Going after Deasy

With elections now over, you’d think that changes in the LA Unified School Board would have brought a truce in the District in order to focus on student achievement. However, such is not the case as the teacher’s union continues to push for forcing School Superintendent John Deasy out of office.

An example of this is the recent United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) survey of its member in which 85% of the respondents rated Deasy’s performance below average or poor.

The discontent is understandable given the impact on staffing that has occurred because of budget cuts. As well, many haven’t liked some of the changes Deasy has proposed as a way to make the district more efficient. That said, there is no justification for UTLA’s attack against Deasy, especially using such faulty figures.

In the case of the above-mentioned survey, it could just as well be noted that 75% of the membership is sufficiently satisfied with Deasy’s efforts that they didn’t respond to the questionnaire.

The survey, which was just made public, was conducted in early May, on the heels of another poll in which less than half of the membership gave passed a “no confidence” vote on Deasy after intense lobbying by the union’s leadership.

We believe that Deasy is doing a very good job that is reflected in the improved academic performance of students. UTLA has every right to be in disagreement but it should be more willing to work together, especially when the surveys show that a minority of its members do not support the leadership’s attacks against the superintendent.