Opinion: Ref Rodriguez should go to ‘teacher jail’ until his case is resolved

To the editor: If safety and protection of students is a top priority for the Los Angeles Unified School District, Board of Education President Ref Rodriguez should immediately recuse himself and join educations in the LAUSD’s “teacher jail” until the felony charges against him are litigated. (“Charges against school board president stun L.A.’s education world,” Sept. 14)

Rodriguez should not be leading this district as school board president, should not have any contact with students or staff and should be placed under the exact same restrictions and limitations that teachers and administrators accused of such serious improper conduct would be.

Bruce Gurnick, Northridge

..

To the editor: Was I the only one blindsided by the school board election two years ago? That Rodriguez, co-owner of a charter school company, was even able to run for the school board?

Whatever happened to “conflict of interest”? The gullible voters, swayed by support from billionaires fighting for the profit-making charters (funded by taxpayers), helped elect a fox to guard the henhouse.

Planaria Price, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: When did the new pro-charter LAUSD board majority know that Rodriguez was under investigation for reimbursing campaign donors? Did they know before they elected him board president?

For the best interests of students, taxpayers and the smooth running of the troubled school district, I ask that the board name an acting president who is not under investigation.

John Paul Drayer, Silver Lake

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook