Panel OKs New Districts for L.A. School Board

After a bitter debate, the commission redrawing the Los Angeles Board of Education’s districts adopted a new map Wednesday night that combines the southwest San Fernando Valley and West Los Angeles in one district.

That map has been favored by school board President Caprice Young, who under the plan would move from a district centered in Hollywood to one centered in the West Valley. That could improve her chances for reelection because of the majority of white voters in the new area.

The map approved by the 15-member Los Angeles Redistricting Commission for the Los Angeles Unified School District now goes to the City Council for approval.

The meeting became heated, with commissioner Irma Hopkins accusing fellow commissioners of basing their decision on politics.

“This has been contaminated with all the political maneuvering going on,” Hopkins said. “We’re here to represent the parents and the kids.”

New boundaries must be adopted by June 30, but the next school board election using them won’t be held until next March.

The other proposed map, which the commission rejected, was drawn by Alan Clayton of the California Latino Redistricting Coalition and presented by an appointee of board member Julie Korenstein. It would have split the Valley at the San Diego Freeway and put North Hollywood and Studio City into a district with West L.A.

Under the map that was approved, Korenstein would lose 24% of her potential white voters, because her new district would confine her to a heavily Latino district in the East Valley. She currently oversees parts of the central and West Valley in addition to the East Valley.

The 9-6 vote came amid accusations of behind-the-scenes lobbying by former L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan, a past supporter of Young. Korenstein also argued that an administrator for the commission was biased toward the map favored by Young.

“This did not come as a surprise. I knew all about the back-door deals,” Korenstein said. “I think it was a sham, the closest thing to a kangaroo court.”

One of the commissioners who voted for the map that was approved, Jonathan Zasloff, said there was a misconception that the alternative proposal was good for the Valley.

“It’s a large place. There isn’t a unified Valley. It’s very diverse,” he said.

The commission consists of seven appointees by school board members, four appointees of the mayor and four appointees of the City Council president.

Appointees of Young and of school board members Jose Huizar, Marlene Canter and Mike Lansing voted for the map that was approved. Appointees of board members David Tokofsky, Korenstein and Genethia Hayes voted for the alternative.