READER- A newer version of this post is here updated Oct. 14.
Key endorsements are out for Los Altos School District candidates. Los Altos Town Crier chooses Pablo Luther and Amanda Burke-Aaronson, apparently for their empathy, affability and other soft skills. [ Yet Pablo is a Finance Guy.] The partisans lurking behind the mantle of the new Huttlinger Organization choose Pablo Luther and Steven Taglio, apparently for their ability to prop up and not stray from the LASD party line. I don’t know about you, but I hate to be told what to think.
I believe I have fairly summarized what I heard candidates say in a matrix. If you don’t like most of their positions, skills, attitudes, or style, don’t vote for them.
So Lalahpolitico has a better idea. Based on the video and transcript of the LWV Forum on Sept. 17, I believe I have fairly summarized what I heard candidtes say into a tidy matrix. If you don’t like most of their positions, skills, attitudes, or style, don’t vote for them. You can assign you own personal weights to what is most important to you. There are a couple of questions about the candidates that are still unanswered. This matrix will be updated. Corrections, clarifications, elucidations from candidates and the community are welcome. nschroder@losaltospolitico.com
YOUR CHOICE MATRIX
Key:
meh! = not particularly
na = not available
CACF = Citizens Advisory Committee for Finance & Facilities
grade reconfiguration = k to 6, 7-8 vs. k-5, 6-8 vs. k-8, others are possible
Max enrollment = LASD apparently has a policy capping at 500 students per school
life expectancy of BCS= do they think BCS should persist, can persist, will persist
establishment endorsement = if former superintendents, board members, PTA presidents, etc. endorse you
CHOICE MATRIX – HTML for Google and other bots
| Steven Taglio, appointed incumbent | Pablo Luther, CACF | Amanda Burke Aaronson | Valdimir Ivanovic, CACF | ||||||
| need 10th site | YES | YES | not necessarily | not necessarily | |||||
| magnet programs | YES | YES | YES | YES | |||||
| magnet school | NO | Maybe | YES | YES | |||||
| Financial saavy | meh! | YES, CACF Committee, is CFO type | meh! | YES,CACF Committee, techie, self-taught | |||||
| Pension reform urgency | No | No | No | Yes | |||||
| Opinion of LASD current financial position | rosy | comfortable | gaps could be made up with volunteers | sense of urgency- we have a structural deficit | |||||
| will close a school | No | No | let the community decide | No | |||||
| keep neighborhool school model | YES, absolutely the best | YES | Yes, but let the community decide how much | Yes, but with magnets in some form | |||||
| Hillview an option | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Give up on eminent domain on Hillview | na | na | yes, perhaps | na | |||||
| willingness to do grade re configuration | somewhat | somewhat | somewhat, let the community decide | YES | |||||
| Loading – open to reforming current max enrollment per school “policy” | No | somewhat | YES | YES | |||||
| Life expectancy of BCS | limited | 4 1/2 to 5 years | enduring | needs to “behave” like a magnet school | |||||
| Kahn Academy | Good way to do blended learning in math | Good, but need high touch augmented by technology | Amazing. A way to do individualized learning | Thumbs down. Fewer screens. Teaching should be personal | |||||
| LASD and other ” Establishment” endorsements | YES | YES, biz partner of Mark Goines | No | None, a point of pride | |||||
| Donors | himself | himself, seeking your donations | Can’t afford herself, see form 503 for her over $99 donors | himself | |||||
| lives within 500 feet of a LASD school site boundary | ? | ? | ? | ? | |||||
| style | stay the course we’re on,usually a “go along” guy on the board | maintain, but evolve, “plays nice with board” | listening, healing | questioning, challenging authority | |||||
| children | now at Covington | started private, then LASD, youngest now at MV High | were at Santa Rita, Now BCS | now at Bullis-Gardner | |||||
| Extended family, living or decesased, was or is involved in the education sector or supplying the education sector | YES | ? | ? | ? | |||||
| Extended family, living or decesased, was or is involved with an education union in any state of the USA | ? | ? | ? | ? | |||||
| residence | City of Los Altos | City of Los Altos | City of Mountain View | City of Los Altos | |||||
| employment | VP of Marketing, Education software company | financial executive, real estate investor | neo-natal nurse, prof at UCSF | retired – software development mgr. |
