Dear Zero Chance of Passage Team:
Because each of you was personally involved in some way, I’m especially pleased to share with you that my book, Zero Chance of Passage: The Pioneering Charter School Story, was named Third Grand Prize Winner for Nonfiction Books in the 2013 Next Generation Indie Book Awards on May 29, in New York City. Here you will find a press release with more information on this and other national and regional recognition for the book.
I’ve now visited ten states and the District of Columbia to share the pioneering story and will devote coming months to supporting the chartering conversation in more states. Two critical themes have attracted most attention during my national tour.
First, this is a rare bipartisan idea that came from the middle of the political spectrum. That is what sustained this breakthrough in public education for over twenty years. Public policy ideas like chartering probably wouldn’t pass today; because regretfully, there isn’t a middle anymore!
Second, the union leaders who fought vigorously against chartering 20 years ago are now board members of the first union-initiated chartered school authorizer in the country: The Minnesota Guild of Public Charter Schools. This gets attention in Minnesota and around the country!
Please do spread the word on blogs and other networks. For my national friends, I’ll be spending time at the Charter Schools Development Corporation booth at the National Charter Schools Conference in DC. Please stop by! I would like to personally express my appreciation for your support in this, and discuss new ways to share the pioneering story over the coming year.
My best,
Ember RJ
