Join Steve Lopez and LAUSD officials for a live discussion on childhood poverty among L.A. students

When L.A. Times columnist Steve Lopez was told by L.A. Unified School District Supt. Austin Beutner that nearly a quarter of the students at the district’s Telfair Elementary School were homeless, he started spending time at the school to put a face to the statistic.

Months later, Lopez wrote a series focusing on childhood poverty in the same city where some of the world’s richest people live, work and play.

Following his four-part series on the children who attend Pacoima’s Telfair Elementary and their families, Lopez will host a 30-minute question-and-answer session with Beutner and school board member Kelly Gonez, whose district includes Telfair.

We invite you to join us for the conversation by following the Los Angeles Times on Facebook. The video will begin at 12:30 p.m. Monday. Lopez will answer questions submitted by the audience, time permitting.

To submit questions in advance, fill out the form at the bottom of this article.

Read Lopez’s Telfair Elementary series here:

Part 1: Hidden in L.A. suburbia, wrenching poverty preys on children and destroys dreams

Part 2: For the principal with the most homeless students in L.A., the reality of poverty is personal

Part 3: Whether home is a van, a motel or a garage, L.A.’s suburban poor children learn to survive

Part 4: For children trapped in poverty, breaking free is getting harder