Village
Drummer Newsletter
2006 - 2007
The New Education Debate
By Luis South
What do we have to do to improve public
schools? That question has been asked so many times over the
past 100 years that it seems as if America has run out of
ideas. What has actually happened is that the questioning
was always focused on how to control students and teachers.
In other words the focus of identifying problems in American
education has always been a matter of changing things
affecting student learning (environment, textbooks, etc.)
and things affecting how teachers work (materials,
methodology, etc.). So teachers and students have gone
through a lot of changes over the decades.
One consideration that has rarely ever been
mentioned in the effort to improve public school education
is administration. There is a developing school of
thought that administration is the key thing to begin
reforming and that will lead us to improving public schools
sooner. The cat’s out of the bag; it’s no longer a secret.
It is now important to move the discussion
about education in Los Angeles from the idea that the new
pending law, AB 1381, is about a politician’s power grab.
The reality we must all face is that the new school year is
about to begin. Regardless of what the politicians are up to
we should be resigned to make our neighborhood schools work
well for the students who expect the best from us. That’s
all that counts. Governance of Los Angeles Unified School
District is now the focus. The way the school district is
run has to undergo some new progressive changes. A
few thousand years ago someone wrote, “...all things must
change, nothing remains the same.” L.A.U.S.D has
avoided that inevitability. American urban education school
systems are typically as guilty. The victims (students and
families) can never be the problem. It is the responsibility
of educated professionals and others who care to make
schools work well. We are now living in a time when there
will be more questioning and wider sharing of how public
school leadership moves to provide quality education for our
students. This is not just about Los Angeles. Other cities
around the state want the opportunity that we now have.
Your ideas matter.
Education Laws Needed
By Luis South
To show how important it is for residents of
Jefferson Park to be involved in the democratic process. I
recently sent out a nine page document to our elected
officials. The intent was to get their support for a few
basic ideas:
1) Protecting the right of all
public school educators to report deficiencies in
schools
2) Strengthen the internal auditor
position so that there is no room for evading
accountability
3) California law cannot tolerate
abusive work environments in schools.
In order to make our upcoming public forums
most interesting please read this legislation now on the
internet:
http://www.educounselor.com/cur_legislation.htm
On the Corner
By Luis South
Thanks to the Area 6 residents from Jf. Park
who came to the last United Neighborhoods Neighborhood
Council meeting. The residents from Area 6 accounted for
more than 50% of the total participants attending the that
meeting. That’s an important point because it was clear that
we are concerned about the development of Western Ave.
between 30th and 31st Street. Herb Wesson came through to
share some of his humor and tell of progressive developments
in the 10th District.
Since the meeting we have continued
communicating to find out Mr. Wesson has a close
relationship with the new owner of the property. We will
bring this issue to our next meeting.
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