Or are they?
The strike has now ended, and it's been about three weeks since the settlement was passed and agreed to be all parties concerned.
Who are the big winners? The big losers?
A week ago, Los Angeles schools Supt. Austin Beutner went to Sacramento
to nail down support for the school district if teachers decided to go on
strike.
He came back sounding very optimistic that lawmakers understood the
district’s finances were so perilous that it could not afford what the teachers
were demanding.
Unions do not care whether there is enough money or not. They will always claim that the leadership, the administrators are holding out on the teachers and the students. They can make the argument that the school board members and upper-level staff are paying themselves big money, while so little money and talent is going to the classroom.
Unions do not care whether there is enough money or not. They will always claim that the leadership, the administrators are holding out on the teachers and the students. They can make the argument that the school board members and upper-level staff are paying themselves big money, while so little money and talent is going to the classroom.
But the images of teachers marching in the rain, often cheered by
parents and students, have amounted to powerful politics in this blue state,
and have weakened the district’s hand.
The unions still wield an incredible amount of power in California, even post-Janus. Most of the teachers don't know anything but union representation and support. They can't imagine a career without the union representing them.
The unions still wield an incredible amount of power in California, even post-Janus. Most of the teachers don't know anything but union representation and support. They can't imagine a career without the union representing them.
The teachers have told personal stories that many find hard to argue
with: that too many students shouldn’t be crowded into classes, that schools
should have nurses on hand every day. And that has up to now trumped Beutner’s
grim financial diagnosis, even though it was largely endorsed by a county
oversight agency.
The Los Angeles County Office of Education has signaled that the fiscal problems in LAUSD are immense. If the district doesn't get a hold on its finances, the district will go insolvent and the county office will have to take over.
The Los Angeles County Office of Education has signaled that the fiscal problems in LAUSD are immense. If the district doesn't get a hold on its finances, the district will go insolvent and the county office will have to take over.
Now, some lawmakers Beutner met with less than a week ago have
scheduled a news conference Friday “in support of teachers and families to
demand that LAUSD negotiate fairly.”
As the L.A. teachers’ strike enters its fifth day and a new round of
negotiations begin, two realities are emerging: The tremendous enthusiasm over
the walkout and the toll its taking on the school system.
This report had gone out during the strike. Looking back three weeks later, the teachers didn't get concrete gains, but some promises. They are going to get pay increases retroactive to when the previous contract had ended. The district is already drowning in debt, but they have still agreed to higher salaries, more support staff, and a promise to deliver smaller class sizes and less testing.
Of course, promises are just words. Where's the action to back up these promises?
This report had gone out during the strike. Looking back three weeks later, the teachers didn't get concrete gains, but some promises. They are going to get pay increases retroactive to when the previous contract had ended. The district is already drowning in debt, but they have still agreed to higher salaries, more support staff, and a promise to deliver smaller class sizes and less testing.
Of course, promises are just words. Where's the action to back up these promises?
Inside campuses, skeleton crews of supervisors, subs and remaining
workers have herded students into large spaces, showing movies and plugging
students into online coursework. About two-thirds did not show up, even though
many working parents depend on schools to provide childcare and even meals.
To add financial insult to injury, the district lost hundreds of millions of dollars over the week of strikes.
To add financial insult to injury, the district lost hundreds of millions of dollars over the week of strikes.
The district estimates that each day of the strike is costing $10
million to $15 million, and Thursday’s student attendance was the lowest during
the strike.
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| Garcetti's Presidential Bid Has Gone Up in Flames |
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, whose possible entry into the 2020
presidential field has been challenged by the strike, is now trying to take a
leadership role in ending it.
His leadership role pretty much sunk his election chances. Plus the fact that Kamala Harris has more name recognition and national presence than a mayor for a large city. Garcetti never really had a chance to begin with.
His leadership role pretty much sunk his election chances. Plus the fact that Kamala Harris has more name recognition and national presence than a mayor for a large city. Garcetti never really had a chance to begin with.
This was evident Thursday when he hosted negotiating teams from the
school district and union at City Hall. They were the first talks in a week.
“The mayor asked and received commitment for both parties to stay at
the table until they reach an agreement,” said spokeswoman Andrea Garcia on
Thursday. “Mayor Garcetti has cleared his schedule and is in regular contact
with both parties and state leaders, including the governor.”
Let's not kid ourselves. Garcetti was hoping to get this strike out of the way as soon as possible. He was probably spending more time testing the waters with key special interests in Los Angeles and throughout the country to see what they had to say about his efforts as mayor. They probably gave him the by and large sense that they did not like his style or his substance.
I cannot recall the number of times people criticized Garcetti for giving into special interests and developers in the region. Some of his most vocal critics actually compared him to Donald Trump!
That was never going to help his bid for President. As the chief executive who ultimately had to balance budgets and provide public safety, he was alwasy going to run progressive activists the wrong way.
Let's not kid ourselves. Garcetti was hoping to get this strike out of the way as soon as possible. He was probably spending more time testing the waters with key special interests in Los Angeles and throughout the country to see what they had to say about his efforts as mayor. They probably gave him the by and large sense that they did not like his style or his substance.
I cannot recall the number of times people criticized Garcetti for giving into special interests and developers in the region. Some of his most vocal critics actually compared him to Donald Trump!
That was never going to help his bid for President. As the chief executive who ultimately had to balance budgets and provide public safety, he was alwasy going to run progressive activists the wrong way.
Given his possible presidential ambitions, the strike’s outcome needs
to be a win, and preferably a quick win. Garcetti had paid limited attention to
the nation’s second-largest school district until the labor unrest.
Gov. Gavin Newsom seemingly has much less at risk than Garcetti, but
he, too has been pulled into the fray.
Thanks to higher tax revenues, his new budget proposal for the state
delivers added funds that could contribute to a settlement. He also faces
pressure from a key ally — teachers unions — to do something to control charter
schools — either by increasing oversight over them or limiting their growth, or
both.
The higher revenues or a smokescreen. The wealth is fleeing California, and fast. There is no way that they can continue to spend so much money on pensions and benefits for teachers, administrators, and the rest of the bloated support staff.
The higher revenues or a smokescreen. The wealth is fleeing California, and fast. There is no way that they can continue to spend so much money on pensions and benefits for teachers, administrators, and the rest of the bloated support staff.
Politics around charters are tricky though; both unions and charter
supporters are powerful special interests.
United Teachers Los Angeles, whose power in L.A. schools had been
diminished by the rise of charter schools, seems to be on roll this week. But
that might not last.
It won't. If parents cannot get their kids to attend good schools in Los Angeles, they will just move out of the area, or out of the state entirely.
Parents know what is best of their children
It won't. If parents cannot get their kids to attend good schools in Los Angeles, they will just move out of the area, or out of the state entirely.
Parents know what is best of their children
The organizing momentum has energized members. That’s especially
important because a Supreme Court ruling last year made all union dues and fees
optional. And, at this point, members can look forward to a deal that meets or
exceeds reasonable expectations.
Union President Alex Caputo-Pearl has raised the expectations of his
members — and their animus toward Beutner — to a fever pitch. And yet a final
deal may look a lot like the district’s most recent offer in the key
particulars.
Peripheral elements could prove crucial — like a pilot program using
union-backed reforms. Tougher accountability for charter schools at the state
level also would be something the union could sell as a win.
The length of the strike also matters, as does the unknown depth of
public support. For Caputo-Pearl to win policy concessions on charters at the
state level, timing could be everything.
The superintendent came into office last May on a divided vote, and the
mixed loyalty is showing, too. Board President Monica Garcia has often been by
Beutner’s side at news conferences this week. Others on the board have been
less visible.
Board member George McKenna, who voted against hiring Beutner, called
this week for an immediate settlement — and he seemed to be talking to Beutner
more than to the union.
Scott Schmerelson, who also voted against Beutner, issued a statement
openly siding with teachers, saying he could no longer accept that board
members should present a united front.
Final Reflection
Final Reflection
I am not sure that there are winners in this debacle, ultimately. Teachers are still overwhelmed with classes that have so many students in them. There is no assurance that proper leevel sof support staff will be hired to help the teachers and the students.
What about the students, anyway? Will they learn? Will Johnny be able to read? The failure of government education has become too great for parents to tolerate long-term mediocrity. They demand the best for their students, and Los Angeles Unified is simply not delivering.
The teachers are still not paid enough, illegal aliens are straining the system to its breaking point, special interests are calling all the shots, and kids are learning to hate this country more than to honor and respect the greatness that made the United States what it is.
