Columnist Steve Lopez of the Los Angeles Times explains why the school board did not reappoint Stuart Magruder to the “independent” Bond Oversight Committee: He asked too many questions about why Superintendent Deasy was tapping the school bond fund to buy iPads instead of spending the money as voters intended, for construction and repairs.
Magruder “just had to speak up. The arrogance, the temerity, the insolence. How dare he challenge the leadership of the Los Angeles Unified School District?”
What did he ask that got him bounced?
“There’s not enough space here to itemize all the issues raised at various times by Magruder and other committee members, along with members of the media.
But to name several:
Why iPads versus other, possibly less expensive tablets or laptops?
Why did the need for detached keyboards, at a cost of millions, seem to be such an afterthought?
Why did the district buy software sight unseen and only partially developed?
Why had there been so little teacher training and preparation?
Why so little consideration of who would be responsible for lost and damaged tablets?
And how useful could the tablets be if, by one legal interpretation, students wouldn’t be allowed to take them home each night?
“I’m invested in this,” said Magruder, who has two kids in L.A. Unified and got a first-hand look at the problems when his daughter’s school was included in an early phase of the iPad rollout.
Magruder didn’t find the programming engaging, compelling or linked to a larger curriculum strategy in a way that had been explained to teachers, parents or students.
“Technology doesn’t solve problems unless humans and teachers use it well,” said Magruder, who noted that the software company did manage to neatly promote itself to students with a logo on its programs.
“Not an ‘M’ for math or an ‘E’ for English, but a big ‘P’ for Pearson,” he said.”
The board will reconsider his ouster at its meeting on Tuesday. Here is hoping they restore this watchdog to his role as watchdog.
Please sign this petition calling on the LAUSD school board to re-appoint Stuart Magruder.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
LAUSD: The district of no consequences http://www.examiner.com/article/lausd-the-district-of-no-consequences?cid=db_articles
what? read my comments below. NYC was the LARGEST school district of the almost 16,000. Cortines came to LAUSD and showed them how to do it. Across the nation because IT WORED IN THESE DSITRICTS OF NO CONSEQUENCE, they imported the same process and CHARTER SCHOOLS replace the failing schools where the professional staff has been REMOVED, thanks to the lawlessness.
Good post, Diane… I have been watching the lawlessness in LAUSD for years, as the media is silent. The only way that things will change is if people with a real voice, life yourself, put the truth out there.
I still say Time For A Little Creative Theatrics. Everyone goes to the meeting wearing photocopied face masks of Magruder. On the forehead it reads, “Bring Back Magruder!” On the chin are a series of very large Questions Marks, as it is a GOOD thing to question everything LAUSD is up to.
Cross posted at OPED News with this comment:http://www.opednews.com/Quicklink/Why-the-Los-Angeles-School-in-Best_Web_OpEds-Corruption_Ipad_Money_School-Reform-140616-103.html#comment494949
You need to grasp what “THEY” are doing in 52 states and almost 16,000 districts, because it is OUR SCHOOLS THAT MADE THIS A LAND OF OPPORTUNITY, and it is education and shared knowledge at the core of democracy
Click to access hirsch.pdf
Perdaily.com has been connecting the dots of the corruption for a decade,
http://www.perdaily.com/2011/03/lausd-and-utla–connecting-the-dots-of-blattant-corruption.html
but the public media sings the song of the very criminals that are robbing the system and passing the ethnic population from grade to grade until they graduate with second grade literacy skills.
http://www.opednews.com/Quicklink/HAVE-REPORTERS-BECOME-POLI-in-Best_Web_OpEds-Media_Media-Bias_Media-Blackout_Media-Corruption-140322-673.html
Just Follow the money:
http://www.perdaily.com/2013/02/follow-the-money-by-joseph-k.html
Here are some of the points:
“In this case following the money isn’t difficult because there is just so damn much of it. Start with an astounding quarter of a million dollars by Eli Broad, Superintendent Deasy’s mentor and puppet master, and another quarter million by fellow billionaire, Latino media magnate A. Jerrold Perenchio, formerly of Univision. Together they pushed “their” Coalition for School Reform’s coffers to $1.5 million. Then Mayor Villaraigosa who, along with Broad, was instrumental in bringing Deasy to LAUSD, called in the really big gun by brokering a deal with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who contributed an additional million dollars for the Coalition -money education historian Diane Ravitch called “repugnant and an affront to democracy.”
“What qualifies Bloomberg to buy a Board of Education three thousand miles distant? In New York with the help of the Gates Foundation, he closed more than 150 “failing schools” replacing them with smaller schools and charter schools. Sixty percent of these “new and improved” smaller elementary and middle schools now have lower passing rates than the schools they replaced. Just 38% of the students at elementary and middle schools created by the Bloomberg administration passed the reading exams, compared with 47% of students citywide. Former NYC School Chancellor Joel Klein, who raised proficiency rates by dramatically lowering expectations, pitched in another $25,000.”
Submitted on Monday, Jun 16, 2014 at 9:22:56 AM
In June of 2013, which was many months after Mr. Magruder started to ask questions about the iPad project, he was unanimously elected to the LAUSD Bond Oversight Committee’s Executive Committee. If he had been considered a rogue member who was consistently overstepping his bounds, he would not have been nominated and then voted on for this position.
Ms. Galatzan’s attack on Mr. Magruder was much more than meets the eye. It was an attack on the whole BOC. In February, the BOC voted to create a policy to address the spending on technology by board members through the Board Member Priorities. That would potentially hit Ms. Galatzan the hardest as she recently “gifted” schools in her board district with hundreds of thousands of dollars in computer equipment, just prior to her announcement that she intends to run for re-election. She did the same in early 2011, a few months before the vote for her re-election. If the same holds true in the 2015 campaign, don’t be surprised to see another explosion of spending.
Ms. Galatzan has little to no support amongst educators in this district. She knows this, and must look for other ways to gain support from her constituents. It’s important to note that In her last campaign, she received hundreds of thousands of dollars from former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s Coalition for School Reform. This group attracts corporate sponsors such as Eli Broad and Richard Riordan, major owners of the entertainment industry, and the likes of Michael Bloomberg who donated generously to attempt, but failed, to get corporate shills Anderson and Sanchez elected last year.
It should also be no surprise that Superintendent Deasy co-founded “Fund for Public Education” along with the same big wigs from the entertainment industry who also donate to the Coalition.
Last, Ms. Galatzan ran unsuccessfully for City Council not long after she won her first election to the school board. Can there be any doubt what her long term goal is? This attack on the independence of the Bond Oversight Committee might have been done with the support of the superintendent, but may have assured her defeat the next time she dares run for office.
Thanks Ediucator…I second all that you put forth.
I’m guessing it’s all about the iPayola …
Why guess? Got to Perdaily.com and get the real story about the astonishing corruption.http://www.perdaily.com/2011/03/lausd-and-utla–connecting-the-dots-of-blattant-corruption.html
or
http://www.perdaily.com/2014/04/could-it-be-that-when-it-comes-to-lausd-mayor-garcetti-doesnt-have-a-clue.html
Bonds are for buildings, technology levies are for technology. Clear violation of the law. Basic logic and if/then programming, if the iPads are purchase, the law doesn’t exist.
No matter how many letters get written about this, they will never weigh more than the check that Pearson writes.
It is ironic this event occurred the same week as the Vegara verdict. Mr. Magruder’s treatment (and dismissal) is exactly what teachers experience if they ask too many questions except, however, Mr. Magruder was only dumped from a voluntary committee, not his profession and livelihood.
We are getting side tracked by this issue. Of course this person should be allowed on the oommittee but the more relevant question is why is this committee only advisory. This committee should have some power to stop wasteful spending of bond money period.Fighting over who is on the committee can wait until the committee actually gets some teeth. As you saw with the tech committee on the board, whenever they don’t like the oversight that the committee does, they dissolve the committee. Remember why this Bond committee was established, as a ruse to make it seem like there was legitimate oversight of the taxpayers monies. We know this is not happening. The board of Deasy does what Deasy says, not the bond oversight committee, not the tech committee. Look at how Deasy has handled Miramonte, regardless of what the professional staff recommends or the board recommends, Deasy tells his senior staff to do it his way.That’s how its done in LAUSD these days. One man directing everything.
Paula is correct…the Bond Committee has no teeth other than what publicity their actions get in the media. Deasy rules with an iron fist and everyone, including the devious political hack, Galatzan, seems afraid of him.
It is imperative that teachers, organizations, and voters, now actively back Dr. McKenna for District 1 BoE election. He was the only one to confront Deasy over the way he mishandled Miramonte and ruined the careers of a multitude of innocent teachers by putting them essentially in teacher jail for a year. McKenna’s opponent is a young guy who is not an educator and has already been bought off by the charter school supporters.
I hope there will be a show of force at the BoE meeting tomorrow, and that attendees bring signs in support of Magruder to show the media as we all wait in line to get in the building. The 30 speakers forms will quickly be grabbed by the Parent Rev and United Way shills unless pro-Magruder forces are at the head of the line, so come to Beaudry early.
Of course, the Board has put the vote to reinstate Magruder as the last item of their agenda.
It is always political trickery at LAUSD.
Seeing how the school district reacts to criticism and questioning, is it any wonder teachers are extremely worried about the Vergara decision??? Teachers often have to fight the district, and question policy on everything from failing to provide mandated services, to testing schedules and inappropriate “pacing” plans. Who will defend our students now if challenging decisions of the district becomes a firing offense? Look what they did to Stuart Magruder, in a high profile position, with the press reporting. I don’t think they are beyond squashing some pesky teachers either.
Please read my article published today in City Watch on these issues.
Yes, Melissa, you are right that Deasy would try to quash anyone he perceives as an impediment to his Broad plan for Rheeform. For teachers to live under this administration’s machinations, and now to live under Vergara, is like constantly dodging bullets on a battle field.
It is a wonder that our teachers can make it through the day.
Thank you – read it, excellent. You also introduced me to a site I was unfamiliar with – City Watch.
Glad my info was helpful. I always find your comments insightful.
Perfect response to LAUSD’s attempt to oust Magruder:
http://redqueeninla.k12newsnetwork.com/2014/06/16/trusting-tax-expenditures/
Diane, thank you AGAIN for continuing to cover the nonsense going on in LAUSD. The district seems bent on drastic policy shifts with little or no public debate. It’s striking, given the open debate going on in other cities, that nobody in LA talks about these two drastically different views of public education. The changes are just sneaked in. It feels like that old joke about the difference between getting mugged in New York compared to Los Angeles. In New York, the mugger comes right up to take your money. In LA, not so much.
Even the LA Times Editorial Board agrees that the school board overstepped. Let’s hope it’s not too late to convince at least one board member to change his/her vote. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-magruder-20140617-story.html
“Yes-men are easy enough to find, but L.A. Unified doesn’t need more of them. It needs smart
people to protect bond dollars from misuse. Rather than seeking to get rid of Magruder, the district should be grateful to him, even if his presence sometimes makes the board’s job a little tougher and less comfortable.
“The board’s vote to rid itself of Magruder sent a message that the district doesn’t want to deal with critics or answer tough questions. Now it has a chance to right this mistake when it reconsiders the Magruder reappointment Tuesday. It should keep him, recognizing that sometimes its biggest critics are its best friends.”
I am thrilled that Diane is covering LAUSD, but you do realize that the truth has been OUT There about LAUSD at Perdaily.com for almost a decade. Event he Vergara case was a topic in 2006, but it appeared no where in the media or on any blog.
http://www.perdaily.com/2014/03/lausd-teacher-kilroy-was-here-and-retribution-wasnt-far-behind.html
http://www.perdaily.com/2014/02/lausds-treacherous-road-from-reed-to-vergara–its-never-been-about-students-just-money.html