Growing Support for Legislation Calling for Resource Equality for All Students

WASHINGTON, July 20, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Student Bill of Rights, H.R. 1295, introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA) continues to gain momentum from educational, parental, religious and civil rights organizations around the country.  Six new groups have signed onto a letter of support for the measure, bringing to 36 the number of organizations backing the legislation. The letter comes from organizations that have long reinforced Fattah's efforts to ensure that all children have a fair and equal opportunity to achieve a high-quality education despite their economic circumstance.

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Specifically, The Student Bill of Rights ensures all students have access to the educational resources needed to be successful: highly effective teachers, rigorous curricula, early childhood education, and instructional materials including educational technology. If students are to excel, Fattah concludes, these fundamentals must be the centerpiece of all school resource allocation.

"Investing in America's children should not be viewed as an option but rather an imperative," Fattah said.  "Our students are some of the brightest in the world and this legislation will equip them with the educational keys to unlock their full potential and open countless doors of opportunity."

In their letter, leaders from the various organizations wrote that Congress should take the lead in bringing together the federal government and the states to work in partnership to overcome opportunity gaps:

"School funding systems in the majority of states remain heavily reliant on local property taxes, a taxing system that disadvantages children and schools in communities without significant local property wealth. In this year of fiscal crisis across the states, the federal government's leadership for equity is urgently needed to make these injustices visible and to work with the states to begin to remedy what Stanford University Professor Linda Darling-Hammond has called America's obstinate commitment to educational inequality."

New signatures on the letter include: The National Education Association, Class Size Matters, Jewish Reconstructionist Federation, Pennsylvania Council of Churches, United Church of Christ, Northern Plains Conference (North Dakota), and the Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools.  The organizations join the following group of signers: ACTION UNITED – Pennsylvania, American Library Association, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism, Communities for Excellent Schools, Delawareans for Social and Economic Justice, Disciples Justice Action Network, Education Law Center (ELC), FairTest, the National Center for Fair & Open Testing, First Focus Campaign for Children, The Forum for Education and Democracy, Gamaliel Foundation, Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Metro Organizations for People (MOP) – Denver, Colorado, National Alliance of Black School Educators, National Association for the Education of African American Children with Learning Disabilities, National Council of Churches Poverty Initiative, National Council of Jewish Women, Organizers in the Land of Enchantment – New Mexico, Parents Across America, Parents United for Responsible Education – Chicago, Peninsula Interfaith Action – San Carlos, California,  Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness, Public Education Network (PEN), Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Rural School and Community Trust, Save Our Schools March and National Call to Action, United Methodist Church, General Board for Church and Society, United Church of Christ Justice & Witness Ministries, Youth on Board – Somerville, Massachusetts.

SOURCE Office of Congressman Chaka Fattah

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