Political savvy vs. education skills in L.A. school board runoff
Antonio Sanchez, 31, has the former, which has helped him attract big support from labor, while Monica Ratliff, 43, has the latter, making her the favorite of educators.
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Monica Ratliff has a background as a legal-aid attorney and teacher in a school that serves mostly students from low-income families. Antonio Sanchez has a background in campaigns and ties to political figures. Last year he completed his master's degree in urban and regional planning at UCLA. |
The race for a seat on the Los Angeles Board of Education pits the political savvy of Antonio Sanchez against the education skills of Monica Ratliff. And when it comes to campaign resources, politics trumps all.
Sanchez, 31, has used his background in campaigns and ties to political figures to attract huge financial support from labor groups and a political-action committee headed by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
Ratliff, 43, has used her background as a legal-aid attorney and respected teacher in a high-performing school to impress editorial boards and educators.
In the March 5 primary, Sanchez claimed 44% of voters, with Ratliff next at 34%, setting up Tuesday's runoff.
The campaign spending has been lopsided for Sanchez. The Coalition for School Reform, the mayor's group, amassed more than $1 million for the runoff, with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and L.A. philanthropist Eli Broad the largest donors. To date, independent groups, including the L.A. County Federation of Labor and Local 99 of Service Employees International,
