Politics of LA school board may shift
Damian Dovarganes/AP
Deceased Los Angeles school board member Marguerite Lamotte
The Los Angeles school board is scheduled to decide Tuesday how to fill the seat left vacant after the death of board member Marguerite Lamotte.
Lamotte was a close ally to the teachers' union, and her absence from the board could compromise labor's voice in district policy. She represented South Los Angeles on the board.
The seven-member school board is split. Some favor union causes, others align themselves with Superintendent John Deasy.
Charles Kerchner is a professor at Claremont Graduate University and said with an open seat, there is a chance to swing the board further in either direction.
If a special election is held, he said expect special interest groups to come with their checkbooks in hand.
"I think that is regrettable," Kerchner said. "All kinds of interest groups jockeying