Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/25821
outsiders, with then-Gov. Schwarzenegger, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and former Washington, D.C., public schools chancellor Michelle Rhee all descending on Comp- ton to weigh in. Confusion and misinforma- tion have riddled the process from the beginning. When Parent Revolution announced it had secured the necessary signatures, angry parents packed Compton school board and community meetings, say- ing they had been lied to or ha- rassed by Parent Revolution organizers. Many demanded to rescind their signatures. As news accounts of its own abus- es grew, Parent Revolution began loudly publicizing coun- tercharges against McKinley and district staff. In January, Parent Revolution announced support for complaints filed with the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civi l Rights over alleged “intimida- tion” (the alleged offenses include putting erroneous in- formation about charter school requirements online and in a YouTube video, as well as mak- ing an inaccurate statements to a student). “It’s disheartening to see Parent Revolution using well- meaning parents to attack quality teachers in order to score public relations and po- litical points,” says Truby. “But we’re pushing back and de- fending both our members and the school. The parent trigger law is clearly being abused by outsiders who don’t know the first thing about the good things going on at McKinley.” By choosing McKinley, Parent Revolution aimed at the wrong target to pull the parent trigger. FRANK WELLS > > > > > > > > > > Timeline of “parent trigger” controversy JAN. 7, 2010 Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signs reform legislation intended to make Califor- nia more competitive for federal Race to the Top grants. The reforms include a “parent trigger” provision that allows parents to petition school boards to imple- ment one of four reform models at a low-performing school. SEPT. 13, 2010 State Board of Education approves emergency regulations governing parent trigger law. DEC. 7, 2010 In the fi rst example of the law being invoked, Los Angeles-based Parent Revolu- tion announces that it has collected a majority of parent signatures at McKinley Elementary School in Compton. The petition would turn McKinley (an improv- ing QEIA school) over to Celerity Educational Group, a charter schools operator. DEC. 8, 2010 A large number of McKinley parents complain that they have not been fully in- formed of the proposed change or of other options. DEC. 9, 2010 McKinley PTA hosts two community meetings in which additional charges are made about misrepresentations, intimidation and threats made by parent trig- ger organizers. DEC. 10, 2010 Parent Revolution begins making and publicizing allegations of intimidation by McKinley staff . DEC. 15, 2010 State Board of Education distributes proposed parent trigger regulations. DEC. 22, 2010 CTA submits comments on proposed parent trigger regulations to the State Board of Education dealing with confl icts between the draft regulations and existing law, as well as numerous examples of problems in the Parent Revolution signature-gathering process at McKinley. JAN. 18, 2011 Parent Revolution announces support for federal civil rights violations charges against McKinley staff members. The claims allege that verbal and written comments made by two staff members in opposition to the charter constitute harassment. FEB. 9, 2011 State Board of Education, with new members appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown, delays adopting new regulations until at least March, allowing more time for review of the process, especially as implemented at McKinley. FEBRUARY 2011 | www.cta.org 31