Letter to the Editor:
In the midst of embezzlement charges, resignations, and multiple officials placed on paid leave, the Burbank Unified School District board met on Tuesday, October 7, to interview candidates to fill the vacancy left by alleged felon and former board member Charlene Tabott.
Twenty community members applied, with one withdrawing just before the interviews began. It was genuinely encouraging to see so many residents step forward to help BUSD recover from years of scandal and dysfunction. Each applicant shared why they felt compelled to serve, and their collective commitment to restoring credibility to the district was inspiring.
Among them, one candidate, Debbie Kutka, stood out as uniquely qualified. With direct experience, institutional knowledge, and a calm, professional demeanor, she is someone who could quite literally hit the ground running. Many members of the public echoed that view during public comment, expressing strong support for her appointment.
Rather than welcoming this overwhelming show of community engagement, board members Emily Weisberg and Amy Ponzer Kamkar chose to scold and chastise members of the public — a stunning display of defensiveness from officials who should be listening, not lecturing. When one speaker noted that they would pursue a special election if Mrs. Kutka were not appointed, both Weisberg and Ponzer Kamkar reacted with indignation, as though accountability itself were an offense.
This behavior is nothing new for Ms. Weisberg, who has repeatedly ridiculed residents who dare to disagree with her. It is precisely this dismissive attitude that has deepened the district’s crisis of trust.
If Burbank Unified is to reclaim its standing as a respected institution, it must welcome leadership that is not just qualified, but capable of restoring integrity and stability.
By the time this is printed, the board’s decision will be known. What remains to be seen is whether the public will again need to step in — this time, through a special election — to do what the board could not: bring accountability back to BUSD.
David Donahue
Burbank
