Alex Caputo-Pearl, President of United Teachers Los Angeles, spokesperson for LA teachers currently on strike for the first time in 30 years.

One hardworking and dedicated educator whose name and picture have been prominent in the news this past week is Alex Caputo-Pearl, President of United Teachers Los Angeles. He’s currently acting as the spokesperson for LA teachers as they stage their first teachers’ strike in 30 years.

The strike follows a complete breakdown in 20 months of negotiations between the teachers union and the school district. There is much at stake, says Alex. “United Teachers Los Angeles’ struggle for a fair contract is just one part of a broader movement for students, families and schools,” asserts Alex in an op-ed piece published in the Los Angeles Times on January 6, 2019. “But at its heart, the standoff between L.A. Unified and United Teachers Los Angeles is a struggle over the future of public education,” he continues. To read the entire editorial, click on this link: Why Los Angeles teachers may have to strike.

A veteran teacher, Alex taught for 22 years in the Compton and Los Angeles school districts. He worked most of those years at Crenshaw High School, before he was elected president of UTLA in 2014. Over the years, Alex has earned many accolades for his work in the classroom. He has been recognized with LA Academic English Mastery Program Award, UCLA Social Justice Award, and UTLA Bilingual Education Committee Awards.

Throughout his career, Alex been heavily involved in community organizing, helping to strengthen the efforts of the Labor/Community Strategy Center and the Bus Riders Union, as well as helping to establish the Coalition for Educational Justice, the Crenshaw Cougar Coalition, and the Extended Learning Cultural Model.

Alex earned his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science at Brown University and his Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from UCLA. He has many published articles to his credit, and in addition has been a guest lecturer speaking about labor and community organizing at various Los Angeles area universities. He is an active member of the California Federation of Teachers, the California Teaches Association, the American Federation of Teachers, and the National Education Association.