Which Way, L.A.?
Seniority Rules and Equal Rights in LA's Public Schools
State law requires that, when teachers are laid off in order to cut costs, the last hired must be the first fired. But LA's elected school board has reached an agreement to modify that on the grounds that the seniority rule deprives students in high-poverty areas of their constitutional rights. Will a judge sign the deal? Will the teachers union go along? What happens to schools that are not in deprived neighborhoods? We hear from the school board, the union and the ACLU. On our rebroadcast of To the Point, the bank bailout is over but the fallout continues.
By Warren Olney • • 1h 0m ListenState law requires that, when teachers are laid off in order to cut costs, the last hired must be the first fired. But LA's elected school board has reached an agreement to modify that on the grounds that the seniority rule deprives students in high-poverty areas of their constitutional rights. Will a judge sign the deal? Will the teachers union go along? What happens to schools that are not in deprived neighborhoods? We hear from the school board, the union and the ACLU. On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, the bank bailout has become the leading symbol for the current hatred of government—on the Left as well as the Right. Was TARP the savior of the economy or the original sin? Now that it's over, what did it really cost?
In this episode
2 storiesSeniority Rules and Equal Rights in LA's Public Schools
Because of the economic crunch, the Los Angeles Unified School District was forced to lay off teachers last year, and that’s certain to happen again. State law mandates that the last teacher hired must be the first fired.
Read the story27 minThe Bank Bailout Is Over but the Fallout Continues
The Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP , officially ended last Sunday. It was rolled out two years ago in the midst of a worldwide financial panic by George Bush’s Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. He said $700 billion to bail out the banks, and Congress gave it to him.
Read the story25 min
