LAUSD Teachers to Picket Outside Schools

The union representing Los Angeles Unified School District teachers will abide by a judge's ruling barring educators from walking off the job on Friday, but teachers will picket outside schools for an hour before class to protest potential layoffs, union officials said today.

"Responsible leadership acts responsibly," said A.J. Duffy, president of United Teachers Los Angeles. "I could not, in all good conscience, hold the teachers up to thousands of dollars in fines and the revocation of their credentials for defying a court order."

The union had planned to stage a one-day walkout on Friday to protest the LAUSD's proposal to lay off thousands of employees, including teachers, to close a massive budget deficit.

The district sued, and Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James Chalfant issued a restraining order on Tuesday blocking the union from staging the walkout. Chalfant cited student health and safety as the reasons for granting the order.

Duffy said that teachers who walk out of work in violation of Chalfant's order could face fines of $1,000 each and possibly lose their teaching credentials.

So instead of pushing ahead with the walkout, the teachers will picket for an hour beginning at 7 a.m. Friday, then hold a rally outside LAUSD's headquarters after school. The union also said teachers would take part in an act of "civil disobedience" at an undisclosed time and location.

LAUSD Superintendent Ramon Cortines said he was pleased that the union has called off the one-day strike.

"We are united in our goal to educate our students," he said. "We have to start working together. A climate of us-versus-them hurts everyone, especially our students.

"I am committed to reaching out and personally working with Mr. Duffy to resolve any issues."

 

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