-
Unions Send Letter of Concern over Deasy Comments
The unions that represent LAUSD teachers and administrators have sent the School Board a letter raising “a concern” over controversial comments Superintendent John Deasy made to LA School Report in June. Last month, following a decision by the Board to postpone voting on a motion by Tamar Galatzan to allow schools greater autonomy over how...
By Hillel Aron | July 10, 2013
-
Board President Hires Reform-Affiliated Consultant
Newly elected Board President Dr. Richard Vladovic has retained the services of political consultant Mike Trujillo as a short-term communications deputy and strategist. Closely following Vladovic’s election as Board President, the move could represent Vladovic’s intention to improve his relationship with the media. “I think Dr. Vladovic understands that his role of being Board President means...
By Hillel Aron | July 10, 2013
-
Watch: Transgender Student Bill Lands on Gov’s Desk
Governor Jerry Brown has a bill on his desk, AB 1266, that would allow transgender students in public schools to take physical education classes with boys or girls — and, most controversially, use the bathroom of whatever gender they identify as. According to KPCC‘s Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, “L.A. Unified and San Francisco schools have had similar...
By Hillel Aron | July 10, 2013
-
Events: Discussion of Charter Schools
For those interested in a behind-the-scenes look into LA’s charter school movement, check out the TEACH (Transparency, Equity, Accountability for Charters) event this Thursday: “We are NOT trying to shut down charter schools,” said TEACH hosts, Robin Potash, Susan Philips, Sharon Stricker, Danny Feingold, Rabbi Jonathan Klein and former LAUSD School Board President Jackie Goldberg. “We...
By Brianna Sacks | July 9, 2013
-
Is Monica Garcia Running For State Assembly?
The hot rumor going around that School Board member Monica Garcia is running State Assembly in 2014 gained a bit of credence when Garcia appeared as a “probable candidate” on the popular California politics website Around the Capitol. Scott Lay, who maintains Around the Capitol, said in an email that his information about Garcia was “based on...
By Hillel Aron | July 9, 2013
-
Update: Rules Allow Board Members to Censure Colleagues
More than a week after they first surfaced in the LA Daily News, we still don’t know very much about the harassment and employee abuse allegations being investigated against Board member Richard Vladovic. According to LAUSD, Board members cannot “impeach” a colleague, but there is a 2003-approved code of conduct covering Board member behavior towards...
By Alexander Russo | July 9, 2013
-
District Only Has Budget for 5,100 Summer Students
Many Los Angeles Unified students who need to make up a failed class, or just want to get ahead by taking summer school, are out of luck, according to a new report by the Daily News. For the second year in a row, the district is only able to scrape together $1 million for the...
By Brianna Sacks | July 9, 2013
-
Mixed Reactions to Board-Passed Hiring Proposal
The Los Angeles Unified School Board recently passed a motion to return the district to the pre-recession school staffing ratios and class size ratios of 2007-2008. UTLA President Warren Fletcher praised the resolution, arguing that Board member Bennett Kayser’s proposal would remedy the “current degraded levels of funding, staffing and the ballooning class sizes.” However, some education experts and...
By Brianna Sacks | July 8, 2013
-
Listen: Hillel Aron’s July 3 KCRW Appearance*
Here’s LA School Report contributor Hillel Aron on the KCRW radio show “Which Way, LA?” from last week, talking about the Richard Vladovic LAUSD Presidency, Mayor Garcetti’s involvement in the process, among other things: Have any trouble getting the media player to work, you can listen to it here. There’s a second segment focused on...
By LA School Report | July 8, 2013
-
Ratliff Explains Request for Speeches, Vladovic Vote
Newly elected School Board member Monica Ratliff made a big splash on her first (public) day on the job when she stopped the Board President proceedings and moved that the two candidates — Tamar Galatzan and Richard Vladovic — say what they would do if they got the job, and then again asked whom they...
By Hillel Aron | July 8, 2013