LAUSD has an opportunity in electing parent Marilyn Koziatek

By Keri Rodrigues

Being a parent to my three boys is a tremendous gift, it is the hardest job I have ever had, and it is also the most rewarding. As a parent it is our mission to give our children the guidance and structure to succeed in life. We rely heavily on our local schools to educate our children and on our community partners that offer sports, dance and art programs that provide enrichment and balance to our youth.

When schools shut down due to COVID-19, our role as parents multiplied, we became teachers, coaches, and guidance counselors overnight. The pandemic also shined a spotlight on the school systems that educate our children.

As a community, we came together in support of our local schools as they endeavored to find immediate solutions to keep kids learning. It was a time when a partnership between a district school board and the parents that face the daily challenges of navigating family, work and educating during this unprecedented time globally was essential.

The take-away from this experience is clear: a parent’s voice is needed at the decision-making table, someone who is currently navigating the education challenges of distance learning that millions of families are facing on a daily basis. There is no more acute experience to bring to a school board at the present time.

In the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board District 3 race, which covers the northern part of the San Fernando Valley, Ms. Marilyn Koziatek would not only bring the current parent voice, but also education experience to the board.

Marilyn is a mom with two children currently enrolled in LAUSD schools. She currently works at Granada Hills High School – a nationally-recognized, high-performing school in the district, where she leads community outreach programs and manages school grant opportunities. Under her leadership, Granada Hills High School has been awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars for STEM and arts programs. She chairs the Education Committee at the Valley Industry Commerce Association, is a member of the 38th Assembly Education Advisory Committee, and is a PTA member at her kids’ public school

The Los Angeles Daily News endorsed Marilyn for the school board saying, “she continues to emphasize the importance of greater local control over rule from LAUSD’s downtown bureaucracy, arguing that it’s important for schools to listen to parents and adjust accordingly. Marilyn Koziatek will be a voice of sanity on a school board that badly needs it.”

As parents we are facing many challenges as we do our best to provide education continuity for our children and a sense of normalcy. We don’t know for certain what might lie ahead as our children return to the classroom. What I do know is that a parent’s voice, someone with the education experience at a high-performing school would be a needed addition to any school board.

This November 3, I urge parents in Los Angeles Board District 3 to support Marilyn Koziatek, she is the school board candidate that understands you, because she is one of you.

Ms. Keri Rodrigues is a mother of three, president of the education advocacy group National Parents Union, and a former long-time labor activist and organizer with the world’s largest local labor union, 1199SEIU.