solidaridad: Voters chose public school Echo Park Community plan over CNCA corporate charter school by more than 2 to 1 margin!

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Voters chose public school Echo Park Community plan over CNCA corporate charter school by more than 2 to 1 margin!

Tell LAUSD we want the LD4 and Echo Park Community Partners Design Team Plan

Let's give credit to Echo Park Moms (& Dads) for Education, Other Local Parents, the LD4 & Echo Park Community Design Team Partners, UTLA/PEAC activists, CEJ and other public education activists. We need to keep the momentum going, as Mónica Garcia y Yolie Flores are really close to Ana Ponce, and after the horrible Gratts ES/Para Los Niños incident last year, we can't take the advisory vote for granted. If you haven't signed a paper petition, check out the online petition.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/EchoParkMomsforEducation/

We're having an event on Monday night at Pizza Bueno in Echo Parque. Details will be posted here soon in this space.

Pizza Bueno
Monday, Februrary 28, 2011 2:30-5:30PM
2100 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026-3125

Here's more information on the public school plan

Nuestra escuela tendrá un programa de estudio visionario. El aprendizaje será basado en proyectos y será multidisciplinario, integrando los artes y promoviendo conocimiento y respeto por el medio ambiente.Los estudiantes pensarán críticamente, investigarán y explorarán la historia local, y tendrán experiencias valiosas por medio de nuestra colaboración con miembros de la comunidad y los recursos de Echo Park.
Our school will have a visionary curriculum It will be project-based and multidisciplinary, integrating the arts and promoting knowledge and respect for the environment. Students will think critically, research and explore local history, and gain valuable experiences through our collaboration with Echo Park community members and resources.
Nuestra escuela será para TODOS los estudiantes.Es una escuela inclusiva que recibe a todos los estudiantes, no importa el nivel de ayuda que necesitan.Les damos la bienvenida a todos.Estudiantes con necesidades especiales trabajarán juntos con estudiantes en el programa general en un medio ambiente que promueve respeto por nuestras diferencias y que da valor a como se destaca cada estudiante.
Our school will serve ALL students It is a fully inclusive neighborhood school that welcomes all students, regardless of their level of need. Students with special needs will work together with general ed peers in a school culture that promotes respect for all differences and that values each individual's strengths.
Nuestra escuela será democrática.Como una escuela pública, tendremos un Concilio Escolar (School Site Council) compuesto de maestros, padres, y administradores.Este grupo tiene el poder de hacer decisiones sobre asuntos como el presupuesto de la escuela y el currículo. Padres y maestros realmente tienen una voz en la formación del futuro de la escuela.En escuelas Chárter, como Camino Nuevo, esa voz es solamente consultivo; las escuelas son manejadas por una mesa directiva privada.
Our school will be democratic As a public school, we will have a School Site Council composed of teachers, parents and administrators. This body has decision-making power over things like the school budget and curriculum. Parents and teachers have a real voice in shaping the school's future. In charter schools, that voice is advisory only; they are run by private boards.
Tendremos un programa de lenguaje dual que servirá a una población diversa.Estudiantes que hablan español, inglés, otagalo (o cualquier otra idioma) tendrán la oportunidad de establecer la capacidad de leer y escribir en más de un idioma.
We will have a dual language program that serves a diverse population of learners Students who come from Spanish, English, or Tagalog speaking backgrounds (or any other language) will have the opportunity to build academic literacy in more than one language.
Este plan fue escrito por maestros.Es apoyado por un movimiento de padres y miembros de la comunidad de Echo Park que creen en la visión y el propósito de esta escuela.

In the end this debate (as do all the PSC choices) comes down to who should control our resources: the community or an unelected board of a charter corporation. Once we hand the public over to the private, we abdicate control. Our community deserves better than that. We should be able to control our own destiny, and not rely on, in the words of Paulo Freire, "the false generosity of paternalism."