[officeholders] GPCA contacted by sponsors of possible initiative regarding charter schools

[Mike Feinstein]

Dear Green officeholders

The GPCA just got this today.  Many of you on this list have a focus on education.

Does anyone have any knowledge of/recommendations about this initiative?

> From: Rebecca Nutile <rnutile at gmail.com>
> Subject: [gpca] Opportunity to Present at E-Board meeting?
> Date: November 18, 2015 at 4:26:41 PM PST
> To: gpca at cagreens.org
> 
> Good afternoon --
> 
> My name is Rebecca Nutile and I am co Editor in Chief of Alianza North
> County, a progressive publication in Escondido, CA. I am also the media
> outreach coordinator for Voices Against Privatizing Education, a grassroots
> coalition working hard to place an initiative on the 2016 ballot to repeal
> the Charter School Act of 1992. As you probably know, charter schools are
> resegregating our public schools and placing hundreds of millions in public
> tax dollars into the hands of profiteers.  What started as a way to help
> our public schools has turned into a recipe for fraud and corruption that
> is destroying communities and killing our public schools. Additionally,
> there is no evidence these schools are doing a better job of educating
> students, but they are, however, doing a good job of cherry picking their
> student body and leaving out the students who are the hardest to teach and
> need the most resources.
> 
> Because the Green Party is opposed to privatization of public schools and
> Dr. Jill Stein has spoken out against charter schools, I believe your
> organization will find that the proposed ballot initiative is very much
> aligned with the platform of the Green Party.
> 
> As you may know, Washington State recently found a law allowing charter
> schools to be unconstitutional. California's state constitution has similar
> language about the funding of "common schools." Voices Against Privatizing
> Education believes that a ballot initiative is the most effective way to
> save California's public schools.
> 
> We believe that if a member of our grassroots coalition has the opportunity
> to speak to your Executive Board, you will consider endorsing and perhaps
> supporting our efforts. We would like the opportunity to speak with your
> organization.
> 
> 
> Please let me know when one of our grassroots organization's members can be
> placed on your agenda for a presentation. Kathleen Carroll, a former
> attorney who worked for the State of CA, has been speaking to organizations
> throughout Northern California and would love the opportunity to tell the
> members of California's Green Party about our initiative and why it is so
> necessary to stop the privatization of our public schools.
> 
> Thank you for all you do   --
> 
> Rebecca Nutile  Escondido, CA
> 619-847-0647
> 
> *A recent article on the Repeal Movement: *
> http://thewire.k12newsnetwork.com/2015/10/07/repeal-california-charter-schools-movement-grows-and-gains-a-celebrity-activist-endorsement/
> 
> *We are just getting started, but here is a list of our current
> endorsements:*
> 
> AFT Local 6161 (Palomar Faculty Federation)
> North County Labor Alliance
> Escondido Public School Advocates
> Wellstone Progressive Democrats of Sacramento
> Chicano Latino Caucus of the California Democratic Party
> Labor Council for Latin American Advancement-Sacramento chapter
> Actor and Activist- Danny Glover
> Bill Freeman- NEA Board member California
> Alita Blanc- United Educators of San Francisco President
> Julian Nava- Former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico
> Wayne Johnson- Past President of California Teachers Association (CTA)
> Francisco Martinez- KPFK Radio Producer (Los Angeles)
> Susan Rowe- Chair California Democratic Party Madera County
> -- 
> 
> ********************************************