New CCUSD Board of Education Members sworn in

Election results for the Culver City Unified School District Board of Education were made official Tuesday as Andrew Lachman and Lindsay Carlson were officially sworn into their new roles as board members.

The Board was also reconfigured with these new members, resulting in Triston Ezidore becoming the youngest President in the Board's history.

In a first, the farewells and final remarks from the outgoing board members were held one week prior, with Kelly Kent and Paula Amezola making their final remarks at the December 10 board meeting.

Giving much of her speech in Spanish, Amezola expressed her pride in her efforts to advance equitable learning for English as a Second Language (ESL) learners.

She argued that this work was even more critical given the current national political landscape, saying marginalized communities need more attention than ever.

"I urge this community that cares deeply about all our students to pay special care to those under attack today," Amezola said. "Our LGBTQ youth, our immigrant families, and those facing systemic barriers like English learners."

Much of Kent's remarks were thanks to the various people she met during her long tenure working with the District. She recognized both the board members she had worked with previously and the staff who made her job possible.

"I have learned so much from every single staff member of the District, both past and present," Kent said. "Thank you for the grace you have shown me."

Carlson and Lachman took their oaths at the Culver City Unified School District Office Tuesday night, with the Mike Balkman City Council Chambers shut down until next year for maintenance. These oaths are the same as those taken by other elected officials as required under the California Constitution.

Following the swearing-in ceremony, each new board member was given an opportunity to make remarks. Carlson called back to the oath's contents and talked about lived values and the importance of upholding that promise.

She also acknowledged the union organizations that supported her during the campaign season, notably the Culver City Federation of Teachers (CCFT).

"The community lifted me up and kept me going," Carlson told the audience during her comments. "We have a community of smart, talented, kind, and passionate people who want the District to succeed."

As he introduced himself as a board member for the first time, Lachman looked towards the improvements that he hoped to make. He addressed one of the concerns raised in public comment Tuesday night: the District's capacity to challenge its students academically.

As Lachman spoke, kids who were not challenged enough at CCUSD were at the front of his mind. He said he listened to many stories from the 4,000 voters as he went door to door and saw the variety of needs students in Culver City have.

"[I heard from] the father of a dyslexic high school student who felt that no one was providing support for his son, and the parent of a gifted elementary school child who just left the district because his daughter was not being challenged in math," Lachman said.

Both new members thanked their families for their support and acknowledged the District's most pressing matter in the eyes of many: the budget.

The First Interim Report on the 2024-25 CCUSD Budget was also presented to the previous iteration of the Board on December 10. It showed that the projected budget will have even less money over the next several years than expected due to the projected drop in attendance. 

Carlson and Lachman both professed collaboration in solving these problems. Both acknowledged the tension and arguments that resulted from these discussions.

"We will agree on some things and disagree on others," Lachman said. "but we need to return to a point where disagreement is over policy, not attacks on the person."

"Seeking to persuade and collaborate is always better than seeking to intimidate and dominate," Carlson said.

This approach was acknowledged by those who supported the two. CCFT President Ray Long said that this was the first time in 30 years that the organization felt like it could work with all five members of the Board, an acknowledgment met with applause from the around 30 people in attendance.

Following the swearing-in, the positions on the Board were decided. Unlike the City Council, where the Mayor and Vice Mayor are nominated and approved by the sitting council members, the CCUSD board decides on the Vice President, Treasurer, Clerk, and Parliamentarian.

As for the President of the Board, CCUSD bylaws dictate that the previously serving Vice President automatically becomes the President during board reorganization. This led to Triston Ezidore being named President of the CCUSD School Board.

Stephanie Loredo, who served as Clerk on the previous Board, became Vice Chair. The third returning council member, Brian Guerrero, accepted Loredo's previous role as Clerk, and Lachman was named the Board Parliamentarian.