Big win in CA Parent Trigger

AWESOME news from California!

 

From: Ben Austin <baustin@parentsunion.org> Date: March 24, 2011 8:27:34 AM PDT Subject: Another huge court victory Stacey-- Earlier this week, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge issued a preliminary injunction against Compton Unified, forcing them to finally - almost four months after the intiial petition was submitted - verify the McKinley parents' historic Parent Trigger petitions, and do so by April 1.  And while this ruling is a huge victory for parents (and a huge defeat for Compton Unified and their endless efforts to stop change), it's implications will ultimately impact every single parent in California and throughout America who wants to use community organizing and the Parent Trigger to transform their school. In a landmark ruling, the judge found that the Parent Trigger petitioning process- which allows parents to demand change at their children's failing schools through community organizing - is protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.  He found that Compton Unified had not just broken the law, but had violated the Constitutional rights of the McKinley parents when they attempted to disquality parent petitions if they did not confront the district, present official photo ID, and reaffirm their support for the Parent Trigger petition. So this is more than just a huge victory for Shemika, Ismenia, Marlene, and all the parents of McKinley.  It is a victory for you.  When you stand up and organize for change at your child's current or future failing school, you will know that you are backed by not only the historic Parent Trigger law, but by the Constitution of the United States.  And as almost thirty states around the country consider passing their own Parent Trigger laws, they can be confident that they, too, will have their rights and their voice protected from any school district who wants to disenfranchise them and silence their voice. The right "to petition the Government for a redress of grievances" is a fundamental right given to every American in our First Amendment.  Now, because of the historic Parent Trigger law and a judge's historic ruling, parents can now use that fundamental right to fight for the right of their children to obtain the great public education they need for the future they deserve.   -Ben