How the NAACP Will Respond to Charter School Parents

http://www.politickerny.com/2011/06/02/how-the-naacp-will-respond-to-charter-school-parents/

The NAACP is looking for parents to participate in a rally tomorrow, in order to respond to a pro-charter school rally that “assaulted” the organization’s office in Harlem earlier this week. A reader passed along this email from the NAACP, detailing the group’s effort.
The author of the email, Ken Cohen, referred calls to the NAACP, which did not respond to inquiries.
—–Original Message—–
From: William McDonald <#### @ gmail.com>
To: William McDonald <#### @ gmail.com>
Sent: Sat, May 28, 2011 9:12 am
Subject: URGENT: IMMEDIATE RESPONSE NEEDED – Emergency Mobilization Meeting for NAACP Press Conference
To ALL Education Chairs,
Please note the letter below sent by our regional director
to the Branch Presidents. There will be a full Mobilization
on Friday, June 3, 2011.
Time and place to be announced.
William H. McDonald
718-### -####
To All Presidents
As you all know the NAACP was assaulted yesterday at 125 Street and Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. by Charter Schools. The schools used parents and children to publicly ridicule the NAACP and our NYS President Hazel N. Dukes. It has been decided by our State Conference President Hazel N. Dukes, President Ben Jealous, and the Legal Staff of the Association to hold series of actions. The first will be a letter that will appear in the Amsterdam News. The second will be a Press Conference to be held Friday, June 3, 2011 time and location to be announced. The National Association is taking the actions and responses of the past 10 days as a direct attack on the integrity of the NAACP. Therefore President Dukes has ask that Presidents from each Branch in the Metropolitan Council meet on Tuesday, May 31, 2011 6:00 PM 1065 Avenue of the Americas Suite 300. There are several actions we have been asked to do. The first is PARENTS, we are to find a parent that is working closely with each Branch that could speak at the press conference, that parent should NOT be a member preferably. We need parents to stand with us preferably women, but we will take male parents. Finally we are to mobilize our Branches and bring a list on Tuesday as to who in your Branch can attend. This meeting is of the utmost importance the National Legal staff will be in New York City, as well as our National Leadership on Friday. We need to have our act together. Please confirm receipt of email and confirm your attendance at Tuesday’s meeting.
Have a wonderful and safe Holiday weekend
Ken Cohen
646-###-####
Main messages:
We sued to make schools better for all children.
We’re fighting for all the students to have a great education, not just the lucky few.
We have an order from a judge saying we should make these schools better rather
than closing them down and co-locating well-resourced schools across from those that are being starved.
We’re looking at an old-school Brown problem in a new way. This is the new separate and unequal.
20% of charters give a better opportunity, 80% will do the same or worse. We want a consistently better
system for all our kids.
We represent all the parents, and are expanding opportunity for all.

Beth Glenn
Education Director
NAACP National Office