Tonight at Tweed

200 parents from the Put the Public Back in Public Education Coalition will attend tonight's Panel for Educational Policy meeting at the Tweed Courthouse to call on Chancellor Klein to listen to the public and stop the reorganization of the New York City's schools.

The public wants fair funding, accountability and quality teaching in all schools. But Chancellor Klein refuses to listen as he moves forward with a proposal that won't accomplish those goals. Instead, we're getting more internal reorganization of the org chart and chaos for parents, teachers and students.

Coalition for Education Justice parent leader Lenore Brown asks the question,

"Why not follow the lead of City Council Speaker Chris Quinn on middle grades and establish a task force composed of key stakeholders to examine best practice from around the country, hear testimony from parents, students, and teachers, and come up with a widely agreed upon and comprehensive plan to, once and for all, transform public education in New York City?"

Tonight's protest comes after a Quinnipiac poll found widespread public dissatisfaction with how parents have been shut out of New York City's schools (via the Politicker). The key numbers:

Voters disapprove 43 - 33 percent of the job Schools Chancellor Joel Klein is doing.

This poll and tonight's protest both show a continuing and clear desire for the public to have a say in how our public schools are run.

Mayor Bloomberg, are you listening?

Sign the petition.

Technorati tags: Working Families Party | Education