and Robert Skeels.

Even Scott Folsom, who failed to qualify on the ballot, is scheduled to participate. (see: Claim of Funny Business on Petitions).

“If Monica shows up, I think she’s going to get attacked on a myriad of issues,” said Scott Johnson, an LA-32 Executive Board Member and a blogger at Mayor Sam. “The other candidates are gonna take their shots at her. It has the potential to be a bit of a circus, to tell you the truth.”

Isabel Vazquez, the only candidate besides Garcia not endorsed by UTLA, told LA School Report she plans on criticizing Garcia for “quote-unquote reforms driven by political ambition” such as the “implementation of A through G based on false date from San Jose Unified.”

Some but not all of the candidates will participate in the United Way candidates forum two nights later on Wednesday.  In an LA School Report interview, Skeels said he was not likely to participate. A United Way spokesman said Garcia would be attending.

Previous posts: District 2 Candidate Skeels’ Grassroots CampaignUTLA Focus: Defend Zimmer, Defeat GarciaEast Valley Forum: Differences Over Deasy, Evaluation, & Dismissal,  Westside Forum: Charters, Evaluation, Deasy

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