LA Teacher Union Election: Union Power Slate Dominates

TFA grad in position to run LA teachers union --- but don't get frightened kiddies. Urban social justice unionism keeps growing.

Alex-Caputo Pearl with 48% against 21% for incumbent Warren Fletcher. I've met Alex a few times - this past summer in Chicago and 5 years ago in LA when he invited a bunch of Chicago CORE people over for breakfast and I clung to the back of the car -- didn't want to miss Alex' pancakes.

I remember how the deformers were blowing smoke 3 years ago when Warren Fletcher was elected. Alex has been a thorn in the side of the LA administration for most of his career. I think he is a Teacher for America grad from the very first class almost a quarter century ago.

What does this mean for the national movement? LA is more NEA than AFT so this will not have as much impact on Randi's playpen as we would think. But with the AFT convention in July this summer, and so many LA teachers lined up with people in Chicago and those of us in MORE here in NYC - and let's think of the blow back from the NYSUT split.

Report from LA:

The progressive organizing slate—Union Power—swept the officer and Board of Directors elections, with a run-off for president in April. Our presidential candidate, Alex Caputo-Pearl got 48% of the vote, Warren Fletcher (the incumbent president) only 21%, while another incumbent officer received 16%, most of whose supporters will back Alex. So we’re looking at the opening of a “second front” (with Chicago) in the second largest urban district in the U.S.! Thanks so much for all your support!

I hope these guys are not overconfident. In the Chicago 2004 presidential election incumbent Debbie Lynch got just short of 50% and then lost in the runoff. Alex's election is a big threat to the deformers. Just watch the vicious assault the press will toss at him.