Re “UPCC Is Anti-Union, Should Be Stopped, LAUSD Teachers Letter Claims”
[img]2232|right|||no_popup[/img]Ducking was not allowed this afternoon.
No place to hide at the Elks Club.
Too many Exchange Clubbers, Rotarians and Lions in the room.
Ever since a bombshell letter – whacking the United Parents of Culver City and signed by three officers of the LAUSD teachers union – was quietly dropped into the middle of the sizzling race for the Culver City School Board and published here yesterday morning, it has been political topic No. 1 across the community.
Master of ceremonies Scott Malsin, representing the hosting Exchange Club, smoothly but unswervingly, carried cudgel in hand at the latest candidates forum.
With Claudia Vizcarra unable to attend, Mr. Malsin, former Culver City mayor, posed a series of questions for the other six contenders in the Nov. 5 election:
Recently, United Teachers of Los Angeles, the union representing Los Angeles teachers, sent a letter to UTLA members who live in Culver City, attacking United Parents of Culver City, a local parent advocacy group made up of many volunteer leaders in our District. What do you think about well-funded groups from outside Culver City inserting themselves into our local political process? Do you think it is right for them to do so?
Several candidates were sympathetic, others sharply critical.
Vernon Taylor was first in line. “I really can’t speak specifically to the letter because I haven’t seen it,” he said en route to a more variegated reaction. “I don’t know what allegations have been made or not. It would be irresponsible on my part to comment on something I don’t have all the facts about. In terms of an outside group, as I understand you are talking about United Teachers of Los Angeles, I think that is a sister or brother organization to our Culver City Federation of Teachers. I don’t know who reached out to who. It’s just like the Elks Lodge and the system of Exchange Clubs throughout this country. I am sure if there were an issue with running the Exchange Club, you would not hesitate for a minute reaching out to a larger body to help influence and help to provide resources.”
Robert Zirgulis – “I am not sure that that group (UPCC) represents all of the parents. They have 150 members. They are activists, and I applaud their activism. I asked (the UPCC) to have a candidates forum, and it seems like they don’t want to have one. I also have heard there are a lot of clique issues in that organization. I have no problem with other people… Every person has First Amendment rights… If people want to speak out on certain issues, they are welcome to speak out. The PTA is one group that represents students, parents and teachers, and they are not political. We have other political groups… It comes with the territory.”
Karlo Silbiger – “I don’t have all the facts. But my understanding is UTLA sent out a mailer to their members in Culver City, basically expressing their support for the (three) candidates. I was endorsed by Culver City teachers, and because of that, my name was one of the names mentioned in the mailer. I don’t know how many UTLA members there are in Culver City, and I am not sure how broadly it went out. I do think it would be a different story if UTLA spent money on advertising. But member-to-member communication seems pretty normal to me.”
Dr. Steve Levin – “I read the UTLA letter in thefrontpageonline.com, where it was published. So it didn’t just go to members. It is online. It mentioned the people they were endorsing, and I have no problem with that. What I didn’t like was that it attacked United Parents of Culver City, an organization I helped found. If you look at the membership of UPCC, you will find leaders from the PTA and booster clubs from virtually every school in the District. It claimed that the UPCC is funded by an outside group, which is not true. It claimed they are attacking teachers, which is not true. It claimed they are anti-union, which is not true. Look at the membership, and you will find union members. I find it to be a scurrilous attack.”
Kathy Paspalis – “What I take most issue with is misrepresentation. They said that the parents is out to take over the CCUSD School Board, and that they have an anti-union agenda. That is unmitigated horsepucky. Members of the UPCC are well-respected leaders at every one of our schools.”
Sue Robins – “I read the (UTLA) letter at thefrontpageonline.com, and I saw the letter from the (Culver City) Teachers Union leader (David Mielke), who says our two unions asked the UTLA to write the letter. I have a question: Why are our two unions going to another union to help fight their battles for them? What does that mean, long-term, our unions will do if they are not hearing what they want to hear? Another piece of that was the statement UPCC is anti-union. I don’t know what that is based on. I do know that the UPCC disagreed with the unions on the (El Marino Language Immersion School adjuncts last year). That does not mean they are anti-union. You can disagree with someone and not dislike them or not be anti. I don’t understand why a disagreement is interpreted as anti-union.”
