Outsiderophobia

By Larry Sand
03/12/2013
A mental disorder has come to California, but for the afflicted — mostly teacher union types — it manifests itself in a partisan way. Voters were not swayed by outsiders and their millions…The public wants Board members who will listen to the community—not be beholden to their billionaire benefactors. So harrumphed an indignant and self-righteous...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, Anthony Cody, Diane Ravitch, Larry Sand, Michael Bloomberg, Mike Antonucci, National Education Association, teachers union, United Teachers of Los Angeles, Warren Fletcher

School Board Wars

By Larry Sand
02/19/2013
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg donates $1 million to reform candidates in Los Angeles school board race. School boards are powerful entities. Within the confines of state law, they typically adopt budgets, collectively bargain with the local teachers union, monitor student achievement and pick the local school superintendent. In California, there are more than...

TAGS: Alexander Russo, American Federation of Teachers, California Teachers Association, Dennis Van Roekel, John Deasy, Joy Resmovits, Larry Sand, Michael Bloomberg, Mike Antonucci, Mike Petrilli, National Education Association, school board, teachers union, United Teachers of Los Angeles

Got Glue?

By Larry Sand
01/29/2013
Restoring civic attachment and mainstreaming revolution. Back in 2010, the American Enterprise Institute launched “The Program on American Citizenship,” a worthy project that is dedicated to strengthening the foundations of American freedom and self-government by renewing our understanding of American citizenship. The ultimate goal of the Program is to deepen Americans’ appreciation for and attachment...

TAGS: American Enterprise Institute, Bill Ayers, International Socialist Organization, United Teachers of Los Angeles

Gaming the Los Angeles Teachers’ Contract

By Larry Sand
09/27/2011
Useless teacher “professional development” classes cost California taxpayers billions in increased salaries and pensions. On June 14th, my blog, “You Don’t Need a Weatherman to Know Which Way the Union Wind Blows,” addressed the “Teacher Quality Roadmap: Improving Policies and Practices in LAUSD,” a 58 page report commissioned by United Way and several civil rights’...

TAGS: Los Angeles Unified School District, United Teachers of Los Angeles

Former Union Boss to Become Charter School Operator

By Larry Sand
09/06/2011
Once a rabid anti-reformer, termed out United Teachers of Los Angeles President A.J. Duffy has become a union apostate…maybe. On September 1st, Los Angeles Times writer Howard Blume wrote what at first glance appeared to be satire. He reported that A.J. Duffy is starting his own charter school. For those of you who live a...

TAGS: A.J. Duffy, California Teachers Association, Charter schools, Los Angeles Unfied School District, tenure, United Teachers of Los Angeles

Teachers Unions Happy to Say Goodbye to August

By Larry Sand
08/30/2011
The Dog Days of summer are making teachers unions sweat as they get caught being, well, teachers unions. August has been a bad month for teachers unions. And looking at things objectively, it would appear that every one of their hot flashes has been well deserved. In no particular order: The SOS March was a...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, SOS March, teachers unions, United Federation of Teachers, United Teachers of Los Angeles

You Don’t Need a Weatherman to Know Which Way the Union Wind Blows

By Larry Sand
06/14/2011
Twenty years of schooling in Los Angeles and you’re lucky if you can get any job, let alone one on the day shift. Bob Dylan penned the words in the headline (sans the union part) almost a half century ago but having been quoted by many, they live on. The latest example of the lyrics’...

TAGS: A.J. Duffy, Bill Gates, California Teachers Association, National Council on Teacher Quality, United Teachers of Los Angeles

CTA Desperation Days in Progress

By Larry Sand
05/12/2011
Cindy Sheehan, Code Pink and a band of fringe groups have joined the California Teachers Association protest in Sacramento. We are now in the midst of California Teachers Association’s desperation week or as they are calling it “state of emergency.” At the crux of the issue is that Governor Jerry Brown will unveil his revised...

TAGS: California Teachers Association, United Teachers of Los Angeles

The Intersection of U Street and Main Street Does Not Exist

By Larry Sand
04/26/2011
The teachers unions’ radical agenda alienates them from the American mainstream. As I mentioned in last week’s post, during the week of May 9th, the California Teachers Association and many local unions, like the United Teachers of Los Angeles, will be taking to the streets in an attempt to convince legislators and citizens that cuts...

TAGS: California Federation of Teachers, California Teachers Association, teachers unions, United Teachers of Los Angeles