After years of community complaints about the lack of progress at East and Northeast Los Angeles area schools, Luther Burbank, Lincoln High School and Garfield High School, we must admit we were more than a little surprised at the overwhelming support given to proposals submitted by teachers and principals from these very same schools during last week’s Public School Choice advisory vote.
The tactics used by some LAUSD teachers and staff were disappointing, particularly given the fact that they already had substantially greater access to the students because they are school employees at the campuses in question.
We had hoped that these elections would be a model of comportment that would allow all students, parents and community stakeholders to cast their vote in an orderly and democratic atmosphere.
It is our hope that if teachers’ panels gain control of these schools, they can produce better results in student achievement and graduation rates than they have for past generations of students. No longer will they be able to point all the blame for a lack of success back to LAUSD administrators and its multi-layers of bureaucracy, or at the School Board. If selected, they will be responsible, and we must all hope for their success. In fact, no matter which groups are ultimately chosen to educate our children, we should all root for their success. It is in all our best interest to do so.
Now, moving forward, we really hope to see a return to civility among all the parties involved, something that was sorely missing during last week’s vote. If everyone truly means what they have been saying, that “its for the students,” we will all wine. But a victory at any cost is the wrong lesson to give our children.
Posted - Copyright © 2022 Eastern Group Publications, Inc.
1 Comment
As a community partner of the LAUSD proposal at Esteban Torres HS, I agree with the assessment that regardlless of the group selected, the bureacracy excuse should be taken out of the book.
Whatever group is chosen MUST take this as more than a job. But then, for many teachers education is rarely just a “job.”
Having grown up in East L.A. and educated in the LAUSD system I know first hand that there is no lack of commitment among the cadre of educators. This opportunity will provide what the teachers have been asking for: true accountability.
While I understand the advantages of depth in organizational charts, I am a believer in flat organizations. Weaknesses are much easier to identify and accountabilty is much easier to reliably assign.
Regardless of the outcome, my message to the new administration is “the easy part of over…you got what you wanted…now go do what you said you would do and forget about making excuses because no one cares.”
The community is behind you.
Jesse Torres
President and CEO
Pan American Bank
3626 East First Street
East Los Angeles, CA 90063
(323) 264-3310
“California’s Oldest Latino-Owned Bank”