Cover Stories Bowers Victory Confirms Mission of Higher Order
By Kenneth D. Miller Assistant Managing Editor
Margaret Richards-Bowers won her first election for office on Tuesday April 7 with 61 percent of the vote to win a Inglewood Unified School District Board Seat in District 1.
Bowers says that her victory stems from the power of an higher order for the children of Inglewood.
“There is a higher power at work here,” she said. “God is watching. I have absolutely nothing but the desire for our children to succeed.”
She was up against the odds during her election.
“I don’t let that bother me. I am on a mission to see that the children of Inglewood get what they need for a brighter future.”
Currently the Inglewood Unified School Board acts as an advisory to the State Trustees, but Bowers says they have been prevented from advising.
She hopes to change that.
“I want to see best practices, I want to see compassionate education.”
“I came to America as a young girl, I had no idea about American culture,” said Margaret Richards-Bowers. “I knew where things were in America, I knew your highest mountain peaks, I knew your rivers but I didn’t know the people.
“I came seeking to find out more, to find my place in this vast, vast America.”
She would find that place here, eventually in Inglewood. Born in St. Vincent, Grenadines, Richards-Bowers came to the United States in the 1970s and eventually became a nurse. She may have put down her clipboard and syringe but her nurturing spirit has remained. Richards-Bowers is looking to continue healing the community on the Inglewood Unified School District Board Seat 1.
“I bring the perspective of a nurse, someone who has advocated throughout my career for others.” Outside of her profession, Richards-Bowers said her interest has been in public education and making it a priority in the community.
“I want to be a voice for the community,” said Richard-Bowers. “The community still has needs and aspirations.
The role of Board Seat 1 would act in an advisory capacity with other board members in making the best decisions for the Inglewood School District. Richards-Bowers comments that the state takeover in 2012 has left board members silent—she hopes to change that.
“I’ve raised two sons in public education and I have always been present, monitoring and made my input,” said Richards-Bowers. “Now, I’m focusing my advocacy in that area because it is desperately needed.”
The IUSD was in bad shape, financially struggling in leadership and fiscal management and according to reports last year from the Fiscal Crisis and Management Team (FCMT), things aren’t getting better. Richards-Bowers hopes to help the school board turn the situation around.
“There must be transparency in governance in our school district…accountability—we have to balance the budget,” said Richards-Bowers. “Since 2012, when the state took over, we have not had a balanced budget.”
According to the FCMT, education is deeply feeling the ramifications and "despite the generally positive school environment, classroom teaching is highly inconsistent and unsuccessful as evidenced by low student achievement district-wide," the report reads.
“We must hastily improve the academic standards. Our children are behind academically, they’re not scoring well on standardized tests and that has to change.
“We have a new standard that is in place called Common Core. Testing should begin this year under those standards yet the children in the IUSD don’t have all that they need for the implementation.
Horton Lead the Pack of Winners - Election Night - With 90% of the Vote
LAWT News Service
The Tuesday Inglewood Municipal election delivered an unprecedented victory for incumbent City Clerk, Yvonne Horton. With over 12 years of experience and 25 elections behind her, City Clerk Horton won over 90 percent of the vote in the citywide election.
“I am blessed, grateful and humbled by the election results and honored that Inglewood voters have given me another opportunity to serve.” said Horton. “People we’ve served for years were so gracious and proved that Inglewood residents are our greatest assets.” Unlike a general election, the turnout for a Municipal election is generally low however, it appears that Horton’s “Your Vote Counts” campaign was successful in maintaining a traditional turnout.
Chris Bozant, Horton’s campaign manager said, “Our polling indicated that the Horton name is well-known and well-respected in Inglewood, however we took nothing for granted. Our goal was to encourage people to vote and remind them of the Horton’s 30-plus years of positive public service in Inglewood.”
Jeannie Jones, a supporter of Horton’s campaign said, “I am not at all surprised about the initial election results. The Horton name in the City of Inglewood carries the same weight and influence as the Kennedy name in national politics, because they have a heart for the people in our community and it is real!”
Mayor James Butt, Water District Board Member Gloria Gray, representatives from Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Congressman Ted Lieu, Senator Isadore Hall and other local elected leaders joined hundreds of volunteers at Fiesta Matin restaurant to await the election results. The crowd exploded with applause when the City Clerk, arrived to confirm her victory. “Thanks be to God and God Bless Inglewood,” said Clerk Horton.
The other races offered few surprises. Wanda Brown, Inglewood City Treasurer and 4th District City Council Member Ralph Franklin were unopposed and reelected. Incumbent 3rd District Council Member Eloy Morales garnered 88%. However, the Inglewood Unified School District races were surprising to some. All of the Board-appointed candidates came up short. Instead, the voters elected Margaret Richards-Bowers to the 1st District seat, Melody Ngauc-Tuuholoaki to the 3rd District seat, and D’Artagnan Scorza to the 5th District seat.
City Clerk Horton advised that the election day results are unofficial and provisional and Vote-By-Mail ballots, turned in at the polls instead of mailed in before the dead-line, are still being counted. “I doubt that the final vote count will change the outcome of most of the elections, however, school Board seat 4 is to close to call,” said City Clerk Horton. “Ms. Margaret Turner Evans with 47% of the vote and Ms. Graciela Patino with 23% of the vote may be headed for a runoff in June.
City Clerk Yvonne Horton is married to Jerome Horton, former Inglewood City Councilman, Assemblyman, and now Chairman of the Board of Equalization with three children, one grand-baby, a dog and a cat.