Trust Is in Short Supply : Van de Kamp panel seeks to defuse growing teacher, school official enmity

LEARN, a business-civic organization dedicated to improving public education, has suddenly stepped in as a broker in an effort to reduce fast-growing tension between teachers and school officials. It may just be that the new Special Independent Commission that LEARN has organized is the best and perhaps last hope of avoiding a destructive strike by teachers.

Los Angeles has certainly had more than its share of independent commissions in the last year. But it’s obvious that the district and United Teachers-Los Angeles could use a helping hand to resolve their mounting enmity over proposed deep salary cuts.

School officials slashed $400 million from the district’s $3.9-billion budget, well over half of which is slated to come from employee pay and benefits. The district wants teachers to take a pay cut of 8%, continue the 3% reduction imposed last year and give up 6% more in unpaid days off. Not surprisingly, the relationship between the union and district officials has soured, with UTLA President Helen Bernstein calling for the ouster of Supt. Bill Anton. Trust is in short supply.

The commission, headed by former state Atty. Gen. John Van de Kamp and aided by top accountants, plans to conduct an examination of just what the financial status of the district is. As it is now, the district and the union cannot agree on how to remedy the problem--in part because they don’t agree on even the most basic financial facts.

That’s where the commission can help. The commission should be able to act as a neutral party that can objectively assess the financial problems of the district and compare Los Angeles to other public school districts, all of which are suffering because of the state budget crisis. There may be something Los Angeles can learn from other districts.

Perhaps the best part about the formation of the commission is the quick turn-around. The initial report will be filed with the Board of Education and made public by Sept. 15.

When the commission has completed its task, let’s hope the district and the teachers can heed Van de Kamp’s words of Friday: “Please remember who the schools are for. It’s not the kids who screwed things up.” Amen.