School Board Candidates Say Malibu Discontent Is a Misperception

• Observers Take Wait-and-See Attitude about Impact of No Local Representation on Board

BY SUZANNE GULDIMANN

For many Malibu residents, the blitz of political mailers that clog the mailbox in the days leading up to the election is the only exposure they have to the candidates for local races such as the school board. An informal survey of Malibu residents conducted by the Malibu Surfside News reveals an overwhelming apathy about the outcome of the race, with most, unsurprisingly, unable to name the candidates.
Malibuites, faced with the reality of a school board without a Malibu representative, have a choice between four Santa Monica residents—two incumbents and two new faces—who are running for the three seats in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District on the Nov. 4 ballot. Kathy Wisnicki, the only Malibu resident on the board, chose not to run for reelection. Ralph Mechur, the incumbent for a fourth seat, is running unopposed, and consequently does not appear on the ballot.
Incumbent Jose Escarce, the Geffen professor of medicine at UCLA, was elected to the Institute of Medicine, a division of the National Academy of Sciences, earlier this month. He is seeking his third four-year term on the school board. The other incumbent, Maria Leon-Vazquez, is also seeking a third term. In addition to her eight years on the school board, she has worked with the district for 30 years.
The other two candidates, Ben Allen and Chris Bley, are running for the first time. Both men attended district schools and graduated from Samohi. Allen is a recent graduate of the UC Berkeley law school. He spent the previous year as the UC student regent and has been an active volunteer in the Democratic party. Bley teaches government and history at a school in Brentwood, and has served in the Peace Corps and also has been active in the Democratic party.
Bley, who says he entered the race because of his concern over special education issues, has focused much of his campaign’s attention on Malibu. He is the only candidate not to have received the endorsement and campaign support of the powerful and influential Santa Monicans for Renters Rights. However, Bley has raised over three times as much money as the other three candidates combined. At the start of the month Bley had a total of $19,591. Leon-Vazquez had $5016, followed by Allen with $4700, and Escarce, with $3500.
Allen, Escarce and Leon-Vazquez have received endorsements from SMRR, although Escarce, seen as having run afoul of Santa Monica special education parents, initially missed endorsement by one vote. The SMRR board overruled the general membership and endorsed him.
Leon-Vazquez, Escarce and Allen can expect to receive a share of the $90,592 raised by SMRR, in addition to the amounts raised individually. There is no limit on the amount an individual can contribute to school board candidates.
Concerned with the performance of the current school board, a newly formed grassroots education organization in Santa Monica called Leadership Effectiveness Accountability Direction (LEAD), has “enthusiastically” endorsed Allen but only “recommended” Escarce and Leon Vazquez.
No Malibu organization has stepped forward to endorse candidates in this race.
A Malibu forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the Santa Monica-Malibu PTA Council, was sparsely attended—the event took place on a week day morning—but offered Malibu residents an opportunity to question candidates about their views on Malibu issues. All of the candidates except for Mechur attended the event, which is being shown on Malibu Public Access Channel 3 daily through Nov. 4.
The election comes at a time when Malibu education activists, unhappy with what they perceive as a Santa Monica-centric district, are looking once again at the possibility of creating a separate Malibu school district. The lack of a Malibu resident on the board is being seen as a catalyst for some in the movement.
However, the district has actually faced a public relations problem with Malibu residents for years, and the perception by Malibu parents and advocates that the district tends to ignore Malibu, despite the fact that high property values and high owner occupancy rates make Malibu property owners an essential source of school district funding.
All four candidates have addressed the divide between the district’s two communities. At the Malibu forum, Leon-Vazquez called the perception unfair, and argued that it is created by parents, rather than by the Malibu students who “receive a great education.”
Escarce agreed, saying that while he can understand how the perception exists, he “believes it is inaccurate.”
Both of the challengers, Allen and Bley, while also referring to the problem as perceived rather than actual, have taken a stronger stance. Both have said participation is key, and have advocated a stronger board presence at Malibu events.
The candidates who win will be part of the board faced with the responsibility of selecting a permanent superintendent for the district.
They will also have the task of attempting to reconcile the Santa Monica and Malibu halves of the district, or risk the possibility that Malibu’s apathy will transform into a secessionist rebellion.