Compton, Calif., parents pursue effort to convert elementary campus to a charter school

From The Los Angeles Times: Parents petitioning to convert a low-performing Compton, Calif., elementary campus into a charter school have won a temporary restraining blocking district officials from requiring that they verify their signatures in person with photo identification. A judge issued the order in a class-action lawsuit filed against the Compton Unified School District. Parents at McKinley Elementary School contend that the verification process violated their constitutional rights to free speech and equal opportunity. A hearing is scheduled for later this month. The petition campaign was the first test of a state "parent trigger" law that enables parents to force sweeping change at low-performing schools, including shifting to charters.