Patt Morrison for Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

1-3 p.m.

 

CALL-IN @ 866-893-5722, 866-893-KPCC; OR JOIN THE CONVERSATION ONLINE ON THE PATT MORRISON BLOG AT KPCC-DOT-ORG

 

1:06 – 1:30: OPEN

 

1:30 – 1:58:30

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer on Making Our Democracy Work, A Judge's View

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer has a new book about how democracy and the court work – and what happens when they don’t.  He and fellow Justice Antonin Scalia have long disagreed over how the constitution should be interpreted. Justice Scalia has been a strict interpreter, famously saying “The Constitution that I interpret and apply is not living, but dead.” Justice Breyer, on the other hand, argues that the founding fathers did intend the Constitution to be living; they knew “perfectly well that conditions would change. The values don't change. The circumstances do.” He joins Patt to talk about what that means in practice, in addition to the controversy over “activist judges,” the balance of power between the judicial and executive branches and the problem of vacancies in the Federal courts’ system.

 

Guest:

Justice Stephen Breyer, associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, appointed in 1994 by president Bill Clinton; former law professor and lecturer at Harvard Law School and author most recently of Making Our Democracy Work, A Judge's View

 

 

2:06 – 2:40

Big Man on Campus: LAUSD Superintendent Deasy on anti-bullying, LGBT curriculum and test scores

It’s all about grades and lesson plans in this month’s Q&A with LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy. Principals urge the adoption of a new evaluation system that would rate teachers based on how well their students perform on standardized tests. Will a stricter rubric inspire better performance? Gov. Jerry Brown, on the other hand, says rethinking how we use test scores won’t change a thing. Earlier, he vetoed SB 547, which would have lessened the emphasis on test scores in school and student assessment. How, then, should schools be rated? Would anything change by reforming the current evaluation system? Also, new measures that directly impact student life in the classrooms: adhering to new regulations, educators are scratching their heads on how to incorporate LGBT lessons into the curriculum. What is the best way to teach K-12 students about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered America? Another new law makes it mandatory for teachers to intervene in bullying conflicts. Seth’s Law also establishes a complaint system for students and parents to file bullying complaints, even suspending repeat bullies. It ain’t easy being John Deasy. Weigh in with your comments as he joins Patt Morrison in the studio.

 

Guest:

John Deasy, LAUSD Superintendent

IN STUDIO

 

2:41:30 – 2:58:30: OPEN

 

 

 

 

 

Lauren Osen

Southern California Public Radio - 89.3 KPCC

626-583-5173 / 626-483-5278

losen@scpr.org