Senate debate: tax deal or no deal?; MOCA takes flak for painting over a mural; Hollywood farmers market fight could impact other markets; preliminary results of the Gates Foundation's project on teacher evaluation methods; and skateboarding legend Tony Hawk - still SHREDding after all these years.
Obama tax package debate moves to House – deal or no deal?
The tax compromise hashed out between GOP lawmakers and President Obama passed a Senate procedural vote yesterday and is headed towards final approval today. Liberal Democrats in the House have threatened to fight the deal over extending the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. But now Democratic leaders are saying they may settle for changes in the estate tax. What can be expected from House lawmakers to get the deal done? And is this bill likely to pass?
Guest:
Doyle McManus, Washington Columnist for the Los Angeles Times, covering national and international politics
MOCA whitewashes antiwar mural
The Italian street artist known only as Blu may have gotten his start spray painting walls in the suburbs of Bologna but in the last decade he has become a highly regarded and established muralist. He has been commissioned to paint large wall murals all over the world, most recently by the Museum of Contemporary Art here in Los Angeles. His piece was set to be featured in the upcoming “Art in the Streets” exhibit. But upon the mural’s completion the museum immediately painted over it. Why? The piece depicted rows of military style coffins draped with dollar bills in place of flags that the MOCA deemed “inappropriate” in its official statement. Long time art dealer and gallery owner Jeffrey Deitch is the museum’s current director. He told the Los Angeles Times, “This is 100% about my effort to be a good, responsible, respectful neighbor in this historic community.” Is this a case of unacceptable censorship or one of prudent caution? Where do you draw the line?
L.A. Film School threatens to block Hollywood farmers’ market
Every Sunday morning, Ivar Avenue abounds with fresh veggies, aromatic street food, and throngs of basket-toting foodies shopping LA’s largest farmers’ market. The Hollywood farmers’ market opened in 1991 and has become an iconic symbol of the local food movement. But the weekly street closures to accommodate the market also inhibit entry to the main parking garages for the Los Angeles Film School. Growing demand for labs and film festival space has put pressure on the school to provide parking on Sunday mornings, turning a once amicable relationship with the farmers’ market hostile. Now the film school wants to prevent street closures, restricting the size of the market and its income. The loss of revenue, which organizers rely on, might have a negative impact on other area markets. Can these two Hollywood institutions coexist?
Guests:
Michael Woo, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles; Dean of Cal Poly Pomona’s school of environmental design
Adam Englander, spokesman for the LA Film School
What’s the best way to grade teachers? Ask their students
The preliminary results of the Measuring Effective Teachers study, funded by the Bill and Melissa Gates Foundation, are in. Top education experts from across the country found that value-added evaluations based on student test scores coupled with student surveys are a good measure of effective teaching. The study, which is only half complete, will ultimately include sophisticated observation methods and teachers’ assessments of their own performance—measures that critics of value-added have long maintained are necessary to get the full picture. But for now, researchers claim that “value-added” could be a good benchmark for future evaluation methods. Some critics argue that releasing interim results gives undue weight to the value-added portion. They say nothing is clear without the rest of the study. Will school districts across the nation wait for the complete results before revamping their approach to grading teachers? Or does this study give license to pink slip teachers with poor scores?
Guests:
Vicki Phillips, Director of Education at the Gates Foundation
Jason Felch, Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times
Derek Briggs, Professor and Chair of Research and Evaluation Methodology in the School of Education at the University of Colorado
Thomas Kane, Deputy Director of Education at the Gates Foundation; Professor of Education and Economics at the Harvard Graduate School of Education
Skateboarding’s Tony Hawk - still SHREDding after all these years
San Diego native Tony Hawk is undoubtedly the most famous skateboarder in the world but his life, like any good run, has been filled with hurdles that needed jumping, or grinding, ollieing, or flipping over. Thankfully, he happens to be good at all of those maneuvers. In 1999, Hawk retired from competitive skating at the age of 31. But he still runs the skateboarding empire Birdhouse Skateboards, churns out new versions of his iconic video game Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and helps build skate parks in low income communities through the Tony Hawk Foundation. From Dogtown to the X Games, Hawk has watched the world of skateboarding evolve. How did someone who started out as a 9 year old kid goofing around on a banana board turn his passion into such a successful career? And how has Hawk changed the game for the boarders who followed him?
Guest:
Tony Hawk, author of HOW DID I GET HERE? The Ascent of an Unlikely CEO (Wiley)