Fundraiser for Dr. George McKenna, come support the communty and teacher's choice for LAUSD

Dr. George McKenna Fundraiser by Robert D. Skeels

Fundraiser for Dr. George McKenna, come support the communty and teacher's choice for LAUSD

So happy to have the endorsements of teachers and activists Dorsey HS Sherlett Hendy Newbill and Robert Skeels!

So happy to have the endorsements of teachers and activists #DorseyHS Sherlett Hendy Newbill and Robert Skeels! @rdsathene #LAUSD

— Elect George McKenna (@ElectMcKenna) June 12, 2014

So happy to have the endorsements of teachers and activists Dorsey HS Sherlett Hendy Newbill and Robert Skeels!

RELEASE: 2013 LAUSD BOE Runner Up Robert D. Skeels Endorses Dr. George McKenna for the District 1 Special Election

For Immediate Release
June 11, 2014

Contact
Robert D. Skeels http://twitter.com/rdsathene

RELEASE: 2013 LAUSD BOE Runner Up Robert D. Skeels Endorses Dr. George McKenna for the District 1 Special Election

Los Angeles, C.A. — Today, longtime social justice activist, and runner up in the 2013 Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) District 2 election, Robert D. Skeels announced he is endorsing Dr. George McKenna for the August 12, 2014 runoff election.

“I'm supporting Dr. McKenna because all students in LAUSD need representation, not just the few attending the California Charter School Assocations' lucrative charter outlets,” said Skeels. “McKenna is an experienced, professional educator. What our board needs right now are representatives who understand all the nuances and complexities of our district and education policy.”

Skeels cites the support of key allies as a major reason for his public endorsement of, rather than just supporting, McKenna. "Good friends, including the Honorable Jackie Goldberg, and the distinguished Dr. Judy Perez have endorsed McKenna," said Skeels. However, it was the public endorsement of McKenna by third place finisher in the primary election, Sherlett Hendy Newbill, that spurred him on to an official endorsement. Skeels stated "Many of us worked very hard to get Sherlett elected. When I saw her endorse McKenna, I realized the importance of all of us that support public education standing behind the professional educator who was a trailblazer in the civil rights movement."

Skeels joins a long list of School Board Members, Elected Officials, Education Organizations and Leaders, Publications, Ecumenical Leaders, Community Organizations and Leaders who have endorsed Dr. George McKenna. McKenna received over over 44% of the votes in the June 3, 2014 primary election.

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Robert D. Skeels is a social justice writer, public education advocate, and immigrant rights activist. He lives, works, writes, and organizes in Los Angeles with his wife and cats. Robert is a U.S. Navy Veteran, and a proud member of Veterans for Peace. He attended Glendale Community College and graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) with a BA in Classical Civilization. Robert is a committed member of CEJ, PESJA, SCIC, and the Trinational Coalition To Defend Public Education. A student of Liberation Theology and Paulo Freire's work, he devotes much time towards volunteer work for 12 step, church, and homeless advocacy. Robert’s articles and essays have appeared in publications including Schools Matter, CounterPunch, Dissident Voice, Daily Censored, Echo Park Patch, K12NN, LA Progressive, and The Los Angeles Daily News. In 2013 Robert ran for the LAUSD School Board against a billionaire funded corporate reform candidate, finishing second in a field of five, with over 5,200 votes.

RELEASE: 2013 LAUSD BOE Runner Up Robert D. Skeels Endorses Dr. George McKenna for the District 1 Special Election

They made a movie about lifelong educator Dr. George McKenna. There's a movie about his opponent too, it's called 'Wall Street.'

They made a movie about lifelong educator Dr. McKenna. There's a movie about his opponent too—"Wall Street" #LAUSD pic.twitter.com/2GLA98Wl4s

— PESJA Los Angeles (@PESJA_LA) June 8, 2014

They made a movie about lifelong educator Dr. George McKenna. There's a movie about his opponent too, it's called Wall Street.

They made a movie about lifelong educator Dr. George McKenna. There's a movie about his opponent too, it's called 'Wall Street.'

I'm on #TeamMcKenna because ALL students in LAUSD need representation, NOT just the few attending CCSA's lucrative charter outlets

I'm on #TeamMcKenna because ALL students in #LAUSD need representation, NOT just the few attending @CALcharters' lucrative charter outlets.

— Robert D. Skeels (@rdsathene) June 7, 2014

I'm on #TeamMcKenna because ALL students in LAUSD need representation, NOT just the few attending CCSA's lucrative charter outlets

Ms. Klein your schadenfreude over LaMotte's death was more than a little offensive

From: "Robert D. Skeels" <*********@ucla.edu>
Date: Thu, 5 Dec 2013 23:43:47 -0800
Subject: Ms. Klein your schadenfreude over LaMotte's death was more than a little offensive
To: Karin Klein <karin.klein@latimes.com>
Message-Id: <93C75696-38C7-49D2-8770-C53706CFAA8F@ucla.edu>

Ms. Klein:

Your fringe-right leanings coupled with your limited knowledge of pedagogy have always tainted your awful editorials and op-eds. However, you really outdid yourself with today's painfully gleeful obituary of the Honorable Marguerite Poindexter LaMotte. In the future when someone asks me how to define schadenfreude, I'll point them to the mean spirited and duplicitous screed you penned today.

You are truly shameless.

Advocating Public Education and Social Justice

Robert D. Skeels

"Problem posing education does not and cannot serve the interests of the oppressor" — Paulo Freire

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Update: Here's the conversations we're having about this on fb:

• Vik Chaubey: No surprise. Lamotte stood for principle and integrity people like that are usually attacked. When you challenge charter schools you get attacked.
• Robert D. Skeels: Los Angeles Times' Karin Klein uses the word "feisty" to describe LaMotte over and over. She may as well have used "uppity" to express her (and her handlers) disdain of a woman of color who stood up to Eli Broad's cabal. Every time I think the LA Times can't be more disgusting I'm sadly proven wrong.

Ms. Klein your schadenfreude over LaMotte's death was more than a little offensive

Rest in Peace: LAUSD's Honorable Marguerite Poindexter LaMotte

Honoring Marguerite Poindexter LaMotte. #LAUSD champion for students & bulwark against corporate #edreform. #RIP pic.twitter.com/rI0c6Ju5P3

— Robert D. Skeels (@rdsathene) December 5, 2013

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Update: check out these amazing comments by people on facebook in response to the above tweet.

Rest in Peace: LAUSD's Honorable Marguerite Poindexter LaMotte