Ex-Bellflower USD official runs for Lakewood Council
Lakewood Council candidate tries to focus on collaboration.
By Brian Maquena
May 20, 2022
Facing possible blowback from a school district controversy, one Lakewood City Council candidate sees collaboration as essential to solving homelessness and other issues.
Laura Sanchez Ramirez served as a Bellflower Unified school board member for more than 16 years before resigning April 1 to focus on running for Council district 2. She faces Mayor Steve Croft, a 17-year incumbent, and a would-be reformer in Gregory Slaughter.
Disclaimer: The Lakewood Populist has endorsed Gregory Slaughter for Council district 2.
“There are people out there who have been here for awhile who do want a change,” said Ramirez in reference to Croft’s lengthy incumbency.
Ramirez has encountered a range of concerns on the campaign trail, including repeat garage sales, homelessness and grand theft autos. Collaborating with those inside Lakewood as well as with other cities was essential to improving Lakewood, she said.
“That’s how you get ideas.”
When discussing the homeless situation, Ramirez acknowledged Bellflower’s homeless shelter as one avenue, but said Lakewood residents may not want a shelter and that the city may not have room for one.
“I don’t know what the solution is,” said Ramirez, who said she could discover answers via intercity collaboration.
When one voter raised concerns over an area’s repeat garage sales, Ramirez pointed to how certain cities limited garage sales.
However, Ramirez may face fallout from a recent, high-profile controversy at Mayfair High School while she served on the Bellflower Unified school board.
Alumnus and retired NBA player Josh Childress made a donation to overhaul the high school’s weight room that still had equipment he had used while attending. Yet instead of donating the money to the district, Childress’s foundation donated the money to the Mayfair High School Sports Boosters Club.
“From all the research that I’ve done, the district has mismanaged funds numerous times,” Childress told ABC 7 Eyewitness News, explaining why he chose to donate to the boosters club over the district.
Per ABC 7 Eyewitness News, Superintendent Tracy McSparren reportedly demanded the donation be sent to the district directly after Mayfair High School Principal Mark Kailiponi informed the district of the donation.
ABC 7 Eyewitness News reported November 2021 that Principal Kailiponi was fired over the incident, while it reported parents accusing McSparren of forcing out the principal.
“He was not fired. He resigned,” said Ramirez, who added that Kailiponi had gone on to work in the district office. “If he’s saying, ‘I don’t want that position,’ How do you force someone to go back?”
Kailiponi’s resignation was a personnel matter that the school district couldn’t discuss, Ramirez said.
Whatever the case, the situation resulted in a large rally, as well as an article by the high school’s student newspaper describing a massive backlash against the loss of Principal Kailiponi.
Ramirez said that Bellflower Unified School District’s insurance required that the gym modifications go through the district to ensure safety. The weight room had to have machines bolted down and its flooring redone to ensure students did not trip.
“We have to know about it so that we can make sure it’s done safely,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez says her good name will help her, adding that neighbors have put up her campaign signs.
“It’s not an easy job to be on when you’re an elected official,” said Ramirez, promising to be diligent if elected to Council. “You’re never going to please everybody and that’s just life.”
Motivating Ramirez is the memory of her parents.
“He understood about helping people...because of what he went through,” said Ramirez about her father. “My mom was my strength.”
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