January 2011 Archives

California Watch has a must-read post today about a handful of new-ish groups that are expect to affect conversations in the state about education reform.

Louis Freedberg reports that controversial former D.C. schools chief Michelle Rhee's new reform group will be headquartered in Sacramento. And former state Sen. Gloria Romero of Los Angeles has been hired by New York-based Democrats for Education Reform, which plans to expand its work in California.

Also mentioned is NewTLA, the reform-minded local union group led in part by former LAUSD school board candidate and teacher Mike Stryer, who ran for the BD4 seat against Steve Zimmer in 2009. Here are couple of recent stories about this new UTLA contingent: from Connie Llanos in the Daily News, and from LAT columnist Steve Lopez.

In the wake of Tuesday's apparently accidental shooting that left two in a Gardena High classroom wounded, a group of the school's alumni are organizing a prayer vigil.

The event will take place 6 p.m. Friday in front of the campus, at 1301 W. 182nd St.

Lydia Boyd, one of the organizers, said watching events unfold at her alma mater had been "heartwrenching."

"I sat here in front of the TV in tears," said Boyd, class of 1989. "I see the changes in my school. My school was not like that when I went there."

Boyd said she called an administrator to ask what alumni could do to help. She was told, "We need a prayer vigil."

There are several Facebook groups for alumni, many using the school's former mascot -- the Mohican.

Gardena High grad and San Pedro High teacher Steve Gebhart is the subject of a profile from USC's Neon Tommy.

Gebhart has a charismatic persona that endears him with his students. He is bespectacled and balding, but with the sporty physique of an athlete that is vaguely reminiscent of blogger Andrew Sullivan. He has an assortment of tattoos on his arms, including one that his students particularly like which reads, "knowledge is power."

His presence - in the hallways, in the classroom, in the community - is gregarious and compassionate. Between classes, he stands in the hallways and cracks jokes with students as they make their way to class. On Friday nights, he brings his wife and kids to the high school football games. For him, teaching is a mission that goes beyond just being an instructor in the classroom. Instead, he tries to be a positive role model to his students, demonstrating through his own life the importance of being a well-rounded individual.

The story, from the new-ish digital publication out of the Annenberg journalism school (my alma mater), is by Mary Slosson. It's one of a series on "nine LAUSD teachers that nobody has ever heard of" and the work that they do.

New/old California Gov. Jerry Brown announced several appointments today, including seven members of the state Board of Education. They're all Democrats, and one is a former superintendent for Long Beach Unified.

Two of the appointees served on the state board in Brown's previous terms as governor. The appointees must be confirmed by the state Senate. They earn a $100 per diem.

After the jump, bios from the governor's press release.

*Also, be sure to read the LA Times' interesting analysis of these picks, from a Saturday story by Seema Mehta.