Los Angeles Schools Strongly Opposed To Takeover By Mayor Villaraigosa
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Los Angeles Schools Oppose Mayor Villaraigosa's Takeover Plan
Summary
Legislation AB 1381, currently in the state legislature, proposes to grant Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa authority over certain Los Angeles schools. Recently, the mayor's school reform team introduced new revisions to the bill to address potential obstacles to its passage.Article
The proposed legislation, AB 1381, is stirring strong opposition as it aims to give Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa control over specific Los Angeles schools. To address potential challenges, Villaraigosa's school reform team recently unveiled modifications to the bill.
According to an article from the Los Angeles Times on August 8, 2006, Los Angeles Chief Legislative Analyst Gerry F. Miller speculated on the bill's potential impacts. He suggested that if enacted, the bill might:
- Shift some authority from the City Council to Villaraigosa;
- Impose additional financial burdens on the cities served by the Los Angeles schools;
- Present legal liabilities for these cities and the Council of Mayors.
The bill positions Villaraigosa at the helm, with significant influence in the Council of Mayors, which includes him, representatives from the County Board of Supervisors, and delegates from 27 cities served by the Los Angeles schools.
To address concerns raised by Miller and to counter opposition from Los Angeles school officials, the bill's revisions aim to:
- Retain budget control with the City Councils, thus preventing extra costs for the cities involved.
- Keep legal responsibilities with the Los Angeles schools, despite Villaraigosa's decision-making power, ensuring that neither the County of Los Angeles nor the cities face liability.
- Compare the takeover to a charter school authorization, attempting to navigate around state constitutional requirements for school oversight.
Kevin Reed, general counsel for the Los Angeles schools, criticized the bill's new language, particularly around legal responsibility. He argued that comparing the takeover to a charter school?"an idea from Villaraigosa's legal advisor, Thomas Saenz?"was flawed since charter schools undergo more scrutiny than Villaraigosa would.
Reed also highlighted a conflict of interest involving Saenz, who serves on the County Office of Education board. A mayoral spokesperson noted that Saenz would resign if the bill became law.
While Villaraigosa has supporters for his proposal, many, including Los Angeles school officials and city representatives on the Council of Mayors, strongly oppose it. They worry about his expanding influence over their affairs. As the legislature prepares to review the bill, its contentious aspects continue to fuel debate.
You can find the original non-AI version of this article here: Los Angeles Schools Strongly Opposed To Takeover By Mayor Villaraigosa.
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