2 Candidates Vying To Represent Much Of Hollywood On The LAUSD Board

HOLLYWOOD, CA — It's a wide open race for one of Hollywood's Los Angeles Unified School District board seats, as two contenders — both LAUSD educators — vie for the seat being vacated by an incumbent.

Hollywood is split up between three LAUSD board seats. The District 5 Seat — which covers a large portion of the neighborhood, in addition to other areas in the county — is the only one up for election. Incumbent Jackie Goldberg is retiring.

In the running to replace her in the Nov. 5 election are Karla Griego and Graciela “Grace” Ortiz.

The pair were the two highest vote getters in the March primary election, besting two other candidates. Griego earned 36.72 percent of the vote and Ortiz got 28.76 percent.

Griego has worked for LAUSD for nearly two decades as a special education teacher and community schools coordinator.

She's campaigning on a platform of boosting the availability of social services at schools, investment in mental health and special education services, curbing the power of charter schools, protecting LGBTQ students, bolstering the district's facilities against climate change, and expanding infant and early education centers.

Candidate information:

• Statement submitted to the LA City Clerk
• Campaign website

Ortiz, a Huntington Park city councilmember, has worked in pupil services for LAUSD for nearly two decades.

She's campaigning on a platform of expanding mental health and counseling services, reducing class sizes, boosting after-school enrichment programs, and bolstering safety plan for each school in the district.

Candidate information:

• Statement submitted to the LA City Clerk
• Campaign website

Check out Patch's Hollywood voter guide for a full rundown of what's on the Nov. 5 ballot.