Foundations: Progressive Group Announces Lawsuits

The Ford- and Open Society-funded Alliance for Educational Justice burst onto the scene yesterday in Chicago, holding a press conference announcing its intention to file civil rights cases against education reform efforts in eight cities:

 

Parents, students from other cities join Chicagoans in claiming school ‘reforms’ violate minority students’ rights Sun Times: Parents and students from seven cities joined Chicago activists Thursday in filing civil rights complaints against school closings, phaseouts and other “rampantly horrible” reform upheavals that contend disproportionately victimize minority communities.

Students file civil rights complaints against school closings Catalyst: The groups filing the complaints were brought together by the Alliance for Educational Justice, a new national organization focused on organizing parents and students. The Alliance for Educational Justice, which is funded by progressive foundations, including the Ford Foundation and the Open Society Institute, is holding a retreat in Chicago.

Chicago community group joins other cities in filing Title VI complaint Tribune: Groups in Chicago, Detroit, Boston, Atlanta, Washington and Baltimore filed Title VI complaints with the Department of Education, asking for the federal agency to investigate school closing policies and staff overhauls of underperforming schools known as "turnarounds."

Education activists: National school reforms violate civil rights law WBEZ: Activists said they are filing separate civil rights complaints arguing that national education reforms — like school closings, turnarounds and charter schools — negatively affect black and Latino children.

 

Comments

[Sarah]

What depresses me most, I think, is that “turnarounds” probably are done simply to boost average test result scores across the board. It’s an easier solution than, you know, finding a way to TEACH the kids.