LAUSD Board Could See Major Shakeup With New Charter School Majority

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LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Charter school proponents scored a win with two of their candidates winning seats on the Los Angeles Unified School District board, the nation's second-largest school district.

LAUSD board president Steve Zimmer had topped a four-candidate field in the March primary, but was soundly defeated by teacher/attorney Nick Melvoin in Tuesday's election. In District 6, Kelly Gonez, another charter-school-backed candidate, prevailed in a much tighter race over union-backed Imelda Padilla.

Gonez and Melvoin will join incumbents Monica Garcia and Ref Rodriguez to create a four-member majority of charter-school supporters on the board.

In other election results, Los Angeles City Councilman Gil Cedillo celebrating a re-election win over Joe Bray-Ali, whose campaign fizzled amid questions about previously posted internet comments. Monica Rodriguez, a former city Public Works commissioner, won the 7th Council District seat – which was vacated last year by Felipe Fuentes -- over Karo Torossian.