Abolishing the LAUSD (Los Angeles: buying, private schools, minimum wage)

[RPV2NC]

This reminds me of the recent movie, Freedom Writers. The teacher was successful only because she worked three jobs and lost her marriage. As an LAUSD teacher, one of the attractions of the profession is the ability to be home at a reasonable hour with my own children helping them with their homework. Most LAUSD teachers will agree that enough parents don't parent enough that it often spoils the experience for everyone.

[mrkool]

Originally Posted by majoun

The district and its failures helped create that culture. That's like talking about the Iraq war and leaving out any mention of Bush.

Really? Then you must explain to me why almost any big city school district in the country with the same student demographics has the same problems... *greater than average* problems with low test scores, violence, unwed teenage mothers, etc.
So do you believe that in all these cases, it is the fault of the districts, and has nothing to do with the students themselves, their parents, and their cultures?
The statistics are there for all to see. Plus, I have kids and have lived in quite a few different cities and states, ranging from California (L.A.) to Texas to Wisconsin, and others. I know what I've seen, read, and been told, and I very much doubt you've had experience with as many school districts as I have. So let's just be honest... big city districts with very high minority enrollments seem to have big problems. Yeah, I know what you and others will say: the same problems occur in all-white distrcts. Yes, but to a **much** lesser degree. It's not racist to state what is so obvious by the stats, and so obvious from simple observation. Also, some of the more candid teachers and former teachers I've spoken to, including oldest daughter, seem to know the score.
LA may be worse than some of the others because of the sheer, almost unmanageable size, plus as I stated in other post the language barriers with students coming from so many different parts of the world, not just Mexico as some think.

[WinnieC]

Originally Posted by Vicman

Actually, see this: Los Angeles Unified School District: Inner-City Teacher Blues

The thing is that many of the LAUSD teachers are trying their hardest to teach these kids, but cultural factors and the "homeboy" attitude harm the kids. If a teacher has thirty kids who absolutely will not do homework, how will she teach them?

I'm not saying that caring teachers do not exist because they do.I am saying that plenty of teachers do not care.I am a social worker and have experienced the lack of caring teachers on a professional and personal level. I am a very active parent in my childrens school and when I notice my child having diffculties I make an extra effort to communicte with their teachers.Including writing notes and leaving messages with no response.I practically had to beg the teacher to return my calls.Eventually I had to change my daughters school to a charter school and the difference is amazing.Now I am not saying that parents arent to blame also because they are along with much of American culture,but I can't imagine what would have happened if I had been a less persistentor interested parent.The bottom line in my child's academic self esteem was damaged because of one year in school with a poor teacher.The advice I give to any parent about ther child's education is know your child.

[WinnieC]

Originally Posted by mrkool

Really? Then you must explain to me why almost any big city school district in the country with the same student demographics has the same problems... *greater than average* problems with low test scores, violence, unwed teenage mothers, etc.
So do you believe that in all these cases, it is the fault of the districts, and has nothing to do with the students themselves, their parents, and their cultures?
The statistics are there for all to see. Plus, I have kids and have lived in quite a few different cities and states, ranging from California (L.A.) to Texas to Wisconsin, and others. I know what I've seen, read, and been told, and I very much doubt you've had experience with as many school districts as I have. So let's just be honest... big city districts with very high minority enrollments seem to have big problems. Yeah, I know what you and others will say: the same problems occur in all-white distrcts. Yes, but to a **much** lesser degree. It's not racist to state what is so obvious by the stats, and so obvious from simple observation. Also, some of the more candid teachers and former teachers I've spoken to, including oldest daughter, seem to know the score.
LA may be worse than some of the others because of the sheer, almost unmanageable size, plus as I stated in other post the language barriers with students coming from so many different parts of the world, not just Mexico as some think.

I think that it has more to do with living in low income urban poverty stricken area than it does the color of someones skin.

[John23]

Originally Posted by majoun

San Francisco, Houston, DC, quite a few places in South Florida. I'd guess that the nice parts of Oakland and of Prince George's County, MD are probably zoned to horrible schools as well.

I was looking at real estate listings in west la, just out of curiousity, havent kept up with it, houses top $3 million, zoned to terrible schools. Up on mountain view and grand view near centinella, there are some gorgeous houses.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by John23

I was looking at real estate listings in west la, just out of curiousity, havent kept up with it, houses top $3 million, zoned to terrible schools. Up on mountain view and grand view near centinella, there are some gorgeous houses.

Not to mention the Hollywood Hills, West Hollywood, and Hancock Park....

[LaoTzuMindFu]

Still, I dont think there is a problem with the LAUSD. Part of the problem is that there arent enough schools for the number of students in Los Angeles which actually makes this our (taxpayers) problem.

I still think its a bad idea to break up or re-zone the school district. People are complaining about having million dollar homes being zoned to bad schools, they should have known that before purchasing the home or maybe they should just put their kids in private schools. Part of the problem is a parents' fear that their child will attend a school with poor and/or minority students. There are many people (including our mayor) who will not stand for our schools becoming segregated along racial and socioeconomic lines which is what most of you are actually saying/requesting whether you know it or not.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by DaBeez

Still, I dont think there is a problem with the LAUSD. Part of the problem is that there arent enough schools for the number of students in Los Angeles which actually makes this our (taxpayers) problem.

I still think its a bad idea to break up or re-zone the school district. People are complaining about having million dollar homes being zoned to bad schools, they should have known that before purchasing the home or maybe they should just put their kids in private schools. Part of the problem is a parents' fear that their child will attend a school with poor and/or minority students. There are many people (including our mayor) who will not stand for our schools becoming segregated along racial and socioeconomic lines which is what most of you are actually saying/requesting whether you know it or not.

He's not my mayor, although he would be if I lived a few blocks north, but have you forgotten he tried to abolish the LAUSD just as I advocate? His failure to do so was the main reason why I became disappointed in him.

I was totally in support of a mayoral takeover and still would be. However, if Tony can't do it maybe Arnold can - go back to the beginning of the thread and I stated that the state does have the power to abolish the LAUSD or break it up.

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by majoun

He's not my mayor, although he would be if I lived a few blocks north, but have you forgotten he tried to abolish the LAUSD just as I advocate? His failure to do so was the main reason why I became disappointed in him.

I was totally in support of a mayoral takeover and still would be. However, if Tony can't do it maybe Arnold can - go back to the beginning of the thread and I stated that the state does have the power to abolish the LAUSD or break it up.

Check to see if the LAUSD politicians in office are cozy with Villaigarosa.

Also see this - it examined the dropout rate of Birmingham: http://www.latimes.com/news/educatio...,6750397.story

By the way:
"
"Here you can get straight Fs," said Barbara Mezo, a teacher at Mulholland Middle School, which sends students to Birmingham, "and the best they can do is keep you out of eighth-grade graduation ceremony."

Then came high school, where credits were granted only for passing grades. Failing students found themselves on a treadmill, never reaching their goal of 230 credits for graduation. And with an increased focus on improving student performance, schools have little incentive to keep those who fail."

Oh, man, this needs to be fixed. Make some "basic schools" to house those kids. They cannot leave or graduate without improving straight Fs, and if they cannot, well, no diploma for them.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Vicman

"Here you can get straight Fs,"

I once got a G+ because the teacher felt my performance was so bad I didn't even deserve an F.