Press Releases

Press conference at CA Republican Party headquarters demands action now.

September 4, 2008 – On Friday September 5, Los Angeles families, workers and members of community based organizations will hold a press conference outside the California Republican Party headquarters to show their frustration with Republican actions that have caused a budget impasse. The press conference is one of a series of events throughout California on Sept. 5, urging action on the long overdue state budget.  read more »

Teachers refuse to set up classrooms early, in protest against District’s 0% salary increase offer and threats of pay cut.

August 29, 2008 - Every year in Los Angeles and other cities, thousands of hours of unpaid time is donated by teachers to set up their classrooms before the first day of school. This year Los Angeles area teachers will not be setting up classrooms early on their own time, in response to the LAUSD refusal to offer teachers a pay raise last year and the threat of salary cuts. read more »

Teacher training will now be held during instructional time and will pull teachers from classrooms.

July 30, 2008 – United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) yesterday filed an unfair labor practice charge with the state of California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) that the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) denied UTLA members’ rights in their recent decision to cancel the long-standing practice of scheduling professional development for teachers prior to the beginning of the school year, before students are in the classroom.  read more »

UTLA teachers and parents fight back against twice transferred principal.

July 28, 2008 – Teachers, parents, and students will take the unusual step of staging an overnight “sleepover” protest beginning Wednesday, July 30th at 5:30 p.m. at Dolores St. Elementary School in Carson, demanding the removal of “lemon” principal Anna Barraza, who has been twice transferred from other LAUSD campuses.  read more »

Teachers’ union and school district set goals to improve student health.

July 08, 2008 – The LAUSD school board today will vote on a motion entitled “Physical education is a priority” that recognizes that a quality education program must also ensure that our children are physically fit. The motion, if approved, is designed to bring the school district into compliance with State Department of Education mandates on physical education. read more »

Teachers, students and parents show their appreciation.

June 19, 2008 – On Monday, June 23 teachers, parents, students and community members of Gulf Ave. Elementary School will celebrate “Mrs. B Day” honoring the exoneration of Mrs. Delores Buettgenbach, the soon to be retired 20-year veteran principal.  read more »

June 16, 2008 – Dolores St. teachers and parents enter their fourth week of protests aimed at dislodging their principal, Anna Barraza, with a meeting scheduled for today with LAUSD officials at District 8 headquarters in Gardena. read more »

Union says furlough & “buy-back” days must be negotiated.

June 12, 2008 – United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) declared today that it would fight the four mandatory furlough days included in the latest version of LAUSD’s proposed 2008-2009 budget, approved by the school board on Tuesday June 10. The budget included two forms of pay cuts: four mandatory unpaid furlough days and the elimination of professional development or “buy-back” days, used by teachers to improve their professional skills. read more »

June 10, 2008 - In an effort to ramp-up public pressure and expose the shortcomings of their "lemon" principal to a wider audience, the Dolores St. Elementary School teachers and parents will hold a public rally on Wednesday, June 11 at Scott Park in Carson. Activities begin at 6:30 pm. According to Aaron Bruhnke, UTLA Area Chair, the situation at Dolores has become so stressful that two-thirds of the staff is poised to voluntarily leave the school if the situation remains unresolved. read more »

Dolores St. Elementary is latest to suffer effects of the “Dance of the Lemons”

May 29, 2008 – Concerned parents and outraged teachers will be picketing on Friday at Dolores Street Elementary School in Carson, urging LAUSD district officials to remove the principal, Anna Barraza, from her position by the end of the school year. read more »