November 3, 2007

Banning School Board Candidate Larry Silverman

By Larry Rand
Record Gazette

Laurence “Larry” Silverman is a career professional educator who's running for the Banning Unified School District board.

His wife Alice, a travel agent, already serves on the board, but Silverman doesn't see a husband-wife team as a problematic situation for the board.

“My wife and I don't always agree, but we know how to work through that,” Silverman said. “She has a lot of years of experience on the board, but I bring a different experience. I think the idea of us serving together is kind of cute.”

Husband-wife teams happen in California politics. Perhaps the best-known couple is the Runners of Lancaster. George is a state senator, and Sharon took George's Assembly seat in the safe Republican district when he termed out.

While Silverman is retiring from his post as principal of a Hesperia junior high school in December - “I'll have plenty of time to serve on the board,” he joked - much of his career took place in the Banning Unified district.

“I spent 17 years in Banning,” he said. “I began as a teacher at Coombs, then became an assistant principal, and was principal of different elementary schools for 12 years.”

Silverman, who has a bachelor's and Master's degree from Cal State Fullerton, said he feels that BUSD's number one priority is “to get us the best superintendent we can get. A lot of people think the superintendent is overpaid, but even with the latest raise, the Banning salary isn't competitive, and we'll get someone who is less experienced.”

Silverman said he has had plenty of experience in labor relations and wanted to help people understand the labor relations situation, which he called “an adversarial model” with a history of violence against union organizers.

“The union can say what they want to the media during negotiations, but the district is not allowed to comment - it's a bit of an uneven playing field in that regard. But I believe that we should pay personnel the best we can with our limited resources.”

Silverman, who has been principal of a 2,200-student school, also dismissed class size as a real issue in the board campaign, which is crowded with 10 candidates vying for three seats.

“I don't know of any district in Riverside or San Bernardino counties with a class size as low as Banning's,” he said, “and state funding is per child, not per class.”

Because of the crowded field, Silverman was hesitant to call the election.

“It's really hard to say - obviously, I hope I win,” said Silverman, “and I'll work with whomever the voters decide on. I think I can work with anybody. That's why I'm not attacking other candidates - I may have to work with them.”

Silverman has relied on ads, signs and memory as campaign tools in a race that is expected to draw a low voter turnout.

“I'm trusting that people remember me from my days here in Banning, even though I've been working out of town for the last 10 years,” he said.