Editorials

Our View – New education bill gives mayor control

It seems that our beloved governor has done it again. During a ceremony at the Central Library of Los Angeles, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a new bill that gives Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa greater control over the Los Angeles Unified school district’s affairs and how the city’s 730,000 students will be taught.

According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, the bill also gives Villaraigosa direct control over three high schools and their feeder schools.

This bill is the latest step to get Villaraigosa a voice he so desperately needs in educational affairs. The mayor will share authority with the superintendent and a newly created council of mayors, as well as the school board. The three high schools the mayor will have direct control over have yet to be named.

But, Villaraigosa has requested information from the following six schools: Crenshaw and Dorsey in South Los Angeles, Sylmar and Monroe in the San Fernando Valley, Belmont, west of downtown, and Roosevelt in Boyle Heights. Whichever three he selects will have a heck of a year that’s for sure.

Villaraigosa and Schwarzenegger had planned to have the signing at Roosevelt High School, but the school board refused to allow one of its campuses to be used during school hours. So the “Governator” and the newbie mayor were forced to move the ceremony to the library. Clearly, not everyone is completely jubilant about the new bill.

But of course, the governor was obviously overjoyed and shared his happiness with the crowd. Schwarzenegger said in a statement that “[He] wants to congratulate Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for having the vision and fortitude to put our children first with this effort to increase accountability in L.A. public schools.”

Schwarzenegger added, “With this bill, schools with the biggest problems can get the most attention and direct oversight by the mayor, so he can focus on what counts – moving test scores up and dropout rates down.”

This highly idealistic theory is an optimistic one, but many have doubts about how effective the new bill will actually be.

In a recent statement, board President Marlene Canter said that “serious questions have been raised regarding the constitutionality of a number of the provisions.” Canter pleaded the court to “…review this measure and to determine the constitutionality of these provisions as quickly as possible.”

The signing also brought up some interesting political problems facing both the Republican governor and the Democratic mayor. Schwarzenegger is running for re-election and is trying his hardest to attract Latino voters, which partially explains his backing of Villaraigosa. But we all know the mayor has openly endorsed Schwarzenegger’s fierce Democratic opponent, State Treasurer Phil Angelides. Let the political drama ensue.

Although millions of Californians voted for Angelides in the primaries, does that really ensure that he will beat Schwarzenegger? After this new political tactic, obviously used to lure indecisive voters, who knows what will happen?

Maybe the LAUSD will improve immensely and Schwarzenegger will be everyone’s hero, the family-friendly Republican with important Democratic issues as his priority. Who wouldn’t want this ex-Terminator to be our governor?

Or perhaps his entire plan will backfire, and with hundreds of thousands of angry teachers and children not getting the high caliber educational system they deserve, Angelides will step in and rescue everyone from Schwarzenegger’s iron fist.

Whatever happens, please let your voice be heard. This is your state, your school and your life. You should be the one in control. So on Election Day, go out there and vote.

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