Steve Ly Touts Cooper, Davis Endorsements; Jake Rambo Gets Another Union Nod

Ly's recent flier features endorsements from Elk Grove Council Members Gary Davis and Jim Cooper.

Ly and supporter Davis have conflicting views on charter schools

In the hotly contested Elk Grove Unified School District Area 6 Trustee race Steve Ly and Jake Rambo are pushing their respective endorsements.

For Ly, who is challenging incumbent Rambo, a recent flier showcases endorsements from current Elk Grove Mayor Jim Cooper and Elk Grove Council Member and mayoral candidate Gary Davis.

Davis' endorsement says "Steve Ly will bring much needed change to the Elk Grove School Board" while Cooper says "The Elk Grove School Board needs leadership that will put our kids' needs first."

Rambo recently announced he garnered the endorsement of the The Sacramento County Deputy Sheriffs' Association. Rambo has also been endorsed by AFSCME Local 258 which represents the school district's classified employees.

For his part, Ly has also captured several union endorsements including California School Employees Association and Los Rios College Federation of Teachers.

For Ly Davis' endorsement is interesting given their opposing views on charter schools. During a forum sponsored the Elk Grove Education Association (EGEA) Ly emphatically stated he believed in a free public education and was not supportive of charter schools.

Ly went on to comment that he has seen charter schools cherry pick the best students that distorts how well they perform. "The data is misleading," he said.

Davis is the the political director of EdVoice, an education advocacy group that among other things supports charter schools. Earlier this year Davis petitioned the EGUSD to fund a charter school dubbed "The Grove Leadership Academy."

Davis' proposed charter school proposal, which was rejected by the EGUSD, would have been established in Elk Grove's Laguna West area that sought to serve 400 students in kindergarten through grade 12 with a focus on teaching leadership skills and civic involvement.

During that same forum when asked by the EGEA about his views on mayors interfering with school matters, Ly stated he thought it was improper for any non-associated elected official to interfere with school matters.

"The mayors job is not overseeing the schools. That is what the school board is for," Ly said. "I see these reform movements in New York and out in these different cities and my question is 'isn't your job suppose to be running the city, then why are you involving yourself in the schools.'"

Interestingly in a 2010 Sacramento area Democratic Assembly primary race, EdVoice sent out a mailer attacking Larry Miles, who was a San Juan Unified School Board member. Miller lost the race to Davis' ally, current Assembly Member Dr. Richard Pan.

From the Bee story: "To the end goal of fixing California's public schools. we work hard to help candidates who are bold and reform-minded and not entrenched in the status quo," said EdVoice Political Director Gary Davis. "We spent a lot of time interviewing both candidates and reached the conclusion that Larry Miles represents status quo and what's wrong with the education system."