Lippman is good choice for board As...

Lippman is good choice for board

As a retired Burbank teacher, parent and voter, I am concerned

about the Burbank Teachers Assn.’s endorsement of two out of its

three choices for the Burbank School Board.

I am in agreement that the present board needs a change. One

person the BTA endorsed seems to be a politician, having run for

state assemblyman against Dario Frommer, and is now running for the

board. The other is a businessman -- not in our community, but North

Hollywood -- and has no children attending Burbank schools. The

choices the BTA endorsed are by a panel decision, and not the

consensus of the Burbank teachers.

Among the choices for this very important position is Ira Lippman,

who has, for more than 25 years, been a successful businessman in our

community, which gives him the expertise to manage large budgets,

negotiate better prices from vendors and use funding in the most

effective ways. He has nine years of experience on Burbank school

site committees. He has children on all three levels of education in

Burbank schools -- elementary, middle and secondary -- and continues

to be involved in the schools at each level. He also has a close and

long-lasting relationship with teachers and administrators.

We need to restore the confidence, trust and good faith of the

citizens of Burbank. We can, I believe, enhance the educational

experience of every student in Burbank with our vote for Ira Lippman.

RUTH MOTTERN

Retired teacher, Burbank

Unified School District

School board needs new members

Thank you for profiling all of the candidates for school board. I

haven’t been happy with the current school board for a while and

appreciate learning more about their opponents.

It disturbs me that when it was pointed out there were no lockers

at the high school, a paid staff person responded instead of the

people who make the decision -- the school board.

They point with pride to the success and try to dodge the problem.

That is not accepting the responsibility of their position. They

don’t acknowledge people’s genuine concerns about the new buildings.

I see the paper in the windows at Burbank High and know there is a

problem. When will the board tell us how they are going to correct

this? I read that Burroughs had a problem with the drains and the

contractor fixed it. That is open and honest communication that needs

to happen more between the school board and the community. If the

existing members aren’t willing to do this, let’s get new members who

will.

Having met some of the candidates for the school board and having

read your profiles, I feel confident that Lynne Gerred is one

candidate who is dedicated to creating the atmosphere of open

communication that we need. Gerred seems to have a clear grasp of the

challenges that face our schools and community, and is willing to

work to overcome them.

CARLA TRAPANI

Burbank