Kaz wants classroom experience applied to school board

Edward Kaz While observing several Oak Park Unified School District board meetings, Edward Kaz became concerned about some of the decisions being made.

He decided to run for a seat on the board, challenging longtime incumbent Jan Iceland and recent appointee Barbara Laifman. Philip Bonoli, an attorney, is also running. Voters will choose two of the four candidates on Nov. 4.

A public school teacher for 29 years, Kaz was appalled by the board's slashing of the budget at the classroom level with no administrative cuts.

"I felt that their priorities were wrong. When a school district is looking at cuts, administration should be first, not the classroom. Twenty percent of the top teachers were given potential layoff notices," Kaz said. "The No. 1 tool in the classroom is the teacher—not the equipment, not the machinery."

He was also disturbed by the district's extension of the Thanksgiving holiday from two to five days off. The three school days cut from November were added to June. The decision impacts instruction, Kaz said, especially for AP classes like his which now lose three days of preparation for AP tests in May. In addition, dualincome families must now find child care for those extra days off in November.

"I felt it was a financial decision. I don't think they took the classroom or the impact to the community into consideration," said Kaz, who raised those issues during the meeting.

Kaz teaches United States history and government at Reseda High School, where he has been for 19 years. He worries about the effect continuing cuts will have on students.

"If the state economy doesn't improve, which I think is a given, we're looking at Draconian cuts next spring," Kaz said. "I want that classroom protected as much as possible."

Through his teachers union, Kaz has been involved in education lobbying at the state level.

"I know my way around the corridors of Sacramento," Kaz said. "With district permission, I would go to Sacramento and hit them up for more money for the classroom."

Kaz supports the Measure R school bond that's on the ballot.

"I think it's reasonable. It's greatly toned down from what they tried two years ago," said Kaz, who was scheduled to go on a tour of the middle school and district offices with Superintendent Tony Knight. "In terms of the individual homeowner, it's affordable."

Kaz worries about the possibility of class sizes significantly increasing next year. He supports interdistrict transfers but feels the district could do a better job of assessing future enrollment. Kaz spoke with the district's consultant and discovered that a key research element was missing.

"They look at hospital birth records in predicting enrollment, but they don't have any way of figuring out how many of those kids born in another ZIP code move to Oak Park," Kaz said.

Kaz would like to see the district question its consultants more carefully. Hiring consultants takes money away from other district needs, Kaz said.

"Consultants know what administrators want to hear," Kaz said. "I have seen things that have worked and seen things that are a waste of time. I can look at consultants and say, 'What value is this in the classroom?'"

He and his wife, Robin, moved their family from West Hills to Oak Park three and a half years ago. Their sons attend Brookside Elementary: Joey is in second grade, and Sammy is in kindergarten.

"The schools brought us to Oak Park, and we just fell in love with the beautiful open space," said Kaz, 52.

Born in Burbank and raised in Sun Valley, Kaz earned a bachelor's degree in history from California State University Northridge, as well as teaching credentials in English and social science.

"Ed is very sincere, very dedicated and has a passion for the education of children," said Brenda Hagen, a neighbor and friend of Kaz. "He would be a true asset to the Oak Park school system."