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Many L.A. Unified school libraries, lacking staff, are forced to shut
In the sun-filled space at the Roy Romer Middle School library, thousands of books invite students to stimulate their curiosity and let their imaginations soar. There is classic “Tom Sawyer” and popular “Harry Potter,” biographies of Warren Buffett and Tony Blair, illustrated books on reptiles and comets. LA Times

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LAUSD teacher arrested for alleged sexual assaults 15 years ago
Los Angeles Police detectives on Friday afternoon arrested 47-year-old high school teacher Peter Christopher Gomez for felony sexual assault. Gomez was arrested in Bell, where he teaches drama and history at Bell Senior High School. He’s a resident of La Habra. KPCC 

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Advocate proposes big increase in early education for LA schools
A civil rights advocacy group is proposing the Los Angeles Unified School District spend $44 million over the next three years to restore 2,000 preschool and child care seats – a fraction of the 11,000 that have been cut since 2008. Kim Patillo Brownson, of the Advancement Project, made the proposal Thursday afternoon at a meeting of the school district’s early education subcommittee, of which she’s a member. KPCC

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Expand Pre-K, Not A.D.H.D.
Commentary: Over the next few years, America can count on a major expansion of early childhood education. We embrace this trend, but as health policy researchers, we want to raise a major caveat: Unless we’re careful, today’s preschool bandwagon could lead straight to an epidemic of 4- and 5-year-olds wrongfully being told that they have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. New York Times

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‘No Child’ waiver creates rift among Fresno education leaders
Nearly seven months after Fresno Unified and seven other California school districts got one year of relief from strict federal accountability rules for student academic performance, administrators are now looking to reapply for flexibility from the much-maligned No Child Left Behind law. But the waiver, which is the first of its kind applied to a group of districts instead of a state, has become a wedge among local education leaders. Fresno Bee

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Alpine teacher talks break down; strike to continue Monday
Marathon negotiations over the weekend between the Alpine Union School District and its teachers union didn’t produce a contract agreement, setting the stage for more picketing by teachers Monday. Sunday night, leaders of the Alpine Teachers Association said members would hold their third day of striking as classes resume in the rural, mountain district. U-T San Diego