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Los Angeles Unified Board President Jackie Goldberg To Retire After Decades Of Public Service
Jackie Goldberg speaks with a volunteer at her election campaign's Silver Lake headquarters
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Kyle Stokes
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Topline:
Los Angeles Unified School District Board President Jackie Goldberg will retire in December 2024. Goldberg represents board district 5, which includes much of northeast Los Angeles, Vernon, Southgate, and parts of South L.A.
Why now: Goldberg’s career in public service started with her election to the LAUSD board in 1983. “It's time for me to spend more time with my family,” Goldberg, 78, said. “They complain continuously that I'm never around, which is unfortunately true.”
The backstory: Goldberg worked as a Compton and L.A. teacher for almost two decades before running for office. Goldberg was the first openly lesbian candidate elected to L.A. City Council in 1994 and later led the State Assembly’s education committee. She re-joined the LAUSD board after a 2019 special election.
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“I've spent my life doing what I wanted to do, which is fighting hard for kids to get the appropriate educational opportunities that they so richly deserve,” Goldberg said. She added that insufficient funding remains a challenge. California ranks 33rd in state and local per-student education spending.
What's next: Voters will choose the next District 5 board member in November 2024’s general election. Teacher Karla Griego and Bell Mayor Fidencio Joel Gallardo have both filed paperwork required to run for the seat. Goldberg said she’s endorsing Joel Gallardo, a longtime educator who also works for her office. "It actually, believe it or not, was part of my decision [to retire]," Goldberg said. "I didn't want to not run if there was nobody in the wings that would have the same passion."
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