NORTH HOLLYWOOD : Weintraub Calls for School-Business Link

Departing school board veteran Roberta Weintraub told a group of business leaders Wednesday a partnership between public schools and private enterprise is essential to the future of Los Angeles.

“If we don’t do it, you’re not going to want to live here much longer,” Weintraub said to more than 20 luncheon guests of the Universal City-North Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, who included representatives from Texaco, Wells Fargo Bank and the MCA Development Company.

The speech came as Weintraub prepares to leaves her seat on the Los Angeles Board of Education, a position she held for 14 years.

Using examples from her experience on the board, Weintraub urged the guests to get involved with education in any way they could, through job-training programs, by “adopting” a school, or simply by calling a principal to offer assistance in buying supplies.

Getting private interests to understand the significance of schools in the community is a top priority, Weintraub said.

“Of the 8,000 people arrested for looting in last year’s riots, every single one was a high school dropout,” she said. “We’re dealing with the children of the shadows and it’s in your interest to get involved in their lives.”

Weintraub likened the solution to a three-legged stool with government, business and education all necessary to hold up the community.

“We all have to stay involved in the battle for our schools,” she said. “We’re going to win the battle kid by kid.”

Many chamber members are already involved with the school system. James Mahfet, executive vice president of the chamber, said Weintraub’s speech validated their efforts.

“It shows us that we’re on the right track,” he said.