Welcome to Essential Education, our daily look at education in California and beyond. L.A. Unified school board member Ref Rodriguez pled not guilty to campaign finance money laundering charges Tuesday. Rodriguez's pro-charter school allies on the board asked him to step down, but he said no. L.A. Unified school board member Ref Rodriguez pled not guilty to campaign finance money laundering charges Tuesday. Rodriguez's pro-charter school allies on the board asked him to step down, but he said no. Rodriguez won't budge, Michelle King's long leave, Caltech's new drone lab: What's new in education Ref Rodriguez's allies on the L.A. school board asked him to step down. He said no, shortly after pleading not guilty to felony and misdemeanor charges.