Parent Revolution Robbing School District

'Trigger' parents sue Adelanto School District

http://www.vvdailypress.com/articles/adelanto-33801-sue-trigger.html

Parent Revolution backed an expensive lawsuit against the Adelanto School District to impose a charter the parents claim to not want.  Now Gabe Rose of Parent Revolution is consulting with attorneys to do it again.  This small school district may not be able to stand against the big league juggernaut funded by wealthy foundations.

This is so wrong.  While Parent Revolution is robbing needed funds from school kids through lawsuits, the community has gotten together with school improvement reforms that will transform Desert Trails into the school the Desert Trails Parent Union claimed to want. 

Recap:

Parent Trigger is a poorly written experimental law that allows a petition of parents representing 50% plus 1 of a failing school to impose one of several federal interventions on the school.  Parent Revolution is a nonprofit corporation funded by wealthy backers that organizes parents to use this law.  They had parents with children in Desert Trails Elementary School sign two petitions.  The first petition has been described as transforming the school through alternative governance reforms.  The second petition was to impose a charter on the school.  The second petition was submitted to the Adelanto School District.  Many parents felt that they were misled or confused by the process and did not want a charter for their school.  Every parent on both sides of the issue told the School Board that they did not want a charter.  Parents mobilized to rescind their signatures from the petition.  Parent Revolution insisted that rescissions are not allowed.  The Board, however, allowed the parents to remove their names from the petition.  This caused the petition to fall short of the required number of signatures.  Parent Revolution backed an expensive and successful lawsuit against the district.  

Current:

On July 18th,  Judge Malone of the Superior Court, County of San Bernardino, issued a ruling, in which it was held that the Board was prohibited from allowing parents to revoke signatures from the petition.  He ordered the district to accept the petition.

Yesterday, the Adelanto School District complied with the court order and accepted the petition.  Upon accepting the petition - it is part of the Parent Trigger Law for the School Board to make a final disposition with respect to the petition.  The Board had to decide if the district could implement the petition.  If not, then another intervention can be selected. The School Board concluded that it was impossible to implement a charter on Desert Trails Elementary School for the 2012-13 school year.  It cannot be done.   The Board then chose another intervention model (alternative governance) that can be implemented this school year.

I believe that the alternative governance is closer to what the Desert Trails Parent Union has been claiming to want than a charter school.  They have been stating that they really want reform and not a charter.  The alternative governance reforms will include a community advisory council that will oversee improvements such as an extended school day, new curriculum, more technology, more school progress reports, and a school site improvement coach.  And, as reported by the LA times, teachers will be asked to pledge support for the reforms in commitment letters and those who choose not to sign may move to another school. 

Gabe Rose of Parent Revolution is consulting with attorneys.  Interesting that he did not state that he will be consulting with the parents.  The Desert Trails Parent Union, if allowed by Parent Revolution, now has a choice.  They can partner with the district through the alternative governance plan and transform the school or they can continue to partner with Parent Revolution to further rob our kids with lawsuits.

Please join me in my reflections on 21st century learning.  I want to read your comments and opinions.  I will do my best to answer questions.


Please friend me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter.

LA Times - LA Now Blog  
Adelanto Parents Lose Charter School Bid