The judge overseeing the anti-tenure lawsuits merged the two that had been filed, over the protests of parent activist Mona David’s of the New York City Parents Union.

“Outside the court, Mona Davids, the lead plaintiff in the first case, Davids vs. New York, made it clear that she wasn’t interested in forging a unified effort as she passed out fake $100 bills bearing the grimacing face of Campbell Brown, the news-anchor-turned-activist who spearheaded the second lawsuit, Wright vs. New York.

“It’s our lawsuit,” Davids said. “We filed first.”

“But inside the courtroom, Justice Phillip Minardo decided they were similar enough to combine, and neither lawsuit filed an opposition to the motion. He also decided to let the United Federation of Teachers intervene as a defendant, which will allow the city teachers union to take an active role in defending the current job protection rules. (Minardo deferred a decision about whether the state teachers union could intervene as well because of a paperwork issue.)”

The cases were filed in Staten Island, the city’s most conservative borough, in hopes of finding a sympathetic judge who would rule against tenure.

Davids went after Campbell Brown with a vengeance. Davids said:

“Campbell Brown is is trying to reform her image and make herself relevant on the backs of black and Hispanic children, our children. This is our lawsuit,” Davids said at a press conference where members of her group held up fake $100 bills with Brown’s screaming face in the middle and signs that read “Campbell Brown does not speak for NYC parents.”

“Davids claims Brown discouraged Gibson Dunn, the prestigious law firm that helped secure victory for the plaintiffs in Vergara vs. California, from helping Davids’ case. Gibson Dunn said in early August it would be providing legal support to Davids’ case, then abruptly dropped out several weeks ago, citing conflicts of interest.”