They will do anything to stop change
During President Obama’s historic campaign, it became clear that many on the far right felt they could no longer fight based on ideas. Instead, they resorted to the vile smear tactics and whisper campaigns which we all remember, trying to distract voters from the real issues at hand.
Unfortunately, it seems as though some in Los Angeles have taken a page out of the far right-wing playbook in their desperate attempts to stop change from coming to LAUSD. This past week, some have been circulating the flyer below through the Latino community, stating that parents who sign charter petitions are at risk of being deported (direct translation: Do not sign petitions for charter schools because you can be deported). These sort of disgusting lies are meant to disempower communities of color, and keep them from being able to successfully fight for better schools.
Slowly but surely, parents are taking back power over their children’s schools. This clearly bothers some defenders of the status quo, who have resorted to the only tactics they have left – lies and fear mongering. But just as these tactics failed against President Obama’s campaign for change, they will fail against ours as well. Our children’s education is too important – and this moment too rare – to be derailed by the same old games and nonsense.
The press conference this morning was a great event, with leaders from throughout the education and civil rights communities – Maria Casillas, Rev. K.W. Tulloss, Board President Monica Garcia, and others – standing together as one. Together, we will fight for parents rights to ensure that their children, and every child, gets the education they need for the future they deserve.
