First no parents want it! Read that again. Second no parents want it! Since that is the case why has it passed the house and is the Senate now considering it. Third, NO PARENTS WANT IT!
The astro turf groups Parent Revolution, Michelle Rhee’s Student First and Jeb Bush’s Foundation and their corporate backers are the ones pushing for it, while parents, civil right groups and teachers has been fighting against it. Unfortunately the well-financed corporate shills are not above using deception.
Kelly Stargel the enemy of all things public education and the Florida Legislatures queen of privatization recently began passing off a petition supposedly signed by Floridians who support the parent trigger. The main problem however is that a lot of the signers are crying foul. Not only did they not sign it but they are against the parent trigger all together. http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2013/04/more-questions-raised-about-studentsfirst-petition.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
This sadly wasn’t the pro-privatizations first attempt at trickery. They also tried floating a pro trigger video; unfortunately nobody would take credit for it. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/04/27/a-parent-trigger-mystery-solved-in-florida/
Finally the pro-trigger crowd has taken to bad talking the PTA and all the other groups that are against the trigger saying they are nothing but shills for the teacher’s union. Friends, no matter what you might think about the teachers union, you have to know, they aren’t nearly powerful enough to control the PTA and the NAACP along with other parent and civil rights groups. http://jaxkidsmatter.blogspot.com/2013/04/representative-carlos-trujillo-doesnt.htmland http://jaxkidsmatter.blogspot.com/2013/03/who-is-worse-rep-carlos-trujillo-or-rep.html
So what we have is a bill sponsored by corporations whose supporters aren’t against being deceptive that ignores parents and their wishes, which has already passed the house and has a good chance of passing the senate. Welcome to Florida
Bob Sykes at Scathing Purple Musings has done some nice work on the subject. To read more click the links.
