For the second consecutive year, the controversial parent trigger bill failed in the state Senate with lawmakers deadlocking in a 20-20 vote. The bill would have allowed parents with children in failing public schools to signs petitions that called for a conversion into a charter school.
Just one more vote for the bill would have made it law (pending the governor's signature), since the House approved the legislation yesterday.
Six Republicans switched party lines to vote with the Democrats against the bill sponsored by Lakeland's Kelli Stargel. They were Nancy Detert, Charlie Dean, Rene Garcia, Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, Greg Evers and Jack Latvala.
Detert was especially biting in voicing her opposition to the legislation, "Not one parent ever called me to support this bill. And if it's the 'Parent Empowerment Act' then why is the PTA lobbying so heavily against this bill? I don't know who these parents are ... Why are we doing this? I don't know. Who benefits? I don't know."
