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.