Los Angeles mayoral candidate Emanuel Pleitez last night delivered the keynote presentation at an intimate gathering of USC students, Teach for America corps members, LAUSD teachers, and high school students.
Organized by the Political Student Assembly and sponsored by Teach for America, the event focused on pressing issues facing the Los Angeles education system, including the low graduation rate, the role of charter schools, the Partnership for LA Schools, and others.
In his keynote presentation, Mr. Pleitez stressed the importance of having “all actors within a community at play to make an impact on education.”
This wasn’t restricted to the impact that teachers have within classrooms but was directed at parents, coaches, other students and even people, who have made poor choices, that can tell students, “don’t end up like me,” he said. This message resonated with the crowd and was echoed by the four other panel members, all educators. They agreed anyone can make a difference in a child’s life.
In addition to his call to action, Mr. Pleitez dug into the numbers behind the Los Angeles Unified School District to show the crowd that Los Angeles has one of the worst graduation rates in the country. Of eight major metropolitan cities with similar demographics, Los Angeles came in last, under 50 percent, well below the national average.
The East L.A.-based candidate went beyond showing the problem by unveiling his educational philosophy and proposing solutions for chronic educational issues at multiple levels, including early childhood education, the city budget, and connecting students with jobs by expanding-skills based education and training.
Mr. Pleitez emphasized that “budget distribution needs to align with the city’s needs. Education has to be a priority.” He cited a need to not only find new funding sources but to make current resources more efficient and effective. Asked about Prop. 30 and its benefits for the school system, “another Prop. 30 will be needed every few years,” he said, if current spending trends and budget cuts continue.
The overarching Pleitez theme was that “education isn’t just about K-12, but for a lifetime.” Education incorporates everything that happens outside of the classroom as well, he said. “Education is a 24-hour job that requires all hands on deck,” which drew a hearty round of applause.
Mr. Hill may be contacted at john_hill@pleitezforla.com
