Los Angeles, CA – Over 30,000 members of United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA), SEIU 99, and Associated Administrators of Los Angeles (AALA) came together in downtown Los Angeles at a rally on March 16 in a powerful display of unity, demanding the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) shift their budget priorities and agree to a decent contract. If the district does not settle the contract, teachers, school staff and administrators are prepared to strike on April 14.

LAUSD is the second largest school district in the nation. The district has had a proposal for a contract for over a year and has not offered any reasonable offer to address union demands. Key issues include increasing salaries, reducing class sizes and improving staffing levels.

According to UTLA, “LAUSD started off the school year with $5.03 billion in reserves. Since 2022, they’ve committed $10 billion to multi-year private contracts.”

“This would be my first ever strike,” commented LAUSD middle and high school teacher Kate Regan. “I love teaching – it is my dream job. I want the district to respect my work and my students by offering a contract that is fair – I am more than ready to strike to make that a reality. Defending public education is incredibly important.”

Centro CSO members rallied in solidarity carrying a large banner with the slogans support public education and support all education workers.

Antonieta Garcia co-chair of the education committee for Centro CSO commented, “We need to unite and support UTLA/SEIU 99, they represent our public education system.”

#LosAngelesCA #CA #Labor #UTLA #SEIU #AALA #Strike #Teachers

Los Angeles, CA – On August 30, at 3 p.m., Chicanos, impacted families of police brutality, people raided by ICE and the FBI, along with supporters will in East Los Angeles, for a march, marking the 55th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium.

The march will begin at Sounds of Music record store, the site of what was once the Silver Dollar; a bar where many including LA Times reporter Ruben Salazar took refuge after LAPD and Los Angeles sheriffs mercilessly beat and attempted to disperse participants in the August 29, 1970 Chicano Moratorium. Salazar was killed by LA sheriffs. The moratorium’s demands were ending the Vietnam occupation and equality for Chicanos.

Tomorrow, a large coalition will be commemorating the 55th anniversary of this event and uplifting current demands such as stand with Palestine, ICE out of LA, Chicano self-determination, community control of police, and defend public education.

The coalition is made up of Centro CSO, Union del Barrio, Black Lives Matter: Los Angeles, Jewish Voice for Peace, About Face LA, UTLA, Teamsters, SEIU, Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), and United Families for Justice, which consists of police killing impacted families of Jeremy Flores, Francisco Núñez and Hugo Cachua.

“I believe it is important to commemorate the 55th Chicano Moratorium, because we once again find ourselves, as a people, in a crucial moment, where staying silent is complicity,” says Centro CSO member and security lead Derek Mejia, “People should be out in the streets on Saturday August 30, standing up against the ICE raids and with Palestine! It is important that we continue and maintain the long history of the Chicano struggle.”

The 55th commemoration will begin at 3 p.m. at the Sounds of Music record store, where attendees will begin marching, and ending at Salazar Park for a rally and entertainment starting at 4:30 p.m. That part of the event will take place at the Whittier Boulevard/Alma Avenue side of the park. The family-friendly event will have free food, water and entertainment.

#LosAngelesCA #CA #Chicano #ChicanoMoratorium #ImmigrantRights #OppressedNationalities #CentroCSO #UniondelBarrio #BlackLivesMatter #JVP #AboutFace #SEIU #Teamsters #UTLA

Los Angeles, CA – Thousands of spirited Los Angles Unified School District (LAUSD) workers rallied on May 7 to protest proposed cutbacks and layoffs by Superintendent Alberto Carvalho.

In front of LAUSD headquarters, the educator’s union, United Teachers of Los Angles (UTLA) and SEIU 99 school workers voiced a united strong message of “no cutbacks and no layoffs” that will hurt students.

Ainelda Gonzalez, a Miramonte teacher and UTLA chapter chair stated, “Cutbacks will hurt our students with cuts to counselor hours and cuts to teacher aides, who are vital in supporting student learning and development.

At the rally, UTLA President Cecily Myart-Cruz gave a strong message saying what LAUSD workers won in 2023 in the three-day strike will not be cut!

UTLA reported in their bulletin, “By unilaterally cutting school-site budgets, Carvalho is creating chaos as schools scramble to save as many positions as possible. With a projected $6.27 billion in reserves, Carvalho and the district are trying to undermine what we fought for out on the picket lines and won — class size reductions and increased staffing to support our students’ mental health, well-being, and academic achievement.”

The rally was attended by many community organizations, including Reclaim Our Schools, a coalition advocating for public education. A delegation of Centro CSO attended and joined the loud chanting, “No cutbacks!”

Centro CSO members circulated a flier on our campaign to stop the construction of a large Extera charter school in an East Los Angeles residential community. This project would cause pollution, traffic and parking problems. An appeal hearing is set for September 17 at the LA County board of supervisors meeting on a motion by Supervisor Hilda Solis. Centro CSO encourages people to attend and send public comments opposing the Extera construction project.

Centro CSO is a long-time strong ally of UTLA and advocates for public education against privatization by charter schools.

#LosAngelesCA #CA #Labor #Teachers #LAUSD #UTLA #CentroCSO

Los Angeles, CA – As of January 29, UTLA strike victories continue. At a contentious public LAUSD meeting the Board voted 5-1 for a “moratorium on new charter schools.” A loud but small rally by the pro-charter forces chanted and gave misleading speeches promoting their lies. The LAUSD boardroom was packed, with many waiting outside and watching on remote TV. The pro-charter forces packed the room hoping to pressure the board members to vote against a resolution to cap new charter schools. To counter, Eastside Parents Against Privatization leader Eloisa Galindo and Julie Regalado spoke in support of a moratorium on charters. They also told of the damage and segregation charters school cause at LAUSD.

This moratorium or cap on new charter schools was a victory won during the massive strike and rallies during the UTLA strike January 14 to 22. The strike saw over 30,000 teachers striking and over 300,000 students boycotting schools. The demands were: to improve LAUSD public schools, lower class sizes, community schools, more nurses, librarians and counselors, along with ethnic studies and decent wages. After round the clock negotiations at LA city hall, the pro-charter Superintendent Austin Beutner caved and included a moratorium of new charter school as part of the tentative agreement.

The charter moratorium agreement does not try to eliminate the current large number of charter schools nor those that are in co-locations. However, the agreement does call for advance notices and for an effort to go to the California state government for changes and more future funding. LAUSD has been hit by a proliferation of charter schools which drain over $600 million per year in primarily Black and brown neighborhoods of Los Angeles. UTLA made holding charters schools back a central part of the demands and on second day of strike held a massive rally at the office of the CA Charter Schools Association.

Centro CSO in Boyle Heights wholeheartedly participated in the UTLA strike by walking the picket lines every day at Breed Street School. CSO joined all the rallies and worked closely with Eastside Parents Against Privatization. The parent group and Centro CSO are part of the fight against the mega KIPP Promesa charter school project to build a large 625-student school in the heart of Boyle Heights at the old Lincoln Hospital. With the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Association, a lawsuit was filed on January 4 against the city of Los Angeles and KIPP Promesa charter school. February and March will see the court and community battle to stop this mega KIPP school.

Please donate to pay for legal fees of the lawsuit http://gofundme.com/HelpCentroCSO and participate in CSO’s upcoming meeting February 20 at 6 p.m. at the Boyle Heights Benjamin Franklin Library. For more information call 323-943-2030.

#LosAngelesCA #PeoplesStruggles #LAUSD #UTLA #TeachersUnions #charterSchools

Los Angeles, CA – This morning, January 22, LA Mayor Garcetti, the Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent (and former Wall Street banker) Austin Beutner, along with United Teachers of Los Angeles President Alex Caputo-Pearl announced a deal. On day six of the UTLA strike, LAUSD and UTLA came to a tentative agreement, which includes reducing class sizes, wage increases, hiring more support staff like librarians, psychologists and nurses, increasing spending on special education, putting a moratorium on charter schools, and investing more in community schools.

“Chapter chairs at 2 p.m. are meeting at Roosevelt High School to vote and bring back the information to all of our schools,” says UTLA chair and teacher Carlos Cerdan.

“We made history in the struggle for quality, public education,” says longtime Chicano revolutionary Carlos Montes. “The Brown and Black community of Los Angeles overwhelmingly supported the teachers. We will continue fighting back with them every step of the way.”

Currently, the Boyle Heights neighborhood is engaged in a fight against gentrification and with KIPP Charter attempts to open a new school. Centro CSO has sued KIPP and you may donate to the efforts here: http://gofundme.com/HelpCentroCSO

#LACalifornia #PeoplesStruggles #teachers #Strikes #California #UTLA #TeachersUnions #UTLAStrike

Los Angeles, CA – More than 30,000 striking teachers, along with supporters, parents and students rallied at City Hall, January 18, to press for a decent contract and oppose attempts to privatize public education.

#LACA #PeoplesStruggles #teachersStrike #Strikes #UTLA #TeachersUnions #UTLAStrike

Los Angeles, CA – Day five of UTLA teachers strike started with citywide enthusiastic picketing at all LAUSD schools, January 18. The night before, parents held a protest outside the home of former Wall Street banker and school Superintendent Austin Beutner. Parents were angered that the LA police department showed up in full force to protect the representative of the super rich. Beutner is pushing a plan to “reimagine LAUSD” – a cover for dismantling and privatizing LAUSD. Leading a misinformation campaign, Beutner has misled parents about student absences. In the media, Beutner is making proposals while belittling the mass protest that has brought the country’s 2nd largest school district to a standstill.

In the afternoon a mass rally was held on the steps of LA city hall while negotiations were underway inside. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti brought the LAUSD board and UTLA to the negotiation table. Garcetti opened LA city hall for the meetings, while the mass rally chanted outside.

Thousands of teachers, staff, supporters, students and parents chanted, sang, danced and raised their fists in a broad show of unity and a militant spirit. The rally was led by Cecily Myart-Cruz, UTLA NEA vice president. Speakers included students and teachers. Alex Caputo-Pearl, the UTLA president, gave a rousing speech saying that UTLA is making history. Caputo-Pearl said UTLA has brought LAUSD and its top politicians to the ground. He asked all to continue the strong picket lines to win a victory for the whole community.

The community group Centro CSO continued participation in the with the daily picketing in the early morning at Breed Street School in Boyle Heights. CSO members, along with the parents of LAUSD student Jesse Romero, who was killed by LAPS August 9, 2016, also participated in the UTLA rally.

Negotiations continue and strike picket lines will resume Monday morning January 21.

#LosAngelesCA #OppressedNationalities #PeoplesStruggles #ChicanoLatino #LAUSD #PublicSectorUnions #Strikes #UTLA #TeachersUnions #AustinBeutner #UTLAStrike

Los Angeles, CA – Citywide, UTLA teachers and parents continue the strong momentum and LAUSD politicians are feeling the pressure. Negotiations have restarted today, January 17. The UTLA strike is getting national attention and the newly elected California Governor Gavin Newsom is calling on LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner and LA Mayor Eric Garcetti to continue with negotiations. Newsom is bringing both politicians in to negotiate at LA City Hall. UTLA has the strength and momentum to win for fully-funded, public, community schools.

Teachers throughout the city held picket lines with parents and students in unity. In Boyle Heights strong picket lines at Breed Street Elementary started once again as early as 4 a.m. Three contingents, one on Breed Street at the student drop off; one at the other entrance on 3rd Street and Chicago Street where staff parks – but not a single car was there; and the contingent along 4th Street rallied and made a lot of noise.

Teachers and Centro CSO hung a large banner on the fence at Breed Street Elementary facing the thousands of passing cars. The banner slogan reads, “Support for public education! No privatization and no mega KIPP Promesa Charter School!” With pouring rain, high winds, but an unwavering spirit, the large group kept the picket line strong.

California 53rd Assemblyman Miguel Santiago made an appearance at Breed Street Elementary. Centro CSO members approached him to ask him about his stance on the strike.

“I asked Santiago if he would be urging LAUSD Board President Monica Garcia to support the teachers and to support their demands,” says longtime Chicano revolutionary Carlos Montes. “He just smiled, but I’m hoping he takes what we asked of him serious.”

After the morning pickets, all East-Area UTLA members inundated the sidewalks of major streets. A massive sea of red shirts, banners and chants greeted the shouts and honks of support from motorists.

In Boyle Heights, strikers and supporters lined the streets for miles, chanting, “Everywhere we go, people wanna know who we are! So we tell em ‘We are the teachers, the mighty mighty teachers! Fighting for justice and for education!’” and “Huelga! Huelga!” (the Spanish word for strike).

The future of public education in Los Angeles will depends on the outcome of the UTLA strike.

At the monthly Centro CSO meeting, Lupe Torres, who is a UTLA chapter chair and teacher at Marvin Avenue School, gave a strike report. Part of the report included an in-depth talk about the failed model in teaching by KIPP Charter school. Carlos Cerdan, who is also a UTLA chapter chair at Breed Street Elementary, stated that this strike opened his eyes.

“The inequalities we face as teachers has never been clearer as it is now. It's like the veil was lifted,” says Cerdan. “Our school and teachers have been facing so much repression from LAUSD administrators and principals, since our strike.”

Picket lines will continue tomorrow Friday, January 18 to complete the first school week of the intense strike. The evening of January 16, UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl announced during the daily press conference that UTLA and LAUSD were re-entering negotiations. Centro CSO live-streamed the announcement at their monthly meeting.

Plans are to continue picketing in the morning, and joining the massive rally at Grand Park 10:30 a.m., January 18, in downtown Los Angeles, gathering in front of City Hall, and ending each school day with the ongoing picketing. All are encouraged to participate and to join the striking teachers and staff of UTLA.

#LosAngelesCA #PeoplesStruggles #CentroCSO #LAUSD #teachersStrike #Strikes #UTLA #TeachersUnions

Los Angeles, CA – On day 3 of the UTLA teachers strike, seven regional rallies were held citywide, resulted in major street shutdowns. In East LA, East Area UTLA teachers held a loud enthusiastic rally at Soto Street in front of the LAUSD East Area offices. The rain did not put a damper on the loud, enthusiastic teachers and community supporters numbering in the thousands.

The parents of Jesse Romero, 14-year-old who was a student at Mendez High School who was killed by LAPD August 9, 2016, joined the rally. They held up a large Centro CSO banner with the slogan “Support public education! No privatization of education!”

Led by a MECHA student speaker who called on all students to support UTLA by joining picket lines, the rally was inspiring. Teacher speakers called this a historic strike that will be remembered and paid homage to Chicano and Black civil rights activists like Dolores Huerta and Rosa Parks.

Adrian Tamayo, director of UTLA East Area led chants like “Whose schools, ours schools!” Vice President of Elementary Education Gloria Martinez gave a passionate speech on the dedication and sacrifices teachers willingly make for the students and community. Martinez also said UTLA was disrespected by the latest inaccurate comments and false information made by LAUSD board members and Superintendent Austin Beutner. Beutner and the others attempted to confuse parents into returning the students to school.

The UTLA strike at LAUSD, which is the second largest school district in the nation, has led to massive student absences and massive teacher participation. With over 300,000 student absences, the successful strike is putting extreme pressure on LAUSD. The strike has overwhelming support in Southern California area as well as national backing from labor unions, celebrities and many politicians.

In the remaining two days of the first-week strike, UTLA has called for more actions, including another mass rally on Friday, January 18, in front of LA City Hall.

Centro CSO members will continue to picket daily at Breed Street School and encourage all to express solidarity with the striking teachers, support-staff, students and parents.

#LosAngelesCA #PeoplesStruggles #teachersStrike #Strikes #UTLA #TeachersUnions

Los Angeles, CA – Arriving at 4:30 a.m. to confront scabs, a large crowd of teachers, parents, students and allies showed up for the picket lines at Breed Street Elementary, January 15, day two of the UTLA teachers strike. Rain and wind did not stop the passionate and determined teachers. The day focused on the fight against privatizing education

Members of Centro CSO and Freedom Road Socialist Organization showed up at Breed Street Elementary, where a campaign has been waged against a mega KIPP Promesa Charter school in Boyle Heights. Teachers at Breed Street Elementary, like Carlos Cerdan, a teacher with 18 years of experience, have also been fighting against the colocation by Extera Charter at Breed Street Elementary.

“I'm proud to have been teaching at Breed Street Elementary for all these years,” says Cerdan. “But charters make our fight as public school teachers even more difficult. We're colocated here but if KIPP Promesa Charter moves in next door, we'll be even more in danger.”

Chanting, “I don't know but I've been told! Privatizers run the board!” and “When I say ‘Trump’ you say ‘charters!’”

Over 400,000 students have not attended school during the UTLA led strike and some 30,000 teachers and support staff have gone on strike. On the first day of the strike an estimated 27,000 teachers went on strike. Day two has reported a large growth, and even more are expected to participate in the UTLA strike.

A mass rally comprised of a sea of red shirts in downtown took place around 10:30 a.m. The massive UTLA group gathered for a protest at the offices of the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA). CCSA has funded pro-charter candidates in LAUSD and state-wide elections. The rally included Eloisa Galindo, mother of Marianna Avenue Elementary school students. Galindo denounced the proliferation of charter schools in East LA and said it was the rich attacking public education with the goal of privatization.

Teachers and UTLA leaders like Gloria Martinez and Alex Caputo-Pearl spoke to the energized masses. Centro CSO youth members hung a large banner over the wall of a five-story parking lot building. The crowd responded with cheers to the slogan, “Support public education! No privatization! No mega KIPP charter school in Boyle Heights!”

The enormous rally ended with a performance by the Chicano band Ozomatli.

Next up for UTLA are plans to continue the daily picketing, regional actions and ending each school day with another picketing.

Longtime Chicano activist and member of Centro CSO Carlos Montes says, “We support UTLA in this strike, especially the demand to control and regulate the spread of charter schools at LAUSD. We only need to look at New Orleans and Puerto Rico after hurricanes.”

The fight in Boyle Heights will continue against KIPP Promesa Charter school. All are encouraged to join the UTLA picket line on day three and to also join the fights against gentrification and privatization of education. Join Centro CSO. You may also donate to the lawsuit against the giant KIPP Promesa Charter here: http://www.gofundme.com/HelpCentroCSO

#LosAngelesCA #PeoplesStruggles #CentroCSO #teachersStrike #Strikes #UTLA #TeachersUnions

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU).

The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), representing 95 million workers in 130 countries across the globe, sends its internationalist and militant greetings to the teachers of Los Angeles who took the streets and organized a huge strike in order to defend their labor rights.

During their mobilizations more than 30,000 teachers signed in on picket lines across Los Angeles, more than 900 schools sites also participated while more than 10,000 parents, students and working people showed their solidarity with the teachers in struggle. The strikers not only have been struggling for a public education but they also intend to rebuke the anti-worker agenda which seeks to starve and privatize the schools.

The class-oriented WFTU family will firmly continue to support the strikers’ rightful demands against the anti-worker US bourgeois government’s agenda.

We call upon the US working class to join its voice with the strikers and to demonstrate their solidarity with the LA teachers in their struggle for a quality, public and free education system.

LA teachers are not alone! Long live internationalist solidarity!

The Secretariat

#LosAngelesCA #PeoplesStruggles #teachersStrike #Strikes #WFTU #UTLA #TeachersUnions

Los Angeles, CA – At 6 a.m., January 14, over 50 teachers, students, parents and supporters joined the picket line at Breed Street Elementary. Breed Street Elementary, in the Boyle Heights neighborhood, is under attack by the mega-charter corporation Kipp Charter. Kipp Charter is trying to build a new charter school only one block away from Breed Street.

Pouring rain and wind didn't seem to bother the angry and determined group. Centro CSO activists joined the teachers, chanting and helping to stop cars trying to enter school.

Chanting, “Austin Beutner, you can't hide! We can see your greedy side!” “What do we want! Fair contract! When do we want it? Now!” and “Whose schools? Our schools! What kind of schools? Public schools!” Two picket lines blocked both entrances at Breed Street Elementary.

“We arrived at 5 a.m.,” says Letty Navarrette, a Breed Street Elementary public-school teacher for over 22 years. “We arrived that early hoping to block the principal and support staff from entering. Unfortunately, they beat us, so tomorrow we plan on starting the picket line even earlier!”

Breed Street Elementary is co-located with Extera, another charter school corporation, so two different picket lines were held. On the Breed Street side, a standoff between an Extera bus carrying food and UTLA picketers resulted in the Los Angeles Police Department attempting to escort the bus into the school. The picket line did not break.

“On our side, the Chicago Street side, we had our standoff with two parents in two vehicles,” says Jaime Bermudez (known by his students as Mr. B), a teacher at Breed Street Elementary for 29 years. “We held our picket line for 20 minutes! Extera sent a charter goon to try to get us to move. We didn’t, and we won't!”

The picket at Breed Street will continue for the duration of the strike, beginning from 7 a.m. and ending at 9 a.m. Centro CSO will continue joining teachers at Breed Street Elementary.

After the picket line in the morning, UTLA teachers from around the district met at Grand Park for a large rally and march. They demonstrated an unwavering determination to strike for a better union contract and better schools in Los Angeles. Almost 30,000 people joined the rally. They marched through pouring cold rain through downtown Los Angeles. For over a mile the huge crowd stomped through puddles and potholes until the massive crowd finished at Beaudry Street – at the LAUSD headquarters. There thousands protested the LAUSD and new superintendent Austin Beutner for the attacks on public education.

Superintendent Beutner and school board members like Monica Garcia are backed by charter school corporations and facilitating the privatization efforts of Wall Street and Silicon Valley. Teachers chanting, “Down with privatization! Up with public education!” vowed to continue with the strike, rain or shine. Among their demands are fully-funded and staffed public schools with lower class sizes, ahalt to growth of charter schools, less testing and more staffing of counselors, librarians, nurses and teachers, and fair wages.

In places like Boyle Heights and East LA, the demands include a defense of public education. In the last few years, charters have increased by 25%. Scrutinizing charter growth in other cities like New Orleans – which recently announced that it no longer has any public schools, only private and charter schools – UTLA is demanding a cap on charters.

In Boyle Heights, there is a fight against KIPP Promesa Charter opening a new school that will massively disrupt the students and teachers at schools like Breed Street, 2nd Street and Soto Street Elementary. Centro CSO will continue to picket with Breed Street Elementary.

Support the UTLA strike! Support public education!

You can help protect public education in LA donating to the lawsuit against the KIPP here: GoFundMe.com/HelpCentroCSO

#LosAngelesCA #PeoplesStruggles #teachers #strikes #UTLA #TeachersUnions

Los Angeles, CA – Los residentes del vecindario de Boyle Heights, acompañados por familias de estudiantes de escuelas públicas locales, anunciaron, en una conferencia de prensa el 5 de enero y piquete, la presentación de una demanda en el Tribunal Superior contra la ciudad de Los Ángeles y la escuela “charter”  KIPP Promesa para detener el mega proyecto. KIPP Promesa quiere construir una gran escuela “charter” en el antiguo Hospital Lincoln en Boyle Heights.

El 4 de enero, los abogados de Defensores del Medio Ambiente presentaron una demanda en el Tribunal Superior de Los Ángeles contra la ciudad por no llevar a cabo un Informe de Impacto Ambiental (EIR); y pidiendo que se detenga el proyecto debido al impacto dañino en el ambiente ya dañado.

La Asociación de Vecinos de Boyle Heights, con el Centro CSO, declara que los megaproyectos propuestos tendrán un impacto adverso en las condiciones ambientales al agregar más contaminación, tráfico y ruido a la situación ya dañina. La madre de la estudiante de Breed Street School, Rosa Bonilla, dijo: “esta mega escuela tendrá un impacto dañino a largo plazo en las escuelas públicas locales al drenar a los estudiantes y los fondos necesarios”. Bonilla, su familia, vive al lado del proyecto propuesto y teme la contaminación adicional.

El Centro CSO solicita una nueva biblioteca pública, un parque público o viviendas asequibles en este sitio. Ya existen muchas escuelas en Boyle Heights, tanto públicas como charter. Roosevelt High School, Hollenbeck Middle School, Breed School y Saint Mary Catholic School están a una o dos cuadras del proyecto propuesto.

Lucía García, una maestra local en la Escuela Malabar, habló sobre el creciente apoyo de la comunidad para la huelga de maestros pendiente. La UTLA exige un control más estricto de las escuelas chárter, que se consideran un ataque a la educación pública a través de la privatización. El Centro CSO y Padres Contra Privatización del Este están trabajando para detener el crecimiento de las escuelas charter en East LA y Boyle Heights.

Lupe Torres, una maestra de LAUSD, madre de una graduada de LAUSD y Presidenta de Capítulo de UTLA en la Escuela Marvin Avenue, habló sobre la importancia de apoyar la educación pública y por qué sale en huelga el 10 de enero. Torres explicó que KIPP se dirige a los pobres Afro-Americano y Latino comunidades; tiene un estilo muy estricto de disciplina, pero selecciona solo a “buenos estudiantes” y tiene un historial de expulsión de estudiantes varones Afro-Americanos. “KIPP es un programa único, donde no se reconoce la individualidad”.

La propuesta de la escuela charter KIPP Promesa es construir una gran escuela primaria para 625 estudiantes en un área ya densa y contaminada, que ya cuenta con servicios muchas escuelas locales. KIPP actualmente opera una escuela en Boyle Heights en Whittier Boulevard, al lado de ELA YMCA, y tres escuelas KIPP en ELA, una en Atlantic Boulevard cerca de Garfield High School, una en Chavez y Mednick, cerca de Hamasaki School, y otra en Olympic Boulevard cerca Eastman School.

Luis Sifuentes, miembro del Centro CSO, y Eloisa Galindo, madre de familia local, dirigieron a los estudiantes y padres en voz alta contra KIPP Promesa y en apoyo de la huelga de maestros de UTLA.

El Centro CSO llama a los residentes de LA a unirse a la huelga de UTLA uniéndose a una línea de piquete en su escuela local de LAUSD.

#LosAngelesCA #PeoplesStruggles #CentroCSO #UTLA #TeachersUnions #KIPPCharterSchool

Los Angeles, CA – Residents of the Boyle Heights neighborhood, joined by families of students of local public schools, announced, at a January 5 press conference and picket, the filing of a lawsuit in Superior Court against the city of Los Angeles and KIPP Promesa charter school to stop the mega project. KIPP Promesa wants to build a large charter school at the former Lincoln Hospital in Boyle Heights.

On January 4, attorneys with Advocates for the Environment filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against the city for failing to conduct an Environmental Impact Report (EIR); and asking to halt project due to the harmful impact to the already damaged environment.

Boyle Heights Neighborhood Association, with Centro CSO, state that the proposed mega projects will have adverse impact on the environmental conditions by adding more pollution, traffic and noise to the already harmful situation. The mother of Breed Street School student Rosa Bonilla stated, “this mega school will have long lasting damaging impact to local public schools by draining students and needed funds.” Bonilla her family live next door to proposed project and fear the added pollution.

Centro CSO calls for a new public library, a public park, or affordable housing, at this site. There already exist many schools in Boyle Heights, both public and charter. Roosevelt High School, Hollenbeck Middle School, Breed School and Saint Mary Catholic School are within one or two blocks from proposed project.

Lucia Garcia, a local teacher at Malabar School, spoke about the growing community support for the pending teachers strike. The UTLA demands stricter control of charter schools, which are seen as an attack on public education via privatization. Centro CSO and Parents Against Privatization are working to stop the growth of charter schools in East LA and Boyle Heights.

Lupe Torres – a LAUSD teacher, mother of a LAUSD graduate, and UTLA Chapter Chair at Marvin Avenue School – spoke about the importance of supporting public education and why she will be striking on January 10. Torres explained that KIPP targets poor Black and brown communities; it runs a very strict style of discipline but picks out only “good students” and has a history of expelling Black male students. “KIPP is a one-fits-all cookie cutter program, where individuality isn’t acknowledged.”

The KIPP Promesa charter school proposal is to build a large elementary school for 625 students in an already dense and polluted area, which is already served by many local schools. KIPP currently operates a school in Boyle Heights on Whittier Boulevard, next to the YMCA, and three KIPP schools in ELA, one on Atlantic Boulevard near Garfield High School, one on Chavez and Mednick, near Hamasaki School, and another on Olympic Boulevard near Eastman School.

Luis Sifuentes, member of Centro CSO, and Eloisa Galindo, a local parent, led the students and parents in loud chants opposing KIPP Promesa and in support of the UTLA teachers strike.

Centro CSO calls on LA residents to join the UTLA strike by joining a picket line at your local LAUSD school.

#LosAngelesCA #PeoplesStruggles #CentroCSO #UTLA #TeachersUnions #KIPPCharterSchool

According to a statement from the UTLA, “United Teachers Los Angeles proudly represents more than 2000 substitutes in our bargaining unit, and we are fighting for improvements for them and all of our members. More than 34,000 experienced educators are prepared to go on strike if we have to, including our substitute members. It is outrageously irresponsible for Supt. Austin Beutner to force this strike when the district holds $1.9 billion in reserves and it is even more irresponsible to think that 400 substitutes can educate more than 600,000 students. We believe that it is illegal for the district to hire people outside our bargaining unit to teach in LAUSD classrooms.”

Chicano community leader Carlos Montes calls on all in the community and Chicano movement to join the picket lines to support UTLA teachers strike on January 10 at your local school.

#LosAngelesCA #PeoplesStruggles #LAUSD #UTLA #TeachersUnions

Los Angeles, CA – Over 300 militant parents and students, along with teachers who are members of United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), gathered at LA Unified School District (LAUSD) headquarters, October 23, to protest Superintendent Austin Beutner. Near the end of the rally, they all marched into the LAUSD superintendent’s office and staged an occupation, demanding to meet with Beutner.

Chanting, “Austin Beutner you can't hide, we can see your greedy side!” and “What do we want? Public schools! When do we want them? Now!” the large crowd demanded answers. When they were told Beutner was unavailable, the crowd chanted, “We'll be back!”

Beutner was former CEO of the Los Angeles Times and, with absolutely no history or training in education, became the superintendent of LAUSD. The Times published a manifesto in 2016 on the effort to privatize public education by multi-billionaire Eli Broad. Beutner is continuing with this plan while banking a hefty $350,000 annual salary.

The United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) union is in the mediation process with LAUSD and Beutner was among those pushing back. Beutner stalled the negotiation process by taking over 56 days to begin negotiations – which is illegal. After 18 months of negotiations, UTLA and LAUSD have reached an impasse and are now in a fact-finding stage. If no agreement is met, UTLA plans on escalating with a strike. More than 93% of the voters voted in favor of striking. This demonstration of commitment to strike as leverage is one that the community group Centro CSO fully supports.

Many local actions are planned for UTLA, including one in Boyle Heights in conjunction with Centro CSO. The event is a rally in support of UTLA's demands which include: smaller class sizes, more libraries, psychologists and nurses, just wages, a stop to cuts on PE, arts, sciences, music, and a stop to privatization efforts.

The protest is on October 25 at 4 p.m. at Mariachi Plaza. Plans are to march from Mariachi Plaza to Boyle Heights Los Angeles Council District 14 José Huizar’s office. For more info call 323-943-2030, email centrocso@gmail.com or check Facebook.com/CentroCSO.

#LosAngelesCA #PeoplesStruggles #UTLA #TeachersUnions #AustinBeutner

Los Angeles, CA – Thousands of enthusiastic union members united for a great march and rally in the heart of the historical Wilmington Chicano community, Sept 3.

Held near the port of San Pedro, the annual Long Beach/San Pedro labor march and rally was led by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union wearing their “Remember Bloody Thursday” t-shirts. Steelworkers, carpenters, laborers, machinists, ship scalers and many more union contingents with families, youth, and high school bands marched.

Also present was a loud contingent from United teachers of LA (UTLA). Public school teachers from the Los Angeles Unified School District carried a banner. They were greeted by the crowd with cheers of support. Marching with UTLA was Carlos Montes, an organizer with Centro CSO, calling for solidarity with teachers’ struggle to defend and promote public education.

UTLA members recently voted for a strike authorization, with 98% voting yes.

#LosAngelesCA #UnitedTeachersOfLosAngeles #LaborDay #CentroCSO #PublicSectorUnions #Strikes #UTLA #TeachersUnions

Los Angeles, CA – Over 200 teachers, community members and students protested at the grand opening of the Broad Museum of Contemporary Art on the morning of Sept. 20. The Broad Museum is named after billionaire Eli Broad. Broad has been spearheading the attacks on public education not only in Los Angeles, but across the country. The United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) called out Broad for using his big money to push for more charter schools

A delegation of Centro CSO (Community Service Organization) participated in the protest to continue to show unity and solidarity with teachers and UTLA. Centro CSO was part of a successful community grassroots protests to keep Colligate Charter School out of Roosevelt High School in the spring.

The protesters chanted, “When public education is under attack. What do we do? Stand up and fight back!”

Broad, as well as other billionaires and politicians have consistently attacked the public education system. In 2012, Broad used his wealth to fight against Proposition 30 in California. Prop 30 raised taxes in order to prevent $5 billion in education cuts. Broad has also used his wealth to create charter schools all over the country. Along with local politicians, they are aiming to have more than 50% of all schools in Los Angeles to be privatized and operated by non-union outside non-profits groups.

Expanding private charters takes money away from public education. It also drives a wedge between teachers, as most charter school teachers are non-union. Students are segregated on the same school site. Also, students do not have equal access to private charter schools. Most private charters pick which students are accepted. This leaves behind many students who are non-English speakers, poor or from oppressed nationality and from working class neighborhoods.

Lupe Torres, a UTLA member and 17 year school teacher said, “This would drastically disrupt our public schools. Charter schools have been found to be mostly unregulated all around. They are able to select their own sites, students and curriculum. This impacts Los Angeles students when their lawful rights are not met once enrolling in a charter school. Some students have a right to special education and English as a second language classes. Many charter schools do not offer this curriculum. In many cases charter schools select students based on their performance record. Students who are not making adequate progress are counseled to return to their home public school. Furthermore, most charter schools do not offer union participation for their teachers. In many cases these teachers are overworked and under-trained.”

UTLA and supporters rallied outside the front entrance of the museum. Many teachers spoke before the crowd. Afterwards two picket lines marched chanting, “U-T-L-A!” and “Art for the masses, fund more classes!”

Torres continued, “Although charter schools boast they are public schools, they rarely function that way. If most of the money and efforts being placed in dismantling public education was placed in building them up, there wouldn't be a need for the excuse of charter schools. People who are not educators or do not have invested interest in honestly supporting public education should stay very far away from our public schools. The damage they cause when they get involved has long term effects on our students.”

#LosAngelesCA #UnitedTeachersOfLosAngeles #ChicanoLatino #CentroCSO #PublicSectorUnions #EliBroad #UTLA