National Week of Action May 13-17
Posted on: Monday April 28th, 2014
To mark the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, parents, students, educators, and community members are organizing actions across the country to continue the struggle for racial and educational justice and win the public schools all our children deserve.
Fulfilling the Promise of Brown v. Board:Organizing for Educational Justice for All – May 13-17, 2014
To mark the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, parents, students, educators, and community members are organizing actions across the country to continue the struggle for racial and educational justice and win the public schools all our children deserve.Join the Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools for a National Week of Action May 13-17. Help us reclaim the promise of public education as our nation's gateway to a strong democracy and racial and economic justice for all.
The future of public education stands at a critical crossroads. Now, more than ever, access to good public schools is a critical civil and human right. The answer to delivering on the promise of equal opportunity lies in strengthening, not dismantling or privatizing, public education. The Alliance unites parents, students, educators, community organizations, and labor unions fighting for educational justice and equity in access to school resources and opportunities.
Read and sign on to the Alliance platform, "The Schools All Our Children Deserve: The Principles That Unite Us," and view our demands.
Download (and share!) the event flyers and information here. Andclick here to find May 17th events in your community.
If your organization would like to endorse the Week of Action, please let us know!
APR 25
"Gag Order" Bars Educators From Talking About Standardized Tests
A "gag order" in New York's contract with test-making giant Pearson bars teachers from talking publicly about mistakes they find on state tests. The American Federation of Teachers has launched a petition asking Pearson to remove the gag order from current and future contracts. Sign on! Teachers in New York recently administered new Common Core-aligned standardized tests, bu
APR 23
Newark Clergy Call for Moratorium on Education "Reforms"
Dozens of Newark clergy members submitted a powerful letter to NJ Gov. Chris Christie calling for a moratorium on the proposed reforms and for meaningful community input moving forward. Photo: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters read more
Partnerships, NOT Pushouts: New Policy Guide for School Boards
A new policy guide released today details how school board members can lead the way in securing a high quality education for each and every student in their district. Partnerships, NOT Pushouts New "Whole-Child" Policy Guide for School Board Members read more
Revival From the Roots: A Tour of Philly's Neighborhood Schools
Publication Date: Thu, 2014-04-17 The first video in a three-part series, "Revival From the Roots: A Tour of Philly's Neighborhood Schools" follows Jerry Jordan, President of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, and Hellen Gym, parent and education advocate, as they hear firsthand from students, parents and teachers fighting to turn around public education from the bottom
Huge Drop in Suspensions and Expulsions in Colorado
After years of organizing work, advocates in Colorado won statewide school discipline reform in 2012. Padres & Jovenes Unidos, the leading voice behind the new law, has released a report card detailing the law's success during its first year. The parents of Padres & Jovenes Unidos have been a leading force in the school discipline reform movement in Colorado. read more
600 Philly Students "Missing" After Mass School Closures
Philadelphia student group Youth United for Change has launched a campaign to identify some 600 students who "went missing" in the wake of the city's mass school closures last year. Photo via Philly.com read more
What Are Community Schools?
At the Community Schools National Forum in Cincinnati last week, top educators from the US and abroad learned about a powerful new model for supporting all students and improving our nation's schools. Check out pictures and video from the event! The key to ensuring access to educational opportunity for each and every child is to build a strong public school at the heart of every commu
Webinar Series: So You Want Fair School Funding...
How do we fund schools fairly and equitably for all children? And how can advocates and organizers lead the way? Join us for two upcoming webinars on April 22 and May 7! Webinar Series: So You Want Fair School Funding... But Where Does the Money Come From? How YOU can lead the fight to invest more in our public schools read more
A Snapshot of the Nation's Education Inequities
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights released data from all of the nation's 97,000 public schools, offering the most complete snapshot of educational opportunity in America and shining a light on the deep inequities in access to resources like pre-k, college counselors, advanced courses and experienced teachers. That disparities exist in access to educational res
NY State Budget Is a Mix of Victories and Setbacks
This year's budget battle in New York State produced a mix of victories and setbacks for public education advocates. The Alliance for Quality Education published a fact sheet to explain how the funding increases, pre-k expansion and charter school supports will impact the fight for high quality education in the state. The following press release was written by the Alliance for Quality
New Jersey Organizers Demand a Voice in Education Debate
On March 27, advocates in NJ rallied to protest the market-based reform policies that are hurting their public schools and to demand a new approach to supporting and improving the state's education system. The fight over public schools is heating up in New Jersey. On March 27, advocates from across the state rallied at the NJ State House to protest the market-based reform policies tha
What Kind of Superintendent Do Boston Students Want?
Students from the Boston Student Advisory Council, Youth and Board, and Boston-area Youth Organizing Project are playing an active role in helping the city select its next superintendent. Hear what they have to say in this great new video! Boston students are playing an active role in helping the city select its new superintendent. Though not officially a part of the search committee,