Villaraigosa’s Request for a State Audit of L.A. Unified Prompts a Rebuke From Romer

Los Angeles schools chief Roy Romer fired off a stern rebuttal to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s call for a state audit Wednesday, saying that he and the Board of Education welcome the review but reject the mayor’s continued attacks on the school district.

At a news conference, Villaraigosa and several mayors from surrounding cities also served by the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation’s second-largest, signed a letter to state legislators asking for a review of student achievement.

Within hours, Romer released a statement saying: “Our successes in improving instruction and student test scores in the last six years speak for themselves.”

Romer, who took over L.A. Unified in 2000, reiterated frustration with Villaraigosa’s continued criticism in the campaign to take control of the district.

“I am extremely disappointed that Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa continues to characterize the LAUSD and its students as failures,” Romer wrote.

“It’s not only incorrect, it is demoralizing for the hundreds of thousands of children, teachers and parents who are making progress,” he wrote.

Janelle Erickson, a spokeswoman for the mayor, defended Villaraigosa’s comments.

“Mayor Villaraigosa has made it clear that the problem is not our children and teachers, it’s a bureaucratic district that prevents teachers from teaching and doesn’t give our children the education they need and deserve,” she said.