In one of the most stunning elections in Culver City’s history, political newcomers Nancy Goldberg and Laura Chardiet unseated popular School Board President Scott Zeidman to take the two open seats on Culver City Unified School District’s five-member Board of Education on Tuesday.
The upset wins by Goldberg and Chardiet, who were both supported by the local teacher’s union, may seem to suggest that Culver City voters are still rebelling against the budgetary cutbacks that the state government has imposed and which Zeidman had sought a compromise.
“We have a long road ahead,” said Goldberg early Wednesday as final results came in, “but we’re going to get there with the help of our students, parents and teachers.”
Goldberg, who spent more than 30 years as a teacher in local schools and campaigned for the “needs of our kids,” said that one of the first tasks she’ll take in her new position will be to make all of Culver City’s schools more “habitable.”
“I’m talking about day-to-day problems that students face, basic things like going to the bathroom but finding no toilet paper or soap,” Goldberg said. “We’ll deal with [the school district’s] other problems soon.”
Chardiet said she was “a little surprised” by the election vote against front-runner Zeidman, but seemed happy that the long campaign was behind her. She added that she and Goldberg are “looking forward to focusing on the kids, students and their futures, and not on the campaign.”
Goldberg got 2,213 votes, nearly 35% of local ballotters, according to the Los Angeles County and Recorder’s Office, which certifies elections.
Chardiet got 1,926, or 30.01%.
Zeidman fell just 28 votes short of re-election, with 1,898 votes and a 29.58% share.
Zeidman was considered the heavy favorite in the race. In his four years on the school board, he helped to push through an unusual but popular parcel tax that raised $6 million for local schools, increased the academic standards for children who wanted to transfer into the district and tried to cap spending.
Although Zeidman was the only candidate endorsed by all five members of the city council, his efforts to reign in excessive spending in the district may “have led to his downfall,” a city hall insider said.
“If you don’t get the support of the teacher’s union, you’re screwed. You can’t be elected if you want true reform,” he said, asking for anonymity.
