Nick Melvoin | |
|---|---|
 Melvoin in 2018 | |
| Member of theLos Angeles Unified School District Board of Education from the 4th district | |
| Assumed office July 6, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Steve Zimmer |
| Vice President of theLos Angeles Unified School District Board of Education | |
| In office July 6, 2017 – January 17, 2023 | |
| President | Kelly Gonez |
| Preceded by | George J. McKenna III |
| Succeeded by | Scott Schmerelson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Nicholas James Melvoin 1985 (age 40–41) Los Angeles,California, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Parent |
|
| Education | Harvard University (BA) Loyola Marymount University (MA) New York University (JD) |
| Website | Official website Campaign website |
Nicholas James Melvoin (born 1985) is an American attorney, former teacher, andadjunct professor serving as member of theLos Angeles Unified School District Board of Education for District 4 since May 16, 2017.[1] A member of theDemocratic Party, Melvoin is the second youngest member of the board afterKelly Gonez.[2]
Melvoin was born inBrentwood, Los Angeles to television writerJeff Melvoin and photojournalist Martha Hartnett Melvoin, and is the older brother of Charles "Charlie" Melvoin. He graduated fromHarvard-Westlake School in 2004 and fromHarvard University in 2008, earning aMaster's degree fromLoyola Marymount University and aJuris Doctor from theNew York University School of Law.[3]
Melvoin started teaching at Edwin Markham Middle School through theTeach For America program and had served as alegal clerk for theAmerican Civil Liberties Union.[4] He was also the director of policy, communications and associate counsel for Great Public Schools Now and a consultant to Educators 4 Excellence and Teach Plus. After his first year at Markham Middle School, he was laid off along with 70% of teachers due to budget cuts.[5] Melvoin worked on the ACLU’s Reed v. California lawsuit, which challenged LAUSD’s seniority-based teacher layoff policies, as well as testifying in theVergara v. California lawsuit.[6]
In 2016, Melvoin announced that he would be a candidate for theLos Angeles Unified School District Board of Education for District 4, held by member and Vice President of the Board Steve Zimmer.[7][8] Melvoin said he ran because he realized that there "was a lot outside my classroom that was affecting what was happening inside."[5] The race was joined by candidates Allison Holdorff Polhill and Greg Martayan. On February 23, 2017, all four candidates debated on the role ofcharter schools, undocumented students, and the budget for the District at aUCLA forum.[9]
Melvoin and Zimmer competed in a runoff after the general election where Polhill and Martayan were eliminated.[10] Melvoin was endorsed by theDaily Breeze,[11] theLos Angeles Daily News,[12] theLos Angeles Times,[13] andHuffPost.[14] Melvoin's campaign was criticized for receiving significant third-party spending support to defeat Zimmer, including theWalton family who spent more than $5 million for his campaign.[15][16] The election itself was also criticized for being what was believed to be the most expensive school board election in U.S. history.[17]
On May 17, 2017, Zimmer conceded to Melvoin in the race during a speech to his supporters, calling it devastating while saying that he would never run for office again.[18] Melvoin won against Zimmer by fourteen points, and with his win, Melvoin replaced Zimmer as a board member for District 4.[19][20][21] After the election, the charter-backed candidates, including Melvoin, had a majority on the Board of Education.[22][23]
During the2019 Los Angeles Unified School District teachers' strike, Melvoin said that the District couldn't afford the teacher's demands.[24] In 2019, Melvoin announced that he would seek re-election,[25] and was endorsed by Teamsters Local 572 in his successful campaign.[26] He won re-election against two other candidates with nearly 60% of the vote.[27][28] With the Board election, the teachers' union candidates won back control of the Board, and in 2023, Melvoin was replaced by Scott Schmerelson as the vice president of the Board of Education.[29]
In 2023, Melvoin announced that he would run forCalifornia's 30th congressional district, an open seat vacated by incumbentAdam Schiff's run forSenate.[30] He stated that he believed that his young age would match the voters' "desire for new blood and new vision."[31] He lost the primary againstLaura Friedman and Alex Balekian.
| Year | Office | Party | Primary | General | Result | Swing | Ref. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | % | P. | Total | % | P. | ||||||||
| 2017 | Board of Education | Nonpartisan | 31,771 | 32.90% | 2nd | 38,673 | 57.23% | 1st | Won | N/A | [32] | ||
| 2022 | Board of Education | Nonpartisan | 82,696 | 59.81% | 1st | Runoff cancelled | Won | N/A | [a] | ||||
| 2024 | U.S. House | Democratic | 2,218 | 2.4% | 8th | Did not advance | Lost | Hold | [33] | ||||