Editorial on Education Reform

Former LAUSD Superintendent Ramon Cortines was implicated in an illicit affair with another high-ranking employee in the district from which he retired last year. For his indiscretion, Cortines’ former employer handed off a hefty severance, all taxpayer money diverted from the classrooms across LA Unified. The school board bought out David Brewer, the previous superintendent before Cortines, following his increasingly apparent incompetence to handle the awkward monstrosity of school politics, despite his celebrated tenure as a naval officer.

Mark Berndt, elementary school teacher in one of the lowest performing schools in South Los Angeles, has been indicted for perpetrating lewd against minors for a number of years. The state credentialing commission never received record of previous allegations against the teacher. This man is still slated to receive a generous pension following the district’s discreet settlement for him to resign. The horrendous revelations have sparked a witch hunt after every whiff of misconduct even hinted at in the district.

LAUSD’s new Superintendent John Deasy has crowed about denying tenure to 850 teachers. In a twenty-hour day, he visits every campus in his sprawling district, sizes up teachers, staff, listening in on the growing complaints of administrators (http://www.dailynews.com/education/ci_20301818/john-deasy-marking-his-first-year-lausd-superintendent).  He also took time berate substitute teacher Patrena Shankling for delivering a “sub-standard” lesson to high school seniors (http://articles.latimes.com/2012/apr/14/local/la-me-0414-banks-20120414)

These outlandish and perverse cases distract the nation from the daily failures of the public school system in Los Angeles, where a growing minority of students are still dropping out in alarming numbers, where students who do graduate have little to show for their public education. Charter schools either face an uphill battle to retain their charters, or they retain politically connected support in the School board. One glaring example, Academia Semillas, boasts some of the lowest scores for a charters school yet was authorized to remain in operation for another five years (http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2012/05/academia_semillas_la_times.php). This in contrast to high-performing charter programs in West Los Angeles which are still fighting for space and respect in the midst of real estate and social policy concerns from elite citizens blocking the expansion of special education schools (http://www.argonautnewspaper.com/articles/2012/05/10/news_-_features/playa_del_rey/p1.txt).

The allegations of misconduct and fraud which have beset one of the largest school districts in the country have persuaded voters throughout California that a tax increase is perhaps not in the cards for Governor Jerry Brown and liberal associates in Sacramento. Yet Governor Brown persists in pushing outrageous “soak-the-rich” tax increase initiatives, which will further drive wealth creators from the state and available wealth into remote tax shelters. California schools do not lack for money. Evidence from the Rand corporation has pointed out steady increase in per-pupil spending, yet no correlation to rising test scores (See http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR924.html)

Voters from the South Bay to the Valley love their city, but they do not love the shoddy education which their youth are receiving. Gloria Romero of Democrats for Education Reform (http://articles.latimes.com/2012/may/21/opinion/la-oe-newton-column-democrats-for-education-reform-20120521   LA Times Op-Ed, May 21, 2012) has reported strong opposition from establishment Democrats in the state to meaningful education reform, especially from the teachers’ unions, which are not above bullying President Obama’s reelection committee appointments for non-compliance with their status quo agenda.

Beyond the kickbacks, pay-perversions, and political infighting which are throttling public education reform, a former LA Unified teacher I have also witnessed as the lack of oversight, insight, and hind-sight have plagued local schools, discouraged teachers, and intimidated leaders from introducing meaningful reforms. The Democratic Party in this state has claimed the lead on education reform, yet the teachers’ unions have compromised this commitment with donations and influence, which have scuttled meaningful ballot initiatives to promote school choice (http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-senik-california-teachers-association-20120518%2C0%2C1296451.story)

Because of teachers’ unions dominating and demeaning influence to discourage teacher and school reform, because of legislators’ growing reticence to stand up to the collective power of public employees, I propose that if there must be tax increases, then the power of public sector unions in education must be curtailed.

School boards also are demonstrating a disturbing lack of accountability. There is no justifiable reason why school districts should hand out taxpayer dollars so frivolously without regard to the waste, fraud, and scandal infiltrating and decimating our public schools.  By limiting the chokehold of union power on Sacramento, by taking power form school boards to local communities across the state, voters would initiate necessary steps for fiscal and academic reform while ensuring that our youth receive the best education possible.