Powerful Voices of Parents and Teachers Condemn Separate and Unequal at Press Conference

I put up notice of yesterday's press conference at Tweed (New York City Parents and Community Stakeholders To Convene Press Conference Supporting NAACP Lawsuit) and taped the entire event. It's a long video and I will start cutting it up into individual statements but I wanted to get the entire raw video up for those who have the time to see it - cull some of the quotes for your own articles. Video is on Vimeo with this description:

Parents and teachers gather on the steps of the Tweed Courthouse (NYCDOE HQ) to support the NAACP/UFT lawsuit on school closings and to announce their own suit. Interesting how reports are surfacing that a deal between the DOE and NAACP/UFT may be in the works that will allow them to close the schools. If there is such a deal it will have to be a sellout even if on the surface the DOE promises to do A, B and C. We know this only gives them cover and I would brand any deal a sellout since every single settlement with the DOE has turned sour. Remember last year's settlement on closing schools?

http://vimeo.com/25070672


Parent, Teacher Voices Support NAACP/UFT and Condemn Separate and Unequal from Grassroots Education Movement on Vimeo.

Parents and teachers gather on the steps of the Tweed Courthouse (NYCDOE HQ) to support the NAACP/UFT lawsuit on school closings and to announce their own suit. Interesting how reports are surfacing that a deal between the DOE and NAACP/UFT may be in the works that will allow them to close the schools. If there is such a deal it will have to be a sellout even if on the surface the DOE promises to do A, B and C. We know this only gives them cover and I would brand any deal a sellout since every single settlement with the DOE has turned sour. Remember last year's settlement on closing schools?


Here is part of the Gotham Schools reports on the issue:

Parent group says it will file separate suit challenging closures

by Geoffrey Decker

More litigation could be targeted at Tweed’s plans to close struggling schools, even as one lawsuit seems to be headed toward an amicable settlement.

Make sure to read about the "amicable" settlement. I view it as the NAACP and UFT feeling the heat and instead of standing firm are blinking. Gotham continues:

The New York City Parents Union announced this afternoon that it plans to file a separate lawsuit against the Department of Education, charging that its policy of closing low-performing schools and co-locating charter schools in district space was illegal. The lawsuit, according to the announcement, would effectively stop all school closure and co-locations from moving forward.
“We, the public school parents, challenge the cynical chicanery of Chancellor Walcott and the DOE. We reject the privatization agenda supported by Mayor Bloomberg and his appointees. Our children deserve the best education and a supportive administration, and we will fight for all children to receive equal access to a quality education,” the statement said.
The lawsuit would also seek to reverse charter school co-locations because they aren’t charged market rent for space in district school buildings. (more…)

So with all the carping you will see about Mona Davids looking for publicity, this law suit can't do any harm.