Korean Art Dr Stephen Little October 14 2018 Los Angeles

A little history and a list of the dramatis personae are in gild before nosotros brainstorm. In May 2018 noted zillionaire Austin Beutner was appointed superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified Schoolhouse District via a shady, probably illegal, backroom process pushed through past noted charter-lovers Monica Rodriguez and later-indicted-and-convicted criminal Ref Rodriguez. ⁱ Subsequently Beutner hired Broad Foundation alumna Rebecca Kockler abroad from the already-pretty-wrecked country of Louisiana where she was famous for privatizing everything in her attain and thereby wrecking everything even more than as his main of staff ² and some dude named Elmer Roldan every bit his director of civic appointment.

And then there'south the shady charter school lobbying conspiracy known as the California Charter Schools Association, sitting similar a fatty green spider at the centre of the various ickety-stickety webs of privatization spritzed all over our fair city by behind-the-scenes zillionaires. These privatizing peddlers of metaphorical poisoned apples are non merely lobbyists, only also actively gather what passes for intelligence in privatizerlandia and spread it around among their members. They're probably reading this very blog postal service. Their local capo is Cassy Horton.

And i of the CCSA's creepiest little Southern California projects is something called the Los Angeles Advancement Council, a shadowy website-defective group of twenty-ish super-aristocracy local charter leaders who convene regularly to discuss how to privatize everything they can lay their greedy paws on, to meet with politicians, advise policy, and and so on. ^three And among these elite privatizers there is an even eliter bunch, the so-called LAAC Leadership. This hyper-exclusive crew consists of Green Dot Charter Schools CEO Christina De Jesus and Stalk Preparatory School dominate Emilio Pack, facilitated by Cassy Horton.

And information technology came to pass that later on Beutner had been on the task for a few months, in September 2018, he decided that he wanted to give a major policy speech, explaining just what the hell he planned to get upwards to mode high up on the zillionth floor of the Bastille on Beaudry. ⁴ And how does a galaxy-encephalon similar Beutner set up for such an event? Well, peradventure he thinks well-nigh things, reads up on things, talks nearly things with his senior staff, goes out in the field and looks at things.

And maybe Beutner did all of that and more than. Simply he also had two of his senior staff, the aforementioned Kockler and Roldan, meet with Cassy Horton to run all his proposals by her. And the next day he met with LAAC elites Christina De Jesus and Emilio Pack. We know about this starting time meeting from an email which Horton sent to De Jesus and Pack, ensubjected "<Confidential/For Review> Preview of Austin Convo for Tomorrow" describing in phenomenal detail both the content and her thoughts on these two meetings with Beutner's staffies.

Her purpose in writing was to prep them for their own meeting with Beutner. Hither's how she sums up what she's writing about. Note that she herself is such a milky way-brain that she doesn't know how to count. At her level one has one's subordinates do the damn counting:

Below, I have provided four things:

1. What I heard from Rebecca
2. What I heard from Elmer
3. Things to ask/listen for
4. Recommended talking points for tomorrow
5. Additional resources
half-dozen. Who else Austin should talk to

This email, of which there is a consummate transcription below, is a more honest, more explicit, more detailed expose of how the privatizers lobby politicians than anything I've seen on the field of study. It'south really phenomenal. For instance, co-ordinate to Horton, Kockler told her:

* Next week Austin is coming out with new messaging regarding the union dynamics.
* Austin volition talk about belongings all schools accountable, including charters to accept the wind out of the marriage's sails.
* All schools should be held to the same definition of success.
* This might sound similar Austin wants to hold charters accountable in an aggressive mode and she wants to make sure that feels right to us.

Meet how solicitous Kockler is of the easily-wounded feelings of the privatizers! She wants to exist sure Austin's not going to brand them weep when he'south really trying to help them by taking the current of air out of the union'southward sails! And this was by no means a 1 way conversation, as Horton told the states it was non. On the issue of accountability here is just a fraction of what Horton had to say to Kockler:

* The marriage generally doesn't impact conversations virtually bookish accountability because they are completely opposed to their own schools existence held accountable for academic outcomes.
* UTLA's "charter accountability" and "transparency" allegations are a dog whistle that shouldn't be taken seriously by an authorizer like LAUSD.
* Where our members will get nervous is if these conversations around charter accountability are tied to policy change. Nosotros back up academic accountability, which is why we want update renewal criteria. But, additional oversight would be out of line.

Got information technology? According to charter lobbyist Horton, the UTLA hates accountability whereas charters love accountability but they don't want any oversight because that might lead to…accountability? And how does Kockler tie this all together? With a plaintive claim that "We don't want to expect like the privatizers. But this is why nosotros want to stay super tight and work with y'all all on this. Austin and I don't have this context and it is
actually helpful."

And there is much, much more in in that location. Please read the whole matter. The main theme, which I have not touched on at all withal, is that the CCSA was terrified in September 2018 that LAUSD was going to end up using charter policy as a bargaining chip with UTLA. Ane of the master points Horton hit over and over and over once more in her coming together was that this must non happen. Only of course, as nosotros all found out in January 2019, this is exactly what did end upwardly happening. Perchance this email shows that that development was an even greater loss for the privatizers than was hitherto understood.

As well, you must be sure to read the iii attachments. Hither are Horton's descriptions of these essential documents, which I do not take fourth dimension to discuss although I may do so in a later post:
* The LAAC's approved charter announcement (crafted by a commission that included KIPP, Try, Ednovate, Magnolia, Brotherhood, and Camino Nuevo, canonical by LAAC in February)
* The District'southward 2014 response to union "public school accountability" demands.
* Our messaging for schools on negotiations.

And the other fascinating thing I learned about the pb-up to Beutner's speech is that on September 12, 2018, the 24-hour interval before the speech was delivered, Cassy Horton had a copy of it. Y'all tin can get the advance copy hither, and here'southward a copy of the email attached to which Horton sent information technology to DeJesus, Pack, and a few other elite charterites, with the stern admonition that "We ask that yous exercise not frontwards or otherwise share."

The draft speech is not particularly interesting, but the email is. Far, far more interesting even than the email is the fact that Beutner was sharing advance copies of this major policy oral communication with Cassy Horton, a charter school lobbyist. Did he share it with UTLA? I don't take evidence either way, but I really do doubt it. Hither's the entire text of the email, followed by the awe-inspiring revelation that is Cassy Horton's electronic mail to Christina DeJesus and Emilio Pack: ⁵

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Engagement: 12 Sep 2018
Subject: <Confidential> typhoon speech
From: Cassy Horton <chorton@ccsa.org> To: Emilio Pack <epack@stem-prep.org>, C DeJesus <cdejesus@greendot.org>, Myrna Castrejon <mcastrejon@greatpublicschoolsnow.org>, Brian Bauer 2 <senorbbauer@aol.com>, Ana Ponce <aponce@caminonuevo.org>, Marcia Aaron <maaron@kippla.org>
Cc: Jed Wallace <jed@ccsa.org>

Hi all,

Please come across a draft of tomorrow's speech attached. We ask that y'all do
not forward or otherwise share. Nothing to be concerned virtually based on
our assessment. I am working to get ahold of Rebecca for feedback
regarding the content and timing of our commonage strike declaration
and will let the grouping know when I hear back.

Thanks for all of your efforts on this,

Cassy

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Subject area: <Confidential/For Review> Preview of Austin Convo for Tomorrow
From: Cassy Horton <chorton@ccsa.org>
To: Emilio Pack <epack@stalk-prep.org>, C DeJesus <cdejesus@greendot.org>

Hi Emilio and Cristina,

This e-mail is a little long, but I promise it'due south all helpful.

Emilio let me know that Austin asked for time to come across with the two of yous and Marcia tomorrow. I had previously scheduled a conversation with both Rebecca Kockler, and Elmer Roldan who was just hired on to work for Austin Beutner every bit his Director of Community appointment. During those two conversations, I got slightly different versions of what I believe to exist a preview of the conversation y'all will have tomorrow with Austin.

The curt version is that I think Austin plans to come out with a counter proposal that includes charters equally a bargaining chip, which is completely unacceptable and would be unprecedented. If you read the attached PDF from 2014, you'll sympathise how off-base it would be for lease policy to be in the District counter proposal, and how strongly we would demand to respond if it comes to that. I do believe that we have the opportunity to cut this off at the caput: both Elmer and Rebecca fabricated it clear that their team has a steep learning curve and desire our feedback.

Beneath, I have provided four things:

i. What I heard from Rebecca
ii. What I heard from Elmer
3. Things to inquire/listen for
four. Recommended talking points for tomorrow
five. Additional resources
6. Who else Austin should talk to

What I heard from Rebecca and my response

* Rebecca:

* Next week Austin is coming out with new messaging regarding the wedlock dynamics.
* Austin will talk near holding all schools answerable, including charters to take the wind out of the wedlock's sails.
* All schools should be held to the same definition of success.
* This might sound similar Austin wants to hold charters answerable in an aggressive way and she wants to brand sure that feels correct to us.

* Cassy:

* Accountability is a polarized word in LA.
* Ed reformers use it to mean bookish accountability: endmost schools where students aren't learning.
* Charters fully support that, certainly for our own schools. That's why we advocate for the closure of low-performing charters.
* The marriage more often than not doesn't touch conversations well-nigh bookish accountability because they are completely opposed to their own schools being held accountable for academic outcomes.
* When UTLA and CTA talk virtually "lease accountability" they mean finance, governance and operations. They mean more bureaucracy to get in less possible to operate a schoolhouse.
* Our members our sensitive to UTLA's allegations that they aren't accountable: under the law and rigorous oversight of LAUSD, our members spend hundreds of hours on oversight, reports, and compliance from forensic audits of their own audits, to binders at oversight. Our schools would argue that schoolhouse past schoolhouse, they are already far more transparent than the District on even finance, governance and operations.
* UTLA'due south "lease accountability" and "transparency" allegations are a canis familiaris whistle that shouldn't be taken seriously by an authorizer like LAUSD.
* Are you thinking about messaging on bookish accountability or operational accountability of charters?

* Rebecca

* Academic, not more than hierarchy.

* Cassy

* Where our members will go nervous is if these conversations effectually charter accountability are tied to policy change. We support academic accountability, which is why we want update renewal criteria. But, additional oversight would exist out of line.
* Farther, charters cannot and should not be used as bargaining chips in negotiations. There are legal parameters in terms of what the district can negotiate within the scope of a labor negotiations: it is the things related to employment, not policy. Although, nosotros accept seen districts make charter concessions on policy to go the union to pull back at the bargaining table. That would exist apropos to our members.

* Rebecca

* It'due south nearly messaging.
* We don't want to look like the privatizers.
* Nothing we are going to give that would diminish their access to great schools, we won't negotiate things differently.
* But this is why we want to stay super tight and work with you all on this. Austin and I don't have this context and it is really helpful.

What I heard from Elmer

* Elmer

* Similar to above plus:
* Austin has a 4 point counter bargaining proposal he plans to ringlet out next calendar week. (My thought: This is very different than the impression Rebecca gave me. A counter proposal that includes usa, not just messaging, is deeply problematic and would be way off base from what the District has done in the past. Elmer merely shared with me without hearing my thinking first, so I think he was way more forthcoming whereas Rebecca probable realized that what they have in the works is an issue and didn't desire to share or already wants to walk it back.)
* One of the points is effectually lease accountability.
* The wedlock won't take the bargain anyway, it includes things like teacher evaluations. (My thought: Not the point because we shouldn't be a bargaining bit no matter what!)
* Austin and his team, Elmer included, have a huge learning curve on what is legal and what policy would be problematic for us. We should communicate our concerns. He nevertheless may practise information technology. They are trying to figure things out as they get.

Things to ask/listen for

* Are these talking points on charters or a counter proposal?
* What kind of "accountability" are they talking about: academic or operations/compliance?
* Has legal counsel reviewed this counter proposal?
* Has Austin reviewed the responses to UTLA'due south attempts to deal charters in the past?
* How would this be messages to charter parents and families?

Recommended Talking Points

* The charter community has been closely monitoring and preparing for the threat of a strike for more than a year and a half.
* The Los Angeles Advocacy Council, staffed by CCSA, have adult an ad-hoc strike preparedness committee to ensure that:

* Adult problems practise not distract from providing our students with the high quality education they need and deserve, in an environment that is safe.
* Charter schools are not inappropriately or illegally involved in bargaining.

* Charter students, educators and families should not be used as a bargaining fries.
* Negotiating lease policy goes exterior the telescopic of legal bargaining, and the District itself has offered potent, sound legal rationale confronting UTLA'south proposals on lease accountability in the by.
* Negotiating charter policy would fix a dangerous statewide precedent that would be replicated past other labor organizations across the state.
* The lease community is aligned in voice and action: we will stay united in strong opposition to District or labor actions that bring usa into the bargaining process.

Boosted Resource Fastened

* The LAAC's approved lease declaration (crafted by a committee that included KIPP, Attempt, Ednovate, Magnolia, Alliance, and Camino Nuevo, canonical past LAAC in Feb)
* The District'southward 2014 response to union "public school accountability" demands.
* Our messaging for schools on negotiations.

Who else should Austin talk to before doing this?

* Jed
* Eli
* Myrna
* Gregory

Cassy Horton
Managing Director, Regional Advancement, Greater Los Angeles
California Lease Schools Association
Cell: 213-926-7763
Email: chorton@ccsa.org <mailto:chorton@ccsa.org>
Website: www.ccsa.org

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Epitome of Cassy Horton of the C-freaking-CSA is ©2019 MichaelKohlhaas.Org and you can revisit that Hortonian nightmare dreamscape over here if yous have the heart for it.

1. Oh boy, practise I have more goodies on Ref Rodriguez for you, but not today. Sadly, these days, time is limited while freaking bombshell emails are not. But look out for it, friends, it's coming!
2. Kockler departed in Jan 2019 under a deject. I don't have whatever information regarding specific details of the cloud nether which she departed just clearly at that level of elite zillionairity no one leaves a job after half-dozen months without the metaphorical weather being cloudy.
3. I take a ton of proficient hard evidence well-nigh the activities of these creepers, which I will be publishing as shortly as possible. Stay tuned!
4. I actually have no idea any what floor Beutner'south office is on. But metaphorically it'southward the zillionth.
5. By the way, these 2 items are office of a massive release of emails produced to me past Green Dot. I accept non had time to process this material; at that place's more than ii gigabytes of it. Simply I take uploaded an MBOX to Annal.Org. If yous're interested you really ought to get this and import it into a client. If you'd rather apply bittorrent than http to download such a hefty file, here'southward a link to the torrent. In that location is so much amazing stuff in hither it'southward not possible to describe. Aladdin'due south cave pales, actually!

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Source: https://michaelkohlhaas.org/wp/2019/06/29/on-september-13-2018-los-angeles-unified-school-district-superintendent-austin-beutner-gave-a-major-policy-speech-the-week-before-that-beutner-staffers-rebecca-kockler-and-elmer-roldan-met-se/

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