Ref Rodriguez

Refugio “Ref” Rodriguez (born 1972) is adjunct professor and a former member of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education representing District 5 and former president of the Board. He resigned from both positions on July 23, 2018, after an accounting scandal.[3]

Ref Rodriguez
Rogriguez in 2006
Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, District 5
In office
May 19, 2015 – July 23, 2018
Preceded byBennett Kayser
Succeeded byJackie Goldberg
President, Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education
In office
July 7, 2017 – September 19, 2017
Preceded bySteve Zimmer
Succeeded byMonica Garcia
Personal details
Born1972 (age 50–51)
Cypress Park, Los Angeles
Alma materFielding Graduate University (PhD)
Loyola Marymount University (B.A.)
Criminal chargeOne felony count each of conspiracy[1]
25 misdemeanor counts of assumed name contribution[2]
PenaltyThree years’ probation, 60 days of community service

Early life and career

Rodriguez grew up in Cypress Park, Los Angeles and was the first out of five children of Mexican immigrants to graduate from college, earning a bachelor's degree from Loyola Marymount University and a PhD from Fielding Graduate University.[4]

He returned to his home neighborhood after college to co-found Partnerships to Uplift Communities (PUC), a public charter school program, with Jacqueline Elliot.[5][6] He also lectured at Loyola Marymount University and was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing in 2013.[7][8]

Career

District 5 election and tenure (2014–2018)

In November 2014, Rodriguez announced that he would be running for a seat in the Board of Education and raised $50,000 during the first campaign reporting period.[9] He ran against incumbent Bennett Kayser and Andrew Thomas, a professor at Walden University.[10] He retained that he would do more for the District than pander to charter schools.[11]

On July 7, 2017, Rodriguez was elected as the president of the Board of Education with a 4–3 vote. The four votes were newly elected members Kelly Gonez and Nick Melvoin, reelected member Mónica García, and Rodriguez himself.[12][13]

Campaign contribution scandal (2017–2018)

LA County District Attorney Jackie Lacey charged Rodriguez with three felony charges of conspiracy, perjury, and procuring and offering a false or forged instrument. The case was linked back to Rodriguez's bid for the board in 2014, with he and cousin Elizabeth Tinajero Melendrez reimbursing $25,000 to his campaign donors, most were family and friends.[14] In January 2015, Rodriguez reported in his first campaign disclosure statement that more than $51,000 came from family, friends, and other people, but half actually came from himself.[15] On September 20, 2017, the United Teachers Los Angeles called on the resignation of Rodriguez.[16]

On September 19, 2017, Rodriguez stepped down as president amid charges of perjury and other felonies. Although stepping down, he remained on the board.[17] On October 24, 2017, plead not guilty to the charges.[18] On July 23, 2018, Rodriguez plead guilty to a felony count of conspiracy and four misdemeanor counts, and as part of a deal with prosecutors, resigned from office.[19] Ten candidates ran to replace Rodriguez,[20] and was replaced by Jackie Goldberg in 2019.[21]

Controversies

Conflict of interest case

On October 13, 2017, a conflict of interest complaint was filed against Rodriguez by a charter school network that he founded.[22] A week later, on October 24, 2017, the California Fair Political Practices Commission closed the case against Rodriguez, citing his conspiracy charges filed by the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office.[23] The conflict of interest case did not have any relation to his felony case.[24]

2018 arrest

On March 16, 2018, Rodriguez was arrested at The Paseo at around 4:30 p.m. for suspicion of public intoxication.[25][26] He was released without being charged or cited, with Rodriguez thanking the officers for "being kind and seeing this for the non- event that it was.”[27][28]

Elections
2015 Los Angeles Unified School District District 5 primary election
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Ref Rodriguez 10,355 38.6
Nonpartisan Bennett Kayser (incubment) 9,510 35.5
Nonpartisan Andrew Thomas 6,946 25.9
Total votes 26,811 100.00
General election
Nonpartisan Ref Rodriguez 14,201 53.3
Nonpartisan Bennett Kayser (incubment) 12,421 46.7
Total votes 26,622 100.00

References
  1. Espinosa, Elizabeth (July 23, 2018). "Ref Rodriguez Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy, Resigns From Los Angeles School Board". KTLA.
  2. "LAUSD President, Cousin Charged Campaign Contribution Case". KNBC. September 13, 2017.
  3. "Ref Rodriguez resigns from school board". United Teachers Los Angeles. July 23, 2018.
  4. Leibner, Joshua. "The Lost Honor of Ref Rodriguez". LA Progressive.
  5. Stokes, Kyle (October 31, 2017). "LAUSD was asking about Rodriguez-linked charter school deals in 2015. Did they say 'stop'?". KPCC.
  6. Young, Caprice (6 June 2018). "A Wealth of Wisdom From a Charter School Pioneer". Education Next.
  7. "Ref Rodriguez Biography". LAUSD.
  8. "GOVERNOR BROWN ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENTS". July 11, 2013. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015.
  9. Quednow, Cindy Von; Pamer, Melissa; Spillman, Eric (September 13, 2017). "LAUSD Board President, Cousin Charged With Conspiracy in Alleged Campaign 'Money Laundering Scheme'". KTLA.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. "District 5: LAUSD school board race snapshot". LA School Report. February 24, 2015.
  11. Romo, Vanessa (January 20, 2015). "Rodriguez, seeking an LAUSD seat as more than a 'charter guy'". LA School Report.
  12. "Ref Rodriguez elected LAUSD school board president". Beverly Press. July 13, 2017.
  13. "DR. REF RODRIGUEZ ELECTED LAUSD SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT". PUC Schools. July 7, 2017.
  14. Favot, Sarah; Szymanski, Mike (September 20, 2017). "Ref Rodriguez Resigns in Los Angeles: Why the School Board President Stepped Down". The 74.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. Koran, Mario (July 23, 2018). "Ref Rodriguez resigns: 3 things to know about the Los Angeles Unified school board member's departure". LA School Report.
  16. "UTLA calls for the resignation of Ref Rodriguez from the LAUSD School Board". United Teachers Los Angeles. September 20, 2017.
  17. DeSocio, Jeffrey Thomas (September 19, 2017). "Ref Rodriguez steps down as LAUSD president amid charges". KTTV.
  18. "L.A. School Board Member Ref Rodriguez Pleads Not Guilty to Campaign Money Laundering Charges". KTLA. 24 October 2017.
  19. Stokes, Kyle (July 22, 2018). "Ref Rodriguez Pleads Guilty To Felony And Misdemeanor Charges, Resigns From LAUSD Board". LAist.
  20. "Meet the 10 candidates running for the LAUSD school board seat left vacant by Ref Rodriguez". Los Angeles Daily News. March 3, 2019.
  21. Plachta, Ariella (March 5, 2019). "LAUSD Election 2019: Jackie Goldberg tops field in LA school board race that appears headed for May runoff". Los Angeles Daily News.
  22. Blume, Howard (October 16, 2017). "L.A. school board member Ref Rodriguez faces conflict-of-interest complaint over $285,000 in payments". Los Angeles Times.
  23. "Dr. Ref Rodriguez's Conflict of Interest Case Dropped". La Comadre. October 24, 2017.
  24. Blume, Howard (October 20, 2017). "Rodriguez won't have to defend himself against conflict-of-interest complaint — for now". Los Angeles Times.
  25. "Eastside school board member Ref Rodriguez arrested for allegedly being drunk in public". The Eastsider LA. April 5, 2018.
  26. Cain, John (April 4, 2018). "LAUSD board member Ref Rodriguez taken into custody for suspected public drunkenness in Pasadena". Los Angeles Daily News.
  27. "LAUSD Board Member Ref Rodriguez Arrested In Pasadena On Suspicion Of Public Drunkenness". KCBS-TV. April 5, 2018.
  28. "Only On 2: Video Released Of Arrest Of School Board Member". KCBS-TV. June 13, 2018.
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