"We're here on behalf of the people who put us here, and who need to know that their government is accountable to them, and that we, their representatives, will ask questions and investigate discrepancies on their behalf," said District 2 Councilor Sameer Kanal.
McMahon is familiar with organizations built around an increasingly unstable man who is a genius at spinning story lines that inflame the crowd and damage enemies and institutions but, if you think too hard about them, don't necessarily add up to a coherent narrative.
"Public funding requires public money," said union president Cassondra Curiel to Mission Local during the February strike. "As long as we're not violating the law, I don't see what the problem is."
Michelle Medintz spent at least $5,000 in 2022 alone, largely on books. She created a 'cozy corner' in her classroom with shelves filled with books, cushions on the floor, and stuffed animals. 'That doesn't make me a better teacher than my colleagues,' Medintz said.
Over the past few weeks leading up to the teachers strike, Superintendent Maria Su repeatedly told the press and labor negotiators that dipping into the district's over $400 million reserves was, simply, "not an option." But projected spending shows that the district will significantly spend its reserves to pay for its labor agreements, potentially depleting its "restricted funding" by 2028.
With costs mounting for alleged sexual misconduct cases, the Los Angeles school board has approved $250 million in bonds - on top of $500 million already authorized less than a year ago - to fund payouts to victims. The cost of both bond issues, including financing, is expected to be more than $1 billion, based on cost estimates provided by the district, and will be paid out of the district's general fund over at least a decade.
On Monday, the district presented a 2% raise for teachers next year, when the Palo Alto Educators' Association said they had requested 13%. But in a statement to the Daily Post, Austin said the 13% actually equates to an 28% increase, as the district factors in other benefits and compensations. Austin said the district's counter of 2% came from its analysis of what would be an appropriate cost of living increase.
This is the worst crisis OUSD has ever faced. Period. We don't even know what's possible yet. We never did the work to see what are our options. These are big questions. And I don't have any of the answers. And I have issue with that.
These numbers look stark, but in context they reveal far more about the conditions California children are growing up in than the quality of classroom instruction. California educates a disproportionate share of children experiencing housing insecurity. A 2024 analysis found that 4% of California students were homeless, with some counties reaching 16%. The California Department of Education reports 230,443 homeless students statewide, a 26% increase over five years that mirrors broader trends in affordability, overcrowding and displacement.
