Partnership for Educational Justice

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PRESS RELEASE: New York Parents Urge Court To Advance Case For Educational Justice

November 30, 2017

For Immediate Release:

November 30, 2017

NEW YORK PARENTS URGE COURT TO ADVANCE CASE FOR EDUCATIONAL JUSTICE

Brooklyn, NY – The Wright v. New York plaintiff families were back in court today to demand that their case for educational justice be allowed to move forward. The Wright plaintiffs are nine parents seeking to enforce New York’s constitutional guarantee of a sound basic education for their children and for all of New York’s schoolchildren. In the trial court, the families won two previous motions to dismiss filed by the defendants and today appeared before New York’s intermediate appellate court to defend their prior victories.

“Antiquated laws and entrenched special interests have created a broken status quo that violates New York’s constitutional guarantee of a sound basic education for all children. The status quo must change when it does not prioritize students’ rights. We are proud to stand with these brave families who are demanding better for their children and students across New York,” said Alissa Bernstein, Executive Director of Partnership for Educational Justice (PEJ).

In oral arguments presented in the Appellate Division, 2nd Department of the New York State Supreme Court, the plaintiffs argued that the existing school system is failing their children, and that the outsized job protections for chronically ineffective teachers across New York must be struck down.

“As public school parents, we deserve to have our day in court. The forces of the status quo can keep playing games with stall tactics and delays, but we won’t let them run out the clock on our kids. We won’t back down until we get educational justice for our children,” said Carla Williams, a mother from Rochester and plaintiff in Wright v. New York.

“The broken education system was built to protect the jobs of ineffective teachers, not educate children. Just look at New York City, where the Department of Education is forcing hundreds of ineffective teachers back into classrooms against the will of school principals. It’s time for the court to step in to protect the rights of our children,” said Nina Doster, a mother from Queens and plaintiff in Wright v. New York.

The Wright v. New York plaintiffs are fighting for their case to move forward just as New York City implements a plan to return to forced placement, a policy that was eliminated in 2005. Research shows that teacher quality is the most influential in-school factor when it comes to student learning. It also shows that student achievement improves when principals are allowed to hire school staff according to quality and fit. Despite this overwhelming evidence, several hundred teachers from the Absent Teacher Reserve (ATR) are being placed into classrooms against the will of school principals. The ATR pool is largely made up of ineffective teachers who have been unable to find teaching positions even though there are vacancies. Although the NYC DOE refuses to share details of its plan, ATR teachers will most likely end up in schools with high numbers of teacher vacancies, located mainly in low-income neighborhoods.

About Partnership for Educational Justice (PEJ)
An affiliate of the national education nonprofit 50CAN, PEJ pursues educational equity through legal action that empowers families and communities to improve the quality of public schools. PEJ is currently working with parents and students in New York, Minnesota, and New Jersey in support of legal challenges to unjust teacher employment statutes in those states. In all three states, PEJ has connected families with pro bono legal representation and is providing parents with ongoing legal, advocacy, and communications support.

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Contact:

Maggie McKeon, 315.730.5101, Maggie@kpa.nyc

Filed Under: Press Releases

STATEMENT from PEJ on Minnesota Supreme Court Granting Plaintiffs’ Petition for Review in Forslund v. Minnesota

November 14, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 14, 2017

Partnership for Educational Justice: Alissa Bernstein, alissa@edjustice.org or 646.874.3602

Statement from Partnership for Educational Justice on the Granting of Plaintiffs’ Petition for Review in Forslund v. Minnesota by the Minnesota Supreme Court

In response to an appeal from Minnesota parents, the Minnesota Supreme Court today agreed to hear arguments in Forslund v. Minnesota. First filed in April 2016, the lawsuit challenges state laws that protect the jobs of chronically ineffective teachers at the expense of Minnesota students’ right to a quality education.

Partnership for Educational Justice Executive Director Alissa Bernstein released the following statement:

“The issues at hand in Forslund v. Minnesota are important for every public school family in Minnesota, and every Minnesotan who cares about a quality education for kids. When students’ rights are violated, we count on the courts to protect our children. We are gratified that the Minnesota Supreme Court recognizes the importance of this case and is engaging in the issues raised by the Forslund plaintiffs.”

– Alissa Bernstein, Executive Director, Partnership for Educational Justice

Filed Under: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE: Parents Ask Minnesota Supreme Court To Hear Lawsuit Challenging Excessive Teacher Job Protections

October 4, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 4, 2017
Contact: Melody Meyer, (917) 428-6692
Click here to read today’s petition to the Minnesota Supreme Court

St. Paul, MN—A group of mothers from across Minnesota today petitioned the state supreme court to hear Forslund v. Minnesota, which challenges state education laws that provide outsized job security to chronically ineffective teachers. The State defendants have 20 days to submit a response and once fully briefed, the Minnesota Supreme Court will issue a determination as to whether they will hear the case. At issue is whether the Minnesota courts will provide judicial review on issues related to the quality of public education, which is protected as a fundamental right in the state.

A full copy of the parents’ petition to the Minnesota Supreme Court, along with all other legal filings related to the case, is available for download here.

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About Partnership for Educational Justice (PEJ)
An affiliate of the national education nonprofit 50CAN, PEJ pursues impact litigation that empowers families and communities to advocate for great public schools through the courts. PEJ is currently working with parents and students in Minnesota, New York, and New Jersey in support of legal challenges to unjust teacher employment statutes in those states. In all three states, PEJ has connected families with pro bono legal representation and is providing parents with ongoing legal, advocacy, and communications support.

About Students for Education Reform Minnesota (SFER-Minn)
SFER-Minn organizes students and families to fight for educational justice in their communities. Their members identify issues that are driving inequities in the education they receive, share their stories, and push for lasting policy change on campus, in the community, at the Capitol, and – when necessary, in the courts – to ensure every child in Minnesota receives an equitable education. Other current SFER-Minn efforts include addressing Minnesota’s broken remedial education system, promoting statewide standards and oversight for how police work in schools, and monitoring local school board performance.

Filed Under: Press Releases

Thank You, Ralia.

September 28, 2017

By: Alissa Bernstein

As PEJ embarks on its new partnership with the 50CAN network, I want to recognize the outstanding work of Ralia Polechronis, who has served as PEJ’s fearless leader and executive director over the past two years.

Ralia’s passion and her keen legal expertise have laid the foundation for PEJ to further its mission, pursuing education advocacy through litigation and empowering families and communities to improve public education through the courts. Under Ralia’s leadership, PEJ has launched new landmark education lawsuits in Minnesota and New Jersey, built coalitions across the country for families seeking justice, and most recently, partnered with 50CAN to strengthen the chapter in the education reform movement utilizing legal strategies for educational equity.

I first met Ralia two years ago during my interview at PEJ, and I have had the great fortune of working alongside her and learning from her ever since. Her intelligence, strategic mind and commitment to families is truly inspiring.

Today, Ralia passes the torch to me as the new executive director of PEJ. I am looking forward to continuing our work with the parent plaintiffs in PEJ’s teacher quality cases, and to launching new initiatives with the 50CAN network that will expand the scope of legal strategies improving public education for kids all across the country.

As one of PEJ’s first new initiatives, we will be forming a Legal Advisory Board to expand the network of attorneys participating in our education law reform work. This board will provide attorneys with opportunities to participate in our work on a pro bono basis, and for PEJ to learn and grow from the Board’s oversight and legal expertise. I’m thrilled to share that Ralia will be joining the Legal Advisory Board to continue her trailblazing work with us.

I speak for myself and the millions of parents and families Ralia has worked to support when I say that PEJ will miss Ralia dearly and wish her great success in all that she does. I look forward to writing the next chapter in education law reform with all of you.

Filed Under: Blog

Twin Cities Parents Continue Argument That Unions Protect Bad Teachers, Hurt Education

June 29, 2017

By Christopher Magan | Twin Cities Pioneer Press

“Attorneys for parents challenging Minnesota teachers union laws asked an appeals court panel Wednesday to overturn a lower court’s decision to dismiss their case.

St. Paul mother Roxanne Draughn and three other parents from across the Twin Cities filed a lawsuit in April 2016 claiming that teacher tenure and other union rules protect bad teachers and worsen the academic achievement gap.

Last fall, a Ramsey County District Court judge dismissed their case, ruling that the plaintiffs’ lawsuit did not have enough evidence to show the union rules contributed to the achievement gap between poor and minority students and their peers.”

Read More

Filed Under: In the News

Assembly Approves 2-Year Deal on Mayoral Control of New York City Schools

June 28, 2017

By JESSE McKINLEY and LISA W. FODERARO | The New York Times

“ALBANY — In a potential reprieve for Mayor Bill de Blasio, the New York State Legislature seemed poised to grant two years of mayoral control over New York City’s schools, ending a looming uncertainty over the nation’s largest school system and its 1.1 million students.

The shape of an agreement came into focus late Wednesday night in a special legislative session in Albany that also included deals on issues as diverse as flood relief and help for harness racing.”

Read More

Filed Under: In the News

Minnesota Court of Appeals Hears Attempt to Revive Teacher Tenure Lawsuit

June 28, 2017

By Beena Raghavendran | StarTribune

“The job security shielding veteran teachers makes it difficult to kick out the lousy ones, a group of parents from around Minnesota argues. Those parents are fighting to have their lawsuit against the state heard after a lower court threw it out last fall.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals on Wednesday heard oral arguments in a high-stakes teacher tenure lawsuit, the third of its kind nationally. An attorney for the parents told the appeals court that students’ right to an adequate education calls for dismantling the state’s long-standing tenure laws that can make it difficult to fire bad teachers.”

Read More

Filed Under: In the News

Democrats reveal state budget they’ll send Christie that has some new twists

June 27, 2017

By Samantha Marcus | NJ.com

“TRENTON — New Jersey legislative budget committees voted Monday to spend an additional $150 million on schools in the state and shift $31 million from ‘overfunded’ to ones that should get more money.

The funding changes, a variation of a plan put forth by state Senate President Stephen Sweeney and state Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto earlier this month, is the centerpiece of Democrats’ state budget bill, passed late Monday by the Senate and Assembly budget committees.”

Read More

Filed Under: In the News

The barriers to hiring good teachers have been removed

June 16, 2017

By Kathryn Green | The StarTribune

“As a school board member, there is nothing more frustrating than having to turn away or let go of an educator we know is effective and leaving a teaching position unfilled. This leads to classes and programs being cut, to the school year starting without teachers in the classroom, and to teachers having to leave their posts even though they’ve proven themselves as great educators — and even though school leaders and students want them to stay.”

Read More

Filed Under: In the News

Erickson, Pratt: Historic reforms in Minnesota education

June 15, 2017

By SONDRA ERICKSON AND ERIC PRATT | Twin Cities Pioneer Press

“We are grateful to Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton for his support of the historic education reforms he signed into law that raise the bar, not only to put the best teachers in our classrooms, but also to keep the best teachers in our classrooms. These measures are a fundamental shift toward viewing our educators as true professionals, by recognizing the value of their education, experience and performance in the classroom.”

Read More

Filed Under: In the News

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  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Our History
    • FAQ
    • Contact Us
  • Teacher Quality Lawsuits
    • New York Lawsuit (Wright v. New York)
    • Minnesota Lawsuit (Forslund v. Minnesota)
    • New Jersey Lawsuit (HG v. Harrington)
    • Permanent Employment
    • Other Initiatives
  • Legal Filings
    • Wright v. New York Legal Filings
    • Forslund v. Minnesota Legal Filings
    • HG v. Harrington Legal Filings
    • DACA Amicus Brief Filings by PEJ
    • Partnerships
  • Media
    • Press Releases
    • Blog
  • Action
    • Donate
    • Share your Story
    • Sign up for our Email List
    • Follow Us on Social Media
    • Read the Research on Teacher Quality

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