Alex Caputo-Pearl was a young, activist teacher when he helped lead the Bus Riders Union, co-founded a group to organize against the growing influence of standardized testing and helped start a bloc within the union to push for liberal-leaning issues.
Strikingly little has changed about the veteran social studies instructor, what he's fighting for, and how he intends to go about it.
Except now he is taking that mission to the top job of the teachers union for the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation's second-largest school system.
Caputo-Pearl, 45, won a resounding victory Tuesday, winning 80% of the United Teachers Los Angeles vote in a runoff against one-term incumbent President Warren Fletcher. In the mail-in election, 7,235 members cast ballots, fewer than one in four of those eligible to vote.
The incoming leader vowed to make the union a force for advancing education reforms favored by teachers in the school district.
"I've always walked the walk on this," said Caputo-Pearl. "The union needs to be a real leader in taking control of school improvement and really working with members and the community around how to improve schools."
Caputo-Pearl and Fletcher differ little on education policy.
Fletcher, too, has criticized standardized testing. Also, both are opposed to evaluating teachers based in part on their students' test scores. And both criticize the overall direction of schools Supt. John Deasy.
Both have made limited headway.
Fletcher spent his three-year term on the defensive — working to limit layoffs and salary cuts while trying to block aggressive moves by Deasy, who overhauled teacher evaluations to include test scores. Deasy also has tried, less successfully so far, to limit teacher job protections in the name of improving the workforce.
Caputo-Pearl was on the receiving end of one Deasy strategy: replacing the staff at low-performing schools.
Caputo-Pearl lost his job at Crenshaw High, after devoting his career to the campus and surrounding neighborhood. This year, he taught at Frida Kahlo High School.
His tenure at Crenshaw offers some insight into his leadership.
Students appreciated him as a strong teacher who motivated many into social activism. Several times, Caputo-Pearl outmaneuvered district officials, as when he helped students, parents and teachers fight off attempts to bring a charter school to the campus. (Charters are independently run public schools; most are nonunion.)
Caputo-Pearl was most proud, in recent years, of helping develop a homegrown improvement plan that won support from foundations and USC. Rather than replacing teachers, the faculty committed to improving skills and collaborating, while also working with students to make key decisions and incorporate an understanding and celebration of students' cultures.
But Deasy concluded that the approach failed to raise achievement. Caputo-Pearl countered that district decisions perpetually undermined efforts.
Another issue has arisen between them: Deasy said recently that Caputo-Pearl faces possible discipline for campaigning during school hours.
Caputo-Pearl said he'll look beyond these conflicts to work with the superintendent.
And, Deasy said Tuesday that he called to congratulate Caputo-Pearl. "I look forward to a positive and collaborative working relationship," the superintendent said.
The new leader's battle scars are a selling point for many teachers.
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