Speaking Up
Two Organizations Issue Statements As They Fight For Public Education
Parents Supporting Teachers shows support for Primary Promise while the East Area Progressive Democrats tackle charter school corruption.
“NVMI is a case study in shamelessness.”
– East Area Progressive Democrats
After putting in the work to elect Dr. Rocio Rivas and end control of the LAUSD School Board by forces loyal to the Charter School Industry, supporters of public education looked forward to big, positive changes in the country’s largest school district controlled by an elected board. This optimism was increased with the elevation of long-time public school supporter, Jackie Goldberg, to the Board’s Presidency.
There have been some victories for the children of Los Angeles under the new majority, most notably the Rivas-led rejection of a waiver that would have allowed Bright Star charter schools to add more classroom capacity using taxpayer money during a decades-long period of declining enrollment. Unfortunately, there have also been unforced errors. Perhaps the most perplexing of these occurred when Scott Schmerelson, usually a reliable supporter of public…