(July 19, 2006) -- Before a near-capacity crowd at the LB Unified School District's July 17 governing board meeting, LBUSD's two newest Board members, Dr. David Barton and Michael Ellis, announced within minutes of being sworn into office that they will place items on the next School Board agenda (Aug. 22) seeking (1) at least three options from staff on televising and webcasting School Board meetings; and (2) posting School Board meeting materials and other LBUSD documents on the internet.

Dr. Barton (who replaced incumbent Jim Choura and now represents northeast-central ELB and Lakewood) presented an agenda item that states in pertinent part:

If supported by three of the five School Board members on Aug. 22, the item (prepared by Barton and recommended by Barton and Ellis) would direct the Superintendent:

LBUSD operates its own cable TV channel using taxpayer-paid TV equipment, video/audio gear and budgeted staff; it currently runs a mix of taped material, computer generated video and (at additional cost) taped telecasts of high school sports games using paid announcers and slow-motion replay technology [items not needed for School Board telecasts.]

The L.A. Unified School District and San Diego City Schools (1st and 2d in size statewide) have telecast their governing board meetings for years...as has the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, CA Assembly, CA Senate, L.A. and OC Boards of Supervisors, the governing boards of the South Coast Air Quality Management District, CA Public Utilities Commission, CA Energy Commission, LB Community College Board of Trustees...and the City Councils of Signal Hill, Lakewood and Long Beach [among many others].

Reached for comment, ELB resident Jeannine McManigal-Ball, an ELB resident who twice sought the LBUSD School Board seat recently won by Boardmember Barton, told LBReport.com she considers the agenda item on televising LB School Board meetings "outstanding and way overdue" and added, "I'm hoping this is an indication of opening up the process and this government agency's operations to the public."

Boardmember Michael Ellis, who succeeds former School Boardmember (now-Councilwoman) Suja Lowenthal in representing the south-central LB area, unveiled an agenda item titled "Public Access to Public Documents." If supported by three School Board members on Aug. 22, it would direct the Superintendent (using the CA Public Record Act "as a guideline, and protecting the confidentiality of individual students and employees") to:

Boardmember Ellis also announced that regarding upcoming August 21-22 School Board workshop sessions [extended agendized briefings for Boardmembers by LBUSD staff and management, open to the public, but without action items], he is "not particularly interested in is having someone lecture me about what a Boardmember is expected to do by administration of the Long Beach Unified School District. [applause]" Boardmember Ellis continued:

LBUSD's three other Boardmembers and LBUSD staff didn't express views on the Barton and Ellis items during the Board meeting.

Boardmembers Barton and Ellis were part of a trio of candidates backed in the recent election cycle by the Teachers Ass'n of LB; Boardmember Mary Stanton was the sole incumbent to remain after the April and June 2006 elections.

Assemblywoman Betty Karnette (D., LB) administers the oath of office to School Board member Michael Ellis....

...and to School Board member Dr. David Barton.

Re-elected School Board member Stanton was sworn into office by 9th district Councilman Val Lerch.

The newly constituted Board elected School Board Member Jon Meyer as Board president [meaning president Meyer will chair the meetings] on a 3-2 vote. (Yes: Stanton, Williams, Meyer; No: Barton, Ellis).