» Parent Revolution

Principal removal and REAL parent empowerment

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Julie Woestehoff

Last week, a Parent Revolution-backed petition drive collected enough signatures to force out the well-respected principal of Weigand Avenue Elementary School in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. According to the article, 21 out of 22 teachers at the school have asked for transfers in protest. That’s parent empowerment? We’re skeptical, in part because of the many deceptive tactics used by the well-funded Parent Revolution astroturfers – most recently exposed here for paying their so-called parent activists to promote the … →

Update on parent trigger

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Julie Woestehoff

The parent trigger is a hot issue in many states now. It started in California, launched by the organization Parent Revolution, a fake-grassroots operation founded by charter-school mogul Steve Barr and funded by the likes of Gates, Walton et al. Here’s a summary of the current parent trigger landscape in California and a brief history of the previous parent triggers, put together from California sources who have followed the issue. Parent Revolution currently has two or three parent triggers going … →

PAA leader helps expose Parent Revolution carpetbagging

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Julie Woestehoff

Rita Solnet, PAA founding member and leader of PAA Florida affiliate Testing is not Teaching, reports that she and others have helped expose Parent Revolution’s carpetbagging. PR (an apt acronym) is a California group funded by Gates, Walton and the usual gang to promote charter schools and the parent trigger. No Florida parent group has come out in favor of the parent trigger, but Parent Revolution’s astroturfers  have staged a full-court press in the state legislature, where the bill passed … →

“Won’t Back Down” and “Will Stand Up”

Posted on September 9, 2012 by Julie Woestehoff

By Lorie Barzano Chair of Coalition SAUS (Strengthen Austin Urban Schools), a parent led group representing inner-city public schools working to ensure accessible, quality Public Education for all children and healthy, thriving Public Schools in Austin’s urban core. I saw “Won’t Back Down” last week with two other parents from Coalition SAUS.  A free, pre-screening hosted by the Charter School Association, we sat in the dark theatre surrounded by a hundred charter school teachers and a smattering of charter school … →

Grassroots or astroturf? Parents, be aware!

Posted on June 7, 2012 by admin

Here’s just one example of the trickery that “reform” groups like Parent Revolution use to promote their school privatization agenda, from PAA-Florida’s Rita Solnet. Shirley Ford, a Parent Revolution organizer, while testifying to the Florida Senate Committee on its proposed “Parent Engagement” (parent trigger) bill, said that Parent Revolution was a grassroots group. Later, under questioning, Ms. Ford was forced to elaborate on her precise role with Parent Revolution, explaining that she was paid to organize parents involving the parent … →

Parents – watch out for parent trigger proposals in your state

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Julie Woestehoff

PAA member Caroline Grannan recently posted this update on the parent trigger, explaining that, despite well-funded propaganda, there are no successful parent trigger programs. The Parent Revolution, which pushed the California  parent trigger law, has apparently abandoned the strategy. Yet parent trigger proposals are popping up all over the country, including Florida. Details in this PAA press release: For immediate release:                   January 10, 2012 Why Parents Across America Opposes Florida’s Parent Empowerment Legislation: … →