On September 9, dozens of educators from multiple Alliance schools gathered with Alliance parents, students, community allies, LAUSD school board members, and fellow educators at Citizens of the World charter schools to discuss the issues facing charter educators and the renewed fight to win fair contracts at Alliance. Taquitos and aguas frescas were enjoyed in the packed Mercado La Paloma Community room with standing room only. 

Educators shared their experiences with larger class sizes, inadequate planning time, and a top-down one-size fits all curriculum at Alliance.

“Alliance needs to live up to its promises to parents and students and allow educators the time and space we need to ensure student success and avoid burnout.” – Edgar Hernandez, Bargaining Team at Alliance Burton Tech. 

Parents shared their support for educators, acknowledging the role educators play in their children’s lives. 

“I came today to support the teachers; I know teaching is a hard job. Teachers sometimes spend more time with my kids than I can. It’s very important to me that my children’s educators are treated with respect.” said a parent of a student at Gertz Merkin 

Instead of gathering at the Alliance board meeting last night and asking to be heard fairly, as they have for years, they gathered to inspire and support each other.  

“I believe that school staff – teachers, counselors, instructional aides – can make the most informed decisions about how to give their students the best education possible. We’re organizing to get the structural changes we NEED to serve our students effectively, without burning out, for years and years to come.” – Carolyn Scott, Bargaining Team member at Alliance McKinzie 

PERB recently handed down a decision that Alliance’s board broke the law in 2025 when it failed to bargain in good faith. Currently, the board appoints its own replacements, and school sites, educators, and parents have no say in who sits on the governing board of Alliance.