Formal Endorsements: Taglio, Luther for LASD Board

It occurs to me that I haven't written much of a formal endorsement for either Steve Taglio or Pablo Luther.  I hope that you will join me in supporting them for the LASD Board for Trustees.

Steve Taglio
Steve has served the district well in a number of capacities.  Prior to joining the Board, he was a PTA president for two years, as well as volunteering in a number of other capacities in our schools.  He brings with him a broad perspective on our program, and understands what it takes to build community support for our schools.  In his year on the LASD Board, he has shown himself to a strongly independent thinker (occasionally to my chagrin, but that's politics!)  He is not as strident a voice as I tend to be, which is good for the Board and for the community.  Having a mix of voices improves the tenor of the discussion and generally produces a better outcome.

Steve gets a lot of feedback form the community, and he represents those voices well in our debates, both in open session as well as in our closed sessions.  I believe that Steve's wide base of support will be a huge asset as we move through some challenging discussions over the coming years.

Pablo Luther
Pablo has served the district well over the past 7 years, working on the Citizens Advisory Council for Finance (CACF).  Through this work, as well as having had his children attend several LASD schools, he has developed a strong understanding of the complex environment in which LASD operates.  With the economy finally showing signs of improvement, it is an opportunity for us to rebuild the finances of the school district.  Pablo is strongly positioned to guide that discussion so that we build a sustainable financial model for the future.  As a long-time LASD parent, he also understands the unique nature of our school community- how much we rely on parent volunteers, how we work with our staff, and how our program is structured.  This knowledge is critical to anyone's success on the Board. 

Like Steve, Pablo is alto thoughtful in his deliberations, and he seems to be open to exploring many alternatives to issues that we face.  This will also serve us well- fresh blood on the board means we re-examine positions, and ensure that we are constantly making good choices in support of our students.

I am pleased to cast my ballot for Steve Taglio and Pablo Luther for LASD Board of Trustees.


On a related final note, I received a well written letter form a BCS parent responding to some of the comments I'd made about Amanda Burke-Aaronson's fundraising.  My earlier posts focus more on the funding side of Amanda's campaign because she doesn't have much of a record to debate.  One of the things I have seen over the past 3 years on the Board is that community support and knowledge of our program are critical to the success of any Board member.  The years I'd spent on various District committees gave me a broad perspective to bring to my service as a Trustee.  I also spent almost 2 years attending LASD Board meetings before I ran for the Board.  In addition to the raw understanding of the programs and needs, I also developed a network of people I could reach out to ask their thoughts, gain additional perspective, and further explore issues.  No matter how good her intentions, Amanda lacks that network of community support within LASD.  As a BCS parent who hasn't attended LASD Board meetings until last week, Amanda lacks that network and the understanding that comes with it.  I would strongly encourage Amanda to remain engaged, and to attend BCS Board meetings and seek appointment to the BCS Board.  I would be pleased to work with her on solving some of our more challenging issues, in a setting where she can leverage what she knows best (BCS) and I can represent the Los Altos School District, where I've devoted my time and energies for many years.