Eli Broad, Green Dot charters, SEIU, and the Parent Revolution...connected.

[madfloridian]

I had no idea that SEIU as so involved in the faux grassroots parents' group formed to push charter schools and discredit public schools.

The Perimeter Primate at her Broad Report covers the connections well.

Connections between Eli Broad, the Parent Union (aka Parent Revolution, the creators of the "Parent Trigger"), and Green Dot

Originally conceived in Los Angeles by Steve Barr’s (of Green Dot) Los Angeles Parents Union, and largely funded by the Broad Foundation, the "Parent Trigger" has spread east, and here and here. This is an initiative where if enough parents can be convinced, pressured, and tricked to sign a petition, a school will be closed down and replaced with a charter. On each Form 990 from 2005 to 2008, Steve Barr is listed as the CEO/President of the LAPU board.

Eli Broad contributed nearly 50% of the funding for the launch of the LAPU (formerly the Small Schools Alliance, aka the Parent Revolution). The money he supplied helped pay for the propaganda to make it seem like the movement is being generated by "the people," when in fact it is a carefully planned, targeted marketing campaign designed to wipe out the public schools.

The most important thing to know is that this organization is not grassroots; it's astroturf!

In fact it was found that Green Dot charter schools were paying parents to sign their petition.

That is not true grassroots at all.

Maria Guadalupe Mena of Garfield High School: "Community members stated they were offered monetary compensation (by Green Dot) in exchange for their signature on a petition."

The Parent Revolution group Ms. Mena refers to is also known as the Los Angeles Parents Union, and is a descendant of a Green Dot “project” called the Small Schools Alliance.

Here is more from The Broad Report about how SEIU was doing its share in forming this astroturf group which was not grassroots at all.

QUESTION: What is the relationship between SEIU, Broad, and the Parent Revolution?

A presentation delivered at the Annenberg Institute for School Reform sponsored 2008 Emerging Knowledge Forum was called “Green Dot Public Schools & LA Parents Union.” The presentation team consisted of Steve Barr (Founder & CEO, Green Dot Public Schools), Sandy Blazer (Chief Academic Officer, Green Dot Public Schools), Christine Boardman, (President, Service Employees International Union, Local 73), and Ryan Smith (Executive Director, LA Parents Union). This is from their accompanying report.

“Steve Barr noticed that at one of Green Dots’ high schools, a large proportion of students has parents who were members of Local 1877 of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). From this observation, a partnership evolved between Green Dot and SEIU’s national organization, as well as its Los Angeles affiliate. While most professional unions have opposed charter schools, SEIU has embraced LAPU’s reform agenda because their members’ children are the main victims of failing urban schools. For almost a year, SEIU has formally worked with Green Dot and LAPU, providing LAPU with both funding and technical assistance from experienced organizers. In turn, SEIU is interested in exploring how Green Dot’s model and LAPU’s organizing efforts can drive school reform in other urban districts across the country.”

Mike Garcia, President, Service Employees International Union Local 1877, is currently listed as a member of Green Dot’s board of directors. Teacher union members beware: the SEIU is not your friend

Here is more about what might happen in CA with public schools being turned over to outside bidders...nearly 250 of them. I don't know if that has changed, but I know that a union should not be so involved in this movement to harm public schools.

Up to 250 public schools to be turned over to outside bidders? Called a hostile takeover.

Parents Revolution and Green Dot

One place to start looking at the tremendous growth of these seemingly grass-root groups of parents is in the city of Los Angeles where not only 250 schools have been given the bums rush out of the corridors of public management, but they are due to be thrown into the laps of non-profit outfits like Green Dot Public Schools or Alliance Public Schools, to name just a few. It is truly astounding, for in the case of the non-profit school systems that are emerging, these non-profit EMO’s are bent on creating a new, national retail chain of charter schools with outlets in as many states and school districts they can possibly get their hands on and their tactics are not unlike the ‘grass-root’ town hall health care meetings.
Take the group "Parents Union". Steve Barr, the originator of Green Dot Public Schools, a non-profit EMO out of LA, started Parent Union in Los Angeles a few years ago. According to a document put out by Green Dot in 2008 entitled, Green Dot Public Schools & Los Angeles Parents Union the company said they realized the urban school failure and:

Green Dot responded to this grassroots demand for change by saying, in effect, it’s not that you want a charter school per se, you simply want – and deserve – a high-quality school for the young people in your neighborhoods. Recognizing the need for parents to organize and work collectively to demand high-quality education, Green Dot formed the Los Angeles Parents Union (lapu), a citywide grassroots organization of parents that pushes educators, administrators, and public officials to improve their schools (Green Dot Public Schools & Los Angeles Parents Union, 2008

It's easier to organize when you have corporate big money behind you...much easier than it is to do so as public school parents and teachers. There is no money behind you, there is no media presenting your cause. Little of the information about these issues of hostile takeovers of schools by outside bidders is available on the mainstream news. Most of it is from bloggers, and there is indeed very litte of that.

[Bozita]

1. Andy Stern, Pres of SEIU, is supposed to be resigning at noon today

Just read about it in LBN.

Here's the link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4341513

[madfloridian]

3. Had not heard that. Thanks for the link.

[Better Believe It]

8. President Obama gave him a job. Stern's on the commission to cut Social Security and Medicare.

[Grand Taurean]

2. The SEIU?

Andy Stern is to retire. Perhaps he's a turncoat.

[blindpig]

5. Ain't no 'perhaps'

He works for the Man.

k&r

[madfloridian]

4. More about the "Parent Trigger". Not real grassroots and may do real harm.

From the WP education blog:

Down with parent power

Here is how it works:

If a school's average test scores are low, parents may circulate a petition demanding one of a set of options set out in the law, including closing the school, turning it into a charter school or firing or reorganizing the staff. If 51 percent of the school's families, or 51 percent of a larger group of parents whose children are on track to attend the school, sign the petition, the change takes place unless the school district can persuade the state to choose a different option because the parents' solution is impossible or harmful.

The law says no more than 75 schools will be subject to the trigger. That is still a lot since the number of schools that have undergone this process in America so far is zero.

..."I think it is bad because it will lead some of us parents interested in politics to use some of the worst tricks of the game, like distorting data, ignoring information contrary to our argument, offering material inducements, you name it, in order to get that 51 percent. It is likely to split the parents into factions, since not all will agree on the solution they want to support.

Even more honest and clear is this article at Project Censored from 2009:

Say you want a revolution?: Parents Revolution, ‘Astro turf’ organizations and the privatization of public schools

The article points out that this is a corporately paid for movement and describes how the media praises it.

Nowhere better could this sycophantic press be seen than on the MSNBC special that premiered on Sunday, the 20th of September. A two hour special, the program, entitled About Our Children, featured Bill Cosby who outright said at the beginning of the program why he was on the show; “I’m the draw.” And indeed he was, seen on stage and at times filming with kids and asking them if they could spell. Paul Rodriquez, the comedian, was on hand as well, condemning bilingual education. But besides the spectacle of the Opraization of American education through platitudes and self-help handwringing on the part of the upper class for the corporate media, the program also featured Chancellor of Washington D.C. Schools, Michelle Ree as well as Ben Austin.

Austin was on stage representing the Parents Revolution, but nowhere was his affiliation with Green Dot disclosed. Nor were viewers told of his work as the city attorney of Los Angeles . Portrayed as a frustrated parent leading a revolution of angry torch marchers, Austin told the audience that “parents can realize they have power.” The whole spectacle was a lead up to the Gingrich, Sharpton and Duncan show that premiers at the end of September. For as Robert D. Skeels astutely observes:

If Parent Revolution’s Austin or any of his network of rich boys with white savior complex were really children’s’ advocates, then where were they when the community was engaged in struggle against the budget cuts? Green Dot’s Ben Austin was almost certainly lounging at home in his gated Beverly Hills community while we supported the parent campers at John Liechty Middle School and Miguel Contreras Learning Complex. While LAPU’s Ben Austin enjoyed lavish luncheons with ever the opportunist Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, we supported the hunger strikers and parents in front of Cortines office. While Ben Austin was endorsing fat checks from Eli Broad and William Gates, we were raising funds for Aurora Ponce (Robert D. Skeels, September 20, 2009 http://rdsathene.blogspot.com/).

[madfloridian]

6. A look at the board members....much power there.

Board of Directors

* Steve Barr – Founder & Chair Emeritus, Green Dot Public Schools
* Shane Martin – Chairman of the Board, Dean of Loyola Marymount Graduate School of Education
* Charisse Bremond-Weaver – President & CEO, Brotherhood Crusade
* Oscar De La Hoya – Professional Boxer, Philanthropist and Businessman
* Glenn Dryfoos – Senior Vice President - Business Affairs, Univision Communications
* Susan Estrich – Professor, University of Southern California Gould School of Law
* Abigail Garcia – President, Asociacion de Maestros Unidos
* Mike Garcia – President, Service Employees International Union Local 1877
* Richard Leib – Executive Vice President, Liquid Environmental Solutions
* Noah Mamet – President, Mamet & Associates
* Pam Rector – Director of the Center for Service and Action, Loyola Marymount
* Richard Schaefer – Chief Executive Officer, Golden Boy Promotions
* Jeff Shell – President, Comcast Programming, Comcast Communications
* Timothy Watkins – President and CEO, Watts Labor Community Action Committee
* Ted Mitchell – Chief Executive Officer, NewSchools Venture Fund
* Don Shalvey – Ed.D. Senior Program Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

http://www.greendot.org/about_us/board_of_directors

[madrchsod]

7. jesus h christ public schools and teachers do`t stand a chance...

[madfloridian]

9. No, they don't. Both parties and big money allied against them.

Not a chance, I fear.

[Starry Messenger]

10. k & r

[madfloridian]

11. That picture of Arne....

:rofl: