Tonight the Los Angeles school board voted 4-2 to reappoint architect Stuart Magruder to the Bond Oversight Committee. He had previously been kicked off the committee by the board because he was too critical of Superintendent Deasy’s decision to borrow nearly $1 billion for iPads from a bond fund dedicated to construction and repairs. The iPads were to be used for Common Core testing. Magruder thought it was a bad idea, and the LAUSD board did not renew his appointment.
After a loud public outcry, including this editorial in the Los Angeles Times, the board took another vote and reappointed Magruder. The title of the editorial: “LAUSD Has Enough Yes-Men; It Needs Stuart Magruder.”
A victory for common sense and decency.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
about time…one small step!
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Thanks Diane..it has been a grueling day here in LaLa Land. The Prez of the BoE changed his vote and the 4 – 2 votes reinstated Magruder. And thanks to the LA Times columnist Steve Lopez, who helped pull this off. Watch for his follow up article.
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Let the “damage control” begin…………Election years are quite motivating. First Gates and his “moratorium” and now this. Can’t WAIT to see what tomorrow brings.
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Magruder has done an excellent job. A school district with a budget the size of the state of New Mexico should have a public debate about policies, especially those that ring in at $1 billion.
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One SMALL step indeed. Forgive me for not jumping up and down for joy. Schools are still crumbling and more and more taxpayers’ dollars will go to hedge fund managers, not schools or school children. There is a special place in hell for this brazen brand of broadies.
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“brazen brand of broadies” 🙂
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Yes, a board majority originally voted against Magruder, but the way it was done was very much in question. There were two members up for reappointment, and Galatzan only wanted Magruder ousted. That made the vote very confusing. That is why only Steve Zimmer voted against Galatzan’s amendment. There was no question that Ratliff and Kayser did not want Magruder off the committee, but were faced with voting on something they didn’t understand. Board President Vladovic compounded the situation by cutting off questions and demanding a quick vote.
Most likely, due to public and press attention, Superintendent Deasy “encouraged” Vladovic to change his vote. With a re-election in her future, Galatzan has left the door open to further criticism by maintaining her position with a “NO” vote.
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I cannot imagine a scenario in which Deasy would do that. Not in a million years.
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Really, that sounds too out of character for Deasy and what would be the point?
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I agree Karen..that the vote was not influenced by Deasy who colluded with Galatzan in the first place to speak against Magruder. Deasy does not want a muckraker who protects the public looking over his shoulder and asking operant questions.
My thanks to Vlad for doing the right thing.
Did anyone else notice that Kayser is having a rather difficult time making his voice actually heard? He speaks so quietly that even with the mics on, he is not heard in the Bd. room or on streaming video.
I thank the teacher 4 group for this vote…Vlad, Ratliff, Zimmer, and particularly Kayser who brought this vote forth.
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I have heard that Mr. Kayser has health problems. If not for this, I suspect he would a much more agressive crusader.
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Oh he would do this . They went too far with Magruder. They had to backpedal or be exposed as the fascist regime they really tend to bel
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She is not likely to win. We must be sure she doesn’t though because somehow Garcua reviled and she should not have. As repugnant as Garcia is, Galatzan has become a vicious affront to equity and justice. Her abuse of power is deplorable and one hopes he tenure as city prosecutor stalls with her reign of terror in the BOE. Her opponent Carl Petersen, a parent, is what we we really need to balance out McKenna’s insider authority. I say dump Dr, Death, and put the remaining three on notice l like the idea of Garcia facing off with odds like these l she and Deasy need to taste the whip they are so fond of cracking. Needless to say, Garcia and Galatzan should never be afforded an political power again after what tey have pulled on BOE. Every night I pray I live to Ses Broad chained to Deasy, both in orange jump suits as they stand before an honest judge .
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You lose a battle and then you win one. The war between the resistance to save our democratically run public schools and the nation’s children from the greedy, lying, power-hungry,corporate, fake education reformers, rages on.
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Okey Dokey Smokey Now We Are Cooking With A Little Gas! Thanks To Everyone And Good Job Steve Lopez.
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A small but good symbolic victory.
The entire school board has been more cowed by the BACKERS of Deasy than Deasy himself. When the LA Times’ Steve Lopez separated himself from the Times’ editorial board that stands behind Deasy no matter what foolisness he espouses, and called the board out for public ridicule, he finally spoke truth to what the majority of Angelenos believe about Deasy’s iPads.
Although the technology advisory board sadly has no true power, they can use the power of shame and honest accounting of a decision that epitomizes everything wring with Deasy-style school management. Like a mafia don, Deasy’s muscle is his perceived backing from people who could (and do) put a hurt on students and teachers. It is intimidating to be sure, but the mire people like Magrider and Lopez who see for themselves this petty emperor is nekkid, then others, (particularly the embarrassingly timid BOE President Vladovic) might take some more principled stands in the future.
The entire history of Deasy’s sorry regime one day will get the scrutinized retrospect it deserves.
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Happy to see your words Geronimo…always insightful and on target.
And really happy to see Karin Klien’s remarks below.
We who are in the battle to support public education, I assume, are all relieved to find that the main editorial writer of education issues at the LA Times, is a reader and commentator on this blog site.
Thank you Karin for your vital input. Please do this more often, and please respond to us when we email you at the Times. Our united cooperation is what can really promote postive change at LAUSD even on the occasions we might differ.
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As a member of the Times editorial board, I continue to try to correct the inaccurate information that is continually put out in public about the Times’ position on education issues. The editorial board is generally a supporter of keeping Deasy, that is true. But it does not stand behind him “no matter what.” In fact, the Times editorial board has been questioning and criticizing the iPad purchase since 2012.
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/nov/16/opinion/la-ed-tablets-lausd-deasy-20121116
I blogged last month about the importance of keeping Magruder on the bond oversight committee.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-school-ipad-bond-20140523-story.html
And the editorial board followed that up with an editorial Tuesday that called for him to be reinstated.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-magruder-20140617-story.html
Debate about the education issues of the day is constructive, but the spreading of mistruths and the carelessness about accurate information does not serve that purpose.
Karin Klein
Editorial Writer
Los Angeles Times
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Diane…it would seem that your blog site has caught the attention of many writers for the LA Times. I am writing late at night and it is now Thursday the 19th on the West Coast.
We have the important comments by education editor Karin Klein above, plus Hitzlik in the Business section who quotes David Cohen and,to me, gets everything at LAUSD right on the button, and the inimitable Steve Lopez who does a wrap up today on the Magruder affair. All told, again to me, this is the best day of news reporting on education issues by the LA Times in many a year….and I thank each and every writer (including Howard Blume) whose reporting in consensus makes the point that Deasy is doing a very questionable job of running the second largest district in America.
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