No fight to the Finnish

By Larry Sand
06/25/2019
Finnish schools are unionized. American schools are unionized. The similarities end there. Randi Weingarten, Lily Eskelsen García and other teacher union leaders have on many occasions extolled the virtues of Finland’s education system, and, at every turn, they remind us that their teachers are unionized. They are right. Finland does have a highly regarded education...

TAGS: Bob Chanin, Charter schools, Christina Laster, Finland, Gavin Newsom, Larry Sand, Lily Eskelsen Garcia, National Action Network, National Education Association, Randi Weingarten, teachers union

National Association of Arrogant Calculating Phonies

By Larry Sand
05/14/2019
Renegade locals fight California state NAACP and national board over anti-charter school stance. Nearly 68 percent of all black public school students in California perform below their grade level in English and language arts, and more than 80 percent fail to meet the state’s proficiency mark in math, according to the latest California Assessment of...

TAGS: California Charter Schools Association, Charter schools, Christina Laster, Democrats for Education Reform, Larry Sand, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, National Education Association, teachers union

A Voice for Choice

By R. Claire Friend
04/09/2019
All politics is local. The ageless proverb reminds local communities of the importance of stewarding their local government and voting on local issues. Perhaps no issue is a more important investment in our communities than local education. However, when investments fail to payout, action is necessary. The Inland Empire, home to 11% of the state’s...

TAGS: Christina Laster, education reform, Inland Empire, NAACP, riverside, school choice

Marching for a Better Education

By Koppany Jordan
02/01/2019
Members of the Inland Empire Parent Union march on MLK Day in Murietta, CA. There was a new twist in Riverside County’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration. This year’s parade through the streets of Murietta included members of the Inland Empire Parent Union (IEPU). IEPU President Christina Laster is fighting to get parents more...

TAGS: Charter schools, Christina Laster, education reform, Inland Empire, NAACP, riverside, school choice

CPC teaming up with NAACP for equitable education

By Koppany Jordan
01/16/2019
Everybody knows that the California education system is broken. Marred by a decline in educational standards, a misuse of public funds and racial discrimination, most parents would have surrendered. One parent in Riverside County decided to fight back. Christina Laster Christina Laster, a mother of four, is anything but apathetic. She has been involved in...

TAGS: Christina Laster, education reform, Inland Empire, NAACP, riverside, school choice