AGOURA HILLS : 2 Residents Form Parents Association

Two Agoura Hills residents have formed a parents association to combat what they say is a high level of apathy among parents of students in the Las Virgenes Unified School District.

“It’s just astounding, the apathy,” said Steve Kosloff, who co-founded the organization with Joe Brazier. The two say that if more parents got involved, many of the problems facing education would be solved.

They are recruiting members for the organization, which they call “We the Parents,” and have set a public meeting for 7:30 p.m. May 11 in Room A-1 at Agoura High School.

However, their efforts have received a cool reception from many top district officials. Supt. Albert (Bud) Marley said he believes the district already has enough parents organizations.

“There are a number of opportunities for people to be involved in the loop for communication,” he said. “The bottom line is these organizations already exist.”

Several officials say they are leery about the background of Brazier, who backed two conservative Christian candidates in the last school election two years ago. Both candidates lost. The district officials, some of whom wanted to remain anonymous, said they believe the organization is vague about where it stands on educational issues.

“I would like to know more about them and why they want to form a new group, rather than working within the existing parents advisory groups,” said Charlotte Meyer, a school board member.

Some officials said they believe Brazier plans to use the organization to launch a conservative Christian candidate in this November’s election. Two board members, Amy Berns and Harry Knaster, are up for reelection.

Christian candidates have made gains nationally in recent years in winning school board elections. However, many have changed tactics, opting to downplay their religious ties so as not to offend potential voters, experts said.

Brazier and Kosloff--who says he has no religious affiliations--scoff at the notion of a hidden agenda.

“I just look on Joe as a guy that wants to improve what goes on in the community,” said Kosloff, who sells advertising for trade magazines. “I don’t think he ever brought up an issue that I would say is Christian right at all.”

“I wish they would get away from that,” said Brazier, an attorney. “This is not a stealth organization. . . . That’s why we are emphasizing that we are nonpartisan. We are trying to develop a forum that is nonpolitical. . . . We want an open forum for all points of view. We want people to know that they can be heard and listened to even if they don’t get their way.”

The two say they want to get parents and educators talking about problems facing school children such as “drug and alcohol abuse and AIDS and promiscuousness among students,” said Kosloff.

The pair say their organization is based on ideas taken from U. S. Education’s Department’s Goals 2000: Educate America Act. The new $400-million program established a national panel to develop performance standards for students in math, science, history and geography. The program also stresses getting more parents involved in the educational process.

We the Parents could also be useful in coordinating the various parents groups’ fund-raising efforts, said Brazier. “It seems like we are all milking the same cow at times,” he said. “It might be helpful if we all got together.”