Call, email or write your elected officials today and ask them to not support the Parent Trigger legislation. If you do not know who your elected officials are, please call our office at (404) 315-0222. We would be happy to provide you with the names and contact information of your elected officials.
February 25, 2013
The Honorable Members of the House & Senate Education Committees
Georgia General Assembly
Dear Senators & Representatives:
The Parent Trigger legislation is resulting in a rift between parents, teachers and in some cases, the community through-out the country. Our goal is or should be to comprehensively improve schools in a collaborative and sustainable manner. If “choice” and improvement of schools are the goals, then an alternative to the Parent Trigger legislation is in order. Please find enclosed a suggested alternative model to the Parent Trigger. This model is a collaborative, comprehensive approach.
To the Parent Trigger’s credit, it may attempt to involve lower income communities. Unfortunately, the Parent Trigger allows for parents to sign petitions for some sort of “choice,” but the choice has been to turn their schools over to private and or for profit companies. We have nationally followed the success or lack of thereof of these companies!
We must be careful to avoid any “for profit” motives as it relates to our children and our futures. Our kids and our country’s future cannot be for sale.
Our suggested “alternative” to the Parent Trigger is not written in stone. But we strongly urge legislators to consider the alternative. You will note a funding portion as per the state in our suggested alternative. Funding could and should be discussed at the state and local levels.
3 points to strongly consider:
A. In the Parent Trigger legislation, parents and teachers do not have a sustained and or shared voice.
- In contrast, our suggested alternative provides for Parent and Teachers to have a shared voice.
B. The Parent Trigger legislation does not include the participation of parents and teachers through-out the process.
- In contrast, the AFT/GFT suggested model collaboratively drives the process from the beginning and through-out.
C. The Parent Trigger does not provide a comprehensive assessment that leads to sustained comprehensive reform.
- In contrast, you will find that the suggested AFT/GFT version does provide for a comprehensive assessment and leads to comprehensive reform.
Thank you for your time, attention and service. We are available for your questions and or feedback – georgia@aftgeorgia.org or (404) 315-0222.
Verdaillia Turner,
President
Click here to view the Letter to House & Senate Education Committee Members on Alternatives to Parent Trigger
Click here to view Alternatives to Parent Trigger
Click here to view Community Action Schools - Parent Trigger Alternative
Click here to view An Alternative "Parent Trigger" That Actually Empowers Parents and Improves Schools
Click here to view the article Corporations Advise School Closings, While Private Charters Suck Public Schools Away