On Friday, 73-year-old veteran educator George McKenna was sworn in as a member of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education. He is filling the unexpired term of MargueriteLaMotte, who died in office. He will stand for re-election in 10 months.
His opponent was Alex Johnson, 34, who worked for the County Commissioner and was supported by the charter industry. Johnson’s campaign spent $1.4 million, almost three times as much as McKenna.
As the charter industry becomes involved in more state and local school board races, these races become more expensive for ordinary citizens. It takes someone with a strong constitution to enter a race knowing that his or her opponent will have ample resources ad will outspend her or him by 3-1, 4-1, 5-1, or more.
We have seen numerous examples where the privatizers have bundled campaign contributions from allies across the nation. It is no longer unusual to see a school board race swamped with money donated by people who not only do not live in the district, but live in another state.
Thus, it is encouraging to see true friends of public education like George McKenna, Steve Zimmer, and Monica Ratliff prevail against big money. It has happened before, and it will happen again so long as we remember that commitment, integrity, and hard work can beat big money. As we say at the Network for Public Education, we are many, and they are few. We must never be discouraged. If the public is informed and turns out to vote, our friends will win.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Correction: Alex Johnson worked for a County Supervisor
Wonderful! Congrats to Mr. McKenna and the citizens of LA who made it happen.
So relieved he won. But I also hope that he and his supporters will keep at it since I’m afraid this Alex Johnson will unseat him in the next one. Johnson actually gained a larger percentage of the vote than McKenna did. Of course, it’s absurd that money can buy as much as it does. There is also a big split in the African American community between Mark Ridley-Thomas– Johnson’s boss — and others who don’t agree with his style. Sadly MRT’s forces have more press, even the Progressive kind.
Joan, McKenna got a larger percentage of the vote. That’s how he won.
You’re right about the forces against us though. I just heard (though have not confirmed) that Betty Pleasant, longtime columnist for The Wave, the largest weekly newspaper in LA and a staple in the African American community here, was fired last week. She had dared to speak truth to power and endorse McKenna. First they censored her endorsement. Then they fired her. 10 months from now is a short time indeed.
Joan Kramer: McKenna won 53% of the vote; Alex Johnson: 47%.
Yes, the people are waking up and they are not stupid.
It is great to see another victory like ours. Here in Dallas we had a local long time student advocate, Joyce Foreman, with less than $40,000 who was challenged by a school attorney who appeared out of nowhere but with over $140,000 and all the official endorsements of all the PACS and the major newspaper in Dallas. Forman was well known in her district and had hundreds of volunteers. We all worked hard for her, even overwhelming the phone bank so all phones were in use with volunteers waiting, or using their own cell phones. It worked! Joyce won with 65% of the vote!
Hopefully we can repeat this victory 4 more times in the next school board elections here in Dallas. Our district is self-destructing under the leadership these PACS have placed Dallas ISD under. See the data at http://www.dallasisd.us ! This data shows the destruction that started in 2012 following the 5 most productive years of improvement in DISD history. That was endangering charter schools and this is the response the PACS have provided. Look at the data since 2012! http://www.dallasisd.us
bbetzen, thanks for sharing your story. It really is possible to beat these guys.
Yes, and it is absolutely necessary that we beat those guys. Look what they are doing to our schools! The data in Dallas, see http://www.dallasisd.us , is overwhemlingly negative. In Dallas ISD we have 5 years of record setting progress that included a 20 point improvement in the graduation rate. That is now turning around due to the “Broad” superintendent we have. These are very difficult times but we are slowly gaining control again.
“We must never be discouraged. If the public is informed and turns out to vote, our friends will win.” Diane Ravitch
I hope this works in Missouri where voters will have the option this November to vote for or against a constitutional amendment that imposes draconian state requirements on districts and on teachers.
The amendment…
requires teacher evaluations to be based on predominantly on quantifiable student performance data;
requires that such data be the main determinant in how teachers are paid, promoted, and dismissed;
require the state to approve district teacher evaluation systems;
withhold funds from districts that retain evaluation systems the state has not approved, prevent unions from trying to modify teacher evaluation systems
limits teacher contracts with a district to three years. This in Education Week, 8-29, 2014 p. 4
Let’s see how this turns out in the “Show Me” state.
Laura,
I don’t see how this can pass as the language states “teachers” and not just public school teachers. The only time it mentions public school is in reference to contract length. There is a large contingency of Catholic, Lutheran and other religious groups who would be adversely affected by this measure. I don’t see those folks voting for this either along with the public school educators.
I’ll stick with my prior prediction 73% against 27% for.
And I can’t agree with the “no effect on taxes language” as right above it it states that costs will likely be occurred to implement.
Official Ballot Title:
Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:
require teachers to be evaluated by a standards based performance evaluation system for which each local school district must receive state approval to continue receiving state and local funding;
require teachers to be dismissed, retained, demoted, promoted and paid primarily using quantifiable student performance data as part of the evaluation system;
require teachers to enter into contracts of three years or fewer with public school districts; and
prohibit teachers from organizing or collectively bargaining regarding the design and implementation of the teacher evaluation system?
Decisions by school districts regarding provisions allowed or required by this proposal and their implementation will influence the potential costs or savings impacting each district. Significant potential costs may be incurred by the state and/or the districts if new/additional evaluation instruments must be developed to satisfy the proposal’s performance evaluation requirements.
Fair Ballot Language:
A “yes” vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to require teachers to be evaluated by a standards based performance evaluation system. Each system must receive state approval in order for the local school district to continue receiving state and local funding. Teachers will be dismissed, retained, demoted, promoted and paid primarily using quantifiable student performance data as part of the evaluation system. The amendment further requires teachers to enter into contracts of three years or fewer with public school districts, with exceptions. The amendment also prohibits teachers from organizing or collectively bargaining regarding the design and implementation of the teacher evaluation system.
A “no” vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution regarding teacher contracts and performance evaluation systems.
If passed, this measure will have no impact on taxes.
Finish with the Kumbaya and take off the rose-colored glasses. McKenna was an administrator in the LAUSD and by many accounts was often vicious towards teachers. I’d like to hear from rank-and-file teachers who worked under him. So far nothing but P.R. testimonials. Zimmer, Ratliff and Kayser have never questioned the LAUSD teacher abuse and jailing pogrom. They and the rest of the board of education are rubber stamps for Deasy’s massacre of senior teachers. Teachers have NO FRIENDS on the LAUSD board of education and by extension neither do those of us who support public education. Voting for the lesser of two evils is still a matter of choosing an evil.
I urge the brother above not to surrender to cynicism. Getting someone elected to any office is only the first step in the journey. The only way to make sure they follow through is to be right there beside them every step of the way. Even then, these days few politicians are perfect (if they ever were!). Sometimes they will vote against us. We have to be ready to call them out when they do wrong, and compliment them when they do right.
Right now in LAUSD, with its seven-member Board, there are 4 members who have been elected with support of UTLA, the teachers union, and 1 (Vladovic) who has a history in the District and will sometimes side with us. There is an opportunity for change in the right direction. Rather than write off everyone as a “traitor,” it seems to me that we need to “educate” them to see the light, not just one-on-one but with street heat. I think the new leadership of UTLA is committed to just such an approach. Let us seize the day!
I know most of what Citizen Mike asserts is true i have suffered the slings & arrows too. Zimmer is one of the four who eon against big money yet seems to be beholden to it. His contempt fir teachers and die process is well documented as is the inherent hypocrisy of his famous rant about class size in the wake of his vote for dismissals, reconstitutions, and lay offs that he surely delude himself about while well aware of the interns taking their places , I am very happy about McKenna who I supported from day one because he is someone who respects codes, laws and policies.
I tool have heard there was bad blood about the upheaval of Fremont . I believe he got surly too. He is kinda grumpy as a rule . Because he is lawful and ordered he abided directives and expects others to do the same. Fremont teachers were a very close knit militant faction of the union who were unable to see how the union was mire responsible for these circumstances than McKenna. He was just trying ti do his job and retire . When the teachers at Miramonte were housed, Mckenna risked his golden years to defend them and supported them throughout the ordeal . This was a direct and defiant move that was dangerous because eDeasy was cornered and covering his complicity . McKenna did more than UTLA did fir these teachers whi were eventually sent back much to Mckenna’s delight. I bet Fremont teachers can convince you he is a monster. Miramonte teachers will make you believe he us saint. Both are right, which makes him human , just the species we are looking fir
I was under the impression McKenna would be sworn in tomorrow by Rev Jesse Jackson during a special BOE meeting. , with all that is going on with the Apple. Pearson deals , Aquino’s latent replacement, ipad scandals, the county’s concern about $700 million in budget for poor kids, the MISIS debacle and back door for common core scams , things look like they could get more surreal than usual. I hope leadership from Mckenna will be a beacon for Kayser, Ratliff and Zimmer. They dud beat the big money and have had moments of clarity and purpose.
Vlad , aka The Inhaler of Dr.Death did not come up against big money. He took some from Broad last election and admits to being aligned to no one . He turned to UTLA in the wake of attacks orchestrated by Deasy last year but discovered little substance or strength . He has since become a foggy yes man deferring to Deasy probably out of fear his secrets will all be let loose .
The only way he would defy Deasy is if the shoe was on the other foot and he had no doubt about that. We can rely on Garcia and Galatzan to be predictable advocates for . LAUSDeasy but it is never certain what these others will do . Shake up could be cloer than we knew
I love hearing how these big-money candidates lose in the important races. I’m so glad the uber-rich forces (whether they are wealthy individuals or well-financed organizations) had to pound their money down a rat hole and lose.