Commentary: Election mystery: Why is Rep. Maxine Waters opposing help for Compton schools?
This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
See more from the L.A. Times in Google Search. Set us as preferred
When Compton Unified School Board President Micah Ali checked his mailbox last week, he was in for a shock.
The school district has been making headlines as a state and national leader in student performance gains, and it has been upgrading and replacing its aging campuses to help advance that growth. Next week’s ballot includes a $360-million bond measure called CPT, which would keep that momentum going and replace badly dated Dominguez High School.
So when Ali opened a slate mailer titled “Congresswoman Maxine Waters’ Sample Ballot and Voter Recommendations,” he couldn’t believe her advice on Measure CPT.
Given Waters’ stature as a Democratic congressional representative for 35 years, Ali said, her slate mailers can swing outcomes.
“Yes, it does carry weight,” Ali said, and the thumbs-down recommendation “can literally cripple our ab…