WHY ARE JCPS TEACHERS IN FRANKFORT INSTEAD OF CLASS?
The threat of losing local control of public schools in Jefferson County could have a lot to do with it!
Posted for passage in the regular orders of the day today is Senate Bill 250, sponsored by Senator Julie Raque Adams. This bill contains the provision that takes principal selection power away from the school-based decision making council. The careful wording of this bill means it would only affect schools in Louisville (thus the nickname “the Marty Pollio bill,” after JCPS's superintendent). The local chamber of commerce is behind this bill, and it contains many of the business-friendly tactics ousted JCPS Board Chair and SCALA member David Jones, Jr has expressed support for in the past. Loss of local control levels the playing field for the privatizers, by removing transparency and accountability, and opening the door for charters. We cannot let this happen in Jefferson County!
There is an amendment on the House Floor from Rep. Jeff Donohue that would strike the principal selection piece from the bill. We oppose SB250 unless House Floor Amendment 1 is attached.
We thank our teachers for taking a stand against this power grab!
Please call 800-372-7181 and encourage ALL HOUSE REPS to NOT remove principal selection power from parents and teachers!
... As Could More Threats from the Privatizers' Playbook
We are also hearing that House Bill 205, the "Scholarship Tax Credit" Bill, may be dead, but some legislators are rumored to secretly be trying to put its contents of into House Bill 354, a tax bill that has already passed both chambers.
Read an opinion letter on Scholarship Tax Credits from Pastors for KY Children here.
LEAVE A MESSAGE FOR:
All House Members (Chamber Convenes at Noon Today!)
OPPOSE SBDM LANGUAGE FOR JCPS ONLY. Please accept Jeff Donohue's House Floor Amendment 1 or Vote No.
All Legislators
OPPOSE SCHOLARSHIP TAX CREDITS - Watch Out for HB354 or other sneaky tactics!!
THERE ARE ALSO MORE THREATS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL!
The privatization attempts continue at the district level, as well. On tonight's JCPS School board agenda, there is a proposal to close and merge six schools in black, brown and poor neighborhoods in the West and South Ends of Louisville. Three new schools are proposed in their place. Our concern is that this net loss of three schools continue to place greater burdens on our most disenfranchised families and open the door for charters.
The current student assignment plan is inequitable. This opinion column from members of Dear JCPS, Louisville Showing Up for Racial Justice, Sowers of Justice, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth and the Kentucky Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, outlines the concerns in more detail. Essentially, if our local community doesn't authentically address student assignment prior to locking in facilities based on the current plan, we are setting our district up for a likely state takeover following the upcoming audit in 2020. The state takeover of our elected school board is how Frankfort can implement charter schools in our district without a funding mechanism being passed in state legislature.
Yes, this is all related to privatization and charters!
Please click here to send an email to all JCPS board members encouraging them to put student assignment decisions ahead of any school closures, mergers or new schools based on a soon-to-be-outdated student assignment plan, prior to the board vote this evening.
Also, be sure to join parents, teachers, students and other stakeholders at tonight's JCPS Board Meeting. There is a parent-sponsored rally beginning at 6 PM at Van Hoose (3332 Newberg Rd.). The board meeting starts at 7:00 PM. Anyone wishing to address the board may sign up on site before 6:45 PM.
What to expect going forward:
It's entirely possible this "sickout" will continue beyond today. Counting today, there are four days of session remaining in #KYGA19. This week, session runs today through Thursday. Then, following a two-week veto period, session resumes for one final day on March 28. Dear JCPS is holding a rally in the rotunda at 10 am that day. Mark your calendars! More info to come!
Thank you to everyone who has shown support for teachers and students in their battle to protect our public schools from threats of privatization. We understand these actions create hardships and inconveniences for many. But the cuts to funding, high stakes testing, as well as charters/scholarship tax credits siphoning even more money away from our public schools, are causing irreparable damage and the time to take a stand is now! We invite everyone to get engaged now and help us put an end to the ALEC Playbook maneuvers once and for all!
Please join our "closed" group on Facebook to stay informed of any other actions, times/dates, and meeting locations and to join the conversation. See you soon!
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