This excellent piece on school funding co-written by our Connecticut PAA leader, Wendy Lecker, was printed in the Hartford (CT) Courant, and reposted on the Washington Post Answer Sheet blog. Here's an excerpt:

PAA-CT members

In Connecticut and nationally, courts have consistently ruled that underfunded schools amount to constitutional violations of children's right to an education.

In New York, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Washington and many other states, courts determined that there is a causal connection between students' poor performance and inadequate school funding. Unlike the modern corporate education reformers, who vilify teachers and educational experts, courts value their firsthand knowledge of school conditions and the resources needed to give all students an equal opportunity to learn. When shown evidence of conditions in schools, courts consistently find what CCM contends - without adequate funding, schools cannot provide an adequate education.

 

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PAA co-founder Julie Woestehoff, of affiliate Parents United for Responsible Education (PURE) in Chicago, was interviewed for a local NPR station story on parents opting out of testing. 

She was also quoted in several newspaper stories (Chicago Tribune here, Sun-Times here) about Mayor Emanuel's proposal to push a school closing announcement deadline back several months. Emanuel wants to close as many as 100 Chicago schools in 2013. The Tribune editorial board, which usually takes the corporate reform side, quoted a PURE blog post in agreeing with PURE's opposition to the mayor's plan. Unfortunately, the state legislature handed Emanuel the extension today, Julie reports.   

Welcome new chapter, PAA-Atlanta/GA/Atlanta Public Schools!  

We're delighted to welcome another new chapter, this one in Atlanta. Founder Kimberly Brooks is a former PTA president who is studying for her masters degree. Parents in Atlanta are discouraged by the well-known test cheating scandal and recent passage of charter school expansion laws in the state. They feel their voices are not being heard. Kimberly brings a lot of enthusiasm to our national network! You can contact her at kimberlybrooks.kim@gmail.com

Welcome, Kimberly and Atlanta!

Philly's Parents United for Public Education has a new web site!

Check it out! 

Try PAA affiliate SOS-Portland's testing survey

From our Portland OR affiliate leader Susan Barrett:   

This survey was created rather quickly. Kind of a response to a local issue where the Portland Public Schools are taking heat from the Portland Business Alliance for not going after RttT. More accurately, the teachers are taking the heat. Did anyone ever ask parents what they think? No. But, it is a pretty generic survey about testing.Please take it and share. It is not meant to be a scientific survey. :-) A conversation starter for some, at least.     

Deb Meier to speak at CPS forum this week 

Boston-based PAA affiliate Citizens for Publc Schools is hosting an education  forum on Monday, Dec. 3, 2012, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the main branch of the Brookline Public Library.  

"Come listen and join in a discussion of democracy and the future of public education:  What can we do to stop the privatization of our public schools, and empower parents, teachers and our communities to ensure all our students have the opportunity to learn?"

Forum speakers include Deb Meier. For more information and to register today, click here.