President's Perspective

November 2009: It’s no secret that UTLA was against the Public School Choice motion from the get go. It’s unconscionable that the majority of the School Board—who were elected to help our schools— wants to simply hand them over to outside interests.

Few things in the history of LAUSD have the potential to change public education more than this motion and how we respond to the challenges it presents. We will fight for each and every school, and no site stands alone. We’re fighting for our core principles—that public education means neighborhood schools, with doors open to all, where teachers and parents have a stronger voice in what goes on. We’re fighting for our students, who deserve school change plans developed by the people who know them best. We’re fighting for our profession, where teachers are treated like professionals and not temporary employees who cycle through a revolving door, spending four or so years in a charter before moving on to another career.  (Read more) »

October 2009: It might be possible that some of you—focused so intently on grading papers and planning lessons—haven’t heard about the so-called Public School Choice motion that was passed by the School Board in August. We call it the Public School Giveaway motion, because that’s what it could do—it opens the door for outside operators to bid to run a number of new and PI 3+ schools. But even if you are familiar with the plan, with all the uncertainty in the air there is fuzziness about what’s going on.

Here are some truths about the motion and school change. (Read more) »

From the state of the union speech delivered on August 21 at the UTLA Leadership Conference.

August 2009: What a year we've had. I am happy to see all of you here tonight, but we know that this is not a trouble-free time for our union and our profession.

This year we were hit hard by the worldwide economic crisis. Too many of our colleagues are gone. Class sizes are going up dramatically, and there will be far fewer resources for your classrooms and school sites. Although our jobs have been made much more difficult, it is our students who will feel the most pain. (Read more) »

July 2009: Hey, folks, I gave it a try. I agreed to have lunch with L.A. Times columnist Steve Lopez in an effort to get out our side of the story, even though the Times is always hell-bent on slamming teachers and our union.

I knew that a two-hour lunch would not be enough time to discuss all the complexities of teaching with a reporter who's never taught in an urban public school classroom. But I gave it a try anyways, because I-like so many of you-am tired of the one-sided education editorials in the Times.  (Read more) »

June 2009 - May 15, the day of UTLA's civil disobedience, I was no longer UTLA President A.J. Duffy-I became Prisoner Number 10. Along with two other UTLA officers-Joshua Pechthalt and Betty Forrester-and 36 other UTLA members, we took a defiant stand that day, and we were willing to be arrested to  (Read more) »

May 2009: I sense a new spirit in UTLA.  Sometimes, disasters bring out the worst in people, but I think this current fight against the layoffs has brought out the best.  (Read more) »

April 2009 - 4,000 jobs still on the line. 4,000 teachers and health and human services professionals heading home each night to make dinner, take care of the kids, correct papers, try their best to get a full night's sleep-all the while worrying: Will I have a job next year? It doesn't have to be this way.  (Read more) »

March 2009 - On March 10 at 1 p.m., more than 50 UTLA members and parents, accompanied by officers and staff, entered the Board Room at LAUSD. There was no secret as to what we were about to do.  (Read more) »

February 2009 - We did it. Together, we fought back some of the most extreme health care cuts LAUSD has ever pushed.  (Read more) »

January 2009 -  In these difficult times, we would do well to remember UTLA's great story of struggle and success.  (Read more) »