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Make it not one, but two extraordinarily unenthusiastic endorsements from a major Los Angeles newspaper for LA Unified board President Richard Vladovic.

Following the Los Angeles Times tepid endorsement of Vladovic over his challenger, Lydia Gutierrez, the Los Angeles Daily News today also picked Vladovic over Gutierrez with an equally unenthusiastic thumbs up.

Vladovic has a “bad reputation” with colleagues and “makes too little effort to engage the press and public,” the Daily News’ editorial board wrote, before saying that it “recommend(s) a vote for Vladovic, without enthusiasm.”

This comes after the Times said that Gutierrez is a “weak candidate who lacks the necessary grasp of the district’s major issues. So Vladovic it is.”

Vladovic, who according to some polling data was trailing Gutierrez recently, must be asking himself, ‘With friends like these who needs enemies?’ And some readers might be wondering, ‘With such unenthusiastic support, why offer an endorsement at all?’

Milken Institute Global Conference takes on education

The Milken Institute Global Conference — a gathering of 3,500 leaders from around the world in the areas of politics, science, technology and business — took place this week in Los Angeles, and the event featured several panels discussing topics that are frequent issues at LA Unified.

Earlier this week we posted about a discussion of the future of digital technology in the classroom, but there are a few other videos worth taking a look at. One examines  the issue of school reform, and the other about how to increase graduation rates for low-income students. Check out a link to the graduation discussion below.

Student artwork at Central Library 

Artwork by LA Unified students will be displayed in the  Los Angeles Central Library’s atrium, beginning tomorrow and remaining through May 22. 

According the district, the artwork will feature “prints of original paintings, sculptures, drawings, graphic designs, and media arts. It’s part of the continuing ‘Let’s Celebrate!’ series sponsored by L.A. Unified’s Arts Education Branch.”

An opening reception also will be held from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m tomorrow, featuring some of the student artists.