Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa refused to sign L.A. City Council resolution 12-0002-S9 in support of Adult Education in LAUSD. The resolution, which was passed unanimously by L.A. City Council, was sent to his office on May 30, and on June 12 a memo was sent from the Mayor’s Office, signed by his Chief of Staff, stating “the Mayor is returning this file without signature.”
“The Mayor failed to act by June 11, 2012….” [June 13, 2012 letter from the Chief Legislative Analyst of Los Angeles]
The Mayor’s silence on Adult Education has been deafening to many, particularly since he personally benefited from programs providing an alternative to the traditional high school diploma. That he could not as much as lift a pen to sign what many L.A. Councilmembers called a noncontroversial issue, is very disappointing.
The movement to save the Adult Education program in LAUSD has enjoyed an outpouring of popular support and elected officials from local, state and national levels have advocated on the program’s behalf. All of this stands in stark contrast to the Mayor’s failure to act.
For Mayor Villaraigosa, the self-proclaimed “Education Mayor”, who insisted he would use his “bully pulpit” in support of education in Los Angeles to say that he supports Adult Education, yet refuses to sign a non-binding and symbolic resolution, is not only disingenuous, but it is outright hypocritical, not to mention patronizing. It’s no different from a politician saying they support you, immediately after voting against you.
Nevertheless, regardless of the Mayor’s missing signature, the resolution was still “DEEMED APPROVED and EFFECTIVE June 13, 2012,” stated the Chief Legislative Analyst of the City of Los Angeles, who sent eight Certified copies sent to Sacramento Representatives. To download and view related documents click here.
Save Adult Ed! 
The sooner we get rid of Villaragosa the better.
He told us teachers that he supports Adult Ed. What?? Why wont he sign it now?
He has plenty of time to chase female news reporters.
Shame on you.