Corporations not parents push Florida's parent trigger bill

From Scathing Purple Musings

by Bob Sykes

Yesterday’s press conference that occurred between the house and senate committee votes which passed through Florida’s Parent Trigger bill was put on by supporters of the bill. Most notably, Jeb Bush’s education foundation and the Florida Chamber of Commerce. In attendance were two staffers from a California advocacy group funded by many of the same folks who fund Bush’s foundation. Parent Revolution also receives financing from the Walton Family Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Broad Foundation.

Shirley Ford, who is listed as staff member on the Parent Revolution website, was quoted in the Orlando Sentinel by Leslie Postal:

Shirley Ford, an organizer for Parent Revolution, traveled from California to speak at the news conference and to lawmakers.

“We’re fed up with failure,” said the mother and grandmother from Los Angeles. “Give parents the opportunity to be at the table.”

Ford may have misled senators during the hearing about both herself and Parent Revolution. Witnesses said that Ford identified herself as “just a mom and a grandmom”, and also that she “worked for Parent Revolution.” She also said she was just an ”organizer.” She reportedly told senators that Parent Revolution is”just three moms” and was started by her and two other moms. Parent Revolution remains, she reportedly said, as ”just three moms.”

This is demonstrably false. Parent Revolution was founded by Green Dot Charter School operator, Steve Barr in 2009. There are sixteen full-time staff listed on Parent Revolution’s website along with Ford. She was accompanied by a colleague from Parent Revolution, a man identified as its National Campaign Marketing Director. Ford is identified as a “professional field organizer” in this December 2010 in LA Weekly. Hardly stuff of a small grassroots parent organization who wants to be seen by Florida legislators as benevolent and pure.

As no opponents of the Parent Trigger bill were allowed to speak at either hearing but a paid advocate for the legislation was, it begs accountability and oversight of both committees. So is that of the bill’s proponents like Parent Revolution and Bush’s foundation – both of whom are funded by the same people.

http://bobsidlethoughtsandmusings.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/funded-by-the-same-people-are-jeb-bushs-foundation-and-parent-revolution-scamming-floridians-on-parent-trigger/