Triggers

Much has happened since our last posting and we're hoping this new year allows more time for speaking up and out through the written word. In fact, one of our resolutions is to update this blog with more frequency and keep our readers and members better informed about what's on the minds of The MANY.

Of late, recent NYC events have sparked controversy and we want to use this space for airing them and getting your feedback.

First off, is the idea recently floated in proposed state legislation by the NYC Parents Union, and now, also supported by a deep-pocketed, mostly Anglo national group of wealthy, pro-charter folks called 50CAN (that has a NY branch) calling for instituting a "Parent Trigger" law.

Not only is this a TERRIBLY BAD idea— totally counter to the progressive change and dire need in NYC to align parents and school administrators as a holistic, thriving community— both the history of the "Parent Trigger's" origins in California, and the name for supposedly giving parents the power to close failing schools are dreadful!

In communities burdened with guns and violence, dying interest in academia and hard pressed for innovate ideas to organize parents with socially-conscious teachers and staff, those who think it's a good idea to name anything that has to do with killing by "pulling a trigger" are simply amoral.

We whole-heartedly agree with the recent statements by Parents Across America, a group whose policy work— on the whole— we are clearly behind:

The Parent Trigger is not real parent empowerment, but the attempt of wealthy edu-entrepreneurs to take advantage of parents for their own narrow ends.

- To read the entire PAA statement, check out www.parentsacrossamerica.org

Secondly, we are warning all community parents to use Google (or other search engines) and read, read, read everything they can about organization's rallying them and offering support. Determine for yourself if they are really grassroots by finding out who pays their organizer's salaries, who their funders are and who sits on their board of directors. See if they have clearly stated (in writing) their position on Mayoral Control, and how they are funding their brand of education reform. Ask them if they are for continuing the Department of Education, rather than demanding a real Board of Education by the People? Are they speaking out about true democracy by improving and reinstating the once legal rule of local say by elected, community school boards? In other words, are they content with the DoE's construct of Community Education Councils (CECs), even though they have little power and have not proven to serve their community schools, students or parents well across all districts?

Lastly, we are calling on all education and community activists to focus on the damage done to young people of color by the NYPD's racial profiling and the Stop & Frisk policy it feeds in our communities. The safety (and emotional security) of our youth have yet to be spoken for in unity by ALL of us. Come and raise your voices with NYC Mothers as a means to "STOP, STOP & FRISK!

Join The MANY and others from "Stop the Mass Incarceration" on Tuesday, January 17th at 8:30 a.m. at Manhattan Criminal Court. It's a rally for and by mothers!