The Weekly Newspaper of Inglewood Daily News on a Weekly Basis - Herald Publications - Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale, El Segundo, Torrance & Manhattan Beach Community Newspapers Since 1911 - Circulation 30,000 - Readership 60,000 (310) 322-1830 - November 17, 2016 ECHS Lawndale Hosts Career Day Features Former USC/NFL Linebacker On November 10, Lawndale’s Environmental Charter High School (ECHS) hosted its 10th Annual Career Day, “Connect for Success,” presented by ReGreen. Ninth and 10th graders were treated to keynote speaker Thomas Williams, a former USC and NFL linebacker, author and motivational speaker. Even before he transitioned from game-changer to life-changer, Williams faced challenges at a young age that helped mold his work ethic and attitude and helped contribute to his accomplishments. Photo Credit: David Montejano Photography Council Amends City Charter for Board of Education Elections By Cristian Vasquez This week, Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts and the City Council adopted a resolution to place a measure on the April 4, 2017 ballot to submit to the Electors of the Inglewood Unified School District Advisory Board of Education a proposal to amend the City Charter. The approved resolution gives the City the authority to present an amendment to Article XXVI of the Inglewood City Charter that would replace the at-large voting method currently used in electing members to the Inglewood Board of Education. “There is a certain liability as to continue with this and districts have been sued for at-large voting because the tendency is that it tends to freeze out smaller populations that are heavily represented in a smaller district,” Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts said. When School Board members are elected at-large, registered voters within the district have the ability to vote for all of the candidates campaigning for any seats in dispute. This past August 17, the School Board adopted its own resolution to request that this measure be placed on the upcoming ballot. With the amendment to the Charter, the Board will have the authority to transition from at-large voting to trustee area, also known as district voting. “The California Voting Rights Act specifically prohibits at-large election systems that impair the ability of a protected class to elected preferred candidates or influence the outcome of elections,” states the staff report signed by City Attorney Kenneth R. Campos. With the approved resolution, the School Board can now begin the transition into a trustee area for elections based on the State’s education code, with final approval from governing agencies such as the California State Board of Education still pending. The amendment gives the Board the following three options for election, as stated in the staff report: “That each member of the governing board be elected by the registered voters of the entire district; that one or more members residing in each trustee area be elected by the registered voters of that particular trustee area; or that each governing board member be elected by the registered voters of the entire school district or community college district, but reside in the trustee area which he or she represents.” District No. 2 Councilmember Eloy Morales, Jr. noted, “This is going to be a sensitive issue, but the truth is this has been going on throughout the state of California and breaking up school districts is something that is becoming more common. The reason is to make the School Board as diverse as the current population. Although that is something we have done a good job with--connecting with the community--that is what the goal is and I support that intention.” Both the California State Constitution and the Government Code allow the City to submit, via its own motion, a charter amendment to voters. In addition, the State Constitution mandates that when a charter amendment changes the method by which a board of education members are elected, those revisions must be approved by a majority of registered electors of the affected school district. The Inglewood School District has been gradually recovering from bankruptcy, which it declared in 2012 after students began leaving are campuses--causing enrollment to drop from 18,000 to 12,000 over a 10-year period. As a result, the District’s budget shrank from $85 million to $60 million and caused a crisis that officials with the Department of Education had to step in and fix. After several officials went in to save the District, State Administrator Dr. Vincent Matthews has taken over and settled into his role. “Big boats turn slow and I think Dr. [Vincent] Matthews is definitely the person to turn this boat around,” Mayor Butts said. “He has a lot big challenges, but he’s good. We have had four administrators in four years and he’s the most promising.” The City’s upcoming municipal election on April 4 will include the dispute for three seats on the Board of Education. Furthermore, election code allows a city to place a proposal to amend its charter in order to comply with federal or state voting rights laws during the following regularly scheduled general municipal election—provided it occurs “not less than 88 days after the date of the order of election,” according to the staff report. • “The California Voting Rights Act specifically prohibits at-large election systems that impair the ability of a protected class to elected preferred candidates or influence the outcome of elections.” Inside This Issue Certified & Licensed Professionals.......................2 Classifieds............................3 Food.......................................5 Hawthorne Happenings....3 Legals................................ 6-7 Pets........................................8 Police Reports.....................3 Sports....................................4 Seniors..................................2 Weekend Forecast Friday Sunny 75˚/54˚ Saturday Sunny 71˚/55˚ Sunday Mostly Sunny 68˚/56˚
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