One mother's campaign to empower parents

One mother's campaign to empower parents | The Connecticut Mirror: "Gwen Samuel knows the pain of sending her son off to a low-performing school every day. And she remembers the day she decided to pull the 'parent trigger.'
'I will never forget that day: May 26,' Samuel said, referring to the day in 2010 that then-Gov. M. Jodi Rell signed a sweeping school reform bill. Among other things, the new law enabled parents to reconstitute failing schools. 'It changed my life. I realized parents need more than just a voice in their schools. They need one in Hartford. Teachers have teachers unions. Where do parents go?'
Gwen Samuel: 'Parents need more than just a voice in their schools. They need one in Hartford.'
That's when Samuel decided to create a statewide union for parents with the goal of giving parents from urban areas a louder voice in policy decisions.
'Parents and children are being put on the back burner. We don't do well with implementing best practices for educating our kids,' the mother of two from Meriden said.
The union is officially launching this Monday at its first event in Hartford.EVENT LINK Samuel said hundreds of parents have already emailed her asking her how to get involved ahead of the event."