#EduElection: How Grassroots Voices Shaped NYC's Mayoral Election
Posted on: Friday May 30th, 2014
It seems the tide might finally be turning in the fight for public education.
It seems the tide might finally be turning in the fight for public education.
A wonderful new issue of the The Annenberg's Institute's Voices in Urban Education chronicles how grassroots organizers in New York City championed a new vision for education reform and shaped the mayoral election that put Mayor Bill de Blasio in office. De Blasio's election was "a huge moment for proponents of student-centered, equity-driven public education," and it just might signal the beginning of a new era in public education.
So how do you make an election all about education? More importantly,how do you win?
At the center of NYC's "education election" were the state-wideAlliance for Quality Education (AQE) and the city-wide Coalition for Educational Justice(CEJ) and Urban Youth Collaborative (UYC), the leading grassroots parent and student groups. In this issue of Voices in Urban Education, leaders from AQE, CEJ and UYC explain how they turned their partnership into a potent political force.
From the introduction:
"As the articles in this issue describe, the groups took on a two-pronged strategy to address this challenge. The first advanced a key set of “wedge issues,” which were shared strategically with candidates for mayor and others. Candidates were asked to take public positions on these issues and thus to share their views on controversial issues such as testing, school improvement, closings and co-locations, and school discipline and safety.The second pushed the trio of long-standing education organizing coalitions into a listening posture: staff and member leaders from CEJ, UYC, AQE, and their constituent organizations drew dozens of other groups and institutions into an effort to bring these key questions and others to New Yorkers across the city and engage them in creating a comprehensive vision for reform."
The issue includes articles from AQE Executive Director Billy Easton and Advocacy Director Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari, CEJ's Ocynthia Williams, UYC's Maria Fernandez, NYU professor Pedro Noguera and many others. Check out the full issue here.
Judith Browne Dianis Talks School Closures on Melissa Harris-Perry Show
An Inspiring Year of Student Organizing in Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Student Union, an OTL Campaign ally, has had an eventful school year organizing for educational justice in Philly and nationwide. Check out this recap of their great work this past year! The following post originally appeared on the Philadelphia Student Union (PSU) website and is reposted here with permission. PSU is an OTL Campaign ally. read more
Judith Browne Dianis Talks School Closures on Melissa Harris-Perry Show
Publication Date: Fri, 2014-05-30 This May marks the 60th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, but nationwide many students of color are still held back by an inequitable education system. In particularly, they are dispropotionately affected by the mass school closures that are taking place in cities across the country. On a recent episode of the Melissa Har
Philly Student Dies With No Nurse on Duty. Organizers Call for Officials to Resign
For the second time this school year, a Philadelphia student died after falling ill at school. Due to budget cuts, neither school had a nurse on duty. Organizers in Philadelphia are calling for the resignation of city officials unless they can provide the full school funding necessary to put a nurse in every school. Jackson Elementary parents give statement to the press. Photo via
MAY 22
Newark Students Occupy School Board Meeting
Members of the Newark Student Union shut down a school board meeting this week by holding a sit-in and refusing to leave the district building. They are demanding that the district adopt the Newark Promise plan that would support all students with additional school resources. Newark, NJ, is a city at a crossroads. For the past several years under the direction of state-appointed Super
MAY 21
Death by a Thousand Cuts: Racism, School Closures, and Public School Sabotage
A new report from the Journey for Justice Alliance details how pervasive underfunding of public schools and policies like mass school closures and charter expansion are harming students in low-income communities of color – and what we can do instead to support all students. Earlier this month at a rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court honoring the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of
MAY 20
Recap of the #Brownat60 National Week of Action
This past Saturday was the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education. Parents, students and educators nationwide marked the anniversary with a National Week of Action to demand our country renew its commitment to Brown's vision of equity and opportunity in education. Now THAT is what you call a National Week of Action! Recap, pictures and video from #Brownat60 nationwide events
