Patch Profile: BHUSD Board Candidate Brian Goldberg

At a time of dissatisfaction with local and national government, Board of Education Vice President sees his incumbency as an advantage.

“I am the only candidate running with proven experience, leadership and the courage needed to continue pushing our district forward,” said Goldberg, one of four candidates running for three Beverly Hills Unified School District school board seats on Nov. 8. His opponents are El Rodeo parent , educator and producer and Beverly Vista parent , who is running as a write-in candidate.

Goldberg consistently touts his record in his ads and at public forums. Specifically, he points to being an early and vocal opponent of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s proposed plan to  Beverly Hills High School as part of the Westside Subway Extension, as well as being the only board member to vote against awarding management of the bond to ’s firm, Strategic Concepts. (Christiansen is scheduled to go on trial next month on four felony counts of conflict of interest related to her management of the Measure E bond.)

The candidate also highlights his efforts to transition BHUSD to , which generates more funding for the schools. Under basic aid, which BHUSD became in 2010, the district receives its funding from local property taxes rather than on a per-pupil allotment from the state. Being a basic aid district may have helped the board lure to become the BHUSD’s new superintendent; Woods left the state’s top performing district—the San Marino Unified School District—to join BHUSD.

The father of three Horace Mann students, Goldberg has been a strong voice for maintaining small classrooms. Earlier this year he successfully encouraged a board majority to vote against a new teacher contract that could have led to larger class sizes at the K-3 level. He also led efforts to end the BHUSD‘s money-losing .

“I have taken stands that are not always popular, but they reflect my commitment to what is right for our children, parents, teachers and residents,” he said. 

Still, Goldberg has racked up an impressive list of endorsers. They include City Council members John Mirisch and Lili Bosse; Planning Commissioners Noah Furie and Brian Rosenstein; Human Relations Commissioner Sharona Nazarian; former mayors Nancy Krasne and Les Bronte; and former planning commissioner Kathy Reims.

For his second term, Goldberg is running on what he describes as a “four point plan for the next four years.” The plan, which is explained in detail on his campaign website and includes balanced fiscal policies, a districtwide master facilities plan, curriculum for the 21st century, and integrating technology into every subject and each class.

For more information about Goldberg, visit his campaign website. Voters are also invited to attend his last candidate coffee at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 3, at 321 S. Bedford Drive. To RSVP, email Julie Gilberg.  

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