Alex Caputo-Pearl: Why LA Teachers May Be Forced to Strike
Alex Caputo-Pearl is president of the United Teachers of Los Angeles. He explains why teachers may strike.
He writes:
Teachers in Los Angeles may be forced to strike on Jan. 10.
The Los Angeles Unified School District has a record-breaking reserve of nearly $2 billion that should be spent on its resource-starved students. Yet Supt. Austin Beutner, a multimillionaire with experience in corporate downsizing but none in education, argues that the reserve is already accounted for in future spending, and that cuts should be made. He simultaneously refuses to talk about charter school regulations, calling the issue a “shiny ball” that distracts from the real issues.
District officials have cast the impasse as a funding problem. But at its heart, the standoff between L.A. Unified and United Teachers Los Angeles is a struggle over the future of public education.
Consider the conditions within the district. Class sizes often exceed 45 students in secondary schools; 35 students in upper elementary grades; and 25 students in lower elementary grades.
The district does not have nearly enough counselors, psychologists or librarians to give students the support they need, and 80% of schools CONTINUE READING: Alex Caputo-Pearl: Why LA Teachers May Be Forced to Strike | Diane Ravitch's blog
