The Redondo Beach Unified School District Board of Education has done at least one thing better than any other elected body in the South Bay in recent years. It has remained intact.
The five person board has been remarkably stable even as the district has undergone massive changes in facilities and personnel. Three of its five members have served since 2003 and two since 2005.
The election currently taking place – very currently, since it is the first all mail-in election in Redondo Beach history, and voters received ballots this week – thus marks the end of an era. Two new board members will replace Arlene Staich and Carl Clark, who both term out in March. Voters have until Election Day, March 8, to turn in their ballots, or visit the City Clerk’s office at the Civic Center to cast ballots. No ballot arriving after March 8 will be accepted; the clerk’s office (at 415 Diamond St. Door C) will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Election Day accepting ballots.
Three candidates are running for the two seats: Anita Avrick, Arda Clark and Laura Emdee. Avrick and Emdee are both longtime PTA leaders within the district. Clark is a longtime district volunteer and the wife of incumbent Carl Clark. All three raised children who attended RBUSD schools.
The race thus far has been surprisingly cordial, by Redondo’s rough and tumble campaign standards, but not without controversy. Endorsements, in particular, have created an unusual dynamic.
The Redondo Beach Teachers Association has in the past proven to be a strong force in school board elections, in part because a reported 800 California Teachers Association members live in Redondo and in part because the union provides political resources, such as phone banking and mailers.
RBTA endorsed Avrick and Clark. But Avrick has more closely aligned herself with her longtime friend, Emdee, and has not participated in RBTA mailers or phone banking. Meanwhile, the Redondo Beach City Council, in a fairly rare show of unanimity, all endorsed Avrick and Emdee, while Mayor Mike Gin appeared on a mailer endorsing both. Clark won the endorsement of a majority of the current school board – including Todd Loewenstein, Drew Gamet and her husband – as well as City Councilman Steve Aspel (who endorsed all three candidates). School board members Arlene Staich and Jane Diehl endorsed Emdee and Avrick.
See profiles of each candidate:
