This came from a retired California teacher:
“Won’t Back Down” is loosely based on the Parent Trigger Law in California, which has only been tried twice. Neither attempt was successful. The law was created on a drawing board and has no basis in prior experience or knowledge.
Would you support the Parent Trigger Law if:
• You discovered it was designed to hasten the destruction of public education and replace it with privatized for-profit corporations?
• You discovered privatization (i.e. handing over a school to privately run charter school entities) has already created a two-tiered educational system that has greatly increased racial and economic segregation?
• You discovered that the law first passed in California without any trial or pilot program to test the process and its possible outcomes?
• You discovered that this law therefore has no evidence of success?
• You discovered that Florida soundly defeated a similar law because parent groups rallied against it?
• You discovered that the Parent Trigger idea was hatched in Los Angeles by Parent Revolution, an organization created by the large charter group, Green Dot Schools?
• You discovered that Parent Revolution is led by an attorney, not an educator?
• You discovered that Parent Revolution’s paid solicitors go door to door targeting neighborhoods with high rates of immigrant/non-English speaking parents whom they barrage with publicity and promises?
• You discovered that the Parent Trigger Law is a model legislation being pushed by the American Legislative Exchange Counsel (ALEC), which promotes privatization and de-professionalizing the teaching profession?
• You discovered that charter and voucher schools, on average, underperform traditional public schools?
• You discovered that charter schools have been known to prevent low performers from applying, counsel them out during the school year, require large donations from parents, or cheat during standardized testing?
• You discovered that charter schools service a much lower percentage of special education and English language learners than traditional public schools?
• You discovered that a high percentage of students at charter schools require remediation when entering college?
• Last, you discovered that a large number of parents targeted in California’s first two Parent Trigger takeovers tried to rescind their signatures once they understood that they may ultimately have less control over their school?
Would you support the parent trigger if you knew that only 50 parents in a school with more than 600 students chose the charter?
Would you support the parent trigger if you knew that those who didn’t sign the petition were not allowed to participate in choosing the charter operator to run the school next year?
Would you support the parent trigger if you knew that the parent who led the campaign won’t be a parent in the school next year?
Would you support the parent trigger if you knew that those who didn’t sign the petition were not allowed to participate in choosing the charter operator to run the school next year?
By this logic, if you didn’t vote for the winning candidate in an election you would lose your right to participate in public life. In effect, you would lose your civil rights. How is this CRAZY idea fair, just, or democratic?
Excellent point. This should be made in every forum on the topic.
Absolutely, because I am intimately familiar with Adelanto and their mode of operation, and believe this is the only way the district will change. Not all schools need Parent Revolution. Come on, Diane, eight years in PI!
Why did the other charter in Adelanto close down in 2011? That was only a year ago. Remember that one?
I do remember that one. It was mismanagement of funds. Until I worked for Adelanto, I thought exactly like you do. They are a special case.
Once the board wanted to send the science textbooks for a second review by the parents because they mentioned evolution.
Awesome! Thank you so much for this post!
“You discovered that a high percentage of students at charter schools require remediation when entering college?”
Where can I find this statistic? I’m researching arguments for and against charters–the district in which I maintain residency had a charter proposal on the table to be implemented this year, but it has been tabled because “it would be costlier than maintaining the current public system.” It’s a shame that the board did not cite a lottery as a reason for not approving it. The board is still considering a charter as an option. Meanwhile, we are in the midst of a superintendent search. Great timing.
“Won’t Back Down” continues to plummet at the Box Office. Last weekend it was #27, showing at 513 theaters, down from the opening of 2,519 theaters. It only grossed $138,709.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/
If you want to see a good movie that shows good teachers in a supporting role helping troubled teens, I highly recommend “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”.
Unfortunately, in the Sacramento area the movie theatres continue to show “Won’t Back Down.” Most likely, Mayor Kevin Johnson and wife Michelle Rhee are buying all the tickets (with their millions in donated money) and handing them out to anyone who’ll take them.
So I wonder how much of the $138,709 is from tickets they bought and gave away!
If you want to see a wonderful and true story about public schools today, see “Brooklyn Castle,” about the real kids at IS 318 in Brooklyn who win the national chess championship year after year.
If I recall correctly, the teacher of that chess program was the one featured in Paul Tough’s book. If it is the same person, and if Tough’s portrayal of her is accurate, I’m not sure that “success” is anything to rave about. She appears to be a truly frightening woman – along the lines of gymnastics coaches in the former Soviet Union.
Fantastic post! In California, charter schools are also exempt from The Field Act, which means their buildings to not meet the same codes as regular public schools, something those of us who live where there are frequent earthquakes should be VERY concerned about. Even new constructions that serve a large population of students are exempt.
How about a trigger that either parents OR teachers could use? 18 teachers at an elementary, 10 of them sign a petition and flip an entire school community. Ten people. and yet that is what is in I-1240 in Washington State. This is BAD public policy and we have to say NO.