5/6/02

LC020506

VAL>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS>> SICK AND TIRED OF YOUR OLD JOB? HOW ABOUT BECOMING A SCHOOL TEACHER. TONIGHT A LOOK AT WHY SOME PEOPLE ARE TRADING THE NINE-TO-FIVE GRIND FOR A STINT IN THE CLASSROOM.

LISL SPANGENBERG>> AND THE PROJECTS THAT I WORK ON ARE INTERESTING, BUT IN THE END, I DON'T THINK THAT THE WORLD NEEDS ANOTHER VERA WANG DRESS AD OR ANOTHER WEBSITE FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES.

VAL>> THE SHAH OF IRAN WAS TOPPLED FROM POWER A GENERATION AGO, BUT SOME IRANIANS NOW LOOK BACK ON HIS REIGN AS THE GOOD OLD DAYS. TONIGHT WE'LL MEET THE LATE SHAH'S ELDEST SON. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT HE MAY SOMEDAY FOLLOW IN DAD'S FOOTSTEPS?

JESS>> WE'LL ALSO VISIT THE ROOTS OF A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REVOLUTION.

>> THE ZEPHYR TEAM HAD GUYS WITH ALL DIFFERENT STYLES AND REALLY SPARKED A REVOLUTION.

JESS>> THEY ARE THE SURFERS OF THE SIDEWALKS: SKATEBOARDERS. TONIGHT WE'LL TAKE A FAST RIDE WITH THE MAKERS OF A NEW FILM THAT TELLS HOW THE CRAZE TOOK OFF LIKE A ROCKET ON WHEELS.

VAL>> THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I'M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW.

IT'S A CONTINUING PROBLEM. NOT ENOUGH TEACHERS FOR THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BUT THERE'S A NEW SOLUTION AT LEAST FOR LOS ANGELES AND SOME NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS. THEY'RE PUTTING OUT THE CALL FOR MID-CAREER PROFESSIONALS, ACCOUNTANTS, ATTORNEYS, BUSINESS MANAGERS, TO TRADE THEIR OLD JOBS FOR NEW CAREERS AS TEACHERS.

VAL>> THERE'S NO GOING BACK TO COLLEGE AND NO CREDENTIALS NEEDED AT LEAST TO START. JUST SOME INTENSE TRAINING THAT WILL PUT NEW TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM BY THIS FALL. AS PHILIP BRUCE REPORTS, THAT OPPORTUNITY APPEALS TO SOME WHO'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THEY'D MADE A GOOD TEACHER.

PHILIP BRUCE>> AS A FREELANCE WRITER, LISL SPANGENBERG HAS A LOT OF FREEDOM. HER DAYS ARE HER OWN. BUT NOW SHE'S READY FOR A WHOLE NEW LIFE.

LISL SPANGENBERG>> AND THE PROJECTS THAT I WORK ON ARE INTERESTING, BUT IN THE END, I DON'T THINK THAT THE WORLD NEEDS ANOTHER VERA WANG DRESS AD OR ANOTHER WEBSITE FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES.

PHILIP BRUCE>> AFTER FOURTEEN YEARS AS A WRITER, SPANGENBERG WANTS TO BECOME A TEACHER. SHE'S HOPING TO BE ACCEPTED FOR A LOS ANGELES SCHOOL DISTRICT PROGRAM THAT'S AIMED AT BRINGING YOUNG AND MID-CAREER PROFESSIONALS INTO THE CLASSROOM.

LISL SPANGENBERG>> WHAT REALLY HAS INTERESTED ME THE LAST FEW YEARS IS THE TIME I'VE SPENT WITH MY NIECES AND NEPHEWS AND MY FRIENDS' CHILDREN HELPING THEM WITH THEIR HOMEWORK, HELPING THEM WITH PROJECTS. WHEN I GET FINISHED WITH THAT, I FEEL LIKE I'VE DONE SOMETHING THAT MATTERS.

>> WE'RE GOING TO DO THE REST OF OUR READING TODAY.

PHILIP BRUCE>> YEAR AFTER YEAR, LARGE URBAN DISTRICTS SUCH AS LOS ANGELES STRUGGLE TO FIND QUALIFIED INSTRUCTORS. THERE JUST AREN'T ENOUGH CREDENTIALED TEACHERS. BUT NOW THE DISTRICT HAS JOINED FORCES WITH A NATIONAL PROGRAM CALLED THE "NEW TEACHER PROJECT". THE GOAL IS TO BRING 250 PROFESSIONALS INTO CLASSROOMS FOR SIX WEEKS OF INTENSIVE TRAINING THIS SUMMER. BY FALL, THEY'LL BE TEACHING ON THEIR OWN, MOSTLY IN HARD TO STAFF SCHOOLS WHILE THEY WORK ON GETTING THEIR CREDENTIALS.

LAYLA AVILA>> WELL, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE A STRONG RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT, THAT HAVE PROVEN THEMSELVES IN THE PAST IN WHATEVER CAREER THAT THEY WERE INVOLVED IN.

PHILIP BRUCE>> IN THE FEW WEEKS SINCE THE DISTRICT ANNOUNCED THE PROGRAM, CLOSE TO 500 PEOPLE HAVE APPLIED. THIRTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD ABRAHAM CASAVI IS AMONG THEM. IN COLLEGE, CASAVI MAJORED IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AND EXPECTED TO JOIN THE CORPORATE WORLD. INSTEAD, HE WOUND UP IN RETAIL SALES, RUNNING HIS FAMILY-OWNED LIQUOR STORE AND A CHECK-CASHING BUSINESS.

ABRAHAM CASAVI>> EVENTUALLY, FIFTEEN YEARS LATER, HERE I AM, BUT I DECIDED, YOU KNOW, THAT THIS REALLY WASN'T WHAT I WANTED TO DO WITH MY LIFE. WITH THE TRAGEDY OF SEPTEMBER 11, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE KIND OF REASSESSED THEIR LIVES AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I DID.

ERNIE FOX>> NOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THE VERTICAL LINES.

PHILIP BRUCE>> WHEN IT COMES TO MID-LIFE CHANGES, ERNIE FOX CAN SPEAK WITH EXPERIENCE. AS A YOUNG MAN, HE TAUGHT SCHOOL AND HAD A PART-TIME JOB IN THE BUSINESS WORLD. BUT SOON ENOUGH, FOX BAILED OUT OF THE CLASSROOM COMPLETELY TO MAKE SOME REAL MONEY.

ERNIE FOX>> I KNOW IT'S TERRIBLE TO SAY, BUT MY PART-TIME JOB AT THE END OF THE YEAR WHEN I WAS DOING MY TAXES, I ACTUALLY MADE MORE MONEY ON MY PART-TIME JOB THAN I DID TEACHING. AT THAT POINT IN MY LIFE, RAISING A FAMILY, THE FINANCIAL PART WAS VERY IMPORTANT.

ERNIE FOX>> CHINA. ANOTHER ONE. JAPAN. THERE YOU GO. YOU GUYS ARE COOKING NOW.

PHILIP BRUCE>> AT AGE 49, FOX WAS ABLE TO RETIRE AND TRAVEL WITH HIS WIFE, BUT BY HIS MID-FIFTIES, HE DECIDED HE WANTED SOMETHING MORE IN LIFE AND RETURNED TO TEACHING IN THE VERY JUNIOR HIGH HE'D ATTENDED DECADES EARLIER. NOW 64, FOX FINDS HIS TIME IN THE CLASSROOM SO REWARDING THAT HE HAS NO PLANS TO RETIRE.

ERNIE FOX>> I CAN SEE MYSELF HEALTH-WISE STAYING UNTIL I'M 70.

PHILIP BRUCE>> ABRAHAM CASAVI, THE BUSINESSMAN, SAYS HE'S PREPARED FOR A CUT IN INCOME. IF HE'S ACCEPTED INTO THE LOS ANGELES PROGRAM, HE'LL MAKE ABOUT $35,000 THE FIRST YEAR. HE AND HIS WIFE ARE ABOUT TO HAVE A BABY, BUT CASAVI SAYS, AS A TWO-INCOME FAMILY, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET.

LAYLA AVILA>> I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WE LOOK FOR ARE SORT OF NOT MOTIVATED BY SALARY. THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE THAT WE SPEAK TO REALLY SAY THAT MAYBE THEY'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT ABOUT TEACHING OR MAYBE THAT THEY'VE BEEN IN A DIFFERENT CAREER FOR X NUMBER OF YEARS AND THEY'RE JUST NOT SATISFIED. THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S MORE REWARDING.

PHILIP BRUCE>> LAYLA AVILA SAYS NOT EVERYONE WHO'S ACCEPTED INTO THE PROGRAM WILL STICK IT OUT. THE NEW TEACHERS WILL HAVE ONGOING SUPPORT DURING THE THREE YEARS IT TAKES THEM TO GET THEIR CREDENTIALS, BUT SOME WON'T LAST THROUGH THE INTENSIVE SUMMER TRAINING.

LAYLA AVILA>> FOR SOME REASON, PEOPLE THINK THAT TEACHING IS EASY AND WE ALL KNOW THAT IT'S INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING, SO WE SORT OF PREPARE FOR THAT. WE KNOW THAT THERE IS THAT ATTRITION. WE ACTUALLY THINK IT'S GREAT ATTRITION BECAUSE WE WANT THOSE PEOPLE TO LEAVE OVER THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER RATHER THAN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR.

PHILIP BRUCE>> LISL SPANGENBERG KNOWS THERE WILL BE CHALLENGES IN THE CLASSROOM AND POSSIBLY SOMETHING ELSE TO GO ALONG WITH THEM: A LONG COMMUTE. SHE LIVES IN THE VALLEY. THE SCHOOLS IN THE PROGRAM ARE IN EAST, CENTRAL AND SOUTH LOS ANGELES. BUT IT'S A LIFE-CHANGE THAT SHE'S MORE THAN READY FOR.

LISL SPANGENBERG>> I NEVER CONSIDERED PUBLIC SCHOOL. FRANKLY, THERE'S ALMOST A STIGMA. "WHAT DO YOU DO? I'M A TEACHER." NOW I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER THING TO CALL SOMEBODY THAN A TEACHER.

JESS>> JOINING US WITH MORE ON THE "NEW TEACHER PROJECT" IS L.A. UNIFIED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, MARLENE CANTER. YOU'RE GETTING A GOOD RESPONSE TO THIS?

MARLENE CANTER>> WE'RE GETTING A VERY GOOD RESPONSE TO THIS. FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, WE HAVE 400 APPLICANTS ALREADY. WELL, ACTUALLY, THE "L.A. TEACHING FELLOWS PROGRAM" DOES. WE'RE DOING IT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THEM. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, AT THEIR MID-CAREER WHO ARE REALLY RE-EVALUATING AND SAYING WHAT CAN I DO TO REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
BELIEVE ME, WE NEED THEM IN TEACHING.

JESS>> WHY NOT? IT'S A CUSHY JOB AND IT PAYS GREAT. (LAUGHTER)

MARLENE CANTER>> (LAUGHTER) ABSOLUTELY. YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY. PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO RE-EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF HAPPINESS IN THEIR LIFE AND THE FACT THAT MONEY DOESN'T ALWAYS BRING THAT. ON THE FLIPSIDE, I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT, ALTHOUGH WE'RE CONSTANTLY WORKING FOR TEACHERS TO GET HIGHER SALARIES, IN L.A. UNIFIED WE DO START TEACHERS OFF AT CLOSE TO $40,000 AND --

JESS>> -- EVEN THOSE WHO ARE NOT CREDENTIALED?

MARLENE CANTER>> THE ONES THAT ARE NOT CREDENTIALED ARE BETWEEN $34,000 AND $40,000, AND THEN THEIR SALARIES BEGIN TO GROW. PEOPLE THAT COME IN TO TEACHING DON'T DO IT FOR THE MONEY AND PEOPLE THAT LEAVE TEACHING DON'T LEAVE BECAUSE OF THE MONEY.

VAL>> BUT NEVERTHELESS, YOU CAN EARN UP TO AS MUCH AS, SAY, WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, $70,000?

MARLENE CANTER>> THERE ARE TEACHERS IN L.A. UNIFIED -- BELIEVE ME, I DON'T WANT TO BE QUOTED AS SAYING THAT TEACHING IS A HIGH-PAYING PROFESSION. IT'S NOT. WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVELS TO DO THAT -- BUT THERE ARE TEACHERS WHO, BECAUSE OF THEIR EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE OF THE VARIATION OF THE DIFFERENT JOBS THAT THEY DO WITHIN THE DISTRICT, TEACHING PLUS INTERCESSIONS --

VAL>> ADDED RESPONSIBILITIES --

MARLENE CANTER>> -- ADDED RESPONSIBILITIES, THEY CAN MAKE MORE MONEY.

JESS>> BUT YOU REQUIRE A BASIC COLLEGE DEGREE?

MARLENE CANTER>> A BASIC COLLEGE DEGREE AND YOU HAVE TO PASS A TEST. YOU HAVE TO PASS -- THERE'S A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TESTS THAT YOU CAN TAKE AND PASS THEM IN YOUR SUBJECT AREA, SOME JUST IN THE AREA OF TEACHING. THEN THERE ARE CUSTOMIZED PROGRAMS THAT THESE PARTICULAR ORGANIZATIONS HAVE PUT TOGETHER THAT CAN REALLY -- THAT YOU HAVE EITHER TEAMED WITH A LOCAL COLLEGE OR THEY'VE PUT TOGETHER THE CUSTOMIZED PROGRAM THEMSELVES TO HELP PEOPLE LEARN HOW TO TEACH IN WAYS THAT ARE REALLY APPLICABLE TO THEIR CLASSROOM RIGHT NOW.

JESS>> HOW DO THE STUDENTS REACT TO THESE "NON-TEACHER" TEACHERS? (LAUGHTER)

MARLENE CANTER>> YOU KNOW, I THINK FROM A STUDENT'S PERSPECTIVE, WHAT YOU'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR IS A TEACHER THAT CARES, A TEACHER THAT HAS CONTROL OF THE CLASSROOMS, THAT YOU FEEL THERE IS SAFETY IN YOUR ENVIRONMENT AND SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO TEACH YOU. I DON'T THINK THE CHILDREN ARE REALLY LOOKING AT WHETHER OR NOT THESE TEACHERS HAVE HAD A LOT OF EXPERIENCE OR NOT A LOT OF EXPERIENCE. WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ARE REALLY GOOD TEACHERS AND TEACHERS ARE HARD TO FIND. ONE OF THE JOYS OF MY JOB RIGHT NOW IS TO BE ABLE TO GO AND HELP RECRUIT TEACHERS BECAUSE I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED -- I STARTED OUT AS A TEACHER AND I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT TEACHING IS REALLY THE MOST NOBLE OF ALL PROFESSIONS.

JESS>> WE AGREE.

VAL>> MARLENE CANTER, THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT.

MARLENE CANTER>> THANK YOU.

VAL>> TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, ADVOCATES OF SLAVERY REPARATIONS ARE VERY PLEASED ABOUT DATA RELEASED FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. IT LISTS OVER 600 SLAVES AND THEIR OWNERS. THE LIST OF NAMES COULD ADVANCE THEIR CAUSE IN REPARATIONS FOR THE DESCENDANTS OF SLAVES. THAT STORY TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES.

JESS>> EARLIER THIS YEAR, PRESIDENT BUSH NAMED THREE COUNTRIES AS PART OF THE AXIS OF EVIL. IRAN WAS ONE OF THEM. THAT'S A MAJOR SHIFT FROM A GENERATION AGO WHEN IRAN WAS A MAJOR AMERICAN ALLY UNDER THE RULING SHAH.

VAL>> IT WAS 23 YEARS AGO THAT THE SHAH OF IRAN WAS OUSTED BY MUSLIM FUNDAMENTALIST, AYATOLLAH KHOMEINI. NOW THE LATE SHAH'S ELDEST SON WANTS TO RETURN TO IRAN TO ESTABLISH A DEMOCRATIC STATE. REZA PAHLAVI WAS IN THE U.S. TRAINING TO BE A FIGHTER PILOT WHEN THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION BROKE OUT. HE WAS ONLY EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD. TODAY HIS THOUGHTS FOR A NEW IRAN ARE IN HIS BOOK, "WINDS OF CHANGE: THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY IN IRAN". REZA PAHLAVI, WELCOME TO LIFE AND TIMES.

REZA PAHLAVI>> GOOD TO BE HERE. THANK YOU.

JESS>> WERE YOU STUNNED BY PRESIDENT BUSH'S DESCRIPTION OF YOUR NATIVE LAND AS PART OF THE AXIS OF EVIL?

REZA PAHLAVI>> WELL, I DON'T THINK THAT I TOOK IT AS A REFERENCE TO THE COUNTRY, BUT AT THE REGIME THAT'S RUINING OUR COUNTRY TODAY. IN FACT, I THINK THAT PRESIDENT BUSH HAS BEEN THE FIRST PRESIDENT EVER SINCE THE REVOLUTION IN IRAN TO MAKE A KEY DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE PEOPLE OF IRAN AND THE RULING REGIME.

IN THAT SENSE AND AS FAR AS THE INHERENT NATURE OF THIS REGIME AND ALL THE EVIL IT IS UP TO, NOT ONLY AT FIRST REPRESSING OUR OWN COMPATRIOTS AT HOME, BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF THE OBVIOUS INVOLVEMENT IN EXTREMISM AND FOMENTING OF VIOLENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND BEYOND, IF YOU DON'T CALL THAT ACT EVIL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE YOU WOULD CALL IT.

VAL>> NOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK AND ESTABLISH A DEMOCRATIC STATE, BUT FIRST TELL PEOPLE WHAT YOU'RE UP AGAINST. YOU HAVE A PRESIDENT KHATAMI WHO, AT LEAST ON THE SURFACE, IS A SECULAR LEADER, BUT EXPLAIN WHAT THE SITUATION IS IN IRAN.

REZA PAHLAVI>> WELL, ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT SECULAR BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A THEOCRACY RULING IRAN TODAY IN WHICH THE ELEMENT OF RELIGION IS IN A POSITION OF GOVERNANCE.

VAL>> BUT IS THE PRESIDENT OFFICIALLY ALSO A MEMBER OF THE CLERGY?

REZA PAHLAVI>> WELL, ULTIMATELY, SERVING A REGIME UNDER WHICH THE CONSTITUTION, SPECIFICALLY THE PRINCIPLES OF SELF-DETERMINATION, ARE COMPLETELY OVERLOOKED AND DENIED. WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS A FUTURE THAT IS BASED ON SECULAR DEMOCRACY IN WHICH THERE IS SEPARATION OF RELIGION FROM STATE.

VAL>> DO YOU THINK THAT'S POSSIBLE IN IRAN?

REZA PAHLAVI>> ABSOLUTELY, AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY. WHAT NATION DO YOU KNOW IN THE 21ST CENTURY LIVING UNDER THEOCRATIC RULE WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO LIVE UNDER A THEOCRACY? WHEN I LOOK AT THE POST-INQUISITION RENAISSANCE IN EUROPE, YOU SHOULD LOOK AT IRAN AS THE CRADLE OF A POST-ISLAMIC INQUISITION RENAISSANCE, IN THE SENSE THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE THE BENEFIT OF RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HOW VALUABLE RELIGION IS TO ANY SOCIETY -- I MYSELF AM RELIGIOUS -- BUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS IN ORDER TO HAVE DEMOCRACY, TO HAVE A CLEAR SEPARATION OF THOSE TWO THINGS. YOU CANNOT HAVE DEMOCRATIC RULE UNLESS THERE IS SEPARATION OF RELIGION AND STATE.

JESS>> WE'VE SEEN PLENTY OF EVIDENCE THAT THERE IS DISCONTENT IN IRAN. STUDENTS IN PARTICULAR, YOUNG PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR, ARE DEMONSTRATING AGAINST THE THEOCRACY. BUT YOU HAVE INSISTED THAT THIS BE A NON-VIOLENT REVOLUTION. IS THAT POSSIBLE?

REZA PAHLAVI>> I THINK THAT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WORLD IN RECENT YEARS, WE HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS EXAMPLES OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE CAMPAIGNS THAT HAVE LED TO A DEMOCRATIC ALTERNATIVE. MILOSEVIC IS PERHAPS THE LATEST EXAMPLE OF IT. I ALSO COULD TELL YOU THAT I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT VIOLENT MEANS END UP WITH DEMOCRATIC RESULTS. AS SUCH, I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT THIS REGIME IS GOING TO ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET, BUT IT THINK IT IS IN FACT POSSIBLE TO ULTIMATELY CHOKE THE REGIME AND BRING IT DOWN BY VIRTUE OF COMPLETE ECONOMIC ISOLATION ON THE ONE HAND THROUGH A POPULAR MOVEMENT THAT IS BASED ON NON-VIOLENT CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE.

BUT ALSO -- AND THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT POINT FOR THE WORLD OUTSIDE TO REALIZE -- WE OBVIOUSLY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THIS WITHOUT SOME DEGREE OF COORDINATION WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE IN TERMS OF ITS PRESSURE ON THE REGIME. IN SHORT, WHAT WE'RE ASKING THE WORLD TO DO IS TO SIDE WITH THE IRANIAN PEOPLE IN THEIR QUEST FOR FREEDOM AND NOT AGAINST THEM IN THAT SENSE AND NOT CUT DEALS WITH THE CURRENT REGIME.

JESS>> LOOKING AT A BIT OF THE HISTORY OF IRAN, THERE WERE MANY CHARGES OF REPRESSION UNDER YOUR FATHER. IN TERMS OF POLICY AND POLITICS, IN WHAT WAYS ARE YOU DIFFERENT FROM YOUR LATE FATHER?

REZA PAHLAVI>> WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE FIRST THING I SAY ABOUT MY CAMPAIGN IS THAT THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME OR THE PAST OR IN FACT THE MONARCHY. IT IS ABOUT THE RIGHT FOR THE IRANIAN PEOPLE TO HAVE SELF-DETERMINATION. MY CAMPAIGN IS BASED ON A PROCESS OF LEADING TO A NATIONAL REFERENDUM AS A MEANS TO DETERMINE WHAT KIND OF DEMOCRATIC FUTURE THE IRANIAN PEOPLE WANT TO HAVE FOR THEMSELVES.

CLEARLY, MY COMPATRIOTS TODAY DO NOT HAVE RECOURSE TO A FREE VOTE UNDER SUCH A SYSTEM AND, THEREFORE, IT IS ONLY BEYOND THIS REGIME THAT WE COULD HAVE AN INTERNATIONALLY MONITORED REFERENDUM WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF ALL DEMOCRATICALLY COMMITTED ORGANIZATIONS TO LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT. THAT HAS BEEN MY MISSION. THAT HAS BEEN MY AGENDA.

JESS>> AND THAT DISTINGUISHES YOU FROM YOUR FATHER?

REZA PAHLAVI>> WELL, I THINK THAT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ANY KIND OF REGIME IN THE SENSE OF WHETHER IT'S A CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY OR IF IT'S A REPUBLIC, IT HAS TO BE BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY. WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE OPTION OF CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY, THE ROLE OF THE MONARCH HAS TO REMAIN ABOVE POLITICAL GROUPINGS AND AS SOMEBODY WHO IS NOT IN CHARGE OF GOVERNMENT. THE MINUTE YOU CEASE TO DO THAT AS A MONARCH, YOU BECOME SUSCEPTIBLE AND VULNERABLE TO CRITICISM AND ULTIMATELY POLITICAL DEBATE, WHICH IS WHY QUEEN ELIZABETH OR, FOR THAT MATTER, OTHER MONARCHS ARE NOT INVOLVED IN THE MATTER OF GOVERNMENTS AS HEADS OF STATES.

VAL>> BUT HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET THIS REFERENDUM TO ACTUALLY HAPPEN? BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE PRESIDENT AND THE MULLAHS WHO ARE REALLY IN CONTROL, YOU HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE YOUNG AND THEY'RE PROTESTING, BUT THEY'RE BEING ARRESTED. I MEAN, OUTSIDE PRESSURE WOULD BE JUST IF YOU HAVE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY GET INVOLVED. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST OUTRIGHT INTERVENTION. I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE CALLING FOR, SO HOW DO YOU --

REZA PAHLAVI>> -- WE HEARD THE SAME THING ABOUT THE SOVIET UNION AND HOW ARE THEY GOING TO ULTIMATELY GET RID OF THE COMMUNIST SYSTEM? WE HEARD THE SAME THING ABOUT THE EAST GERMANS. WE HEARD THE SAME THING ABOUT THE POLES AND THE CZECHS. THE FACT IS, WHEN THE WORLD DECIDES THAT, IN THE INTEREST OF FREEDOM, IN THE INTEREST OF SANITY, IN THE INTEREST OF PEACE, IN THE INTEREST OF PROGRESS, IN THE INTEREST OF ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL OPPORTUNITIES, YOU ARE DEALING WITH CERTAIN ROGUE REGIMES LIKE WE SAW IN THE CASE OF THE TALIBAN IN AFGHANISTAN, LIKE WE SEE UNDER THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN AND THE CURRENT REGIME, LIKE WE SEE NEXT DOOR TO US IN IRAQ UNDER SADDAM HUSSEIN.

WHEN YOU KNOW THERE IS PROLIFERATION OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION OR WORKING ON IT, WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT TERRORISM AND THE HARBORING OF SUCH TERRORISTS IN A COUNTRY LIKE IRAN UNDER THIS REGIME, THE FINANCING OF THESE TERRORIST GROUPS AND ULTIMATELY, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF IRANIANS, THAT OUR RESOURCES ARE SPENT ON ISSUES THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR NATIONAL AGENDA. OUR PEOPLE ARE STARVING ON THE STREETS, WHICH IS WHY TODAY WE HAVE STUDENTS PROTESTING, WE HAVE TEACHERS STRIKING, WE HAVE WORKERS DEMONSTRATING.

THE WORLD HAS A CHOICE TODAY TO COME AND SAY ARE WE GOING TO INVEST IN DEMOCRATIZATION NOT ONLY AS AN ANSWER TO PUTTING AN END TO EXTREMISM AND VIOLENCE WHICH COMES THROUGH PEOPLES' DESPERATION FOR NOT HAVING ECONOMIC OR POLITICAL OPPORTUNITIES, OR SHOULD WE CONTINUE TRYING TO CUT DEALS WITH A REGIME THAT HAS, IN THE PAST 23 YEARS, PROVEN ITS TRUE INTENT? I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE OPPORTUNITY IS. WHEN THE WORLD LISTENS FINALLY, WHEN THE WORLD FINALLY SENDS A SIGNAL THAT WE STAND WITH YOU AND NOT AGAINST YOU, CERTAINLY THAT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

JESS>> WE'LL ALL BE WATCHING. REZA PAHLAVI, WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

REZA PAHLAVI>> THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

VAL>> COMING UP THIS WEDNESDAY, ANOTHER OF OUR CONTINUING SPECIALS ON REAL-LIFE ETHICAL DILEMMAS. WE'RE CALLING IT "THE ETHICS PROJECT". THIS WEEK WE'LL LOOK AT THE NEWS BUSINESS AND WE'LL HEAR FROM A WRITER WHO CLAIMS TODAY'S NEWSROOMS ARE TOO POLITICALLY CORRECT.

>> IT'S NOT AS IMPORTANT THAT THE NEWS LACKS RACIAL DIVERSITY OR ETHNIC DIVERSITY. WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT THE NEWS IS UNBELIEVABLY BIASED IDEOLOGICALLY WHERE YOU HAVE LIBERAL PERSPECTIVES GET VOICED AND CONSERVATIVE PERSPECTIVES DON'T.

LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG
WWW.KCET.ORG.
LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT
4401 SUNSET BLVD.
LOS ANGELES, CA 90027
(323) 953-5555

JESS>> IT WAS ONCE WRITTEN OFF AS A PASSING FAD ALONG WITH HULA HOOPS AND YO-YO'S, BUT SKATEBOARDS ARE NOW INGRAINED IN POPULAR CULTURE. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? CREDIT GOES TO A MOTLEY GROUP OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TEENAGERS CALLED "THE ZEPHYR TEAM", "Z-BOYS" FOR SHORT.

VAL>> THE STORY OF THE "Z-BOYS" IS TOLD IN A NEW DOCUMENTARY THAT'S GETTING A LOT OF ATTENTION. WHERE WAS SKATEBOARDING BORN? VENICE BEACH, CALIFORNIA IN THE MID-70'S.

>> WE WEREN'T LOOKING AT THIS AS SOME KIND OF FUTURE.

>> THERE WAS NO PROMISE IN IT. THERE WAS NO NOTHING IN IT.

>> PEOPLE WERE REALLY LIVING IN THE MOMENT.

>> THERE WERE NO GOALS, THERE WERE NO ASPIRATIONS.

>> IT STARTED HERE IN THIS AREA.

>> THAT'S WHERE IT ALL STARTED. THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE REVOLUTION.

>> WE WERE ALL PUNK KIDS, MAN. WE WERE TOUGH KIDS AND WE WANTED TO BE SOMETHING.

>> IT TURNED INTO LIKE A ROCK STAR THING, YOU KNOW?

>> WE WERE TREATED LIKE KINGS EVERY PLACE THAT WE WENT TO.

>> I WAS ON SUMMER VACATION FOR ABOUT TWENTY YEARS.

>> IT WAS COOL TO BE IN THE MAGAZINES AND STUFF, BUT YOU KNOW, THE BOTTOM LINE WAS, ALL WE WANTED TO DO WAS SKATE.

JESS>> JOINING US NOW IS THE DIRECTOR AND WRITER OF THE DOCUMENTARY "DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS", STACY PERALTA. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

STACY PERALTA>> OH, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

JESS>> THIS IS A BIT OF A REVOLUTION, ISN'T IT?

STACY PERALTA>> IT'S A SUB-CULTURAL REVOLUTION IN THE WAY KIDS DEVELOP THINGS ON THEIR OWN, YOU KNOW, AND NOW THIS HAS BECOME A WORLDWIDE SPORT THAT IS AN IMPORT FROM THE WEST COAST OF AMERICA.

VAL>> AND IT ALMOST DIED. TELL US HOW -- IT CAME UP AS A FAD EARLY ON, THEN KIND OF DISAPPEARED. WHAT BROUGHT IT BACK?

STACY PERALTA>> WELL, THE THING IS, IN THE 60'S IT WAS POPULAR FOR TWO YEARS, BUT THE KIDS BACK THEN RODE ON CLAY WHEELS WHICH ARE BASICALLY LIKE ROCKS, THINGS LIKE FLINTSTONE TECHNOLOGY. IN '74, A SMART SURFER DEVELOPED WHAT'S CALLED URETHANE WHEELS, WHICH ARE KIND OF LIKE A COMPOUND MADE OF PETROLEUM, SO YOU COULD ALL OF A SUDDEN GRIP. BY GRIPPING ON CONCRETE, YOU COULD ALL OF A SUDDEN RIDE A NEW TYPE OF TERRAIN WHICH IS ABUNDANT IN CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS SWIMMING POOLS.

JESS>> AS YOU POINT OUT IN THE DOCUMENTARY, THIS GREW OUT OF SURFING AND THERE IS SOME OF THE SAME ELEMENTS NOT ONLY IN THE STYLE OF THE EQUIPMENT, BUT THE STYLE OF THE CLOTHING --

TRACY PERALTA>> -- OH, THE AESTHETIC WAS THE SAME THING. I MEAN, WE ALL WANTED TO BE PROFESSIONAL SURFERS, BUT WHEN SKATEBOARDING BLEW UP, WE HAD BEEN SKATEBOARDING ALL OF OUR LIVES. ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE WERE THE GUYS AT THE HEAD OF THE LINE. WE INCORPORATED THE WHOLE SURFING LOOK, THE LONG BLONDE HAIR, YOU KNOW, THE SCRUFFY PANTS, AND THE STYLE AND THE LOOK OF IT WAS ALL SURFING TURNED INTO SKATEBOARDING.

VAL>> BUT IT REALLY TOOK A LEAP WHEN YOU "WENT VERTICAL" AND YOU WENT VERTICAL WHEN YOU DISCOVERED SWIMMING POOLS WHICH WERE A RESULT OF A DROUGHT. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW THAT EVOLVED. HERE'S A CLIP.

>> "CALIFORNIA'S DROUGHT SERVED AS A MIDWIFE TO THE SKATEBOARD REVOLUTION AS HUNDREDS OF POOLS ACROSS THE LOS ANGELES BASIN WERE LEFT EMPTY AND UNUSED."

[FILM CLIP]

>> "ONCE POOL-RIDING CAME IN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S LIKE ALL THAT WE WANTED TO DO."

[FILM CLIP]

>> "WE WERE LIKE THE FIRST PEOPLE THAT WERE RIDING THESE EMPTY SWIMMING POOLS AND WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT WE COULD DO."

[FILM CLIP]

>> "I REMEMBER THE FIRST GOAL THE FIRST DAY WAS TO MAKE IT OVER THE LIGHT. THAT WAS THE FIRST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THE POOL, OVER THE LIGHT SUCCESSFULLY."

[FILM CLIP]

>> "FROM THERE WE STARTED DOING DOUBLE CARVES AND HITTING TILE ON BOTH SIDES."

>> "OUR GOAL WAS TO ACTUALLY HIT THE LIP OF THE POOL, SO IT WAS LIKE COMPLETELY FOREIGN MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY. BUT THE FACT THAT WE WERE SURFERS, WE KNEW WHICH MOVEMENTS NEEDED TO BE DONE. WE JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF THEY WERE POSSIBLE YET."

[FILM CLIP]

JESS>> BUT YOU WERE NOT ALWAYS INVITED GUESTS TO USE THOSE EMPTY POOLS, WERE YOU?

STACY PERALTA>> (LAUGHTER) NO. IN FACT, WE WERE NEVER INVITED GUESTS. (LAUGHTER) BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE MANY, MANY -- THIS IS THE HAVEN, YOU KNOW, LOS ANGELES FOR SWIMMING POOLS, ESPECIALLY THE MOVIE STAR SWIMMING POOLS. SO WE WOULD GO UP AND DOWN THE ALLEYS IN BEVERLY HILLS WITH SOMEONE ON TOP OF MY CAR LOOKING IN THE BACK YARDS AND SEEING IF THERE WAS AN EMPTY POOL AROUND.

VAL>> YOU HAD LOOKOUTS AND YOU KNEW EXACTLY WHEN TO BAIL WHEN THE COPS SHOWED UP?

STACY PERALTA>> YEAH. THE KIDS THAT COULDN'T QUITE SKATE GOOD ENOUGH TO HANG OUT WITH US, BUT WANTED TO HANG OUT WITH US, YOU KNOW, WE'D POST THEM AT THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE AND THE BACK OF THE HOUSE. (LAUGHTER) YOU KNOW, IT'S A VICTIMLESS CRIME. WE'RE NOT OUT TO HURT ANYBODY, BUT YOU KNOW, THE POOLS WOULD GET A LITTLE SCRAPED UP SOMETIMES.

VAL>> A LITTLE SCRAPED UP, AND THEY ALSO GOT CLEANED OUT QUITE A BIT TOO. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT ANOTHER CLIP. THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST OFFICIAL COMPETITIONS AND WHEN YOU GUYS SHOWED UP, YOU WERE, AS THEY SAY, LIKE A HOCKEY TEAM INVITED TO (LAUGHTER --

STACY PERALTA>> -- A FIGURE SKATING CONTEST.

VAL>> FIGURE SKATING. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

>> "DELMAR WOULD BE THE ZEPHYR TEAM'S FIRST INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD OF ORGANIZED SKATEBOARDING. THEIR UNCONVENTIONAL SKATING AND DISORDERLY PRESENCE MARKED THEM AS OUTSIDERS RIGHT FROM THE START."

[FILM CLIP]

>> "IT WAS LIKE A HOCKEY TEAM GOING TO A FIGURE SKATING CONTEST."

>> "THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US AND THEM FELT VERY REAL."

[FILM CLIP]

>> "INSPIRED BY LARRY BIRTLEMAN'S LOW PIVOTAL STYLE AND THE VERTICAL WALLS OF POOL-RIDING, THE Z-BOYS TOOK SKATEBOARDING'S TRADITIONAL UPRIGHT APPROACH AND DROVE IT RIGHT INTO THE GROUND."

JESS>> IF IT'S GOING TO BE AN OLYMPIC SPORT, YOU GOT TO GET BETTER UNIFORMS. (LAUGHTER)

STACY PERALTA>> I THINK THAT SKATEBOARDING WILL ALWAYS HAVE A SUBVERSIVE EDGE BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF THE RARE SPORTS THAT YOU CAN DO LITERALLY ANYWHERE THERE'S CONCRETE. AS A RESULT OF THAT, KIDS DO IT WHERE THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO IT BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THE THRILL.

JESS>> THERE ARE LOTS OF SIGNS, "NO SKATEBOARDING".

STACY PERALTA>> OH, IT'S BEEN LIKE THAT SINCE I WAS A KID. EVERYWHERE WE WENT WHEN I WAS A KID, YOU KNOW, "PLEASE DO NOT COME BACK HERE", WE WERE ALWAYS TOLD. (LAUGHTER) BUT, YOU KNOW, SKATEBOARDERS LOOK AT ARCHITECTURE IN A WAY THAT ARCHITECTURE WAS NOT DESIGNED FOR. YOU KNOW, THEY LOOK AT IT AS A WAY TO DRAW A LINE OR TO DO A STUNT AND THAT GETS THEM INTO A LOT OF TROUBLE, BUT THAT'S NOT THEIR INTENTION. THEIR INTENTION IS NOT TO VANDALIZE. IT'S TO DO THEIR ART FORM, TO DO THEIR LIFESTYLE.

VAL>> REAL QUICKLY, WHAT'S THE FUTURE OF SKATEBOARDING?

STACY PERALTA>> THE FUTURE OF SKATEBOARDING IS THAT KIDS ARE DOING IT ALL OVER THE WORLD NOW AND IT'S BECOME AN ACCEPTED LIFESTYLE AND HAS BECOME AN ACCEPTED --

VAL>> -- AND THERE'S PARKS, SKATEBOARD PARKS.

STACY PERALTA>> YEAH, THERE ARE SKATEBOARD PARKS, AND IT EVENTUALLY WILL GET INTO THE OLYMPICS, I THINK, SOMEDAY.

VAL>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO SNEAK INTO ANY MORE BACK YARD SWIMMING POOLS.

STACY PERALTA>> WELL, THAT THRILL WILL ALWAYS BE THERE. (LAUGHTER)

JESS>> ALL RIGHT. THE NAME OF THE MOVIE, AGAIN, IS "DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS". IT'S NOW PLAYING AT SELECT THEATERS.

VAL>> STACY PERALTA, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

REMEMBER, YOU CAN CHECK OUT TRANSCRIPTS OR LISTEN TO RECENT SHOWS ON OUR WEBSITE, KCET.ORG.

JESS>> THANKS FOR SPENDING SOME TIME WITH US. FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

TO REACH US AT LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT, CALL 323-953-5555. SEND US AN E-MAIL TO LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG OR LOG ONTO OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.KCET.ORG TO SEND MESSAGES OR DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPTS OF TONIGHT'S PROGRAM.