Anyone who wonders why a school district can't dismiss a teacher accused of molesting kids might want to direct that question to the California Teachers Association. Or ask the California Federation of Teachers, or United Teachers Los Angeles, or the handful of cowardly legislators who let Senate Bill 1530 die last week in committee.
That bill, by Pacoima Democrat Alex Padilla, would have made it easier to fire teachers who have been accused of particularly egregious crimes -- such as sex, violence or drug offenses involving children -- by changing current rules that make this ridiculously cumbersome. Teachers like Mark Berndt, of Miramonte Elementary School, who was charged this year with 23 counts of lewd acts with a child -- behavior that had reportedly been going on for decades.
It seemed like a no-brainer, especially since the bill had passed the state Senate with bipartisan support. An array of school officials and education supporters traveled to Sacramento on Wednesday to lend their support, including a representative of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Monica Garcia, president of Los Angeles Unified School District's Board of Education. They praised the bill for protecting due process but gave school officials a tool to oust abusing teachers. Garcia said current law ties the hands of school officials, and this bill would change "law in California to be very clear that children must be protected."
But the debate in the Assembly Education Committee took on an ominous tone when the opposition -- teachers union officials and a busload of local teachers -- took the floor. They said there already are sufficient rules to protect children, that the bill lacks due process, and that the bill was meant to give cover to the LAUSD officials who are to blame for the recent Miramonte scandal. Someone even called it un-American.
It's hard to overestimate the power that the CTA has in Sacramento. The group is one of the largest political donors in the state, and when the group stands up against legislation, it usually dies or has a very hard road to success.
Credit goes to the Assembly members who ignored the scare tactics and voted for the bill: committee Chairwoman Julia Brownley, a Santa Monica Democrat, and Republicans Shannon Grove of Bakersfield, Linda Halderman of Fresno, Chris Norby of Fullerton and Donald Wagner of Irvine.
And shame on the Democrats who either voted no -- Tom Ammiano of San Francisco and Joan Buchanan of Alamo -- or abstained -- Mike Eng of Monterey Park and Das Williams of Santa Barbara.
Padilla said last week that he hasn't given up hope on this bill. Although the committee is not scheduled to meet again this legislative session, it could do so if there were sufficient pressure to reopen debate and hold another vote on this important bill, he said. We urge lawmakers across the state to counter the pressure of the teachers unions and pass this important bill before one more student is harmed.
http://www.dailybreeze.com/opinions...chers-unions-should-be-ashamed-powerful-lobby
That bill, by Pacoima Democrat Alex Padilla, would have made it easier to fire teachers who have been accused of particularly egregious crimes -- such as sex, violence or drug offenses involving children -- by changing current rules that make this ridiculously cumbersome. Teachers like Mark Berndt, of Miramonte Elementary School, who was charged this year with 23 counts of lewd acts with a child -- behavior that had reportedly been going on for decades.
It seemed like a no-brainer, especially since the bill had passed the state Senate with bipartisan support. An array of school officials and education supporters traveled to Sacramento on Wednesday to lend their support, including a representative of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Monica Garcia, president of Los Angeles Unified School District's Board of Education. They praised the bill for protecting due process but gave school officials a tool to oust abusing teachers. Garcia said current law ties the hands of school officials, and this bill would change "law in California to be very clear that children must be protected."
But the debate in the Assembly Education Committee took on an ominous tone when the opposition -- teachers union officials and a busload of local teachers -- took the floor. They said there already are sufficient rules to protect children, that the bill lacks due process, and that the bill was meant to give cover to the LAUSD officials who are to blame for the recent Miramonte scandal. Someone even called it un-American.
It's hard to overestimate the power that the CTA has in Sacramento. The group is one of the largest political donors in the state, and when the group stands up against legislation, it usually dies or has a very hard road to success.
Credit goes to the Assembly members who ignored the scare tactics and voted for the bill: committee Chairwoman Julia Brownley, a Santa Monica Democrat, and Republicans Shannon Grove of Bakersfield, Linda Halderman of Fresno, Chris Norby of Fullerton and Donald Wagner of Irvine.
And shame on the Democrats who either voted no -- Tom Ammiano of San Francisco and Joan Buchanan of Alamo -- or abstained -- Mike Eng of Monterey Park and Das Williams of Santa Barbara.
Padilla said last week that he hasn't given up hope on this bill. Although the committee is not scheduled to meet again this legislative session, it could do so if there were sufficient pressure to reopen debate and hold another vote on this important bill, he said. We urge lawmakers across the state to counter the pressure of the teachers unions and pass this important bill before one more student is harmed.
http://www.dailybreeze.com/opinions...chers-unions-should-be-ashamed-powerful-lobby
