Lines of Communication Are Opening in School Crisis

Recent actions by the Los Angeles Unified School District majority endanger needed reforms in the nation’s second-largest public school system. Stripping Supt. Ruben Zacarias of his powers in favor of new “CEO” Howard Miller--without proper notice or community input--has dramatically eroded the trust of parents in the new majority’s leadership. Politically tone deaf, the board majority seems stunned by the parents’ response, which includes protest rallies and press conferences.

Latino leaders, vested by the fact that 70% of LAUSD students are Latino, are reaching out to other communities hoping to persuade the board majority and their backers to step back from the abyss.

Latino opposition to the board majority’s actions is based on preserving public participation in the LAUSD reform process and preventing disastrous precedent with regard to the superintendency.

Make no mistake. Turning around the LAUSD will take the confidence and active participation of the entire community.

For that reason the Latino leaders-parents coalition demands that the illegal resolution that stripped Zacarias of his powers be rescinded. Return Miller to his original job--managing the construction of much-needed new schools. Give Zacarias the legitimate evaluation he merits.

Going forward, the board majority must provide for an inclusive and open process that includes community input that meets not just the letter of the law, but the spirit of the law as well.

Taking these steps will restore integrity to the process.

Over the past week, these principles for resolving the crisis of confidence have been communicated to the board majority and their backers. Sadly, the response of too many has been to justify their actions with the genuine need for reform at the LAUSD, proposing to pass the same resolution, this time following legal guidelines. This is an insincere act.

The LAUSD is out of control due to a generation of neglect and a culture of decision by bureaucratic fiat that excluded community participation and accountability. The board majority’s action was more of the same. Doing it legally the second time around begs the larger challenge of partnership with the community. The path forward lies in tying enhanced participation of the community to the reform process. Divorcing process from substance is a recipe for failure.

Despite the intransigent attitude of many, there is still time to resolve the crisis at the LAUSD.

At the end of the week, hints of conciliation appeared. The lines of communication are beginning to open. Ultimately, Los Angeles’ power centers must reevaluate their corporate notions of government. The LAUSD is not a corporation. Effective government requires building consensus among constituents.

It has been said recently that Los Angeles’ many communities don’t talk to one another, and when they do, they don’t speak the same language. It is time to find a way to talk and understand each other. The Latino leaders-parents coalition message is clear. Put the genie back in the bottle and work together to fix the schools. The students of the LAUSD deserve no less.