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Analysis: A big week for the teachers to demonstrate what they want
“Most of our early escalation tactics are about building solidarity among members, because a 35,000 member union can’t win a fight against the corporate education ‘reformers’ lined up against us with anything less than 35,000 members active in the fight.” That’s what it says on the UTLA website, which makes this a critical week for...
By Michael Janofsky | February 23, 2015
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In District 5 board race, the Kayser hits just keep on coming
Hey, remember that 1995 film, “The Usual Suspects?” Come on, it ranks No. 2,745 on the all-time domestic ticket sales list, according to Box Office Mojo. Anyway, the California Charter Schools Association Advocates, a political arm of the California Charter Schools Association, decided it was memorable enough to reprise a climactic scene as the landscape...
By Michael Janofsky | February 17, 2015
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PAC attack: New mailer hits Kayser challenger for missing paperwork
The battle of the political action committees is heating up. A new mailer sent to voters in LA Unified District 5 accuses one of Bennett Kayser’s opponents in the March 3 board election, Ref Rodriguez, of failing to disclose personal financial information as required by law. The mailer, paid for by the PAC for the...
By Michael Janofsky | February 11, 2015
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LA Unified increases salary offer to teachers, but does it really?
LA Unified today revised its salary offer to the teachers union today, increasing the level of raises to 5 percent, one percent above its previous offer. But the additional money for professional development that was included in the earlier offer, which the district had valued at another 2 percent, was not part of the new...
By Michael Janofsky | February 5, 2015
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Teachers union — for now — has no plans to endorse Vladovic
The chairman of the the political action committee for the LA teachers union, UTLA, said today that, for now, the union has no plan to endorse Board President Richard Vladovic for reelection to the LA Unified District 7 board seat. Marco Flores said the committee’s next meeting, tomorrow, does not include a recommendation to endorse...
By Michael Janofsky | February 3, 2015
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Charter group says Kayser policies ‘by no means race-neutral’
After days of silence, the California Charter Schools Association is defending a controversial campaign flyer targeting Bennett Kayser, who is running for reelection for the LA Unified District 5 board seat. Kayser, too, is speaking out about the flyer for the first time, calling its portrayal of him “a pack of vile misrepresentations.” Paid for...
By Michael Janofsky | February 3, 2015
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Consultant who helped Kayser win in 2011, now working against him
*UPDATED Four years after playing a major role in Bennett Kayser’s election to the LA Unified school board, an Encino-based political consulting firm is now working to defeat him. Shallman Communications in 2011 was paid more than $60,000 by the LA teachers union, UTLA, to help shape Kayser’s image. Through the union’s independent expenditures, it...
By Michael Janofsky | February 2, 2015
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Charter group drawing more fire for ‘racist’ flyer on Kayser
A campaign flyer implying that LA Unified board member Bennett Kayser is racist is drawing more fire, as two more would-be beneficiaries renounced its message, and an LA Times editorial accused the sponsoring organization of engaging in “slimy tactics on behalf of children.” Produced by an arm of the California Charter Schools Association, the flyer...
By Michael Janofsky | February 2, 2015
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Analysis: New contract for LA teachers seems a long way off
How long have they been at it now, four, five six months? Whatever it is, negotiators for LA Unified and the teachers union, UTLA, appear as close to agreement on a new labor contract as they were when bargaining began. Maybe they are inching forward on some issues. But the fact remains, teachers are still...
By Michael Janofsky | January 26, 2015
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LA teachers union seeking to negotiate management decisions
As part of its contract negotiations, the teachers union, UTLA, is asking LA Unified for a new approach to school oversight, a demand that seeks to move decisions on school management and operations into the collective bargaining process. In effect, the proposal would insinuate UTLA into areas now the sole province of the board and...
By Michael Janofsky | January 21, 2015