Los Angeles Mayor Anthony Villaraigosa has gotten a lot of attention recently for wanting to pull a Bloomberg-style takeover of his city's public schools. The local teachers union, sensing that such a move might not be in their best interest, claims they are just as eager to run things.

The union's plan would include a "dramatic decentralization of power," making teachers responsible (albeit "though their union") for developing curriculum, assessment procedures, and faculty training. School superintendent Roy Romer quickly sided with Villaraigosa, asserting that standardized lesson plans and "central coherence" are responsible for the district's recent student achievement gains.

The union claims that its plan will focus on student achievement, though. School Board President Marlene Canter expressed a skeptical optimism at this prospect: "If we go to the bargaining table with our focus on student achievement instead of only isolating out monetary issues and salary, I welcome that."