Culver City Democratic Club Endorses Nancy Goldberg for School Board

After a two-hour forum featuring the five candidates for the Culver City school board—all Democrats—the Culver City Democratic Club endorsed just one, retired English teacher Nancy Goldberg.

Voters will elect two people to the school board on Nov. 8.

Among those not endorsed Wednesday night was the school board’s current president, Scott Zeidman, who has been endorsed by the entire City Council. He left the meeting room at the Veterans Memorial Building without comment immediately after the results were announced.

Goldberg won endorsement by garnering more than the required 60 percent of the club members’ votes on a first ballot. Because two board members will be elected in November, Democratic Club members voted a second time, with Goldberg’s name removed, to see if another candidate could win an endorsement, but none did.

Goldberg, who recently retired after teaching 41 years in the Culver City Unified School District, credited her 46-year membership in the Democratic Club for her endorsement. "It’s a club decision predicated on long-term affection,’’ she said, and not a message to her fellow candidates.

Democratic Club President Karlo Silbiger said the real message is that there are strong candidates. "There was a split right down the middle on two other candidates [on the second ballot], Scott Zeidman and Laura Chardiet." They each got 35 percent. Candidates Robert Zirgulis and Gary Abrams trailed behind.

The discussion format limited the time candidates had to address the school district’s complex problems, including finances, bullying, traffic safety at the schools and building renovation. After each candidate gave a three-minute opening statement, they were allowed just one minute to answer each question.

During the candidates' comment period, Zeidman told the audience that Culver City schools are "actually doing quite well," thanks in part to capping the enrollment at Culver City’s high school and middle school, and that the district was able to limit the number of teachers laid off to only seven in the last four years.

Chardiet, a former teacher, is the administrator of a $15 million adult education grant for the L.A. Unified School District and has been on the CCUSD Community Budget Advisory Committee for two years. She contends the district can find education grants in unusual places, such as the federal Labor and Defense Departments.

Everyone in the audience of about 90 was welcome to submit questions, although endorsement voting was limited to club members. About a third of the crowd was nonmembers, including some Culver City High School students, attending as part of a class on government.

Eric Bergstrom, a CCHS senior, was clear about his primary concern. "Programs come and go," he said, "but having a good quality teacher is the most important thing."

Audience member Peter Baxendale believes "the school board has managed remarkably well to keep the budget cuts away from the classroom," but he expects the district’s economic situation to get worse.

Dorothy Lindner, who voted to endorse Goldberg, said she believed Zeidman dodged her question about when children should begin to be taught about bullying.

Amanda Copeland, whose autistic daughter is a district student, expressed disappointment that no candidate mentioned the special education needs of such children. Copeland is in a legal battle with the school board over that issue.