This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom today.
Teachers Union Officially Revokes Endorsement Of LAUSD Candidate
A Los Angeles Unified School District bus arrives to James Monroe High School on the first day of the fall semester on Monday, Aug. 14, 2023.
(
Ashley Balderrama
/
for LAist
)
Topline:
The union representing 35,000 Los Angeles Unified educators voted Monday night to withdraw its endorsement for Board District 1 candidate Kahllid Al-Alim. Al-Alim apologized in February for antisemitic social media activity.
The backstory: Al-Alim is a longtime community organizer and L.A. parent. In February, users of X, formerly known as Twitter, began sharing screenshots showing Al-Alim liking and sharing antisemitic posts. In one, Al-Alim writes that a book that promotes debunked, antisemitic ideas about the relationships between the Black and Jewish communities should be mandatory reading for students. Al-Alim apologized and said he would seek trainings about countering antisemitism.
Why now: UTLA suspended its campaign for Al-Alim about a week after Al-Alim’s prior social media activity resurfaced. The decision to un-endorse Al-Alim, like the original decision to support his candidacy, came after several groups of union educators met and voted. The union’s 250-member House of Representatives finalized the decision Monday night.
Who else can I vote for? Al-Alim is one of seven candidates running to represent the Mid-City and South L.A. communities of Board District 1. If no candidate wins the majority of the vote in the primary, there will be a runoff between the top two candidates in November.
Losing a powerful partner: Teachers Unions Often Pick Winning School Board Candidates. Will This LAUSD Election Be Different?
Trending on LAist
-
The “Builder’s Remedy” is coming to Norwalk after the city defied state officials and extended a ban on homeless shelters. -
This guide is for parents and families that want to better understand the condition of their child’s school — and how to advocate to get it fixed. -
Residents have been forced to decide whether to move or stay as an unrelenting landside forces power and gas shutoffs. -
The city’s mayor says the new law doesn’t apply to the beach city. -
Earlier this month, we did a story on the die-hard Tree of Heaven with surprising resonance. -
New rules will have to be approved by L.A. City Council members by February as the city faces a mandate to plan for more than 450,000 new homes by 2029. Areas of the city zoned for single-family homes are in hot pink.
Best of LAist
