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Thursday, October 7, 2010

L.A. mayor: Unions will not stop school reform moves - LA Daily News

L.A. mayor: Unions will not stop school reform moves - LA Daily News

L.A. mayor: Unions will not stop school reform moves

By Christina Hoag, Associated Press Writer
Updated: 10/07/2010 02:00:17 PM PDT

A sweeping overhaul of seniority-based teacher layoffs and other reforms in the nation's second-largest school district will continue despite teachers union opposition, city and school officials said Thursday.

"There's not an anti-union bone in my body. I'll continue to reach out to them, I want to work with them," said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a former labor organizer. "But with or without them, we're moving ahead."

Villaraigosa's remarks came a day after United Teachers Los Angeles said it would challenge a proposal to do away with the seniority-based teacher layoff system under the terms of a court settlement.

The agreement would shield 45 low-performing schools from layoffs and cap layoffs at other schools at the district average. It also calls for an incentive plan to attract and retain teachers and principals at these schools.

USC becomes home to world's largest gay research collection

Daily News Wire Services
Updated: 10/07/2010 01:53:58 PM PDT

USC has taken possession of what is billed as the world's largest research collection related to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, the school announced today.

The ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives includes pioneering magazines, papers of activists and entertainers, and other materials, with a focus on Los Angeles.

"The USC Libraries will make the ONE Archives collection accessible to future generations of students, scholars and researchers at USC and around the world," said Catherine Quinlan, dean of the USC Libraries.

"The collection will support teaching and research in history, gender studies, anthropology, literary studies and so many other disciplines," she said. "I thank the ONE Archives board of directors for their confidence in the