Award-Winning Newspaper of United Teachers Los Angeles • www.utla.net Volume XLV, Number 4, December 18, 2015 Growing coalition stands against Broad-Walmart plan Parents, students, educators, and community groups urge LAUSD School Board to pass motion opposing market-driven reform. A growing coalition of parents, stu- Empowerment. “Eli Broad has no right to dents, educators, and community groups tell us what’s best for our children, and I is calling on the LAUSD School Board to don’t welcome nor appreciate him and his take a stand against the plan by Eli Broad Wall Street friends deciding our future.” and the Walmart heirs to greatly expand As an added demonstration of support, unregulated charter schools at the expense several letters were presented to the School of neighborhood public schools. Board signed by members of the eight At the December 8 School Board LAUSD unions and the Los Angeles County meeting, a stream of speakers urged the Federation of Labor; by eight prominent Board members to pass Scott Schmerelson’s local and state community organizations motion against the Broad-Walmart plan (Alliance of Californians for Community and called for District officials to invest in Empowerment, Clergy & Laity United for Sustainable Neighborhood Community Economic Justice, Coalition for Humane Community groups Labor unions Schools—a positive alternative to defund- Immigrant Rights of L.A., Labor/Com- ing and deregulating public schools. UTLA munity Strategy Center, Los Angeles Al- and our community allies will be back at the liance for a New Economy, Schools L.A. next School Board meeting, January 12, to Students Deserve Grassroots Coalition, repeat our push for the motion’s passage. Strategic Actions for Just Economy, and “The main purpose of the LAUSD Board the Youth Justice Coalition); and by long- is to oversee and to protect our public time community organizations Community education system and make it the best Coalition and InnerCity Struggle. possible to serve all students—not to hand Schmerelson’s “Excellent Public Educa- over the future of our children to private tion for Every Student” resolution would companies and billionaire funders, who put the School Board on record as opposing have never experienced our struggles,” all market-driven education reforms such said Martha Sanchez, a parent of three as the Broad-Walmart initiative. The Broad- LAUSD students LAUSD parents LAUSD students and a member of the Walmart plan that was leaked to the press Alliance of Californians for Community in September contains numerous references Speakers at the December 8 School Board meeting included (clockwise from lower right) 20th Street parent Karla Vilchis, Roosevelt student Marc Arenas and Bernstein STEM student Ivana Rivera, parent and Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment member Martha Sanchez, Associated Administrators of Los Angeles President Juan Flecha, and (not pictured) Majority of members support UNITE HERE Vice President and former L.A. County Fed head Maria Elena Durazo and the financial restructuring former Assemblymember and LAUSD School Board President Jackie Goldberg. to students and schools as “market share” intends to replicate, the majority of them and dues increase and labels teachers as “human capital.” were charters. If implemented, the Broad-Walmart plan In sharp contrast to the Broad-Walmart Ballots to be mailed to members next month. would trigger a race to the bottom by plan, UTLA is working with parents, forcing schools to compete for resources, students, and community members for threaten LAUSD’s financial viability by Sustainable Neighborhood Community Through chapter meetings, one- than 850 chapter leaders citywide. draining the District’s budget, and create an Schools. These are schools that are accessible on-one conversations, phone calls, Together we are fighting back unregulated education system that would and equitable for all, have a well-rounded and the petition drive, the majority against the billionaires and their leave high-needs students behind. curriculum, involve parents and educators of UTLA members have pledged to hand-picked bureaucrats who want The community fight against the Broad- deeply, are connected to the community, vote “yes” in support of the Build to undermine our students’ educa- Walmart plan is helping to shape the and have well-resourced wrap-around ser- the Future, Fund the Fight campaign tion, cut our health care, take away LAUSD superintendent search and bol- vices and restorative justice programs. More to build a stronger UTLA, with the our pensions, suppress our voices, sters UTLA’s call for a leader with no ties to than 40 leaders of innovative school-based resources needed to take on the and bankrupt our union. the Broad Foundation or similar corporate- programs convened at UTLA last month battles ahead. Their endorsement Ballots for the vote will be mailed reform entities. The Schmerelson motion, (see story on page 5) to discuss specific connects with the overwhelming to members’ home addresses on in its highlighting of community schools, aspects of their work and how to expand support of the UTLA House of Rep- January 15, arriving around January should act as a roadmap for the District’s success models across the district. resentatives, all 48 UTLA officers 19. Read more, including a voting new leadership. and Board members, and more Q&A, on pages 6 and 7. In response to the backlash against the Citywide chapter chair meeting on Broad-Walmart initiative, proponents of January 7: UTLA will be holding a citywide the plan now claim they are not focusing chapter chair meeting on Thursday, January solely on the expansion of unregulated 7, to review a roadmap for 2016. Chapter charter schools—yet Great Public Schools chairs will receive important materials for Now, the new organization formed to push members and discuss the Build the Future, the campaign, is being led by executives Fund the Fight voting timeline, the national from the company ExED. Funded by a “walk in” for public schools on February 17, banker and other billionaires, ExED helps and the impact of the Broad-Walmart plan charter schools manage their business op- on the search for a new superintendent. Two erations and offers start-up services to new sessions (location to be announced) have charter schools. In the initial list that Great been scheduled to accommodate those who Public Schools Now released on December have professional development meetings on 7 of “the kinds of schools” the organization that day: 12 to 2 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. United Teacher • build the future website: www.utlabuildthefuture.org December 18, 2015 United Teacher President’s perspective PRESIDENT Alex Caputo-Pearl NEA AFFILIATE VP Cecily Myart-Cruz AFT AFFILIATE VP Betty Forrester The nation and the next superintendent ELEMENTARY VP Juan Ramirez SECONDARY VP Colleen Schwab will be watching in early 2016 TREASURER Arlene Inouye SECRETARY Daniel Barnhart Let’s send a message with an overwhelming vote for Build the Future, Fund the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jeff Good Fight and a powerful national walk-in. BOARD OF DIRECTORS By Alex Caputo-Pearl NORTH AREA: Kirk Thomas, Chair (Eagle Rock ES), Karla Griego (Buchanan ES), Rebecca Solomon UTLA President (RFK UCLA Comm. School), Julie Van Winkle (Logan Span School) I hope that you are enjoying some rest SOUTH AREA: Ingrid Villeda, Chair (93rd Street ES), and relaxation. You deserve it. This is a Ayde Bravo (Maywood ES), Ayesha Brooks (Markham MS), Maria Miranda (Miramonte ES) time of year when we have many special EAST AREA: Gillian Russom, Chair (ESP Academy), moments. In the leadup to the winter Ingrid Gunnell (Lane ES), Gloria Martinez (Rowan ES), break, I’ve been lucky enough to already Adrian Tamayo (Lorena ES) be a part of some very special moments. WEST AREA: Erika Jones Crawford, Chair (CTA Director), Noah Lippe-Klein (Dorsey HS), Rodney Lusain Four that I’ve had in just one week in (Los Angeles HS), Jennifer Villaryo (Grand View ES) December illustrate the powerful direction CENTRAL AREA: José Lara, Chair (Santee EC), that we’re headed at UTLA. Kelly Flores (Maya Angelou), Paul Ngwoke (Bethune MS), Zulma Tobar (Harmony ES) December 7: In a gathering at UTLA, VALLEY EAST AREA: Scott Mandel, Chair (Pacoima I was blown away by what our col- Magnet), Victoria (Martha) Casas (Beachy ES), Mel leagues are doing around the city related House (Elementary P.E.), Alex (David) Orozco (Madison MS) to building Sustainable Neighborhood VALLEY WEST AREA: Bruce Newborn, Chair (Hale Charter), Melodie Bitter (Lorne ES), Wendi Davis Community Schools. Roosevelt High (Henry MS), Javier Romo (Mulholland MS) School teacher Roxana Duenas powerful- HARBOR AREA: Aaron Bruhnke, Chair (San Pedro HS), ly broke down a community-connected, Karen Macias-Lutz (Del Amo ES), Elgin Scott (Taper ES), Steve Seal (Eshelman ES) culturally relevant, student-empower- ing curriculum that she developed in ADULT & OCCUP ED: Matthew Kogan (Evans CAS) collaboration with her colleagues and BILINGUAL EDUCATION: Cheryl L. Ortega (Sub Unit) community partners. UCLA Community EARLY CHILDHOOD ED: Corina Gomez (Pacoima EEC) School teacher Kirti Baranwal described HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES: Linda Gordon the dual-language and parent engage- SPECIAL ED: Darrell Jones (Byrd MS) ment programs at her school that foster SUBSTITUTES: Fredrick Bertz academic achievement and deep col- PACE CHAIR: Marco Flores laboration. We are refining and project- UTLA RETIRED: John Perez ing our proactive vision of what schools need through advocacy for Sustainable AFFILIATIONS American Federation of Teachers Neighborhood Community Schools. National Education Association December 8: At the LAUSD School Board, as parents, students, educators, Alex with the staff at 42nd Street School STATE & NATIONAL OFFICERS NEA DIRECTOR: Sonia Martin Solis community organizations, and labor CFT PRESIDENT: Joshua Pechthalt partners spoke in favor of LAUSD Board will gather in front of their schools at the passion I have found in these site meet- CTA PRESIDENT: Eric Heins Member Scott Schmerelson’s motion chal- beginning of the school day and do coor- ings.