Principal to Run for Korenstein’s Seat on Board

A former Granada Hills junior high school principal, whose transfer this summer to a Sun Valley school sparked controversy, announced Tuesday that he will challenge Los Angeles school board member Julie Korenstein in the April election.

Gerald Horowitz, former principal at Robert Frost Junior High School, is the second candidate this week to announce intentions to run for the west San Fernando Valley seat on the Board of Education. Political newcomer Dauna Packer said Monday that she will also run against Korenstein.

Horowitz, who has worked for the district 31 years, was transferred in August to Byrd Junior High School. Angry parents accused Korenstein of having Horowitz transferred out of her district because he supported her opponent in the 1987 election to fill a vacancy on the board.

Korenstein denied the charge but was served with recall papers in September because of the incident. The recall was dropped several weeks later because organizers said a recall election would fall too close to the April election.

Horowitz, in an announcement released Tuesday, accused Korenstein of failing to be a strong leader. “What we see is a district that has no representation,” he said.