There’s a reason this race is generating so much interest, as well as hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions. Zimmer, the current school board president, is up for reelection at one of the most pivotal moments in the district’s history. Because this is the last time a school board election will be held in March, the candidate who wins will serve an unusually long 5 ½ years-- the longest term a board member ever has served and likely ever will serve again.

Think of it this way: Parents with kids in kindergarten will be represented by the winner of this race until their children are in middle school. The decisions the victor makes will drastically affect the future of our kids’ schools and may determine whether or not LAUSD falls into bankruptcy and gets taken over by the state.