Which Way, L.A.?

How Much Power Should Teachers Have?

California teachers are pushing a bill that would expand collective bargaining to include matters such as textbook selection and curriculum. Authored by Democratic Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg of Los Angeles, the bill has cleared the Assembly Education Committee and awaits a hearing by the Senate Appropriations Committee. While California's largest teachers' union agrees that instructors should have a voice in the tools they use, school officials are calling the move a power grab. We hear both sides of the hotly contested debate from representatives of the 333,000-member California Teacher's Association and the California School Board Association, which represents 1,000 school districts and county offices of education. David Dow, formerly of CBS News, guest hosts. Newsmaker: Deceptive Advertising versus Free Speech In a 4-to-3 decision, the California Supreme Court has ruled that corporations can be held liable for deceptive advertising if they make misleading public statements about their operations. The case involves Nike and contentions that the athletic shoemaker lied in press releases and letters responding to news reports critical of its overseas labor practices. UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh has details. Reporter's Notebook: Orange County Breaks Up Identity Theft Ring Authorities in Orange County have broken up an especially successful and sophisticated ring that cashed in on stolen identities for more than a year. The Orange County Register's John McDonald says that the Irvine ring was an "equal opportunity" offender, defrauding victims across all economic and ethnic lines.