Education Reform Now ads

Education Reform Now continues to rock the political establishment in NY State with hard-hitting flyers, radio spots and TV ads.  The latest 30-second TV ad is posted here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pxLhzyDuM4 (here are links to previous ads: www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9RTxXjfB_w&feature=related (Right the Wrong) and www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4ZrDnaPGRg&feature=related (Stop Listening to the Teacher's Union!).  Here's the press release the accompanied today's new ad:

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 19, 2010
 
Contact: Stefan Friedman, 646-241-7786
 
EDUCATION REFORM NOW RELEASES NEW TV AD CALLING ON ALBANY TO LISTEN TO PARENTS AND STUDENTS – NOT THE TEACHERS UNION – AND PASS COMMON-SENSE REFORMS THAT WILL HELP NEW YORK WIN $700 MILLION

May 19, 2010 (NEW YORK) – Education Reform Now today released a TV ad titled "Calendar," that pushes Albany to fight for New York's school kids, not unions intent on blocking true reform.
 
Joe Williams, ERN's Executive Director, released the following statement in conjunction with the ad.
 
"Michael Mulgrew claims that New York's losing Race to the Top would be 'no one's fault." However, with a teacher evaluation bill on the table, and the charter cap lift through the Senate, it's very clear exactly whose fault it is if these critical reforms we need to win Race to the Top aren't passed into law."
 
"With New York's ability to win $700 million in desperately needed education funding for our state's schoolchildren hanging in the balance, Albany must listen not to the teachers union which wants to preserve the broken status quo, but to the hundreds of thousands of their constituents calling for common sense reforms that will help the state win this Race to the Top."
 
"The Senate bill that passed nearly three weeks ago addressed the chief concerns raised by the United Federation of Teachers in its January report. But the UFT still isn't satisfied and won't be until any legislation that passes eliminates any real reform.
 
"Secretary Duncan couldn't have said it better yesterday: do we want to compete or do we want to win?  There's still time. Lift the cap. There are $700 million good reasons why."
 
The ad can be seen at: http://www.racetothetopny.org/index.cfm?objectid=B0F458CD-C29C-7CA2-F7F6527CB360E070 <file://localhost/owa/redir.aspx>
 
Script:
 
"With each passing day, our schools get closer to losing 700 million dollars.
 
Every day that passes is another day we fail our kids.
 
Unless Albany stands up to the teachers union and allows more charter schools, we will lose $700 million from Washington.
 
If they don't act by June 1, it will mean deep schools cuts and higher property taxes.
 
Tell Albany to pass education reform now, before time runs out.
 
And out kids lose out."
 
 
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Education Reform Now is a coalition with the goal of ensuring that New York receives $700 million in federal Race to the Top dollars that will go towards making sure that public school students get the education they deserve. Members include Democrats for Education Reform, the New York Charter Schools Association and the New York City Charter School Center.