Renee Bowser Urges Delay of DC Council Vote on Board of EducationThe DC Statehood Green Party Renée Bowser DC Council 2006 Exploratory Committee Thursday, February 1, 2006 Contact: Renée Bowser, 202-882-1733 (home), 202-997-3193 (cell)
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Renée Bowser, candidate for the Ward 4 seat on D.C. Council, called on Council to delay voting on Mayor Adrian Fenty's proposal to strip the D.C. Board of Education of its powers until after the May 1 special election, when the Wards 4 and 7 seats on Council have been filled. "It's an affront to the people of Ward 4, where I live, and Ward 7 for Council to vote on critical legislation affecting the education of our children and amending the D.C. Charter without Wards 4 and 7 having representation in the vote," said Renée. "We urge Council Chair Vincent Gray to hold off on this and other important decisions affecting the people of our wards until the May 1 special election. Mayor Fenty's move to the Mayor's office from the Ward 4 Council seat should be a cause for celebration in Ward 4, not an excuse to exclude us from crucial Council business." The D.C. Federation of Civic Associations, D.C. Federation of Citizens Associations, Ward 4 Education Council, and Save Our Schools <http://www.saveourschoolsdc.org> have also urged Council to delay the vote. Renée Bowser also urged Mayor Fenty to drop his plan to have Congress authorize the amendment to the D.C. Charter that would transfer the School Board's powers and responsibilities to D.C. Council. "In his January 3 inaugural speech, Mayor Fenty stood up for our democratic rights as American citizens and called for statehood for the District of Columbia. It is inconsistent for Mayor Fenty -- and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton [D-D.C.], wh endorsed his plan -- to ask Congress to exercise its antidemocratic power over D.C. and impose a Charter amendment," said Renée. "The Charter itself provides for a voters' referendum on all amendments. This is something for D.C. voters to decide, not for Congress to force down our throats at Mayor Fenty's invitation." Renée Bowser agreed with Save Our Schools and others who have opposed the Mayor's plan to reduce the School Board's powers. Renée herself is a leader in the D.C. Statehood Green Party <http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org>, which has protested attempts in recent years to weaken the School Board and change it from an elected to an appointed body. "D.C. citizens voted for School Board candidates to deal with Public School issues. We didn't vote for Council candidates to handle education policy," said Renée. "D.C. voters didn't get to ask Council candidates their positions on school repairs, the closing of Public School buildings, charter school policy, and all the other responsibilities that the School Board currently handles." Renée noted that the Federal City Council, an influential and secretive 'roundtable' of D.C. business leaders, was behind the School Board takeover, in an apparent effort to weaken the Public School system, expand the failing charter school system, and involve EdBuild, a project promoted by the Federal City Council, in D.C. public education. Renée has opposed and sharply criticized efforts by corporate leaders to privatize public services and resoureces in D.C. "The D.C. School Board takeover will facilitate the for-private grab of public school properties that's already underway," said Renée. "It's time to put a stop to schemes by the Federal City Council and other corporate special interests to hijack our public resources, properties, and services for their own profit. We need someone in the Ward 4 Council seat who'll be voice for Ward 4 residents, not a rubberstamp for those trying to rob us of our democracy." "We demand a D.C. voters' referendum on any change to the Charter -- in accord with the Charter itself -- and we demand Ward 4 and Ward 7 participation in any Council vote related to a change in our educational policies," added Renée. "Anything less would be an injury to our democracy and to the right of D.C. parents to have a say in their children's education." For further information on local opposition to the School Board takeover, visit
<http://www.saveourschoolsdc.org>.
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