Letter to the Editor: Crowther Congratulates Cano, Questions Incumbents and Influentual Local Group

As most of you know, I just finished a three month campaign for school board in Burbank USD’s Trustee Area #1. I want to thank the many folks who gave their support through time, money, or their vote. I loved speaking about the issues and solutions in education as I see them and reconnecting with former students, players, colleagues and friends.

Unfortunately, our efforts will come-up short. I congratulate Laurette Cano on her win. I enjoyed connecting with her during two candidate forums and the PTSA Council events last month. She was one of the kindest people I met on the campaign and I believe her heart is for our students. I hope she will find an independent voice on the Board and be one who keeps the students at the center of all decision-making. I have assured her and others that I will continue to be a thought partner for anyone who is willing to put our kids first.

My supporters have asked why things landed the way that they did. I’ve tried explaining what I’ve learned in less than 100 days in Burbank politics. It is a setting that mirrors larger rhetoric and senseless divisiveness – even in nonpartisan races (and often within the same political party).  

I naively thought my strong community ties would be more important than loose political ties. I was wrong.

CA’s District 30 House Democratic candidate runs a 65%-35% advantage across the State and has similar support in Burbank. Those on the inside of her political machine, or tangentially endorsed by it, start with a huge built-in advantage over opponents. Look no further than our most recent results where two very different candidates were lumped into a “them” category and finished with strikingly similar numbers – denting the political machine some but far short of being competitive.

I was forced to spend far too much time on the defense batting back false narratives. It didn’t matter that I had 20x the signs in the ground as my opponent, that I had dropped thousands of flyers on doorsteps, knocked on hundreds of doors, that I had sent over 20,000 text messages (yes, those actually have to be pushed out by hand), that I had hosted a half-a-dozen “candidate chats” in homes, or that I had strong showings at the two major candidate forums. 

For the third election cycle in a row, our city has elevated “who you know” not “what you know” candidates and “endorsements” over “experience.” This is evident based on the “60-40” numbers in races of candidates with one commonality – outsiders looking to break through who are up against endorsements gifted like Halloween candy.

My first taste of such politics was in being excluded from an endorsement forum hosted by the Burbank Democratic Club (the inner circle) even though I am a life-long Democrat. I am not a dues paying member, a friend of a member, or a Democratic incumbent so I was not eligible for their endorsement in accordance with their bylaws. The deadline for contacting them and seeking their support came just days after I had filed to run. 

Even if I had reached out, it would not have mattered as my opponent through six degrees of separation already had the support of this small but influential cabal secured the moment she declared through relationships with current BOE members who have ties to the inner workings of the club. 

In the weeks that followed, I was falsely attacked on social media. In one Facebook Group of over 9,000 members, there was a claim that I was a “MAGA Extremist looking to take over BUSD!” Another social media post suggested my candidacy would threaten the current Board President from being appointed to the next Board even though she was running in her area unopposed. These false rumors then landed me on an endorsement list from a conservative group outside the City of Burbank, which then led to more lies and attacks from left leaning groups.

I wish we’d return local politics back to being the level where dedicated folks focus on working together. My ask of us all in the days ahead would be to put the same energy of an election season into collective action.

To the incumbent re-elected, raise dollars for BUSD the way you raised dollars for your campaign. To the incumbent who ran unopposed, stop looking for opponents to attack and seek out collaborators instead. To those who may run for re-election in two years, lead as if you weren’t. BUSD cannot get the results it needs and which students deserve without the full support and trust of the community. 

While disappointed in the result, I remain committed to seeing Burbank move from good to great again. In the short term, I plan to put my energy into my family, my travel baseball team and my work who have had too many nights without me in recent weeks. After the holidays, I’ll be looking at future possibilities and next steps to stay involved in the issues I am most passionate about.

Dr. Tom Crowther
Burbank Community Member & Student Advocate