UTLA President Warren Fletcher endorses Career Stabilization and Fair Evaluation Act

(Vote Feb 6-9 at School Sites)

Dear Colleagues, In November, I received an initiative petition signed by about 625 UTLA members. These members are exercising their right under the UTLA Constitution to have a question brought before the entire membership for a vote. Throughout UTLAs history, this direct democracy provision of our Constitution has resulted in membership votes on many important issues. The two issues addressed in this initiativeRIFs and Teacher Evaluationare matters of critical importance to every UTLA member.

RIFsEnding LAUSDs annual, cruel ritual of issuing thousands of unnecessary RIFs is, and will

remain, UTLAs number one priority. I will continue to make the ending of RIFs (and ending the resulting destabilization of beleaguered schools and communities) job number one. The proposed initiative restates that policy. It has my support.

Teacher EvaluationThe initiative also calls for UTLA to negotiate a teacher-driven

evaluation system with LAUSD. That is, a system that is fair and meaningful, and that exists to help teachers, not to blame teachers. A teacher-driven system also reflects these beliefs that we, as working educators, all share. Evaluation systems: should foster collaboration and cooperation among teachers. Systems that encourage competition are bad for schools and children. must never create incentives to narrow the curriculum. must always involve multiple measures that are appropriate to grade level and subject, and, most important, that reflect the specific challenges faced by each teacher, every day, in his or her classroom.

Negotiating an evaluation system that reflects the wisdom and values of classroom teachers has been a goal of UTLA policy for many years. The proposed initiative restates that policy, as well. It has my support. We must remain focused and united as we face the challenges before us. I recommend a Yes vote.

- Warren Fletcher UTLA President (Published in the UTLA United Teacher Newspaper)

Shall UTLAs contractual negotiations with LAUSD include a moratorium on all RIFs for all UTLA bargaining unit members through June 30, 2014 as part of a revised, phased-in teacher-driven evaluation system mutually agreed upon by UTLA and LAUSD?

Initiative Text:

- James Encinas Teacher, Westminster Ave Elementary School