CANTER SAYS SHE'LL UNIFY BOARD, WORK WITH MAYOR.

Byline: Naush Boghossian Staff Writer

Marlene Canter, who was elected Tuesday as president of the Los Angeles Unified School District board, vowed to unify the traditionally divisive body that sets education policy for more than 745,000 students.

Canter, who has served on the board four years and as vice president for the past two, said she planned to work closely with new mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who made education reform a central theme of his campaign.

She also pledged to focus the board on secondary school reforms, closing achievement gaps, working on elementary instruction, ensuring safety and building schools.

The board voted 6-to-1 in favor of Canter, with Marguerite LaMotte dissenting. Outgoing board President Jose Huizar did not seek a third term so he could focus on his race for a Los Angeles City Council seat.

``I promise ... to make sure that our agenda is heard in the city, that we have a strong voice at the table,'' said Canter, a former teacher.

The board president is normally the most visible figure on the board, representing the district, setting the meeting agendas and striving for consensus on controversial issues.

But with former Democratic National Committee President and Colorado Gov. Roy Romer as superintendent of the nation's second-largest school district, some question the efficacy of the board.

``Here we have a superintendent with a strong personality who tends to insert himself in policy matters rather than talk to the board first,'' said board member Huizar.

Huizar, Canter and board member Julie Korenstein were also sworn in Tuesday to new terms.

Board member David Tokofsky said the board president's power could have waned over the last two years because of Romer's ``strong and experienced personality.''

``I think it (the board presidency) has a possibility of being useful, to chase the superintendent on commitments and promises more than other board members,'' Tokofsky said. ``But it's like having two udders on a cow - a superintendent and a president.''

Romer said the board ultimately retains the power to run the district.

``At the end of the day, this board makes the vote, so it's not losing its power,'' he said.

New United Teacher Los Angeles President A.J. Duffy said Canter has indicated her support of issues important to the union. But, unlike previous union presidents, Duffy did not support either Canter or Jon Lauritzen, the other candidate to lead the board.

``I think she will be supportive of the budget process needing to be transparent and clear and that teachers have to be at the top of the list when making a budget,'' Duffy said.

He added that he will encourage Canter to appoint Lauritzen vice president of the board.

Naush Boghossian, [phone]

naush.boghossian(at)dailynews.com