2020 Candidates for Special Categories Director
Board of Directors (Special Category) includes Adult and Occupational Education, Bilingual Education, Early Childhood Education Centers, Health and Human Services, Special Education and Substitutes.
Contested
2020 UTLA Board of Director – Adult Education
Matthew Kogan
I am running for Director of Adult Education to continue our fight for Adult Ed and Adult Ed teachers. Our issues, which we must continue to organize and push for, are: tenure rights for CTE and all adult ed members, better pay, transparency in school budgets and CTE student class fees, easier teacher transfers, EDD rights, individual student career counseling, and better advertising.
I have been endorsed by all seven UTLA officers, including Alex Caputo-Pearl, President. I have also been endorsed by all ten Adult Education Chapter Chairs: Rick Nunez, Brian Huffer, Roxana Sanchez, Lorena Zorilla, Gary Cooper, Patrick Meyer, Laura Vazquez, Jenisha Hasselberger, Pilar Zorilla, and Ed McBride. I have been endorsed by the entire Adult Education Committee Steering Committee: Roxana Sanchez, Bob Yorgason, Michelle Cohen, and Jenisha Hasselberger.
I encourage all Adult Ed teachers to vote for the entire Union Power Team. They have supported us and we need to continue to support them.
Marc Wutschke
MARC WUTSCHKE FOR UTLA ADULT EDUCATION DIRECTOR
- I will fight for Adult Education teachers first and foremost.
Not for a union faction
- I will continue the fight to put adult education teachers on the same salary schedule and class selection process as other UTLA teachers.
The schedule will significantly increase our wages and retirement benefits and create paid prep time.
The “Matrix” class selection will be based on the UTLA-approved method, not the one now proposed by DACE.
- I will fight for a split-shift salary bonus and more flexible leaves for adult education teachers.
- I will fight for a more democratic and transparent adult education leadership.
Stronger chapters
Greater voice for the rank and file teacher
No unreported meetings with administration
- The incumbent is also the Adult Education Committee Chair, monopolizing the two top UTLA adult ed. positions. No person can do both jobs adequately.
- I have over 20 years of experience fighting for adult education.
2020 UTLA Board of Director – Substitute Teachers
Benny Madera
I have been honored to serve as your Substitute Director for the past two and a half years. I ran for this position because I wanted to make a difference in the lives of all substitutes, and with the Union Power Team, we have done just that. We won unprecedented gains for substitutes, like better pay, respect for continuity and professional training. We did this together and we deserve more.
Over the next few years, I plan to work on the following four priorities.
1. Job security: Our substitute leaders and UTLA staff need more training and support from UTLA to better serve our members. 2. Working conditions: Improve our working conditions by giving us the vital resources and materials to do our job effectively. 3. Health care: We must continue to defend and protect our health care. 4. Respect: We are not disposable and deserve to be treated as professionals.
Let's continue to work together. I ask for your vote for myself and the entire Union Power Team.
Francisco Martinez
ELECT FRANCISCO MARTINEZ FOR SUBSTITUTES BOARD OF DIRECTOR As Substitutes Committee Chair:
- I worked with staff members and held several meetings to inform our members of the importance of union organizing in the post Janus case period.
- I got fifteen sections of our contract rewritten to bring up to date issues that had been in place since the 1970’s.
- I pushed for the creation of new Chapter Chair positions. From having only 2, we now have 24 Substitute representatives.
- I defended dozens of Substitutes from abusive administrators and saved them from being fired
- I walked the line with my fellow teachers during the entire length of the strike
- As a Substitute Elected to the House of Representatives, I spoke on Substitute issues.
- As the chair of the Sub Committee, I attended all of the Article XXX Meetings and confronted the LAUSD on issues such as: write-ups, EDD, Keys, Lesson Plans, long term pay, student discipline, late calls, etc. It is time to elect a real independent leader.
2020 UTLA Board of Director – Bilingual Education
Cheryl Ortega
I am committed to fighting for every dual language teacher and every BCC/BCLAD teacher to receive compensation for their training, expertise and extra work in providing programs our students deserve.
- 38 years teaching in a bilingual classroom and Master Plan development, ensuring fair access to curriculum for English learners
- 14 years supporting BCC/BCLAD teachers as UTLA Director of Bilingual Education
“I am an enthusiastic supporter of Ms. Ortega not only for her deep understanding and support of bilingual education but also for her ability to see the big picture, to consider what is right for all students. In Gandhi’s terms, Ms. Ortega is one of the ‘perfect resistors’ we need to win the battle of right vs wrong. Ms. Ortega is a perfect and relentless warrior for bilingual education and for our children.” — Dr. Stephen Krashen, Professor Emeritus, USC Rossiter School of Education
Cheryl Ortega - a proven fighter for dual language and all BCC/BCLAD teachers.
Jasmine Wang
I am eager to be the Director of Bilingual Education. As a teacher and mother of a child in an LAUSD dual language program, I have consistently advocated for students, parents, and communities since I was in high school. I am passionate about language justice. As a teacher in LAUSD, I taught newcomer students from various backgrounds, while also fighting against co-location at my son’s school with a thriving dual language program, and fighting for racial justice with SLASD.
As the only active teacher running for this position, I have the daily experience and know first-hand the issues teachers face in schools, and communities. Fluent in Spanish and Chinese, I support multilingual students and parents through culturally relevant curriculum, fighting for language and racial justice by uplifting their voices, which are often marginalized. As Director of Bilingual Education, I plan to creatively find solutions and fight for more resources for multilingual students and teachers.
Uncontested (candidates elected by acclamation)
2020 UTLA Board of Director – Early Education Center (EEC) Director
2020 UTLA Board of Director – Health & Human Services
Mallorie Evans
I am honored to run for Board of Directors-Health & Human Services. I am an Educational Audiologist who has worked for the District for 14 years. I have been a Chapter Chair for 11 years. I also served as the Chair of the Health & Human Services (HHS) Standing Committee for 2 years. I am currently your representative for Health & Human Services on the UTLA Board of Directors.
During my time on the Board, we fought for and won recognition of all Special Category/HHS chapters to be recognized in our contract. We have organized our members to know and fight for their rights regarding inclusive contract language, working conditions, continuing education, and recruitment/retention. We continue to strive for equal representation and a strong, unifying voice to effectively meet these goals.
As the Director for Health & Human Services, I will continue to work collaboratively to organize each chapter and push our leadership to act on ideas that improve our professions.
Thank you!
2020 UTLA Board of Director – Special Education
Deborah Schneider
My name is Debby Schneider-Solis and as a 14 year Special Education teacher and newly elected UTLA Director of Special Education, I am thrilled to be on this team with Union Power. As a team we have accomplished so much and we are only getting started. In order to continue moving forward and build on our momentum, we must elect the UNION POWER team of officers and special categories--your vote will make that happen!
We have won and will continue winning on healthcare, led a historic strike that saw unprecedented victories from common good demands to salary increases and the elimination of section 1.5. We are now gearing up for re-opener bargaining that includes special education, HHS staffing, salary, and bilingual differentials. We are the team with the vision, strategy and experience to win!
Elect the Union Power Officer Team, Benny Madera for Substitute Director, Jasmine Wang for Bilingual Director, and Matthew Kogan for Adult Education.