By Anon2
This comment was posted today in response to earlier postings by Sandra Tsing Loh and Ellen Vukovich on to save L.A. public schools
I think everyone can agree that we would like to have the following, for free (or for our tax dollars and deductible charitable contributions), and within a short drive or walk of our houses:
1) strong academics
2) safe environment
Some would also like to have some diversity and less materialism and elitism, but others want the opposite on all three things (although few would admit that).
Regardless of exactly what we want, most would also prefer all of this was possible without much parental effort. That is, if we could get away with it we would like to free ride on the efforts of others, including parents of prior generations of students who established such a great school.
A few would like nothing better than be involved at a micro-manager level, often to the detriment of their kids and the regret of their kids' teachers and principals, but that's another story and they are the exception.
All Sandra's saying, if I'm reading her correctly (and all I'm saying if I'm not) is that she found this latter preference was impossible to achieve within the LAUSD.
The former goals, though, are not impossible in LAUSD if you are willing and able to get involved and if you do the work to investigate all of the options. For instance, you may not be zoned for Emerson, and it may not be a magnet, but you can still apply to and go to the SAS program as a permit kid because there is space. So, she (and I) have investigated and worked our way through the system and have found it is not as bad as it is described in the papers and by neighbors with distant recollections and it actually can be quite good (especially if you also want diversity and a lesser amount of materialism and elitism).
This comment was posted today in response to earlier postings by Sandra Tsing Loh and Ellen Vukovich on to save L.A. public schools
I think everyone can agree that we would like to have the following, for free (or for our tax dollars and deductible charitable contributions), and within a short drive or walk of our houses:
1) strong academics
2) safe environment
Some would also like to have some diversity and less materialism and elitism, but others want the opposite on all three things (although few would admit that).
Regardless of exactly what we want, most would also prefer all of this was possible without much parental effort. That is, if we could get away with it we would like to free ride on the efforts of others, including parents of prior generations of students who established such a great school.
A few would like nothing better than be involved at a micro-manager level, often to the detriment of their kids and the regret of their kids' teachers and principals, but that's another story and they are the exception.
All Sandra's saying, if I'm reading her correctly (and all I'm saying if I'm not) is that she found this latter preference was impossible to achieve within the LAUSD.
The former goals, though, are not impossible in LAUSD if you are willing and able to get involved and if you do the work to investigate all of the options. For instance, you may not be zoned for Emerson, and it may not be a magnet, but you can still apply to and go to the SAS program as a permit kid because there is space. So, she (and I) have investigated and worked our way through the system and have found it is not as bad as it is described in the papers and by neighbors with distant recollections and it actually can be quite good (especially if you also want diversity and a lesser amount of materialism and elitism).
When you declare defeat on the goals (at least the free or close-by
goals and you flee for private schools, just like when you retreat to
gated communities and hire private police forces from ADT, waiting for
the city to improve on its own, you will be disappointed.
Things won't improve magically and through other people's efforts.
Ellen Vukovich's original column was about exhorting people to get involved and come
back to be part of the solution, rather than fleeing to criticize the problem from on high.
This is a classic collective action problem. If we all came back to our neighborhood public schools in these great neighborhoods, they would be great almost overnight by most people's definitions (even though the curriculum wouldn't have changed one whit). It doesn't take that, though. It just takes people coming back who care. I think many would find out that they have been throwing $20-25,000/year down the drain.
Things won't improve magically and through other people's efforts.
Ellen Vukovich's original column was about exhorting people to get involved and come
back to be part of the solution, rather than fleeing to criticize the problem from on high.
This is a classic collective action problem. If we all came back to our neighborhood public schools in these great neighborhoods, they would be great almost overnight by most people's definitions (even though the curriculum wouldn't have changed one whit). It doesn't take that, though. It just takes people coming back who care. I think many would find out that they have been throwing $20-25,000/year down the drain.
Ron Kaye is the former editor of the Los Angeles Daily News where he spent 23 years helping to make the newspaper the voice of the San Fernando Valley and fighting for a city government that serves the people and not special interests.
Twice in recent years, Los Angeles Magazine listed Kaye among the city’s most influential people, specifically in the area of politics. Kaye has been variously described in the media as the “accidental anarchist,” “the Patrick Henry of the San Fernando Valley” and a “passionate populist.” He is now committed to
carrying on his crusade for a greater Los Angeles as an ordinary citizen. Previously, Ron worked at the Los Angeles Herald Examiner,
Associated Press, Cleveland Plain Dealer and The Australian as well as papers
in Fairbanks, Alaska and Yakima, Wash. He also wrote for Newsweek magazine, The Guardian in London and the National Enquirer.
Sorry, but the dialogue following Loh's article was leading to some real exchanges, while this is about as pedantic, judgmental and utterly naive and out of touch as Ellen Vukovich's original post.
"Anon2",
To put it bluntly, you and others (Ellen Yukovich) are beating a dead horse! I have lived in Westwood (Emerson district) for decades. Every single day I pass by the school, and my heart fills with sadness. On the surface, nothing seems to have changed over the years...the school is well maintained, the lawns are manicured, and the neighborhood is beautifully maintained and manicured.
But if I happen to be driving by at 3:05 in the afternoon as the doors open and the kids come streaming out...I am stopped in my tracks. Often times I will pull over to the curb and just wait...looking to see if there are any American-appearing kids in that student population. The answer is NO! Most of them are Mexican, a few Asians, and a few Blacks. I might have seen 2 or 3 White kids! It's a sea of BROWN!!!
Diversity??? My dear, this is not diversity...it's an entire colony of brown skinned people! Something like 85% of LAUSD is hispanic! You call that 'diversity'???? PULEEZE!
In short, we ALL...ALL races...prefer to be with our own! It's great to have a sprinkling of diversity, I agree wholeheartedly! But when diversity exceeds 10-15% in any one race, it's getting pretty close to 'critical mass'! And when it surpasses 'critical mass'...it's an invasion.
This is America...my country...your country! We speak English! We have a distinct culture! We are NOT multicultural, as some would like to have it! We are distinctly AMERICAN! Our children must NOT be forced to learn Spanish, as Mr. Obama suggested a few days ago! (Did that not send chills down the spine of every single red-blooded American?)
So...PLEASE...stop beating a dead horse. We are NOT going to throw our children into the clutches of the 'diversity' and 'multicultural' nuts who control LAUSD. Just leave us alone!!!
Anonyracist at 7:03: I think you meant to post that screed to letters@volkische.beobachter.com....
Godwin's law realized in just three comments! Outstanding!
Volischer Beobachter
City Council arch-liberal Bill Rosendahl, arguing for the gang intervention property tax, used as an example a kid called "Adam, a white boy" who was "thrust into Venice High school," and caught between the competing gang factions, "and didn't where to go in all that craziness," of gangs (brown and black and maybe Asian), so his family moved to Lancaster in the desert. (Where even Eastside Latinos and South L A blacks have been moving for similar reasons, by the way.)
So much for testimony of those who experience current LAUSD school culture as parents of white kids, all being hysterical right-wingwing wingnuts.
I saw the acclaimed movie "Freedom Writers" on cable last night -- same scenario. When idealistic teacher Hillary Swank is told by her principal and another teacher that the school used to be excellent until busing, she looks appalled at their racism and insists "That's why I'm here! Isn't it exciting!" But her classes bear out the problems these long-time educators lament, and the one white kid is apparently dealing drugs (when she asks all involved with drugs to step forward, as part of an opening-up game she invents, he's right there).
R:\
Update re: LAUSD Corruption: Please reference Online UTLA, Newspaper articles and local TV news: Daily News’ Jan. 22, 2006: Saga of Royromer.com Cyber War Ends with $360,000 Payoff by LAUSD. December 15, 2008: Principals’ Union attacks First Amendment rights. March 16, 2007: Challenging The “Culture of Reprisal, April 13, 2007: A safety crisis in LAUSD? Fight grows against toxic LAUSD schools, UTLA sues District over payroll problems, Daily Breeze’s April 21, 2007: Audit rips LAUSD management, Aug. 25th, 2006: Ch 11 Fox News. District Retaliation: LAUSD Transfer Union Activist at Crenshaw. CBS Ch 2 News: America’s Most Expensive School (Belmont High Scandal). (CBS) Ch2 News, David Goldstein's Exposes a Myriad of Abuses of Procurement Cards Being Used by LAUSD Officials. LA Times Opinion Nov. 29, 2007: LAUSD image problem: The school district needs to focus on teaching students, not hiring PR. Daily News’ Dec. 17, 2007: LAUSD Payroll Cheats Students, Enriches “Experts.” LAWeekly’s Dec. 26th, 2007: How Superintendent David Brewer Ran Aground. Daily News Feb. 12, 2008: LAUSD can’t find its own computers. LA Times Opinion Feb. 13, 2006: The clowns at LAUSD. LA Times’ Commentary March 17, 2008: Another Sign of LAUSD incompetence (an alleged molestation at a school is another example of weaknesses in L.A. Unified's management). LA Times Opinion May 14, 2008: Let down, again, by LAUSD (Protecting an alleged child molester won’t get you fired from LA Unified, but supporting a charter school will). *Daily News’ May 9, 2008 LAUSD Parents grill experts on lead levels at Woodlake Elementary
*KNBC Ch 4 News televised the latter story however the LAUSD hired doctor was heard giving televised testimony that several typical foods also supposedly contain lead in order to minimize the concern of parents –re: their children consuming lead tainted water. KNBC had the stated foods tested at a lab and none of the said foods contained any lead. Therefore, the LAUSD “expert” falsely testified about said foods in order to minimize the dangers of LAUSD students drinking contaminated water.
LA Times’ May 21, 2008: Police Officer Files Claim Against LAUSD
Luis Barraza Alleges He Was Punished For Reporting Alleged Sexual Abuse
LA Times’ June 3, 2008: Ex-Locke High principal accuses L.A. district of illegally firing him (Frank Wells’ lawsuit says he lost his job because of comments he made supporting the transfer of the troubled campus to a charter school)
LA Times’ June 13, 2008: The principal of Del Rey Continuation School in Los Angeles was arrested today on suspicion of possession of child pornography on his personal computer, police said.