Your donation will help us produce journalism like this. Please give today.

The teachers union has been strangely silent about the parent trigger issue lately — even as different variations on the controversial school turnaround approach are being explored.

In just the last few weeks, the parents of 24th St. have chosen a new “hybrid” plan that would leave the younger grades in the hands of LAUSD; the parents of Weigand Elementary have turned in a trigger petition that precludes any charter conversion; and the trigger process at Haddon Elementary has been put on pause so that teachers and parents could discuss options.

So what does UTLA think about all this?  At last night’s press conference, LA School Report asked UTLA President Warren Fletcher, who had this to say:

“The Parent trigger law is a very poorly put together law… When it’s used to destabilize school communities, it’s a danger.”

Fletcher added, however, that the union was taking a wait-and-see approach to the petitions in both 24th St. and Weigand, the latter of which says that teachers won’t have to reapply for their jobs.

“UTLA is continuing to follow the story,” he said. “We’re watching what happens at 24th Street and other schools — watching to see if it destabilizes the schools.”

In a blog post last month, Parent Revolution praised the union’s mild response to the 24th St. trigger petition:

“From the beginning of the 24th Street Parents Unions campaign, UTLA has treated the parents, the process, and the law with respect. They deserve real credit for their actions in this regard, and we recognize and appreciate the professional nature in which they have approached this important effort.”

Previous posts: Two More “Parent Triggers” in the Works; Listen: Parent Trigger Ups and Downs; LA Parents Opting for Varied “Trigger” Options; Parent Trigger Coming to LAUSD