Charter Revision Panel Approved, Finch Supports Children’s Bill Of Rights

As a Charter Revision Commission, whose members were approved by the City Council Tuesday night, moves forward with a focus on education reform Mayor Bill Finch issued a news release pledging support for a children’s bill of rights authored by the Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition.

CT Post reporter Keila Torres Ocasio’s story:

Education reform was the main topic of conversation Tuesday among Mayor Bill Finch’s choices for the charter revision commission.

Read more here.

From the mayor:

Mayor Bill Finch has enthusiastically endorsed the Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition’s Children’s Bill of Rights for Education. The Bill of Rights offers ten key principles for the Bridgeport schools to ensure a quality education for all students. The Mayor met with members of the BCAC Board of Directors and staff on Friday to sign on; a public signing event is planned for the near future.

The BCAC Children’s Bill of Rights calls for a “district-wide school culture that promotes mutual respect, ensures student achievement and fosters a commitment to excellence for all students in all grades, pre-kindergarten through graduation.”

“I am proud to sign my name to the Children’s Bill of Rights for Education, and it is fitting to have done so as we celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr., one of the most compelling civil rights activists in our nation’s history. I believe in the points outlined in the Children’s Bill of Rights and ask that my fellow local and state leaders who have not yet signed on, to do so. We are all in this together, for the good of our students and our education system,” said Mayor Finch.

Mayor Finch recently initiated a City Charter Revision effort, with one of the main goals being to create more public accountability for education reform in order to ensure that City school children receive the best education possible.

“We all have a common goal: to help Bridgeport children receive the best possible education they can from our school system,” said Mary Pat Healy, Executive Director of the Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition. “To help move us all forward, we have developed the Children’s Bill of Rights for Education as a set of core principles that we believe are critical to the success of the school system. BCAC did not create this Bill of Rights in a vacuum. We sought the advice and counsel of constituencies throughout the city. We believe the Bill of Rights can be a rallying point on which we can all agree and move forward.”

The Bill of Rights calls for:

• A commitment to excellence, student achievement and mutual respect;

• Strong leadership at all levels;

• Safe schools;

• Financial resources tied to fiscal responsibility;

• Stability and support for school staff and students;

• Representation on the Board of Education by parents of children in the school system who reflect the diversity of the city;

• Open lines of communication among the Board of Education, Superintendent of Schools, Central Administration, the Mayor’s office and parents;

• Transparency in decision-making;

• Accountability; and

• Community engagement and empowerment.

About Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition (BCAC)

The Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition (BCAC) is a coalition of organizations, parents and other concerned individuals committed to improving the well-being of Bridgeport’s children through research, advocacy, community education, and mobilization. To learn more, visit www.BCACCT.org.