Bernson, Korenstein in Fax War Over Schools

It could have been viewed as the political version of the movie “He Said, She Said.”

Los Angeles City Councilman Hal Bernson and challenger Julie Korenstein sniped at each other via fax machine Friday, as Bernson fired off a press release seeking to blame her for a school disturbance in Granada Hills and Korenstein attacked him for using city equipment to do so.

The two are campaigning in the June 4 runoff for Bernson’s northwest San Fernando Valley seat.

Bernson began the exchange by charging that Korenstein, a member of the city school board, was to blame for a brief melee that broke out Friday during a student protest at Robert Frost Junior High School.

Seven students were detained by police for truancy after a protest by about 1,000 students opposed to proposed teacher layoffs led to a brief spate of vandalism.

Protesters broke the rearview mirrors and antennas on two parked cars and smashed a window in a pickup truck, slightly injuring the driver, police said.

In a written statement faxed to news reporters, Bernson charged that Korenstein’s “lack of leadership and understanding the budget process has led to the destruction of property and potentially, the injury to innocent children and adults.”

Korenstein’s campaign manager, Parke Skelton, said that charge was “so laughable as to not merit a response.”

He said she was the only member of the school board to vote against the proposed layoff of more than 2,000 school district employees, including 10 teachers, a nurse and librarian at Frost.

Later in the day, Skelton faxed his own press release, charging that Bernson’s release had been faxed using City Hall equipment.

Bernson “violated the law today by using city staff and equipment in furtherance of his campaign for reelection,” Skelton said, adding that Korenstein had filed a complaint with City Atty. James K. Hahn.

Bernson spokesman Greig Smith said Bernson’s press release was written by his campaign staff, not city employees, and sent to only two newspapers.

But he conceded the statement was transmitted on a City Hall machine, saying the councilman was willing to reimburse taxpayers the $2 to $4 cost.

Skelton said the issue was not one of dollars, but of following city rules.

“If he was caught stealing candy bars, would we say, ‘It’s only a buck, give the guy a break’?” Skelton said. “I think it’s a question of character.”

Korenstein, whose school board district includes Granada Hills, said she would meet with the faculty and students at Frost next week to demonstrate her support and urge them to write state officials because “the real problem is we’re not getting enough money from the state of California.”