LAUSD community, family remember Michelle King’s ‘poise and grace’ - LA Daily News

February 16, 2019 at 11:23AM

Teary tributes and stirring song rang through the cavernous hall of Trinity Baptist Church Friday morning as loved ones and colleagues reflected on Michelle King's life as a compassionate leader devoted to public education in Los Angeles.

King, who worked from student aide to superintendent of the nation's second largest district, died on Feb. 2 at age 57 following a years-long battle with cancer.

Hundreds attended the memorial service, which was also live-streamed on the district's website. It was immediately followed by King's funeral at Inglewood Park Cemetery.

"With poise and grace you never gave up," said King's close friend Kim Seabrooks of King in her work and in fighting illness. "That love you had for students … I'm so proud of all the ways you advocated for my own children."

L.A. Unified School District student musicians from Cortines High School and Mark Twain Middle performed songs punctuated by bible verses, stories and poems by King's three surviving daughters. They wore purple, their mother's favorite color.

A video montage produced by the family revealed an ambitious, fun-loving woman with a winning smile.

Public officials like California senator Diane Watson also memorialized King. Watson, who had long known the King family, applauded her accomplishments as the first black woman to lead LAUSD.

In her truncated time at the district's helm, King raised the graduation rate by allowing students to make up failed classes. She also sought to grow special programs that would offset declining enrollment spurred by charter school growth.

"Michelle King championed unifying and collaborating, and as a collaborative leader she broke down barriers … and I can tell you, she's sitting at the feet of God now saying 'fix this situation, fix it."

Brent Robinson, a local representative of U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-CA, read a condolence letter written by the 2020 presidential contender.

"My heart goes out to you and your family," Harris wrote in a letter addressed to King's daughters Ashly, Brittney and Colleen. "Her passion for education and commitment to equal opportunity will have a lasting impact on a generation of students whose lives were made better by your mother's warmth, love and generosity."

LAUSD board member George McKenna gave an emotional tribute to King focused on her intelligence and devotion to their work as top administrators. He described a warm working relationship with her as superintendent.

"She had the optimism of a cheerleader and the seriousness of a scientist," McKenna said of the UCLA biology major.

"She never failed at anything, and she had courage in the face of adversity, even when her greatest fight came … I'd give anything for one more meeting with my superintendent."

Susan Allen, retired LAUSD high school director and interim superintendent of the district's Westside, worked closely with King.

"Of course, I'm empathetic to her family but it's just such a loss for the district," she lamented.

"She really believed you could make better decisions when you bring people together … and it was effective. Other people sometimes come with an agenda. Her agenda was just to help more kids."

Then Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Michelle King is shown in a file photo. (July 5, 2017 photo by Ed Crisostomo, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)