L.A. Unified dropped from suit to limit seniority rights of teachers

The Los Angeles Unified School District has exited litigation that seeks to limit the seniority rights of California teachers by voiding several provisions of state law.

The lawsuit, filed by the group Students Matter, originally targeted the nation’s second-largest school district and two other school systems, as well as state officials and state government. But the organization decided to focus instead on the state, dropping L.A. Unified as a defendant.

L.A. Unified and the other districts “are hindered by rigid and outdated state laws that harm students,” according to a statement from Students Matter, which is based in Silicon Valley. “We believe the trial should be focused on the actors who are chiefly responsible for devising, promoting, enacting, and maintaining those laws — namely, the State of California and the teachers’ unions.”

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of nine students and their families, targets several state laws, including one that grants tenure rights to teachers after two years. Also at issue are regulations that complicate and prolong efforts to dismiss tenured teachers.

In addition, the lawsuit challenges “last in, first out” policies that apply when teachers are laid off. The advocates contend layoffs should be based on merit rather than seniority.

Altogether, these laws violate the constitutional rights of students, according to the suit, which is scheduled for trial in January.

L.A. Unified has had a complex relationship with the litigation. L.A. schools Supt. John Deasy has been listed as a supporter, even though his school system was being sued. The current school board has not taken an official position, but it’s not clear that Deasy’s stance would be endorsed.

The school system escaped the litigation under terms of a settlement, dated Sept. 16, that calls for each party to pay its own legal fees and other related costs.

A similar agreement was reached with the Alum Rock Union Elementary School District in San Jose. Oakland Unified remains a defendant, although settlement discussions are underway there as well.

Two key parties joined the litigation as intervening defendants after it began -- the California Teachers Assn. and the California Federation of Teachers.

In their filings, state officials argued there is no integral connection between California’s framework of “due process rights” for teachers and the problem of “grossly ineffective teachers.”

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Twitter: @howardblume | howard.blume@latimes.com