PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 22, 2013

Contact: Gwendolyn Samuel Tel: 203-443-3203

UNCONSTITUTIONAL SCHOOL RESIDENCY/ ZIP-CODE LAWS THAT ARREST PARENTS TO BE ADDRESSED IN HARTFORD CT FEDERAL COURT AND JUNE 24
TH

CIVIL RIGHTS VICTORY FOR CONNECTICUT PARENTS GOVERNOR MALLOY SIGNED LAW TO STOP FELONY ARREST OF PARENTS FOR SCHOOL RESIDENCY/ZIP-CODE LAW VIOLATIONS.

Press Conference

___________________________________________________
"In America, your zip code or your socioeconomic status should never determine the quality of your education." - Arne Duncan United States Secretary of Education ________________________________________________________________

WHEN: WHERE: WHY:

Wednesday, July 24, 2013 9:00a.m 450 Main Street, Hartford CT, Grandmother, Ms. Marie Menard from Stratford Connecticut was arrested for having her three grandchildren enrolled in Stratford Public Schools. The biological mother lived in Milford Connecticut. The grand mother is a homeowner and taxpayer of Stratford Connecticut and enrolled her grandchildren in the school district because the kids and mother lived with her prior to the mother moving into Milford and they wanted to ensure educational stability for the kids. There are questions whether school residency laws/zip-code laws, as they are applied, violate the constitutional rights of parents like Ms. Menard of Connecticut, Mr. and Mrs. Hamlet Garcia of Pennsylvania, and Kelley Williams-Bolar of Ohio, just to name a few that were arrested for educational theft . Every citizen in America is protected by the Constitution and every American is afforded equal protections and due process. Connecticut Attorney Josephine Smalls Miller will be presenting oral arguments in federal court on behalf of Ms. Menard. The argument, Stratford

WHAT:

public schools do not arrest all parents that are charged with educational theft therefore violating her equal protection rights and Ms. Menard was not allowed to appeal before Stratford local school or a state board therefore violating her due process rights. The bigger question becomes why is America denying children access to safe and high quality schools because of their zip-code? It is time to end SEPARATE and UNEQUAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS for all children. With that said, Connecticut parents is celebrating a civil rights victory! On June 24, 2013, Governor Dannel P. Malloy signed law to stop felony arrest of parents for school residency/zip code violations. WHO: State Representative Bruce Morris, led the Connecticut House of Representatives in passing House Bill 6677, which stops the felony arrest of parents who enroll their children in schools outside of their zip-code. Special guest: Nationwide parents that have faced unjust school residency/zip-code arrest: Kelley Williams Bolar, Ohio mother arrested and convicted for stealing a public education Mr. and Mrs. Hamlet Garcia, Pennsylvania parents arrested for stealing a kindergarten public education

####

Press Conference Agenda

July 24, 2013 UNCONSTITUTIONAL SCHOOL RESIDENCY/ ZIP-CODE LAWS TO BE ADDRESSED IN HARTFORD CT FEDERAL COURT REGARDING GRANDMOTHER MARIE MENARD AND JUNE 24
TH

CIVIL RIGHTS VICTORY FOR CONNECTICUT PARENTS GOVERNOR MALLOY SIGNED LAW TO STOP FELONY ARREST OF PARENTS FOR SCHOOL RESIDENCY/ZIP-CODE LAW VIOLATIONS.

___________________________________________________
"In America, your zip code or your socioeconomic status should never determine the quality of your education." - Arne Duncan United States Secretary of Education ______________________________________________________________________________ 9:00 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks Lisa Lessard Waterbury Parent, Special Education Advocate

Moderator Gwen Samuel Remarks Attorney Darnel Crosland Hamlet Garcia

Connecticut Parents Union End Unjust Zip-Code Laws Organizer Stamford Connecticut, Tanya McDowell Attorney Pennsylvania parent arrested for stealing

Kelley Williams-Bolar

kindergarten public education Ohio parent arrested and convicted for

stealing public education

Why We Are Here Stratford Grandmother Maria Menard was arrested for stealing a public education for her three grandchildren. She is a home owner in that school district. Her attorney is Josephine Small Miller What Lawmakers Can Do to Reform Zip-Code Education Laws Connecticut Representative Bruce Morris Deputy Majority Whip Led the Connecticut House of Representatives in passing House Bill 6677, which stops the felony arrest of parents who enroll their children in schools outside of their zip-code. Connecticut Governor Malloy signed the bill into law June 24, 2013. Call To Action Gwen Samuel Yovel Badash Q & A with Press

Connecticut Parents Union No Child Held Back

National Partners Supporting the End Unjust Zip-Code Laws Awareness Campaign www.endzipcodelaws.org