Magnet Schools And Diversity; The Cocoanut Falls; The Devaluation Of The Dollar; Burma Protests; A Memoir Of Deafness And Hearing
Magnet Schools And Diversity
Magnet schools were originally created to integrate LAUSD campuses and enable students to follow specialized curriculum regardless of where they live. However Prop 209, an initiative voters passed in 1996, bans preferential treatment in public programs based on race or ethnicity. Attorneys met in LA County Superior Court yesterday to argue the validity of taking racial diversity into account for admission to the district's magnet schools. Larry talks with advocates from both sides about this contentious issue.
The Cocoanut Falls
When the LAUSD decided to raze the Ambassador Hotel, a compromise was reached with the LA Conservancy to preserve portions of it, including the fabled Cocoanut Grove. Unfortunately, the Grove turned out to be structurally unsound, and now it will be torn down too. Larry talks with reps from the conservancy and the LAUSD about the loss of this Los Angeles landmark.
The Devaluation Of The Dollar
Larry Mantle discusses the decline of the U.S. dollar which has hit a new low against the Euro. Larry and Jesse Eisinger, Senior Writer for Conde Nast Portfolio discuss the devaluation of the dollar and what that means for the global economy.
Burma Protests
Larry Mantle and guests discuss the explosive situation in Myanmar formerly known as Burma. After 35,000 Buddhist monks and their supporters defied the junta's warnings and staged another day of anti-government protests on Tuesday, Myanmar's military leaders imposed a nighttime curfew and banned gatherings of more than five people. So far the country's hard-line military rulers have not used force to stop the biggest anti-government demonstrations in nearly two decades, led by the monks. But on Tuesday, soldiers in full battle gear were deployed in the country's largest city, setting the stage for a showdown with a determined pro-democracy protest movement. Larry will talk about the volatile situation and the future of the democracy movement in Mynamar.
A Memoir Of Deafness And Hearing
Deaf since an early age, Josh Swiller had successful surgery for a cochlear implant in 2005 which allowed him to partially recover his hearing. Swiller joins Larry Mantle to talk about his memoir The Unheard, a chronicle of his journey from deafness to hearing and his quest to find a place where his deafness would be come irrelevant. That place turned out to be Zambia, where Swiller worked as a Peace Corps volunteer for two years. Swiller now often talks about issues facing mainstream deaf individuals and works at a hospice in Brooklyn, New York, where he lives.