This is not a breaking story, already a week old, but I don't think everyone gets all the news all the time and there's so much there that hidden in plain sight because no one is looking. Well, here is the LAUSD Board of Education coming up with some idea that is supposed to be a solution for their own management of affairs. When there is something that the public wants to speak out on, you will have to come in under the limit set for speakers or you don't get to talk.
None of this has anything to do with merit or obtaining the information needed to help the Board make any reasonable decisions- you already see this is not anywhere near reasonable.
Who is behind this move? According to the story, none other than the Board President, re-elected this year to another term and installed again as President to come up with such examples of wacky leadership like this move. The result of this move will be to have a possiblity, depending on the numbers desiring to speak at any particular meeting, that people will be barred from addressing their concerns to the Board.
It's very astounding to see college educated people who are supposed to serve the people in these posts, to craft a way to stiffle public comment. Monica Garcia is usually the one outspoken on most things- not that it corresponds with sensibility as here, but she usually says more than is prudent in any situation, revealing more and more of her completely politicizing this office and Board. During the time in office, Garcia's done things in a style that is not even close to any verson of diplomacy or tactfulness, and often it approaches simply brash or crude poorly executed thought processes. The termination of Admiral Brewer is the glaring example of this path.
Garcia is part of the Villaraigosa team, having come to power by being successor to Council Member JOSE HUIZAR's seat. Garcia was his chief staffer while at LAUSD and was annointed by Villaraigosa as the one they put their money on to win. The second term was met with- or rather, not met by anyone- there was no opponent for Garcia to face in the election this past March. That's the way it is with most of the offices locally and on up. The money gets produced from special interests and the candidate essentially has some reciprocity expected upon winning the office. Challenger with little cash to lubricate their campaign activity usually wind up shut out, as seen with the grassroot candidates in the last election held, that for CD-2.
But the practical effect is to isolate these decision-makers from the public- or more and more- their critics. Garcia, while appearing initially to be the champion "of the people" and the "downtroddent" now made a role-turnaround and becomes the grinch that stole Christmas, severely limiting the public's opportunity and right to address their elected officials on legitimate and other business, depending on how you interpret Board activity.
But lay it all on being a matter of money, I see, from the comments in the story referenced above. Yes, blame it on outside forces- we really know you are looking out for the students and really don't need interference from anyone outside, even if they happen to be parents or any others with a concern over issues you are deciding.
This is all the result of the public's lack of interest and outright apathy in checking out who is running the show at any number of level in government and relying on the slick campaign brochures that show up in their mailboxes at election time. You know all that has got to be true, right? Politicians would not lie to you, would they? This is a condition that is conducive to the unfortunate conditions that we have.
I guess I have not gotten into the LAUSD topics for a while although I have been keeping track of lots of things that may be news to anyone reading these posts. Really, it's not any confidential information and my sources usually are the same ones anyone else has equal ability to access. But I will continue to share what I find just to let you in on the big scene, a little at a time. Lots of waste, lots of misdirected energy and, of course, a lot of plans that won't work and that are already stale by the time that they begin to be implemented. Who loses? The students first, and all that they could be makes the rest of us losers, too. But in a couple of years, all the LAUSD people move on, get bigger offices, and all their part in fouling this up becomes lost to the memories of everyone.
LAUSD makes a rule change to cut down on time for the public to comment and cause them more headaches. Here's the story-
http://www.dailynews.com/opinions/ci_13403511 the story.
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