By Samantha Winslow
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, not satisfied with pushing his corporate vision on public schools in his own city, was one of many wealthy outside donors, dropping $1 million on the L.A. school board races.
The Los Angeles teachers union squeaked out a victory in yesterday’s L.A. school board election, beating back corporate donors who flushed millions of dollars into an effort to unseat an independent school board leader.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, not satisfied with pushing his corporate vision on public schools in his own city, was one of many wealthy outside donors, dropping $1 million on the L.A. school board races.
But incumbent Steve Zimmer, a former teacher and community leader, defeated Kate Anderson, a parent and lawyer, by a margin of 52-48 in District 4, covering the west side of Los Angeles.
“He won because of a lot of boots on the ground: parents and teachers and others who have had enough,” said Crenshaw High School teacher Alex Caputo-Pearl.
While a majority of the board still generally supports district superintendent John Deasy, Caputo-Pearl said Zimmer’s victory reflects dissatisfaction with Deasy’s push for privatization—and a rejection of corporate cash in local elections.
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