While the LA Unified school board approved the contract settlement with former Superintendent John Deasy, the vote was not unanimous, several district sources confirmed. In a long, closed-door meeting of the seven board members earlier this week, one of Deasy’s staunchest critics on the board, Monica Ratliff, was the lone dissenter. The six other members voted...

A new feature in the LA Weekly claims Board member-elect Monica Ratliff “may be the most powerful woman in Los Angeles” (given the dearth of elected officials on the City Council) and compares LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy to former police chief William Bratton. Written by LA School Report contributor HIllel Aron, The Woman Who May Change L.A. notes that...