With less than ten percent of those eligible actually voting in last week’s election for members of the Board of Education, the two AALA-endorsed candidates were not successful in their races. In an election that has become known nationally as the most expensive for a seat on a local school board, two candidates who received heavy support from the pro-charter movement were selected to represent LAUSD Districts 4 and 6. AALA has communicated with both Nick Melvoin and Kelly Gonez and we offer them our congratulations. There is much work to be done, including the negotiation of eleven union contracts (including AALA’s certificated) that are set to expire this summer, and we look forward to working with them and encourage them to commit to making decisions that are in the best interests of the students we all serve.