ODE TO MR. DOOFY, PRESIDENT OF UTLA

Recently, a voting majority of classroom teachers rejected AB 1381 and the UTLA leadership that resuscitated it. UTLA members know that without Mr. Duffy’s intervention, 1381 would have died a well-deserved death upon its introduction, as almost none of the legislature was biting. I commend rank and file teachers for clarifying, ONCE FINALLY ASKED, that when Duffy, the Mayor and their spin teams say that classroom teachers support AB 1381, they are taking serious liberties with the truth.

In a move belying his profound political incompetence and his acute myopia, Duffy gave away the store for a promissory note. Here is a short rundown of the great giveaway:

TRANSPARENCY: A long time complaint of UTLA was that it couldn’t get access to information, despite the Brown Act and open meeting process. Well, thanks to Duffy et al, under 1381, the business affairs of the district will be kept far away from teachers and the public. In pushing 1381, UTLA leadership has sanctioned giving the Superintendent, their so often demonized adversary, full control over all facilities deals, business contracts and personnel decisions, removing such processes from public view.

DEMOCRATIC PROCESS: In not seeking the input of his members prior to cutting a deal with the Mayor, Duffy ignored the democratic values fundamental to the concept of union leadership representing their rank and file. Moreover, the legislative and electoral processes—the fundamental institutions of our democracy—were subverted by transferring the lion share of the elected Board’s fiduciary authority to an unelected Superintendent. Finally, 1381 was never put before the voters of LAUSD itself, despite public outcry. On all three counts, this can only be seen as the political regression it is. More power at the top in the hands of the executive, both in labor and in government.

ACCOUNTABILITY: By supporting legislation that holds the City of LA and its agents harmless for their intervention in schools, Duffy is supporting the use of LAUSD’s general fund as an insurance policy to cover the likely foibles of any such ill-conceived plan. As the district is self-insured, whatever liabilities and costs result from the Mayor and the City’s role in education will be taken directly from school funding.

A UNION SYMPATHETIC BOARD: The current Board of Education is one of the most labor-sympathetic Boards in years. UTLA itself spent much treasure to support the election of that Board majority. In removing their powers and placing them in the hands of an unknown future Superintendent, Duffy has rewarded labor’s historic nemesis and defanged one of its most significant allies.

So, what did Mr. Duffy get in exchange for transparency, democracy, accountability and support? Well, popular belief has it that Duffy was promised a 9 - 14 % pay raise for his members, which is not only financially implausible in a district with 42000 teachers, but something the Mayor cannot deliver. This is because the Mayor, his lawyer Saenz, and the Speaker were smart enough to leave one of the most important and most onerous powers in the hands of the Board—that of collective bargaining. This way, the Board can take the hit when the huge raise labor anticipates never materializes.

Originally, 1381 was written to enable teachers to be the main decision makers on school curriculum, with local control over curriculum vested at each school site. Within the revision process of 1381, this feather was rapidly written out of Duffy’s cap, never to be returned. This, along with the pay raise, are thought to be the two principle rationales for entering into the deal in the first place.

So Mr. Duffy, what have you got? You have given away the cornerstones of our public education system, alienated a Board that had fought for your members, and angered the majority of the teaching community. You owe classroom teachers, the students of LAUSD, and the countless other educators and school employees that work daily to serve them, as well as the residents of LA who entrust the likes of you and the Mayor to serve the people’s needs first over your own ambitions, A BIG APOLOGY. Maybe “Which Way LA?” would be a good platform for this long overdue mea culpa. Who knows, perhaps then you might be able to reasonably entertain a second term?