We need a parent’s voice on the LAUSD School Board

By Maribel Campos, LAUSD Board District 3 Parent

This year, I am going to be looking to elect someone who reflects my experience. We have a student voice on the board, but what about parents? We are the ones that make decisions on our kid’s education and face different challenges than the administrators who are on the board.

I want someone that faces the same dilemmas when it comes to my kids’ education. When I meet with my school board member, I want to know that we have something in common. It’s easier for a retired administrator to say that they understand what I’m going through, but then not be affected by their votes in their day-to-day lives.

The decisions Scott Schmerelson makes on the board do not follow him home. They don’t impact him when he’s getting dressed and ready in the morning. He hasn’t had to become an IT expert in order to help get kids online and learn. He’s not balancing having his children sharing their classroom space with both his workspace and living space. He makes his decisions based on his own experience, as do each of the school board members.

Luckily, we have a chance in district 3 to elect a board member who faces what we face as parents.

I’m supporting Marilyn Koziatek because she does have that experience. Like me, she is a parent of two children who attend LAUSD public schools. She must make the important decisions about how her children will receive their education during this stressful time. She understands how her vote will affect other families in the district.

Not only that, but Marilyn works in a public school. She works with other families in the same situation that we are in. I love that Marilyn is not a career politician. Marilyn is not someone who brings the baggage that comes along with being established in a bureaucracy.

What she has done is spend her time in the tutoring and enrichment department at Granada Hills High School. She helps the school bring needed resources to classrooms. She also provides parents the helpful tools to help guide them and be an active part of the education of their children.

We have a choice to make in a few short weeks. The person that we choose will be our voice on the LAUSD school board. They will make choices that will affect the day to day lives of every parent in this district.

When given the choice, I want someone to represent me and understands what I go through every day in thinking about what is best for my children.

If I ever have a problem and must go to my board member, I want them to be able to relate to my situation. In this election, there’s one simple choice to make – Marilyn Koziatek.