Shocker: California Superintendent Tom Torlakson Plans to Re-Write Parent Trigger Law, Education Reformers Stunned

California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson

California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson plans to essentially re-write the Parent Trigger law, which allows parents to take over a chronically failing school through a petition drive. Torlakson has been a staunch opponent of the Parent Trigger.

Parent Revolution Deputy Director Gabe Rose tells L.A. Weekly that at a California State Board of Education meeting in Sacramento today, Torlakson said he would be working with California State Assemblywoman Julie Brownley, chairwoman of the assembly's education committee, who's also not a fan of the Parent Trigger, to do "clean up" legislation on the state law.

"What it really means is that they want to repeal or roll back the (Parent Trigger) law," says Rose.

Brownley, who has a district office in Woodland Hills, and Torlakson are apparently ready to throw out nearly eight months of work the State Board of Education has done to create regulations for the Parent Trigger law.

A crowd of Los Angeles-area parents, who drove up to Sacramento to demand the approval of Parent Trigger regulations, were stunned to learn of Torlakson's plans.

Torlakson was just elected superintendent in November. His campaign was strongly backed by California teacher unions, who hate the Parent Trigger.

Teacher unions see the law as a tool that can be used by charter schools, which don't usually have unionized teachers.

The Parent Trigger also gives new political leverage to parents, who can demand changes at public schools that unions may not support.

Contact Patrick Range McDonald at pmcdonald@laweekly.com.

Tags:

Gabe Rose, Julie Brownley, Parent Revolution, Parent Trigger, Patrick Range McDonald, Tom Torlakson

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Liz Guillen, Public Advocates

It is inaccurate and incomplete to say that Assembly Member Brownley and Superintendent Torlakson are planning to throw out the parent "trigger." It's true that Brownley authored a separate bill from the bill containing the Parent Empowerment Act. But her bill actually contained provisions for more transparency and involvement of parents in learning about the options for school turnaround, including having two public meetings, one specifically at the school site. The action by the State Board of Education need not stop parents from organizing and working within their communities to learn and ask for turnaround options that they feel are best for their children. Our community partners -- parents and students in low-income and immigrant communities -- all tell us they need and want more information and a sustainable partnership with their schools. They are continuing to work with their community based organizations -- PICO California, Alliance of Community Empowerment, Bay Area PLAN, California PTA -- to understand their rights and exercise them at the same time strengthening their relationships with their school leaders. These relationships will be necessary for any long-term sustainable school transformation.

rdsathene

Yellow journalism much Patrick?

j. cramer

The Parent Empowerment (trigger) legislation must not be watered down. It is our best hope for fair learning conditions for our children.

The current system in place of policymakers, administrators, practitioners and their unions, and researchers have not addressed the learning needs of California students. Our children are suffering at the hands of a status quo system.

The Parent Empowerment legislation provides parents a wedge into this status quo – a way in which to disrupt the failing system and effect change on behalf of our children. The legislation supports the rights of parents, on behalf of our children, to demand fair learning conditions. Without a quality learning experience our children will lose that essential first step towards fair living wages.

Fortunately, a parent movement is emerging. We are engaged at the grassroots level and dedicated to make important social change to benefit our children and our state. Please join us.

An Empowered ParentSan Diego, CA

Sonja

This is not a "shocker". This is a sensible, rational decision based on data provided by families of students with disabilities who have been discriminated against by charters for many years. The recent "parent trigger" pulled in Compton was not "pulled" by parents or families, but by paid employees of Green Dot and his (paid) "parent advocate" Ben Austin. It's a business opportunity for charters to seize public property - make no mistake. Many families claimed they did not know that they were signing a petition. They were told they were filling out "sign-in sheets" and had no idea that they were giving away their school to a "private", supposedly non-profit business.

I've collected data for years, presented it to our LAUSD School Board and have been ignored because they all thought charters would be the next sexy thing in education. Charters take special education dollars away from the district, but do not serve those who need the funds. It's all about "cherry-picking" even though they "claim" not to discriminate. This is a Civil Rights issue and families should get together with a class-action suit against the charters who fail to serve all children.

Lydia

How ignorant people are. Charter conversion is only one of 4 options to change the schools.The Parent Trigger we are pulling in our community is the Transformation Plan. We are not using paid oganizers. We are volunteers and parents. Go do your homework. Our Middle School entered program improvement in 1997-1998. We need the Legislation to trigger change. The District has refused to help us, and in fact has brought us a failing principal from a school 100 API points below us. The Civil rights issue should be against the District, for failing to educate. There wouldn't be Charter Schools if students were getting a proper education at their local public schools.