The news that didn't fit from Oct 14th!

►THE MYTH OF THE UNFIREABLE DEADBEAT: Lies About Teachers and Unions

A former union leader takes on the conventional wisdom that the Teacher's Unions Are What's Wrong with Public Education in general and LAUSD in specific. Maybe it's the conventional wisdom that's wrong?

►Rearranging the Deck Chairs | IT Project Failures: TURNAROUND STRATEGY FOR LOS ANGELES SCHOOL DISTRICT PAYROLL FAILURE

The nerds, techies and bloggers at ZDNet weigh in on everyone's favorite IT Project Disaster. The writer obviously went to public school, addressing the Superintendent/Admiral as: "Dude". But why not? These are the dudes who'll have to fix the mess.

►Commentary from Canada: EXPAND EDUCATIONAL FREEDOM OF CHOICE FOR ALL PARENTS

Preston Manning in the Toronto Globe and Mail thinks that Alberta's educational grass is greener than Ontario's. It's an old story in a new setting – and when conservatives are for "Choice" they mean "Vouchers"!

►Commentary from Las Virgines: FUNDING FINESSE - CALIFORNIA PUBLIC EDUCATION STILL ON A FISCAL 'ROLLER COASTER'

Speaking of the "greener grass": As LAUSD slips further and further down the political slippery slope and deeper and deeper into the educational quicksand – and some dream about how much better/simpler/whatever it would be if we only broke up LAUSD into more manageable parts – there might be some value into looking at how the next school district up the 101 is faring.

►HOW HIGHER ED CAN FIX K-12 from Inside Higher Ed

A UCI assistant professor writes that the Ivied Halls of Academe have the answer: The grass is greenest in Texas! Texas - those wonderful folks who brought us NCLB! Some folks are best locked in their ivory tower and the key conveniently tossed.

►Podcast - BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO: Sub-Districts in the LAUSD

From Patt Morrsion | KPCC | Wednesday October 10

School Board Member Emeritus David Tokofsky holds forth on the Superintendent's New Clothes …er: Reforms – and Jaime Regalado, executive director of Cal State L.A.'s Edmund G. Brown Institute holds forth on what David said!

►THAT EASTSIDE SOUND

October 11 - Garfield High School, best known to the outside world as the setting for the 1988 film Stand and Deliver – starring Edward James Olmos as real-life math teacher and tough-love mentor Jaime Escalante – has always been an integral part of the East L.A. community. “It is the only high school in the unincorporated territory of East Los Angeles,” says Garfield Principal Omar Del Cueto. “So in this neighborhood, when you say old school, the only old school that comes to mind is Garfield High School.”

GARFIELD BENEFIT CONCERT FEATURING LOS LOBOS. Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, (818) 626-4440. Sun. at 5:45 p.m. Tickets from $39.75. Info: Ticketmaster.com or Garfieldhs.org.