Teacher protests in L.A.

Teachers sit in the middle of Beaudry Avenue in front of Los Angeles Unified headquarters just west of the 110 Freeway, with the downtown skyline as a backdrop.  (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

As police move in to arrest them, teachers sit on Beaudry Avenue.  (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

A. J. Duffy, president of United Teachers Los Angeles, is taken into custody amid the union protest outside Los Angeles Unified School DIstrict headquarters.  (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

A teacher is taken into custody after joining fellow union members in a protest outside school district headquarters.  (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

People inside L.A. Unified headquarters watch as protesting teachers are arrested.  (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Venice High School teachers demonstrate with signs and slogans before school. More than 200 students skipped morning classes in support of the teachers.  (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

The Venice High School students came prepared with posters in support of teachers.  (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Venice High School teacher Wendy Korn Beck prepares her sign before demonstrating with other teachers and students. The action was part of a protest against budget cuts that could include thousands of layoffs.  (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Along with teachers at Venice High, thousands of other teachers throughout Los Angeles called in sick and hundreds of high school students walked out of classrooms to protest the budget cutbacks at Los Angeles Unified District, the nation’s second-largest school district.  (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Venice High student Josh Perez, 15, right, slaps a sticker on his skateboard in support of teachers.  (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Venice High School seniors Kristina Mahagamage, 17, left, and Amanda Jacobson, right, 18, skip morning classes to demonstrate.  (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

San Pedro High School journalism and English instructor Steve Gebhart gathered with other teachers to protest proposed layoffs and increases in class sizes.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)