Beltway Area Indymedia

DC Attorney General Linda Singer, in yet another step by the Fenty administration to prevent community input into his 'School Takeover Plan', asked the DC Superior Court to overturn the May 22nd decision of DC's Board of Elections and Ethics to lawfully allow the process for Mary Spencer's proposed referendum measure to continue. The case was assigned to DC Superior Court Judge Superior Court Judge Lynn Leibovitz. The referendum measure would suspend Titles I, IX and X of the DC Public Education 'Reform Act of 2007', stopping the Fenty administration, that seems to have an insatiable desire for the consolidation of power, from transferring control of DC Public Schools from the elected Board of Education to himself and the DC City Council. Many opponents of Mr. Fenty's plan fear that his plan will not benefit the children of DC, as it will lead to the proliferation of charter schools, which continue to drain money from DCPS, and not provide children with educational opportunities. Many also fear that what Mr. Fenty, and others with an interest in the real estate used by the DC Public School System (including Mr. Plagairism himself, Victor Reinoso), truly seek is not educational reform, but control of real estate.

Efforts to allow for community input, by way of a referendum measure, on the mayoral takeover plan of DC Public Schools (DCPS), were met with yet another delay today. Today's hearing, on Tuesday, May 8th, was originally intended to judge whether or not the subject matter of Mary Spencer's referendum proposal was appropriate for a referendum by law. Referendum proposer Mary Spencer, a DCPS graduate, and grandmother of children in DC Public Schools, was forced to temporarily withdraw her referendum proposal, in order to make absolutely sure that it met technical requirements of a referendum proposal. Due to several challenges made by the DC Office of the Attorney General, and by Brian Flowers, the General Counsel for the DC City Council, Ms. Spencer, with the threat of any community consent process (for the legislation) being excluded altogether, will be amending her referendum proposal to include only Titles I, IX, and X of the Mayor's DC Public Education Reform Act of 2007 (despite much public oppositon, attempted injunctions, and protests, the controversial legislation was passed by the DC City Council on April 19, 2007).

Earlier today, the DC City Council ruled in favor of both the Human Pappiloma Virus (HPV) Vaccine Bill and the Education Reform Act (School Takeover) Bill. Community members showed up to voice their opposition to the undemocratic plans being forced on the residents of the District of Columbia.

Request for Injunction to Stop Mayoral Takeover Plan of DC Public Schools Denied

On Monday, April 2nd, in DC Superior Court, Senior Judge Bruce S. Mencher denied the request of Ward 4 Council candidate Lisa Comfort-Bradford, seeking a temporary restraining order to stop the DC City Council from voting on the mayoral takeover plan of DC Public Schools.

On March 13, over 60 'Friends of Fenty', trade unionists, teachers, parents, religious leaders, school children and community activists converged on the home of Mayor Adrian Fenty (4712 17th St NW) to express opposition to his plan to take over the schools and undermine home rule. Wards 4 and 7 remain without a voice in the city council until May 15, when the seats will be filled with a special election.