Bennett Kayser - LAUSD Board Member

Bennett Kayser has lived in the same house, in the Echo Park/Silver Lake area for

the past 34 years. He and his wife Peggy have raised two wonderful children,

Nathan and Noah, who attended Ivanhoe Elementary, King Middle School, and

graduated from John Marshall High School.

With degrees in biology and zoology from Cal State Long Beach and UCLA, and

a Lifetime California Teaching Credential, Bennett has worked in education

as both a teacher and an administrator. He taught 7th Grade Science and

Health at both King and Irving Middle Schools. He was a teacher and Director

of Information Technology for the Pasadena Unified School District and was

both a middle school teacher and the Technology Coordinator for LAUSD’s

Independent Studies school, City of Angels School.

Always active in the community, from 1997 to 1999, he represented the 13th

City Council District on the Elected Los Angeles Charter Reform Commission

to re-write L.A.’s constitution. He was the driving force for the inclusion

of Neighborhood Councils in the new Charter, to give people more local

control and resources in their neighborhoods. Bennett was proud to be the

Commissioner who made the motion to create them. He was also responsible for

including a section in the Charter that provides equal benefits for domestic

partners and married couples, and at least a Living Wage for City employees

and contractors.

He is also a member of the Echo Park Historical Society, the Citizen’s

Committee to Save Elysian Park, the Echo Park Improvement Association, the

Echo Park Security Association and the Echo Park Chamber of Commerce.

Bennett and Peggy have also restored two vintage properties in the area and

care greatly about historic preservation and conservation.

Bennett is a passionate and tireless advocate for education, social justice

and community participation.