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Monday, November 15, 2010

UTLA Circles the Wagons, Shoots Self in Foot

Louis Pugliese


Even though teacher and "School Wars" peacemaker Louis Pugliese is a strong favorite for the LAUSD School Board Race for district 3 in March, it appears that the teacher's union, UTLA, may be backing off from an expected endorsement of him in favor of their own insider Heather Kolodny, who pulled papers late Friday. As usual, a bad political move for the UTLA, which has made one poor choice after another in their school board endorsements.

In 2006 their support of insider Chris Arellano, who later dropped out of the race in disgrace, opened the door for Monica Garcia's election and the Villaraigosa "takeover." Then in 2007, they unsuccessfully backed terminally ill incumbent Jon Lauritzen, and in 2009, they again snubbed former member and teacher Pugliese, in favor of the now-reviled Nury Martinez, who even with the Mayor's and Union's backing barely won by 500 votes.

A lingering question is whether they offered a deal to Pugliese and how he responded.  In any case, this move is sure to be seen as more of the same self-destructive "us against them" bravado that keeps UTLA from making any progress against the tide of anti-union sentiment.

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6 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said:

what's up with the pic?

November 15, 2010 7:59 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Typical. All these guys want to do is fight. Somebody needs to blow the whistle and send Ben Austin and AJ Duffy to the time-out bench- Pugliese is just the guy. After all, didn't he teach second-graders for years?

November 15, 2010 8:08 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

At the end UTLA will be backing Tamar, all these other candidates are just pawns in their game.

November 15, 2010 12:01 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

The union endorsement could be the kiss of death in the west valley- unless they throw it to a consensus candidate like Louis. Nobody can accuse him of pandering to anyone.

November 15, 2010 12:27 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Heather Kolodny? When was the last time UTLA and labor endorsed a Republican in Los Angeles?

November 16, 2010 1:26 PM  

Anonymous g said:

LOUIS WOULD BE A GREAT CHOICE WE NEED PEOPLE THAT CARE ABOUT SCHOOLS AND KIDS. I HOPE HE WINS!!!

November 16, 2010 1:56 PM  

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