A paid public communication by Livable California
UPDATE from Livable California On Nine Bad Housing Bills
Two bad bills -- AB 1279 (opposed by City of LB) and AB 3107 -- are now dead (a victory, pulled by their author.)
On Aug. 6 three bad bills will be heard in the State Senate Housing Committee: AB 725, AB 2345 (lets developers override city standards on height, open space, parking, setbacks, side yards and other careful planning) and AB 3040 (lets cities "upzone" single-family areas to fourplexes)
On Aug. 11, SB 1120 (co-authored by state Senator Lena Gonzalez, crushes single-family zoning, allows 4 market-rate homes where a one home now stands) will be heard in Ass'y Local Gov't Committee.
SB 902, SB 1085, SB 995 remain problematic.
Visit https://www.livablecalifornia.org for details and updated information.
LBReport.com

News / VIDEO

LB School Board Hears Staff Plans For Classroom Instruction Reopening, Declines To Direct Add'l Flexibility Urged By Socially Networked Parents/Teachers Seeking Remote Online Instruction To Avoid Health Risks

Boardmembers Kerr and Benitez voiced empathy but chide group for some social network comments sharply critical of LBUSD plans

  • LBUSD mgm't and teachers union will now negotiate reopening terms

  • If LBREPORT.com didn't tell you,
    who would?
    No one in LBREPORT.com's ownership, reporting or editorial decision-making has ties to development interests, advocacy groups or other special interests; or is seeking or receiving benefits of City development-related decisions; or holds a City Hall appointive position; or has contributed sums to political campaigns for Long Beach incumbents or challengers. LBREPORT.com isn't part of an out of town corporate cluster and no one its ownership, editorial or publishing decisionmaking has been part of the governing board of any City government body or other entity on whose policies we report.

    LBREPORT.com is reader and advertiser supported. Support independent news in LB similar to the way people support NPR and PBS stations. We're not non-profit so it's not tax deductible but $49.95 (less than an annual dollar a week) helps keep us online.
    City Clerk Calls for Argument Writers for the 2020 City Ballot Measure

    On November 3, 2020, the City of Long Beach will hold a Consolidated Municipal Election with the Los Angeles General Municipal Election at which voters will consider a ballot measure relating to the Long Beach Community Services General Purpose Oil Production Tax Increase Measure. To make sure there is adequate time for those interested in writing arguments for or against the measure, the Interest Form for Argument Writers is available today on the Office of the City Clerk webpage www.longbeach.gov/cityclerk/elections/ballot-measures/. All interest forms must be received by the City Clerk at 411 West Ocean Boulevard, Lobby Level, Window #12, Long Beach, CA 90802, no later than 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 6, 2020.

    The Mayor will announce his nominees for argument writers at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, August 10, 2020. The City Council will vote on those nominations at the City Council meeting on August 11, 2020. Arguments FOR or AGAINST the ballot measure are due to the City Clerk by Friday, August 14, 2020 at 4:30 p.m., while rebuttal arguments are due by Monday, August 24, 2020 at 4:30 p.m. Arguments must not exceed 300 words and rebuttal arguments must not exceed 250 words. For more information, please contact the Office of the City Clerk, at (562) 570-6101.

    Above text provided by City Clerk's office
    (Aug. 6, 2020, 11:35 a.m.) -- Despite a horn-honking car caravan, over an hour of passionate parent and teacher testimony on top of a large volume of emails citing concerns for teacher, student and familymembers' health, LBUSD's School Board didn't modify LBUSD staff's approach and declined to direct increased flexibility sought by "Parents for Teachers of LBUSD" (a large active Facebook group) which .

    Instead, the Board at its Aug. 5 meeting heard its staff present detailed (and some cases still developing) plans to reopen classrooms at various grade levels. Some of the plans and options presented by staff included online and hybrid options for parents' choices.

    LB Schoolboardmembers asked staff questions, engaged in colloquy and voiced occasional concerns but no Board incumbents made a motion to change staff's direction or otherwise opposed staff's plans.

    The School Board's stance effectively leaves details of exactly how to implement the classroom reopenings (at some point after Oct. 5 but no specific date determined) to now-ongoing negotiations between LBUSD management and the Teachers Ass'n of Long Beach (TALB.)

    LBREPORT.com livestreamed the Schoolboard proceedings on our front page and Facebook page and provides on-demand VIDEO below.

    [Scroll down for further.]








    The above ad space donated by LBREPORT.com

    Sponsor

    Sponsor

    Despite the substantive significance of the item, LBUSD simply agendized it as "Opening of School Update" with no accompanying written materials.

    Under LB's School Board rules, public testimony is heard first, and the Board heard nearly two hours of public testimony on agendized items and non-agendized items. (Our video is encoded to begin at 22:42, the start of public testimony. Parents/teachers spoke passionately in citing risks to their health, their families and students.

    Following public testimony, the Board took a break before LBUSD staff began its substantive presentation. Dr. Jill Baker, LBUSD senior staffers presented details of the reopening plans accompanied by Power Point slides. corresponding to the time codes below:. LBUSD staff said its plans address safety and described detailed instructional plans (some still being developed) for reopening classrooms at various grade levels at some point after Oct. 5 (date still uncertain.) Management's reopening plans do include use of online instruction and components, including hybrid options with parental choices at some grade levels.

    • 2:21:50: Introduction by Dr. Jill Baker

    • 2:24:00 Brian Moskovitz (As't Superintendent/Elementary Schools)

    • 3:09:59 (Dr. Christopher Lund, Middle Schools)

    • 3:34:45 (Dr. Jay Camerino/High Schools)

    • 3:57:40 (Dr. Kristi Kahl [describes various models/options/families will see/can choose]

    • 4:20:30 (Dr. Erin Simon (Special Education) runs to 4:48:30.

    Sponsor

    Sponsor


    /center>

    Boardmembers asked questions; Boardmembers Kerr and Benitez cited equity concerns and operational issues; but no Boardmembers explicitly urged or made a motion directing LBUSD staff to allow the increased flexibility sought by parent/teacher testimony. There was no concluding motion or vote; the Board simply moved on to other items.

    Sponsor

    Sponsor

    However at 5:18:20 on the video (nearing the conclusion of the meeting approaching 10:30 p.m.,) Boardmembers Kerr and Benitez offered additional statements following-up on the re-opening item. They both acknowledged receiving large numbers of emails from parents and teachers voicing concerns over LBUSD's reopening plans. However in a surprising turn, Kerr and Benitez also publicly chastised some online/social network comments sharply critical of LBUSD staff and its reopening plans.

    Boardmember Kerr said some comments had used quote-marks [to denigrate particular actions or persons.] Boardmember Benitez said some online comments had "run amok." Boardmembers Kerr and Benitez urged parents and teachers to work together with LBUSD staff as discussion of management's reopening plans continues.

    Further discussion of reopening issues is expected in a School Board "workshop" meeting is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 18-19.

    Sponsor


    . .
    Sponsor

    Sponsor


    Support really independent news in Long Beach. No one in LBREPORT.com's ownership, reporting or editorial decision-making has ties to development interests, advocacy groups or other special interests; or is seeking or receiving benefits of City development-related decisions; or holds a City Hall appointive position; or has contributed sums to political campaigns for Long Beach incumbents or challengers. LBREPORT.com isn't part of an out of town corporate cluster and no one its ownership, editorial or publishing decisionmaking has been part of the governing board of any City government body or other entity on whose policies we report. LBREPORT.com is reader and advertiser supported. You can help keep really independent news in LB similar to the way people support NPR and PBS stations. We're not non-profit so it's not tax deductible but $49.95 (less than an annual dollar a week) helps keep us online.


    blog comments powered by Disqus

    Recommend LBREPORT.com to your Facebook friends:


    Follow LBReport.com with:

    Twitter

    Facebook

    RSS

    Return To Front Page

    Contact us: mail@LBReport.com



    Adoptable pet of the week:




    Copyright © 2020 LBReport.com, LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of Use/Legal policy, click here. Privacy Policy, click here