Basketball legend makes mayoral endorsement
Basketball legend Earvin “˜”˜Magic”
Johnson endorsed Antonio Villaraigosa for mayor Monday, giving the
challenger one of the race’s prized endorsements and another
A-list supporter in the politically crucial black community.
Speaking at one of his health clubs in the San Fernando Valley,
Johnson’s announcement became as much a denunciation of Mayor
James Hahn’s leadership as an embrace of Villaraigosa’s
candidacy. The former Los Angeles Lakers star said the
administration had been crippled by an ongoing corruption
investigation, leaving City Hall at a virtual standstill.
“We’ve got everything here except a great
mayor,” Johnson said, with Villaraigosa and former mayor
Richard Riordan at his side.
“You can’t point to the Hahn administration and find
10 things he has accomplished because he was so bogged down by the
scandal situation,” Johnson said. “The city was not
moving forward.”
One of Southern California’s most popular figures and now
a successful businessman, Johnson endorsed Hahn over Villaraigosa
in their runoff four years ago, part of a surge of black support
that helped secure Hahn’s victory in 2001.
Superintendent targets low-performing
schools
In an effort targeting nine low-performing schools, LAUSD
Superintendent Roy Romer plans to reassign staff, hire outside
consultants, and trim class sizes to boost test scores.
The proposals come as Romer faces increasing pressure from the
school board and federal officials to deal with ailing secondary
schools. Board members have expressed frustration over the slow
pace of reform aimed at improving lagging campuses.
“All of these plans are aimed at producing a better
learning experience for youngsters and have them be successful not
just in high school but in the next steps in their careers,”
Romer said.
Romer is required by the federal No Child Left Behind law to
take action when schools miss state achievement goals for seven
consecutive years.
Besides the nine target schools, plans are being drawn up for 63
other schools that repeatedly miss goals on math and English
tests.
Compiled from Bruin wire services.