Candidate for the Long Beach Unified School District Doug Otto visited Avalon on Wednesday, meeting with a group of residents, visiting the school and joining a Rotary Club meeting at lunch, among other things.
Otto’s first stop was a tour with Mayor Anni Marshall before meeting with a group of residents at Brew House for a coffee chat. Otto told the group that his primary purpose for visiting was to listen to the concerns of Avalon residents. He said he was aware of the problems that the community has faced regarding the school in recent years.
“I’m really here more to listen,” Otto told the group.
Much of the discussion centered around the recent issues with bullying and the overall culture of the school.
Otto is endorsed by the Teacher’s Association of Long Beach as well as several other labor groups. He also has a list of elected officials who have endorsed him, including Marshall, Supervisor Janice Hall and Congressman Alan Lowenthal.
As an island, Catalina offers unique problems for the school district. Otto is a Long Beach native, having gone through the LBUSD himself, graduating from Millikan High School and attending Long Beach City College before graduating from Stanford University. He has been a member of the Long Beach City College board of trustees. His mission statement includes his belief that engaging students and schools with the community is a vital component in education.
“Education works best when it is married to the community,” Otto said.
