Letter -- David Wilcox

As the old cliche goes, “the silence has been deafening” in La Canada

regarding Assembly Bill 2160. This bill would take decisions on a wide

variety of issues, such as curriculum, textbooks and standards, from

elected school officials and make them part of the collective bargaining

process. Instead of being open to the public, these issues would be

decided behind closed doors by people who are unaccountable to the

public, namely union negotiators.

Leading newspapers from San Diego to Sacramento, including locals like

the Daily News of Los Angeles, Pasadena Star News and San Marino Tribune,

have written editorials strongly opposing AB 2160. But the La Canada

newspapers have reported next to nothing.

School boards from every corner of the state, including local

districts like Los Angeles, Pasadena and San Marino, have issued

statements affirming their opposition to AB 2160. But the La Canada

school board has taken a very low profile.

Virtually all Republican Assembly members and a few Democrats strongly

oppose AB 2160. But La Canada’s own Carol Liu, a Democratic member of the

Education Committee that will soon vote on this bill, refuses to take a

stand.

Are La Canadans now so apathetic that even something that threatens

our schools isn’t worth paying attention to? Is everyone in our city

afraid to put former teachers’ union president Carol Liu in an

uncomfortable position? If the answer is yes, then shame on us!

DAVID C. WILCOX

La Canada Flintridge