Mother Crusader, a tireless New Jersey mom, discovered a p.r. campaign against those who criticize the siting of charter schools in their community.
The campaign charges that citizens who contacted their public officials to oppose the charter in question were illegally “colluding” against the charter.
The citizens in question–members of Save Our Schools New Jersey– are being sued by the foundation that funds the charter school.
She writes:
I think what this means is that anyone who dares to question their charter school in a public forum should just stop. Right now.
Mother Crusader also announces that she will not permit anonymous comments on her blog, as have appeared on this one.
I understand why she wants people to sign their name.
The reason I allow anonymous comments is that I know how many teachers and principals are afraid to use their real name, for fear of being fired.
Freedom of expression is under assault these days.
So I risk the occasional mis-statement or even invective by anonymous posters to allow freedom of expression to flourish.
My house rules: No profanity; no conspiracy insanity; no insulting me, it’s my blog.
Otherwise, welcome.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Diane — SOSNJ is not “parent-run” and these are not “private citizens” Rampolla is the ex-comms director New Jersey AFL-CIO and now a partner is a consulting group with union clients. http://lenoxconsulting.com/ourteam.php
Thanks for the information. Every SOS group I have met is a parent-teacher group. In any case, I hardly think that writing an email or 100 emails to a legislator is forbidden activity in a democratic society, even if the writer works for a labor union (unions are still legal in New Jetsey, aren’t they?).
Diane — I laud teachers’ unions and their members efforts to participate in the democratic process. Not only are teachers’ unions legal in NJ but forced dues mean that when teachers’ unions use collective resources — they have a wider obligation than to narrow interests. Ms. Rampolla is a parent but she is also a paid union consultant. Odd coincidence. SOS Indiana has similar ties to the teachers’ unions and receiving assistance from them.
Sean, just because Rampolla worked for the AFL-CIO 5 years ago and perhaps does some consulting work now that she is a stay-at-home-mom with two children she is not a “private citizen?” Can you please explain that to me??
SOSnj IS indeed parent run. We have come together from all over New Jersey to defend the public schools our children attend, and the public schools of ALL children in this state.
If you have some “evidence” to the contrary, by all means, present it.
Ms. Rampolla works for Lenox Consulting who has union clients including NJEA. Her work is coincidentally coordinated.
Sean, you’re still not making total sense. You have found a union connection with ONE SOSnj organizer out of about 40, so you jump to the conclusion that SOSnj is “receiving assistance” from unions?
I will ask you again – do you have ANY evidence that SOSnj receives money (which is what you seem to be implying when you say ” receiving assistance”) from the NJEA or ANY other union? If not, I would hope that as a responsible citizen you would retract your statement.
Also, whatever SOS group you have in Indiana has nothing to do with SOSnj. We are not affiliated with the national group, other than that we share a lot of the same issues. We just have a very unoriginal name unfortunately!
It’s really interesting that in a post about smear tactics used against private citizens you are engaging in one of the easiest and oldest smear tactics in the book. Discredit a parent organization by claiming they are nothing more than union shills! Classic really!
Darcie — SOS NJ is supported and funded by NJ’s unions. You are asking me to prove a negative — since SOS NJ has no need to reveal its finances under tax law. If you would like to explain your source funding, I would be happy to retract my statement that NJEA and other unions are coordinating with SOSNJ. I don’t find anything wrong with SOSNJ’s work. I disagree with it. I find it objectionable that its leadership has deep ties to the NJEA yet represents itself as independent. SOSNJ co-signs petitions, testifies in unison with NJEA etc. They are affiliated and based on Lenox’s connection, I’d guess there’s a financial relationship. Independence requires transparency. SOSNJ can end this discussion by releasing its donors.
We appreciate that you allow anonymous comments (or comments by people who created their names for the internet), Diane. You are exactly right. It is VERY dangerous, especially in right-to-work states, for teachers to speak out. I’m sure with some digging, we’d all be found out and reported. That time will come. Until then, we will continue to comment safely here.
Sean,
Since when does showing up at a education committee meeting in the Assembly where NJEA also testifies make us affiliated and connected, etc. You are sounding just like the accusations in the lawsuit in which we are being smeared. By communicating with elected officials we are colluders? By being in the same room with NJEA officials we are on the dole?
The testimony of mine you object to and use to attempt to indict me is the on I gave in a Joint committee on public Schools on virtual education? I researched and wrote that on my own, and remain proud of my work on it.
Let us, just for a minute or two, return to the issue – are we as a community comfortable with supporting a public school in a warehouse zone? Are we well serving our children by putting them on an industrial road where 18 wheelers load and unload every day? In a district with 11 blue ribbon schools, can we not expect more? Demand better for our children? I think so, and so I participated in the legal process to object to the use variance allowing the school to move to the warehouse. And won.
What happened to freedom of speech? The “reformers” are going down, and they don’t go down nicely. I think the two moms should counter sue for defamation of character and slander. That’s a fund I’d contribute to in order for people to seek what’s right.
It’s called “vexatious litigation.” I can think of two religious cults that have a history of suing people who criticize them. It’s what organizations do when they lack validity and they want to silence their critics. It doesn’t surprise me that education reformers are starting to resort to this.
And yes, if a defense fund is established for the moms being sued, I’d contribute to it also.
thank you for your kind offer of support.
SLAPP=Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation.
So would I! Although, since I belong to a union in Illinois, Sean et.al. might accuse you of taking “union” money. Ridiculous to the Nth degree!
Sean is incorrect. Save Our Schools NJ is a grass roots volunteer organization – parents, teachers, concerned citizens make up our ranks. Rampolla, my friend, did work for the AFL-CIO – does not now. And I know of no contracts that Sean is speaking of at all. We are parents and private citizens. We made this decision as private citizens.
Diane and Darcie – thank you for raising awareness of the scare tactics and intimidation being used by charter schools connected and with private money. My legal bills are still mounting thanks to their tactics but I have no regrets to pursue through legal channels my objection to housing a public school in a warehouse on a small industrial strip in our town.
Deborah Cornavaca
Sorry Deborah, Christine works for a consultancy that derives its income from NJ unions. You are swearing that NJEA and other state unions have provided NO material support to SOSNJ? That’s just not true. The state teachers’ union is paying your bills and coordinating your actions. Saying it aloud doesn’t make it true.
Sean, as Darcie requested show proof. I have nothing to offer you because, as you say, saying out loud, or posting it on a blog comment, does not make it true.
Sean, you remind me of Fox News personalities who spout things without any proof or factual basis. They count on the fact that since they said it, it is true. Well that’s just not so and you know it. So if you have PROOF of what you say, produce it. Otherwise, you are just saying things because you can.
Therefore, ladies and gentlemen of the forum, I give you Sean Hannity, posting live and in person for us here on Diane Ravitch’s blog. He’s not making any more factual sense here than he does in his regular “professional” life. Welcome, Mr. Hannity, we have much to share with you!
Sean,
Save Our Schools NJ is unincorporated. We have no bank account and no funding besides whatever individual volunteers spend on gas and food to attend hearings in Trenton.
We also are NOT part of the national Save Our Schools organization.
We began with six parents in my living room 2 1/2 years ago.
Since Save Our Schools NJ has NO FUNDING WHATSOEVER, are you implying that we’re being bribed as individuals by NJEA and AFT? Are our 10,500 members across the State also pawns of some organized powers?
Might it be possible instead that your job is to attack anyone who dares to stand up to the privatizers who are attacking public education? The Lexington Institute is a very conservative organization with an express mission of pushing corporate education deform. It seems that trying to smear us is part of your job description.
Funding sources are routinely taken as evidence of bias here.
I look forward to Sean’s reply. A partial list of the Lenox Consulting’s clients can be found here: http://lenoxconsulting.com/clients.php
Well, if the assertion is “Christine works for a consultancy that derives its income from NJ unions,” I think we have our proof.
Now. Can we please agree to retire the term “grass roots” (and its evil twin “astroturf”)?
I wish every site had your rules of 1) no profanity, 2) no conspiracy theories, and 3) no insulting the author. I’d add one- no name calling. It would make reading people’s comments much more interesting. When people stop thinking, they resort to these mindless methods of expressing themselves. Thanks for your work.
Yes. Lenox released a partial list of clients. I’m glad you linked it for me. It does include a half-dozen unions. ELEC will release NJEA’s lobbying report on March 7. I’d be happy to correspond in the open after its release. Meanwhile, Deborah wrote a very nice op-ed in July 2012 which only a few weeks later, the same talking points appeared in a legal brief against Newark and Merit Prep blended schools. Eerie really. http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/12/0711/1339/
I responded to NJEA/SOSNJ’s claims here: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/when_helping_kids_threatens_teachers_R0h2vgkqsxehsi6eJv3xIO
If Deborah wants to make her full list of contributors public and all in-kind support, and there is no support from NJEA or affiliated unions, I will personally donate $500 to your legal defense fund.
Here’s AFT awarding Christine Rampolla as a “friend of education” in April 2012. And your founder Julia Rubin given a prime speaking slot at AFT NJ convention. http://aftnj.org/photos/042112convention/
And I got an Education Achievement award from the New Brunswick branch of the NAACP last October. I’m not a member of the NAACP and I’ve never received a dime from them. So what’s your point, Sean?
You’re really grasping at straws. Parent organizations are natural allies of teachers and teachers unions. You can make it into some vast conspiracy if you so chose, and pretend we are just puppets of the union, but you are dead wrong.
Personally, I have not earned one dime from my advocacy work, and I’ve been doing this for almost 2 years now. In fact, I gave up my design business to do this full time. I haven’t even “monetized” my blog because if I saw a K12 Inc. ad on it I would be horrified. I’d rather be broke and work for free than take money from those attempting to privatize public education. But as you say, I can’t prove a negative, so you are welcome to run around claiming that SOSnj organizers like me are bathing in union money. Enjoy yourself.
What you CAN’T do Sean is shut me up. I can assure you that each and every SOSnj organizer is a parent who believes that public education is an inalienable right, and we have come together because we have seen the state trying to destroy the public schools our children rely on. And THAT is why we are a threat, because we are actually motivated by deep conviction, not by money or a union.
Real parent empowerment scares the dickens out of reformers, and it should. A huge parent backlash is the one thing that can stop the reform movement dead in it’s tracks.
And you know it.
I am a parent Sean, nothing more, and I have my own voice. I have not been bought by anyone. There are parents like me all over the country, and as long as our public schools are under attack we will not go away.
Enjoy the rest of your day Sean.
I certainly do not know the facts of the matter here, but questioning funding sources is a staple of commenters on the blog. Joe Nathan, for example, was asked to list every funding source for his organization Center for School Change, and even felt compelled to include a short biography of his and his families involvement in public education.
Asking these questions is nothing out of the norm here.
TE,
Yes, questioning funding sources is a staple as it should be. I’ve been one to ask about Joe’s (and others) organization, “credentials” and/or expertise (although I would never ask about family) to which he did not fully respond (I felt he was being obtuse) until I dug through his site and found the funders and posted it here along with other information. He did not willingly give that information and I don’t have a problem with that as he knew that his credibility would be questioned due to the various funders that he does have. Birds of a feather. . . sound familiar. Dime con quien andas y te diré quien eres.
Duane
I just wanted to assure Deborah that her organization was not being singled out for these types of questions.
Thank you TE but I am far from thinking we are being singled out as an organization for such questions. My issue is with hurling accusations enough times in hopes of making them stick is poor practice. Nor are we singled out in that front. It is what is going on with the law suit and Sean on this blog. There should be a minimal burden of proof that should be met before I even have to assert that the lies are – well lies.
Sean,
I’m sorry to burst your conspiracy theory bubble, but I’m not employed by the AFL-CIO; I’ve never been employed by Lenox Consulting. More relevant to this article, I recieved no support nor benefit from any union or union funded entity to appeal the charter’s decision to try and place a public school in an industrial zone in my town, nor do I think it would change the merits of my position if I had.
Christine
Christine its not a conspiracy theory to suggest that you are a former union organizer and according to Lenox Consulting — a “strategic partner.” If you have no relationship with that firm, I apologize. I can only rely on what they say about you. This discussion was initiated by Darcie suggesting that charter groups are smearing two innocent individual parents. Christine is not “just a parent” and SOSNJ has a relationship with AFL-CIO. The charter group is suing you based on accused actions that represented illegal collusion. That will be determined in court. I specifically said I don’t think you have personal financial vested interest in NJEA. Feel free to email me directly.
Sean,
We now know for a fact that you are being paid by your employer to smear Save Our Schools NJ, but your posts are gibberish.
Save Our Schools NJ is not incorporated!
Save Our Schools NJ does not have a budget!
The idea of us being funded by labor unions is tough to sell if we are not funded by anybody.
You will need to try a different set of lies with which to attack us.
Sean,
Save Our Schools NJ is unincorporated. We have no bank account and no funding besides whatever individual volunteers spend on gas and food to attend hearings in Trenton.
We also are NOT part of the national Save Our Schools organization.
We began with six parents in my living room 2 1/2 years ago.
We received an award from AFT last year for being friends of education and I and several other volunteers accepted that award. That’s the photo you have of me saying thank you for the award. I don’t think parents should have to turn down an award for supporting public education because union haters like you might misuse the resulting photos.
Since we have no budget, are you implying that we’re being bribed as individuals by NJEA and AFT? Are our 10,500 members across the State also pawns of some organized powers?
Might it be possible instead that your job is to attack anyone who dares to stand up to the privatizers who are attacking public education? The Lexington Institute is a very conservative organization with an express mission of pushing corporate education deform. It seems that trying to smear us is part of your job description.
Darcie I’m not suggesting YOU have a financial interest in the NJEA. I am suggesting SOSNJ has financial support from NJEA, AFT etc.If that’s NOT true, I’d be happy to be proven wrong. The lawsuit’s discovery phase will likely reveal collusion between SOSNJ and the teachers’ unions and undue influence on members of the authorizing board. Moreover, when did I try to “shut you up”? I merely pointed out that coordination with (and likely funding from) teachers’ unions reduces the independence of SOSNJ. Most charters are not corporate run, for profit organizations. I don’t know why competition scares public school teachers. If you’re right and the suburban public schools you are defending are excellent, parents will choose them every time and these charters will shutter. Suing to shut them down (NJEA filed suit against Newark charters) and using backdoor methods to deny charters access to buildings is not promoting an open dialogue on these issues. I actually think you and Diane Ravitch make good and valid points that need to be addressed by the reformers (like myself). I do not endorse underhanded tactics by either side. My point is you call out the charter school operator for hiring a PR team to defend its interests, just as SOSNJ is an advocacy group “allied” or affiliated and funded by teachers unions. It’s not “independent” or grassroots. If you publicly want to declaim my point that no funds or coordination with teachers’ unions takes place, I’d be happy to hear it. But I will trust but verify, so release all financial contributions to and from SOSNJ.
Sean, your points are interesting and I am wondering if you have gone on a similar quest to find if any vested interests are staked behind Chris cerf and the broad foundation.
Sean,
Save Our Schools NJ is unincorporated. We have no bank account and no funding besides whatever individual volunteers spend on gas and food to attend hearings in Trenton.
We also are NOT part of the national Save Our Schools organization.
We began with six parents in my living room 2 1/2 years ago.
We received an award from AFT last year for being friends of education and I and several other volunteers accepted that award. That’s the photo you have of me saying thank you for the award. I don’t think parents should have to turn down an award for supporting public education because union haters like you might misuse the resulting photos.
Since we have no budget, are you implying that we’re being bribed as individuals by NJEA and AFT? Are our 10,500 members across the State also pawns of some organized powers?
Might it be possible instead that your job is to attack anyone who dares to stand up to the privatizers who are attacking public education? The Lexington Institute is a very conservative organization with an express mission of pushing corporate education deform. It seems that trying to smear us is part of your job description.
Sean, you’re all over the place here.
Perhaps you should read up an Hatikvah. Parents aren’t leaving our public schools to attend Hatikvah. I can only speak for my district, but the majority of students from my town leave from private religious schools to attend this Hebrew Immersion Charter. It has NOTHING to do with the quality of our public schools, yet it is greatly impacting our public schools. In fact, we just got flat funding from the state this year but a $173,000 increase in our charter budget. So I’m sorry, you are dead wrong in this case. This charter is negatively impacting my district to serve the needs of private school parents.
If you want to debate the NJEA lawsuit regarding the hybrids in Newark that is another matter ENTIRELY. I see the Executive VP of the Lexington Institute (where you are a fellow) is on the board of Carpe Diem, a hybrid charter chain that is encountering it’s own resistance in Indiana and Arizona, as well as questions about their results.
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130228/BLOGS13/130229487
http://www.blogforarizona.com/blog/2012/11/carpe-diem-the-dog-ate-my-test-scores.html
Thanks for posting that NY Post piece so I know who I am actually talking to. I guess now we know why someone in Arlington, VA is doing so much digging into possible connections between the NJEA and SOSnj without really knowing what they are talking about….
Oh, my:
http://www.thinktankedblog.com/think-tanked/2010/04/harpers-lexington-inst-an-ad-firm-for-defense-industry.html
Ken Silverstein delivered a blistering account of the Lexington Institute in this month’s Harper’s magazine (“Mad Men: Introducing the defense industry’s pay-to-play ad agency”). As one of the magazine’s annotations (available to subscribers only), Silverstein uses a Lexington policy brief to talk about all the ways he can think of in a two-page spread in which Lexington acts as a public relations agency for its donor. But this is the gist:
“Despite casting itself as an intellectual clearing house, it is in fact an advertising firm on retainer for the defense industry.”
And the pay seems to reflect that rather than a non-profit, as Bruce Bartlett recently pointed out in his Forbes column.
‘Not surprisingly, the executives of such organizations are paid more like lobbyists than academics. According to the information posted at http://www.guidestar.com, the top two officials at Lexington were paid $360,000 each in 2008.’
My, oh, my:
http://www.al.com/news/press-register/index.ssf?/base/news/121300295470260.xml&coll=3
“What is often not revealed in news reports, Schwellenbach added, is that almost all funding for Thompson’s employer, the non-profit Lexington Institute, comes from the same defense contractors who frequently have a stake in the programs that he writes about. Overall, Schwellenbach said, “he represents a very pro-industry viewpoint. I don’t think you’ll ever see him calling for less spending or cutting programs.”
In an interview last week, Thompson readily confirmed that the institute receives “quite a significant” level of support from defense contractors, including similar amounts from Boeing and Los Angeles-based Northrop.
That fact is not mentioned on the institute’s Web site, however, and Thompson would not provide specific dollar amounts. Boeing and Northrop spokesmen later also declined to say how much their firms give, but added that they do not attempt to influence Thompson’s positions….”
But did Thompson ever get an award from the AFT? That would REALLY be horrible…
Now this thread has gotten out of control (not in tone) though we could all breathe (me included) more. Its just too much stuff flying around and most of SOSNJ’s team and now other bloggers (Jersey Jazzman) are now chiming in. Some of its repeititive and some of it new. It will just be an unending exchange at this rate. My initial objection stands — SOSNJ is not grassroots and per one commenters term I retract “astroturf.” Some things SOSNJs said are illuminating and useful and I appreciate that candor, others are incredulous. Feel free to email me but do so with restraint and politeness. Thanks.
Nice try, Sean.
Please provide ANY proof that the very grassroots Save Our Schools NJ organization is not really grassroots.
Please provide ANY proof that your job does not include trying to slime those, like Save Our Schools NJ, who oppose corporate ed deform.
I think you’re trying to sneak out with your tail between your legs because we all called your bluff.
Your threw a bunch of manure at Save Our Schools NJ and none of it stuck because it was all lies.
As Darcie said, the Executive VP of the Lexington Institute – where Sean is a “fellow” – is Don Soifer.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-wire/post/council-puts-hold-on-charter-school-board-members-reappointment-over-articles-on-multiculturalism/2012/11/01/2e37db90-2471-11e2-9313-3c7f59038d93_blog.html
The D.C. Council has temporarily halted the reappointment of a member of the D.C. Charter School Board after council members became aware of articles he wrote in which he appeared to challenge how multiculturalism is taught in school.
Don Soifer has served on the charter board since 2009, and had been expected to easily be confirmed for a second term after being renominated by Mayor Vincent C. Gray (D).
But Soifer’s nomination hit a major roadblock Thursday after council member Kenyan McDuffie (D-Ward 5) referred his colleagues to articles Soifee co-wrote in recent years about multiculturalism.
One article for the conservative The Daily Caller Web site, titled “Radical multiculturalism is a growing problem in public schools,” called on parents “to combat the destructive force that multicultural dogma is exerting on the teaching of American heritage and values.”
“The expanding use of such textbooks is a dramatic example of the influence of radical multiculturalists over what is taught in public schools around the country,” wrote Soifer, an analyst at the libertarian Lexington Institute. “These multiculturalists are espousing a conviction that the teaching of history must be liberated from white Eurocentric or Judeo-Christian ‘oppressive’ perspectives.”
I’m not trying to slime you but I’m not going to engage this further. Christine worked for is and is still affiliated with a union-paid group. You produce petitions and op-eds that ape NJEA and AFT talking points. One of Deborah’s op-eds in July 2012 against charter schools in Newark coincided with NJEA’s unsuccessful lawsuit against those same schools, relying on the same research and talking points. Then NJEA and the unions petitioned Wagner’s committee to criticize these schools further. Lo and behold, SOSNJ’s was invited to testify speaking in solidarity with the NJEA. I have yet to fine one position of SOSNJ that differs from NJEA/AFT. You appear to be a coalition of progressive, anti-charter activists that accuse people of smearing you when you are being sued for illegal collusion.No one is smearing you and you are not grassroots.
Sean,
I think you should let this go.
The SOS groups across the country are made up of parents and teachers.
They are grassroots groups. If unions want to support them, so what?
Unions represent teachers and other working people.
In a democracy, people have a right to express their views and to join with others who share their views.
Your rants against parents who are defending public education are mean-spirited and misinformed.
Your efforts to smear them reflect badly on you.
You call yourself a “reformer,” but what exactly is your knowledge of public education, or your stake in it?
I don’t care what your views are. It’s a free country.
But take your campaign against public education somewhere else.
Diane
OK,Sean, let’s talk a bit:
I’ll remind you that YOU started all this:
“SOSNJ is not “parent-run” and these are not “private citizens” Rampolla is the ex-comms director New Jersey AFL-CIO and now a partner is a consulting group with union clients.”
In fact, SOSNJ is “parent-run.” On that basis alone, you owe an apology.
You repeatedly asserted SOSNJ is “funded” by unions, yet offered no proof, even after Julia Sass Rubin stated here that SOSNJ isn’t even incorporated and has no budget.
Do you have evidence to the contrary? If not, your concern about “coordination” is specious, at best. The burden of proof is on you.
YOU, on the other hand, work for a think-tank that repeatedly advocates for defense contractors’ interests even as your COO admits your organization receives funding from those very same contractors. So there is a history at the Lexington Institute – again, this isn’t me or SOSNJ saying this; this is your own COO ADMITTING it – of advocating for public policy positions in the interests of your funders.
Keeping that in mind: you have written op-eds in favor of “blended-learning” charter schools, and a paper that calls for Catholic schools to adopt this model of learning:
http://www.lexingtoninstitute.org/building-21st-century-catholic-learning-communities?a=1&c=1136
So let’s turn it around Sean, and ask you EXACTLY what you just asked the SOSNJ people:
Has the Lexington Institute received funding from any person or organization that has a vested interest in the agenda you espouse: “blended” learning or “cyber” charters?
Notice I have not accused Lexington of this, or even implied it. I am merely asking for the same level of transparency you have called for.
Sauce for the goose…
Sean,
I wrote or edited those petitions so please do not tell me they are not original. Our arguments are pretty basic — we believe in public education and don’t like failed deformy ideas forced upon us. So it’s not surprising that others might have made similar points.
It’s also not surprising that parents and teachers might have similar ideas about protecting public education. Both groups want good public schools and care about children.
And don’t confuse grassroots with naive. The 60 volunteer organizers across our State who govern Save Our Schools NJ include very sophisticated stay at home Moms, as well as mayors, public policy professors, lawyers, architects, etc., Not a naive bunch by any means.
Legislators invite us to testify because our members come to Trenton and share their concerns with them. That’s how democracy is supposed to work!
And don’t confuse wanting charter school reform with being anti charter school. My daughter attended a charter school for 2 1/2 years and other organizers have children in charter schools. Changing New Jersey’s broken charter school law is just good public policy.
WOOPWOOPWOOPWOOP
Stay tuned for a ALARMING BUZZ PHRASE ALERT!!!
Lo and behold, SOSNJ’s was invited to testify speaking in solidarity with the NJEA.
Sounds like the peasants are getting ready to throw their sabots into the looms of reform! It’s a CONSPIRACY!!! To the comments! Thank you for your assistance in the grassroots reform matter.
It is now safe to return to your regularly scheduled education deform lobbying and profiteering. This alert has been provided by Daddy BigBucks.
WOOPWOOPWOOPWOOP
Sean,
A little hot under the collar?
Typical, though, once the tables are turned and the same stratagems are used on you.
And I suggest you not use the word “ape” especially considering all the racists that popped out of their holes last week when the First Lady appeared on the Academy Awards.
http://wonkette.com/502769/appearance-of-powerful-black-woman-at-the-oscars-provokes-predictable-pavlovian-response-in-prickish-political-press
These specious legal actions against parents who dare to advocate for neighborhood schools against charter interests should be if grave concern to us all. In California, the very deep-pocketed Bullis Charter school is suing the school district to reveal the identity of an individual who posts on news forums regarding the heated disputes between the charter and the district and uses a nom de plume.
The ed reform leaders have every reason to fear grassroots organized parents because they know that while they claim titles like Parent Revolution and StudentsFirst, parents like me and like Darcie, Julia and Christine aren’t buying it.
Wow, quite a thread. Do any of the more interested parties here have a copy of the complaint? I’m not seeing the basis for the claim that the communications between these advocates and the township council were “illegal.” Perhaps there are some strict ordinances governing the process of council deliberations that I’m not aware of. But a city council member isn’t like a judge, with whom ex parte communication by litigants is forbidden. Unless there’s something more to the alleged “collusion” than private conversations that resulted in a meeting of the minds — something like payoffs or some other quid pro quo — then this lawsuit seems like nothing more than payback.
Agreed, Fierper. When a citizen or group communicates with an elected official to express views, that’s their right, not “collusion.”