One more voice for change: Daily News calls out Brownley
The Daily News has joined the rapidly growing chorus of newspapers throughout our state calling on Sacramento to do the right thing, pass real education reform, and truly empower parents to help fix our schools. In an editorial today, they come out strong in favor of the Romero bill, noting it “would have allowed parents to trigger major reforms at their schools and make it easier for students to transfer out of failing schools,” among other significant changes. And after placing appropriate blame at the feet of six Assemblymembers who didn’t even have the courage to make an up-or-down vote on Romero’s legislation, they turn to the real source of the problem:
In large part, what happens is up to Brownley.
She can ether allow reconsideration of the Romero bill this week, or she can alter her bill so that it includes the reform mechanisms in Romero's bills so that the governor will sign it.
What she cannot - should not - do is push through her weak faux-reform bill that is destined for gubernatorial veto, therefore keeping California's students from racing to the top. If she does, she has failed not only those who voted for her, but every one of the some 6 million public school students in the state.
Assemblymember Brownley has a decision to make. Her bill has some important provisions, and although the mechanisms may be misguided, we certainly appreciate the attempt to bring increased accountability to charter schools. But her next steps will show whether she actually cares about creating real change in our schools. Whether she actually cares about giving parents real power, rather than patronizing gestures. Or whether she is more interested in preserving a status quo that has left LAUSD unable to graduate more than 50% of its students from high school.
The next few days will reveal much about Assemblymember Brownley and her commitment to actually fixing public education. The parents of Los Angeles and across California call on her to do the right thing. We, along with parents and policymakers across the country, will be watching.
