The teachers union spent more than $2 million on school-board races in 2011, the lion's share going to the Bennett Kayser/Luis Sanchez race. Beyond the huge expenditures, UTLA also had a prominent field operation. And who is more sympathetic in a school-board race than teachers?
"Teachers unions are very effective in low-turnout school races," says Parke Skelton, who ran the Coalition for School Reform’s campaign.
