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Starting tomorrow, LAUSD teachers will vote on whether or not to adopt the “Initiative for the Schools LA Students Deserve,” which would have UTLA make a series of demands including higher pay, an end to school reconstitution, and stronger advocacy for these demands.

But that’s not the only decision teachers will have to make.  On the same ballot is a vote on whether or not they have “CONFIDENCE” in Superintendent John Deasy’s leadership.

It’s not presented much of a neutral question. Since last week, the UTLA website has been posting 10 reasons to give Deasy a vote of no confidence. A social media campaign approved by the UTLA Board of Directors, from a motion by former UTLA President John Perez, encourages teachers to use the hashtag “#WhoopsieDeasy.”

A majority of teachers are expected to vote “No” on the question of confidence in Deasy, although the percent of teachers who actually turn up to vote is something of an open question. The vote on the Initiative is expected to be closer.

One source inside UTLA called it “really stupid” for the Board to vote for such a campaign right before this week’s initiative vote, because it makes the initiative look like an attack on Deasy by UTLA leadership rather than by a hard-line caucus of rank and file teachers.

Then again, UTLA president Warren Fletcher has penned a position paper in favor of the initiative in tomorrow’s edition of UTLA’s newspaper, United Teacher.

Previous posts: Commentary: “Backwards Mindset” in Union Initiative, April Vote Will Highlight Union Factions; Insurgents Aim for Union Takeover