PSAT for 4-10-12: Sign the petition, support your local legislators!
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1) This one will just take a minute: Sign the petition for a quality, funded school day posted by the Chicago Parents for Quality Education (of which PURE is a member). For more information, read the coalition’s White Paper. The groups are also planning a rally at City Hall (meet at Clark/Randolph) thisFriday, April 13, at 4 pm, to present this petition to Mayor Emanuel on what parents want in a quality school day!2) This one may take a little more time, but it’s important to show our support for the legislators who are under attack for doing their job representing US – not the Tribune editorial board, not ALEC, which writes some of their favorite draft bills, not the Stand for Children astroturfers who lobby for those bills.
The Tribune apparently decided it was a good idea to mark Easter Sunday with an editorial pillorying several legislators whose bills go against the Tribune’s pro-privatization, anti-teacher agenda.
According to the Tribune, it’s OK for legislators to set a specific percentage for student test score use in Chicago only, but not OK for legislators to set a standard for class size (Chicago’s are well over the national average) or for school superintendent qualifications in Chicago only (CPS CEO Brizard does not currently need or, in fact, have, an Illinois teaching certificate). No – according to the Tribune, that’s micromanaging.
And apparently it’s not OK with the Tribune for our legislators to create bills that respond to the needs and concerns of their own constituency — the parents, teachers, students and community members who actually use the public schools and who want fair discipline – even in charter schools! – or a temporary halt to disruptive, unhelpful school closings and mass teacher firings, or lower class size – a solid, research-backed school improvement strategy — or the most highly qualified people to run the schools – not the ones given Broad Foundation stamp of approval.
So for Public Schools Action Tuesday today, sign the petition and THANK the legislators who are serving us, not the Tribune.
For proposing SB 3362/ HB 4455 reducing class size, please thank:
- Sen Kimberley Lightford: (708) 343-7444
- Rep. Marlow Colvin: (773) 783-8492, repcolvin@sbcglobal.net
For proposing SB 3239 / HB 4487 calling for a moratorium on school closings, please thank:
- Sen Iris Martinez: (773) 463-0720
- Rep. Cynthia Soto: (773) 252-0402, staterepsoto@sbcglobal.net
For proposing HB 4686 which would end the disruptive CPS “20th day” staff reductions, please thank
- Rep. Monique Davis: (773) 445-9700; davismd@ilga.gov
For proposing SB 637 (as amended) which allows waivers for low-income students subjected to charter school disciplinary fines such as those at Noble, please thank Sen. William Delgado: (773) 292-0202
For proposing HB 209, requiring the CPS CEO to hold at least a master’s degree and state teaching credential, please thank Rep Kenneth Dunkin: (312) 266-0340; kendunkin@msn.com
For her consistent, strong, overall support of true education reform (I couldn’t find the specific bill of hers that the Trib was complaining about), please thank Rep Esther Golar: (773) 925-6580; esthergolar@sbcglobal.net