As parent activist Karen Wolfe explains here, Los Angeles is in the district of a power struggle over control of its public schools.
Wolfe says the voters elected school board members to reflect the will of the people.
Superintendent John Deasy has threatened to resign as his way of pressuring the elected board to do what he wants and to get the business community to demand that the board let Deasy take charge. Even the new mayor has told the board to leave Deasy alone and stay out of his way.
This is an extraordinary situation. The power elite of Los Angeles wants the elected board to hand control over to Deasy. You can be sure that in every one of their corporations, the CEO serves at the pleasure of the board, not the other way around.
What is the purpose of having a board election if real power is vested in the superintendent, not the board?
John Deasy was hired to carry out the will of the elected board, not to cow it into submission.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I’m so sick of comments like this: (from the other article at
https://dianeravitch.net/2013/10/27/l-a-s-business-community-fights-to-save-deasy/
George Kieffer:
“Under LAUSD Superintendent Dr. John Deasy’s leadership, the District has improved student test scores and other student success indicators such as the number of students accessing college preparation courses. It has also seen decreases in student drop-out rates and truancy rates.”
Once and for all, DEASY DIDN’T HAVE JACK-QUAT TO DO WITH THOSE POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS.
The hard-working teachers on the ground, doing the hard day-in-day-out grinding work of educating our students, and doing so with less funding, larger classes, and conditions more trying than they have ever been… THEY, THE TEACHERS are the ones responsible, not DEASY, who has thrown up every obstacle he could to block motions that would, in fact, create conditions favorable to greater academic outcomes—i.e. lower class size; expanded arts programs; rehiring librarians; counselors; and on and on.
Indeed, our teachers did so IN SPITE OF DEASY, and would have effected even greater gains, had someone other than Deasy been in power. Everyone I know has seen excellent, veteran teachers thrown into teacher jails on trumped up charges simply because they were targeted as a result of their being at the high end of the salary scale. This has devastated morale, and instilled a toxic, fear-based environment for all teachers.
As Karen Wolfe wrote, the voters have spoken clearly thru their choices in the recent election for the LAUSD Board. They want Deasy gone.
Who the hell is this Kieffer guy, anyway? Nobody. That’s who. A nobody who doesn’t know the first thing about Los Angeles schools.
Read this excellent column by Steve Lopez
regarding Deasy’s I-pad fiasco to get a
true picture of what a bone-head, Apple-product-pushing
shill Deasy is: (a well-researched piece,
with salient quotes from all the relevant
people)
http://articles.latimes.com/2013/sep/28/local/la-me-0929-lopez-ipad-20130929
In any other industry or government agency,
the person responsible—in this case, Deasy—
would have been immediately fired for the
massive and total incompetence and
resulting disaster described in this article.
Instead, we get idiots like this Kieffer praising
Deasy and threatening to unleash the business
community’s “anger” if the LAUSD Board not
only retains Deasy, but allows him an even
freer hand to do more of the same.
Have people like Kieffer lost their minds?
Apparently, so.
This is the kind of stuff that makes me glad I do not live in California. Michigan may have it’s problems, but not like there.
http://4lakidsnews.blogspot.com/2013/10/la-times-la-supt-john-deasy-to-resign.html
October 24, 2013, 6:27 p.m. :: Los Angeles schools Supt. John Deasy has told Board of Education members that he plans to resign in February, according to high-level district officials, including some who asked not to be named.
The problem with the on-line piece
you just referenced is that Deasy
apparently just floated that story
of his leaving as a ploy to get
support from various quarters
for his staying on,
and then having greater power
when he does stay on.
Hence, the Kieffer letter, and
the Mayor’s comments to the
local papers.
Whatever problems our state
has or does not have,
thank God that LAUSD
still has a functioning democracy
—for the time being, at least—
when it comes to the governance
of our public schools.
I thank John Deasy for the work he has put in to improve
the instructional program; and his use of data to create academic
growth. I do not believe it is healthy for John Deasy to remain in
his position as he has accomplished his mission to eliminate all
Title One School Governance for low income under represented
parents of color in LAUSD. DONE and LA Neighborhood Councils still
take directions from retired LAUSD Parents and Community Branch
Chief Maria Casillas rather than work with the Director of Parents
and Community Rowena Lagrosa and former West LAUSD Interim
Superintendent Brenda Manuel. Venice Neighborhood Council has voted
6-0 to deny low income under represented Venice parents and
community the right to place on the agenda of VNC an item which
allows Title One families the right to Voice and Visibility. Venice
Education Chairperson Bud Jacobs informed the community that his
committee takes all directions from the retired Chief of LAUSD
Parents and Community Maria Casillas who teamed with Superintendent
Deasy to eliminate all Title One School Governance Councils.
Superintendent Deasy continues his use of ” Oppositional Defiance”
to create chaos to keep his Power base strong. While John Deasy
might be a worthwhile consultant for LAUSD instruction, parents and
community and LAUSD teachers continue to be treated “Separate and
less than equal”. LAUSD cannot retain a leader who has left LAUSD
in chaos and mismanagement. John Deasy has an attitude that he and
the corporate giants are going to get their way no matter what.
John Deasy and his team are well trained in confrontation rather
than collaborate. Ethics have been sold out. LAUSD , at this time,
needs a leader who focuses on collaboration and harmony to bring
back the ethics that no longer exist in the Deasy Administration.
LAUSD need an interim leader who can clean house and restore the
“trust” that no longer exists. Might one consider the current
Director of LAUSD Operations Earl Perkins or the previous Director
of Operations Willie Crittendon to serve as interim Leader. Both
are well trained to restore collaboration as they both are fully
capable to clean a house that is in disarray. Peace. Forward.
Change. In unity for accountability and new LAUSD leadership. Rick
Selan
George Kieffer says it right! The “hard-working teachers on
the ground” the soldiers in the trenches…yes we are doing the
face to face nitty gritty encounters every day with our students
who have complex and multiple “problems”/obstacles to their
learning. More investment in teachers just makes sense. hmm why
don’t “they” understand that??
It is no longer true that CEO’s serve at the pleasure of the board. http://bizcovering.com/management/the-control-fraud-theory/ and just for fun and games http://neweconomicperspectives.org/2012/06/house-republicans-try-to-create-the-worlds-worst-criminogenic-environment.html
The board hires the CEO. The CEO does not hire the board.
LAUnitedWay+CLASS Call-In Mon Oct 28 at 8:30 AM to SAVE DrDeasyLAUSD They need to hear what you think! 888-204-5987 Conf Code: 6636216#
Feel Free to Retweet the above – it’s exactly 140 characters (in search of some drama)
From: Elmer Roldan [mailto:eroldan@unitedwayla.org]
Sent: Friday, October 25, 2013 4:58 PM
To: Elmer Roldan
Subject: Special CLASS Call for John Deasy Mobilization
Greetings CLASS Network Partners-
We are holding a special call this coming Monday, October 28 at 8:30am to discuss our mobilizing efforts in response to the reports that Superintendent John Deasy will be resigning his position.
The intent of this call is to share information and invite you to participate in mobilizing efforts happening next week. There are a number of actions that our coalition is leading including two press conferences and rallies at the School Board.
A calendar invite will follow. Please let me know if you plan to join and are interested in mobilizing next week.
Here is the number for the call: TOLL FREE DIAL-IN #: 1-888-204-5987 ACCESS CODE: 6636216
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Have a great weekend.
Elmer Roldan
Education Program Officer
United Way of Greater Los Angeles
1150 S. Olive St., Suite T500
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Tel: (213) 808-6283
Cell: (323) 337-3025
Fax: (213) 808-6347
eroldan@unitedwayla.org
http://www.unitedwayla.org
Above is how the oligarchs play this…get United Way to train pro Deasy speakers and have them fill the auditorium so that no anti Deasy speakers can even get into the building.
For LA readers…
We Must Stop This!
It is not only disheartening, but it is downright alarming when our Mayor joins forces with elite and powerful law firms, with PR firms, with major businesses who profit off us all, with the billionaires who are fighting to take over public schools and public education for investment opportunities, in order to retain a mediocre Superintendent of Schools, John Deasy, who has made so many egregious mistakes even beyond the Billion Dollar iPad fiasco. Anyone with a track record such as Deasy’s would never have lasted this long in the private sector.
After a recent huge vote of 91% NO CONFIDENCE by LAUSD teachers it is only reasonable to think the Board of Education, whom We the People elected, would represent the outrage and direction of the greater community which elected them, to NOT SIGN another contract to keep this man on and to give him even more time to run the District into the ground, into bankruptcy, as he is doing. His salary, and all the budget line items his suggests and approves, are paid for by the People, not by Broad, nor Gates, nor any of the self-appointed billionaire movers and shakers who are attempting to destroy LAUSD and turn it into LA Charter District.
Garcetti was not elected to run the public schools, but he is now following in the footsteps of his predecessor Villaraigosa who brought in the billionaires donations to our local elections to try to get their Charter supporter candidates placed in what they then saw as a position of power and support for their boy, Deasy. That would have been the coup they needed and they would have backed a strong Board.
But since that failed them and Ratliff and Zimmer beat the big money choices, now they and their PR experts spin the tale to excoriate the School Board for being too nosy about what Deasy is doing or not doing. They even set a smoke screen of old portended misdeeds by a Board member to redirect public attention away from Deasy’s failures in judgment and administration.
Which way is it Eli, Eric, et al? If your members such as Garcia and Galatzan run things then you support the School Board, but now that there are five teachers on the Board, and they question the potential fraud and possible sweetheart deals, and the terrible lack of concrete long term planning leading to such huge waste of taxpayer money, all of a sudden it is the fault of the Board.
This is utter nonsense and we should all see through it.
We the public do not want you to usurp our ballot box decisions and turn them to your own end…to the profit making Parent Revolution scams, to the imbedded Charters for vast profit all paid for by the public, using TFA kids to try to teach with no real training, to the outrageously over priced iPads. None of it pulls the wool over our eyes.
It is certainly not the role of big business to be bullying the community and to take over the legal will of the people with yet another ‘bait and switch’ operation. Deasy resigns says the LA TImes…rejoicing starts. Ah no, he says he is only thinking about it…and then in steps the Mayor and the red-faced Times, and Broad with his lawyers and PR firm and rich buddies in business, and beg Deasy to stay as they all slap our hands, and castigate the Board for not kissing Deasy’s feet.
We have all been “pranked” in the current youth vernacular. It is disgusting and shameful to have them all collude in this orgy of political theater orchestrated to confuse us, whom they see as the little people, the hapless people, who need their leadership as they are picking our pockets.
This opportunistic behavior with the over-bearing mendacity, manipulation, and attempt to control the peasants, you and me, should bring out everyone on Tuesday morning to the School Board meeting where Deasy’s contract signing, or not, is to be discussed.
It happens at 9 AM at 333 So.Beaudry St. in downtown LA and I would hope to see hundreds of parents, teachers, and others in line. And this time, the Police should not let in the VIPs to fill the room before We the People can get in and get our slips to speak our minds for the 3 minutes allotted to us. I am nonplussed when standing in line for hours, to have 30 or 40 people appear at the door, cutting in front of the rest of us. The word on the street is that this is going to happen with Deasy/Garcetti minions filling the room with Deasy supporters so the real people cannot get heard.
I am sick and tired of our voices being silenced anywhere. See you all Tuesday at 9 AM.
Ellen Lubic, the Angry Educator
“…if Diane would put it up or on a website….”
Why should Diane do it? If you’re such a damned expert, YOU put it up on a website. For the millionth time, quit railing about everyone else’s credibility and start demonstrating your own. Start your own blog. Put up or shut up.
The School Committee in Boston has given the rubber stamp to any Superintendent-supported plan for years. And the Superintendent is chosen by the mayor. Not many checks and balances in Boston’s education system.
Re: Karen Wolfe and Joelle Dumas Continue Playing Both Sides Against the Middle to Eliminate Title One School Governance
Dear Ms. Wolfe ,
VNC Education to which you are secretary and the VNC Board voted 6-0 to deny low income under represented Venice parents of
Color the right to an agenda item focusing on the elimination of School Governance for all LAUSD Title One Parents.
You , John Deasy, Bud Jacobs, Linda Lucks, Marc Satzberg and Maria Casillas all support the elimination of Voice and Visibility
for Venice-Venice Mar-Vista Title One parents and guardians.
While I agree with your post, it appears you, as a member of VNC Education are playing both sides against the middle to eliminate
the rights of low income under represented Parents/ Guardians.
You , Mr. Jacobs and Joelle Dumas, your leaders, continue to work collaboratively with retired Parents and Community Chief Maria Casillas who led the movement
to eliminate CEAC, DAC, and PEPAC.
Please understand Ms. Dumas is an owner of Ecole Claire Fontaine private school in Venice who cater to the affluent.
I post your letter below mine. Think about the children first; before Adult Interests and Adult Egos. Peace. Care, Forward. Rick Selan
I reply not to Rick Selan, but for the benefit of the readers of this blog, a community of which I feel privileged to be a part. I have served on the Venice Neighborhood Council Education Committee for about four years. Neighborhood Councils (NCs), in sprawling LA, provide recommendations to City Hall and facilitate our participation in City government. As we like to say, our neighborhood councils are the lowest form of government. ha ha
Our education committee provides a forum for the discussion of education issues at the neighborhood level. I’m proud to have been responsible for the NC taking on Green Dot’s proposed co-location at Westminster Elementary (the school written off at the beginning of “Waiting for Superman”). I will never forget yelling into my cell phone at my daughter’s school to get the then chairman to understand that this was an issue that we could tackle, even though we have no official advisory role with the school board, only with the city council. Our fearless president, Linda Lucks, a former public school teacher, understood too, and she has been a champion of neighborhood councils addressing public education issues ever since. That was the year that the westside of Los Angeles became the most co-located area on the planet. I have been on the Education Committee since shortly after that. During my tenure, we successfully fought off Green Dot and also helped Walgrove Elementary defeat a well intentioned but flawed plan to permanently lease land on its site to a charter school. Last year, we held a gut-wrenching forum at the Venice Skills Center to allow the largely minority, low income community to articulate on the record their concerns about John Deasy’s plan to severely cut Adult Education. I have always been proud of the courageous work that the Venice NC does. Perhaps I was most proud of it during Steve Zimmer’s campaign, when I could compare our work to the neighboring Mar Vista Councils’ Education Committee, chaired by none other than Kate Anderson (Steve Zimmer’s hugely funded opponent). She had adopted a policy not to take a stand on any issues, but only to allow neighbors to voice concerns. It was an odd thing, until I realized it provided her with experience but no track record to attack. Anyway, our committee, however flawed, has done good work.
Our committee did not vote on the elimination of the school district committees Mr. Selan lists because John Deasy had already eliminated them. Yet Mr. Selan shows up every month admonishing us for disenfranchising Title I families, many of whom are my neighbors and my children’s classmates. I have never met some of the people Mr. Selan claims I coordinated with. During the years I have known about the Venice NC education committee, there have been at least four chairpersons who have resigned due to harassment by Mr. Selan. Thankfully, the current chair who is a retired school principal, has no reason to be alarmed by the constant barrage of false accusations.
” UBI IGNUS EST” Collaboration Over Confrontation”
The Rights of Title One Parents and Guardians In LAUSD
Dear Ms. Wolfe,
Regarding your letter posted on the Diane Ravitch Blog, I find it quite sad that you create information that is less than accurate. Based on your allegations, I need to clarify several issues you misunderstood.
You state that four VNC Education Chairs resigned based on my harassment. Please understand that no educational chair has ever resigned based on my focus on Accountability, Transparency, and Consistency.
Understand that these former Educational Chairs resented my insistence of following Professional Behavior as this is neighborhood governance.
Talking of harassment, one of these Educational Chairs, Ira Kosolow, attacked my private life and my family at one of these meetings so he might create oppositional defiance to create chaos and defame my character.
You fail to mention that the only Educational Chair,whoever left office early,was Peter Thottam. He was fired by President Linda Luck’s because he refused to “Alter the Minutes” regarding facts concerning the Joint Use Land Agreement between LAUSD and Council District 11 at the corner of Walgrove Elementary at Appleton and
Maplewood.
To this day that land area, to which Propositon funds were to be utilized for a Walgrove Park Jogging- Walking Track Center for those who had Special Needs, sits as an ugly brown yellow field.
To this day, there sits an open grievance filed with The Mar Vista Community Council that regards this incident and those involved to which Mr. Thottam was fired by Ms. Lucks. Mr. Thottam then resigned from the Venice Neighborhood Council.
Please understand Ms. Luck’s was protecting her close friends who knew facts as to what happened with these funds and this land.
In your letter you speak of Kate Anderson in a “less than kind manner”. Please understand Kate Anderson was the Chair of Mar Vista Community Council (MVCC)for several years. Kate Anderson has not been an active member of the
MVCC Educational Committee for well over a year.
Kate Anderson did an outstanding job as co- Ed. Chair. You owe Kate Anderson an apology. MVCC Ed. focuses on what is best for kids. For 5 years or longer, VNC Education continues to focus on adult interests, egos and the need for Power without compromise.
The VNC Education Committee voted several months ago 6-0 to deny the Low Income Under represented Parents of Color in the Venice-Mar Vista Community the right to have an agenda item to discuss the elimination of school governance in the Venice/ Venice Mar Vista Community and all of LA led by former Chief of LAUSD
Parents and Community branch Maria Casillas.
At a VNC Education Committee Meeting, LAUSD sent the West Area Director of the Parents and Community Branch Sara Lasnover to respond to the communities concern regarding loss of School Governance for Title 1 Parents and/or Guardians.
Over 20 community members entered that meeting to address the need for restoration of Title 1 School Governance.
The VNC Educational Chair Bud Jacobs and his Committee made the decision not to allow Ms. Lasnover the right to address the questions from the community. There was no translation at the VNC meeting, although many of the Title 1 Parents spoke little or no English.
Mr. Jacobs , a LAUSD Administrator, made it very clear that he takes his directions from former Chief of LAUSD Parents and Community Maria Casillas,
not the current Director, Rowena Lagrosa. Maria Casillas eliminated all Title One Councils which were in place to assist Title One Parents and Community.
For four months this advocate requested a VNC agenda item for open discussion on the elimination of School Governance for Title One parents. VNC Education denied this agenda item to assist low income under represented Venice parents by stating “Not Our Problem.”
When VNC refused to place this agenda item at a Community School Meeting, LAUSD Board Member Steve Zimmer intervened and scheduled
a Title 1 meeting for all parents and community to create a working group with plans to return Title 1 School Governance to the Venice Community.
A second meeting is now being scheduled as a “Dinner Meeting” to promote attendance in order to create “The Process” to Restore Title 1 School Governance
to the Venice-Mar Vista Community in August 2014.”
To demonstrate the obstruction and opposition by the VNC Executive Board against Rights for Title One Venice Parents, VNC then refused to post the notification of the Title One meeting. On the other hand, Mar-Vista Community Council immediately posted a flyer to promote the Title 1 Meeting because it helps kids.
As one reads Mrs. Wolf’s letter she clearly attempts to focus the issue on confrontation rather than collaboration.
Since 2005 it has been the style of the VNC Education Committee to create obstruction and chaos.
ACTION REGARDING POSSIBLE DE-CERTIFICATION OF THE VNC BOARD
On November 14, 2014, VNC-DONE Hearings resume at City Hall at 1:00 P.M. regarding the “Less than Ethical Behavior by VNC”; 5 years of all complaints being denied unilaterally by Ira Koslow, a LAUSD Teacher, who has unilaterally denied every complaint as “NON ACTIONABLE BASED ON PREJUDICE” and the Refusal of VNC to respond to CPRA’s Mr. Koslow even ruled unilaterally on grievances filed against himself.
Probably the best example of the “Oppositional Defiance” by VNC President Linda Lucks, was when she served as the President of BONC (Board of Neighborhood Commissioners).
Based on the anger and mean spirit of Ms. Lucks as President of BONC she placed in writing that she was creating a BONC Committee to write a DONE uniform complaint process.
Ms. Lucks made it very clear in writing that members of the VNC were to be given “First Priority to be Members of this BONC Grievance Committee.”
Two days after Ms. Lucks promoted her intentions to fill the BONC Committee with current VNC members, she was no longer President of BONC.
VNC continues its opposition against the VNC -DONE hearings by refusing to attend.
Is Karen Wolfe any different than John Deasy? Peace. Forward. Change.
In unity for Accountability and Ethics, Rick Selan
Latest update for the LAUSD Board of Ed meeting tomorrow.
The meeting as shown on the Board website, shall start at 10:30 Am with public testimony. At 12:30 PM , the Bd. will go into closed session to discuss the Deasy contract. When they return from closed session, they shall agian permit public testimony.
The problem remains that if the Bd., room is paked with Deasy suporters as United Way and Garcetti have reaquested (they are planning abig rally to be held at Baurdry in the monring), the th epreal public willnot have ach
continuing…re the Bd. room being packed in advance with Deasy supporters…those at their “big rally at Beudry in the morning”…We the People may only have brief moments late in the day to give our side in testimony.
We need a big turnout, and the media, to insure that we have a voice.
Karen,
It’s Julie. I was just forwarded
an email with an account of a
conference call coordinating the
various astroturf groups
who will be protesting against
us tomorrow.
Yep, that’s right. Some mole
within their ranks leaked this
to me.
Did you ever want to eavesdrop
on a planning session of a
bunch of ed reform astroturf
groups as they are trying to
create a demonstration that
has the appearance of an
actual community grass
roots protest— when it’s
actually a manufactured
farce concocted by well-paid
corporate shills?
Now’s your chance!
Enjoy:
(Folks, this is real.
Gabe, Ryan, and the rest
pull out all the stops to
earn their respective
$200,000-plus salaries)
———–
“Date: Mon, Oct 28, 2013 at 12:10 PM
Subject: Re: conference call
“GABE (Rose, from Parent Rev.):
“#4 wear your organization’s
T-shirt to show broad support.
“We will be sending an email with
talking points. Any other questions?
“Commenters are looking for talking
points and one page info sheet
to send to supporters.’
“RYAN (Smith, from United Way, Julie)”
‘Create as many signs as possible.
Utilize chants.’
“GABE (Rose, from Parent Rev.):
” ‘Are we trying to pack the
boardroom?
“RYAN: ‘Yes, I’ll talk to you offline
about that. Regarding media
outreach, we will utilize
our guy here: Charles/Mary Lou
(Endowment),
” ‘Can I connect you to Jason
Mandel?’
GABE: “Sandy will email Ryan a
tag line. Let’s see… we’ll call it…
” ‘Communities for John Deasy’
“… or …
” ‘Communities for Educational
Justice’! ”
RYAN: “Good, but let’s not make
this ad hominem against certain
Board Members or UTLA union
leaders. Also, we are not trying
to change John Deasy’s mind.”
GABE: “Right. This is much
broader than Deasy.
Although we are very
supportive of his courage, this is
really about telling the board that
the community… we want our
initiatives to continue and we
want to hold them responsible for
making sure they stay the course.
We’ve been working on this for
decades. We’ve seen
superintendents come and go.
The progress over the last 4-5
years needs to continue.”
END OF CALL
———————————-
Then there’s a summary of
another conference call:
————————————
“BETH (???): “Can anyone on
the call confirm that Deasy
contacted anyone in educ.
reform community that he
spoke to board members
about resigning?”
RYAN: “Hey. Let’s not go down
that road. A lot of it’s conjecture
rather than truly substantiated.
I’m hoping we can talk a little
more off line.
ELLEN ( Pais President &
CEO – Los Angeles Education
Partnership): “People in
Sacramento are talking about
this, wondering, ‘What-the-heck
is going on?”
LINDA (???): “Has any email went
out? We want to send to our staff
and parents.
RYAN: “We will send it out after
this call finishes.”
RENE (Rodman, from Parent
Partnership): “Is everyone aware
that there is a petition up to support
the superintendent? Let’s not
duplicate efforts.
RYAN: “I’ll send out both and
people should sign both. We can’t
get enough signatures.”
“We have a total 150-160 who will
show up for tomorrow. This is a
testament to the work that’s
happening. If you are willing to
speak, email Elmer.”
erolean@unitedway.org:
“Yolie Flores and Caprice Young
will join the rally to speak in support
of the issues and the leadership
of the district. We also want
parents, teachers and if possible
students although they should be
in school.”
——————————————
The students “should be in school?”
Really, now… ya think?
There’s more:
—————————————–
“There is a theory that it was
possibly leaked as a way to push
out the superintendent, but that’s
not confirmed. There is a school
board meeting tomorrow. Been
turned mostly into a closed session.
“At 12:30, two items, and then
immediately afterwards, they’ll
go into closed session. This will
be a shorter meeting. Changes
our plans regarding press
conference and rally. CLASS
believes that students and
communities are most in need of
support. We have been supportive
of many of Deasy’s initiatives.
“This is beign made about John, but
—Support of Prop 30,
—protecting teachers from budget
based layoffs for first time in ,
—saving 200 counselors jobs,
—his support of 193K students
breakfast in classroom,
—efforts against policies that push
students out, end of defiance.
“A lot of policies that put students first.
Important for progress of lauds.
We will rally around continuation
of these policies no matter what,
and Deasy.
“CLASS hosting press conference
and rally about these issues which
have been supported by Deasy.
“10:30am Rally arrivals,
“start at 11am.
“Press conference immediately after.
“Thought about one after board
meeting too, so students and
teachers will be in the shot.
“Many of the organizations have
asked to speak and participate.
“We need to tell school board
members that we support Deasy
and visionary leadership. We are
asking each of you organizations
to tap your constituencies to make
phone calls and emails to board
members. Important that all board
members are communicated to, but
most important Vladovic and two
considered swing votes—Monica
Ratliff and Steve Zimmer.
“We support these policies and
visionary leadership.
————————————————
Karen, here’s a list of everyone
included at the end of this email.
It’s sort of
“THE L.E.A.: THE LEAGUE OF
EXTRAORDINARY ASTROTURF” :
——————————————————-
“Ryan Smith – United Way Greater Los Angeles
“CLASS –
“California Endowment
“Educators for Excellence
“Community coalition
“Inner city struggle
“Parent revolution
“Alliance for a better community
“campaign for college opportunity
“advancement project
“children now
“communities in schools
“students first
“laup
“students matter
“teach plus
“good will of southern California
“seiu local 99
“Green Dot
“LA music center
“Sing together
“New Teacher Center
“Herb Alpert Foundation
“Families in Schools
“Mind Research Institute
“Partnership for LA Schools
“ACLU of Southern Calif
“Kids LA
“Ed Voice
“LA Gay & Lesbian Center
“Arts
“Teach for America
“Educare Foundation
“CCSA
“Education Pioneers
“LA Voice
“Parent Partnership
“Educate Our State
“LA Urban League
“Pique
“RFK Center
“UCLA Center for Ed
“LA Small School Center
“YPI
“Lacer After School Program
“Asian Americans for Education Justice
CFY
“Goal: update you on info we know re:
John Deasy incident. Much more
than you probably already know.
“School board meeting tomorrow.
“Impending rally and press conference.”
——————————————–
Karen, that’s quite a formidable
assembly of astroturfers.
I mean, really. With “The Mind
Research Institute” on their side,
they’re going to be hard to beat.
Also, what-the-hell is “The Herb
Alpert Foundation” doing here
on this list?
Does this mean that
“The Tijuana Brass” reunite
tomorrow so they can
serenade the astroturfers’
“Save Deasy” rally with
“A TASTE OF HONEY”?
That alone should bring ‘em
all down to Beaudry!
See you at the rally.
Ta for now,
Julie