L.A. Quotables: Deasy vs. Fletcher

Taken from yesterday's L.A. Times story, "LAUSD, teachers union spar over voluntary evaluation system".

Supt. John Deasy (the man from Gates):

"What a shame we don't have a partner in the leadership of UTLA," Deasy said. "It doesn't really bode well that the leadership doesn't seem to be serious about teacher evaluations."

UTLA Pres. Warren Fletcher: 

Fletcher said the union objected to the program for a number of reasons. He said the district created it without negotiations, which UTLA said were required. The union has long argued that student test scores are too unreliable to use in such decisions as hiring, firing, pay and tenure. 

"We want to build an evaluation system that will be useful for years to come, and we want to do it together," Fletcher said. "The bargaining has been serious."