Your donation will help us produce journalism like this. Please give today.

Candidate forum update:

Well, there aren’t any.

Aside from two debates in the Valley with District 3 candidates Tamar Galatzan, the incumbent, and challenger Scott Schmerelson, voters have no additional opportunities to hear from those seeking the next term on the LA Unified school board.

Five charter school groups offered to sponsor debates in District 5, but they were sites unacceptable to Bennett Kayser, the incumbent, who generally opposes charters. His opponent, Ref Rodriguez, is a charter school executive.

And no group has stepped up to stage an event in District 7 for board President Richard Vladovic and his challenger, Lydia Gutierrez.

The elections are scheduled for May 19, and the winners will serve a five and a half year term as part of the city’s effort to put the school board elections on the same schedule as state and federal elections.

The idea is to help boost turnout. Such as it might be on May 19.