My wife and I are outraged by the LAUSD RIF

Ms. Garcia:

My wife and I live in District 2. We are appalled that Mr. Cortines and the LAUSD board are cutting some 5,500 teachers, when funds have been made available to retain those jobs. Before going to work today, we marched alongside the parents, students, and teachers from Miguel Contreras Learning Complex this morning against the disgusting injunction Mr. Cortines obtained to support his vicious cuts.

We are further outraged by Mr. Cortines collaborative efforts with union busting charter schools and other privatization methods. Given the Superintendent's quarter million dollar a year salary, it is no surprise that he would spearhead an effort to vilify hard working teachers making a fraction of what he makes. While he enjoys lunches with Steve Barr, Eli Broad, and other enemies of public education, those of us that work for a living and pay taxes are standing by our sisters and brothers in UTLA. We don't want class size increases! We don't want teachers being laid off! We are tired of the wealthy getting a free lunch on our backs!

Ms. Garcia, I have voted for you several times in the past. However, I can guarantee you will not get my vote in the future if you don't take a stand on this. Furthermore, I will use all my resources and wherewithal as a community organizer to spread the word that you are against our students, parents, and teachers. LAUSD should have been standing alongside UTLA protesting the Governor's budget cuts and demanding more resources for our schools. Instead LAUSD has engaged in the most despicable union busting, and has supported the most reactionary elements in our city -- including the big money interests that would privatize our schools. Budget crisis? Tax the rich!

Sincerely

RD Skeels and YJ Lee
Barrio Echo Parque residents for 14 years