Parent Engagement Charter School Style

“We will also not comment”

- Marilyn Koziatek, School Board Candidate

According to Nick Melvoin’s Speak Up, School Board Candidate Marilyn Koziatek “leads the community engagement department at Granada Hills Charter, which includes parent engagement”. As part of this role, Koziatek was asked by the California Charter School Association (CCSA) to comment on an article that the LA School Report was writing after “LA Unified’s charter school oversight division…confirmed it [would] look into complaints about three independent charter high schools made by a parent whose daughter attends” Granada. The email described the parent as “a well-known gadfly.” I take that as a compliment.

Sixteen minutes after the first email was received, the charter industry’s trade association had apparently decided on a change in strategy. Without explaining why they no longer preferred that the story “not be negative”, they were now telling the author of the proposed article that this was “a non-story and that we’re not going to comment.” They further instructed Granada that they “probably shouldn’t bother either.” Koziatek quickly submitted her response: “We will also not comment”. So much for “parent engagement.”

Given that Koziatek’s salary is paid for with taxpayer funds, her work product should be a matter of public record. Having access to this information is the only way to understand if she is actually working to perform “community…