Paul Thomas reacts here to Randi Weingarten’s call for a one-year moratorium on high-stakes testing associated with the Common Core and to Jennifer Jennings’ apology to Secretary Duncan for being booed at AERA.
He warns that moderation and civility are not appropriate responses to extreme conditions.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Now is the time for the heart and soul of the Democratic party to detach itself from the NeoLibCon Golf Party of Obama and return to its ideals.
I posted on this blog/web site earlier; we did compromise on NCLB and where did that get us. All of the good work that went into NCLB and preparing the legislation with the help of Ted Kennedy was “derailed” by the testing and computer people. They have computers and want to make profit centers scoring tests; then they write the curriculum, write the tests, score the tests, and bash teachers all the time they are doing it.
I am not a LUDDITE (please see my comments on other postings on this website/blog. I participated in technology 100% until they went into the “technology bubble” that broke down the financial markets (like the housing bubble) because they “sell” fads to the people who get addicted to the newest toys on the block. In education we have a long tradition of research building on concepts and ideas and programs that have worked over time ; it is useful to think of “evidence based practices” but the “lingo” they spew in the marketing literature says the “computer technology” will “make your teachers more productive” and then they sell to school administrators who have ulterior motives. See the Boston Globe ifyou don’t believe me… I can give you the references .
What “good work” was there about NCLB??? What attracted you and Diane in the first place when teachers themselves knew this was not a good idea. It was one thing to test students, but another to expect growth on a timetable since kids minds don’t work that way. Then the test of special ed and holding them and their teachers accountable by the same standards as all students?? I remember the first year NCLB came out, and teachers with students who were severely disabled were forced to give their students a test when they couldn’t even hold a pencil. It went against their IEP as well. Both Kennedy and Bush did nothing to stop the testing companies from usurping this legislation either. Kennedy and Obama could have stood up and stopped it, but didn’t.
Paul is right. But so far nothing has put a fire under the feet of teachers in this country. Sure they right comments and press Like buttons, but this is what gives Duncan the power to stand all over them because the union leaders have formed not only an alliance. but through contracts approve of VAM and merit pay while giving teachers a back seat in a school’s decisions.
I watch teachers in other countries go on a national strike. We won’t even have a National Day of Outrage!!! (Jennifer Jennings would not approve) I do see parents fighting for their children while we watch on the sidelines. I went to the SOS march on Washington thinking that at the very least 10,000 just from the Northeast would show up. I don’t think the number reached 2,000 hence no media coverage of the event. A National Day wouldn’t even require teachers coming to Washington. They can go to their state house or local mayor’s office. As long as they do something.
When you cannot reason it is time for war as that is what they declared. I have proven it many times. We are now going to take on Parent Revolution by beginning training programs for parents, teachers and community concerning the law and rules and regulations of the California Parent Trigger law. That law allows parents, teachers and community to take over a school with the “Parent trigger or Empowerment” laws and rules and regulations. When this is done all the money goes to education not high salaries and profits. No one know this as they do not read the law and then THINK. We are starting this today. Parent Revolution uses questionable signature gathering techniques and intimidation to accomplish their goals. I have the original MOU for 24th Street Elementary School which just approved and addendum to that charter recently at LAUSD. One sentence in the MOU says “We love you parents.” The very next sentence says “And no way will you parents be on the governing board.” Is this parent empowerment? On the Parent Revolution website when you go to Parent Trigger and go to the blue highlighted rules and regulations you get nothing. Amazing since I have them and I do not have millions in funding and a large highly paid staff with Gates, Broad and Walton behind me. Just another scam on parents and students. Can’t let you know what they are. This is all about to change. Start this in your state and location. email me at georgebuzzetti@gmail.com and I will send them to you. Enough of these scams on parents, students, teachers and the community. And today was there not the proclamation by Obama of National Charter School Week in the same week as National Teachers Week? What does this tell you. Well, wasn’t Duncan just booed in San Francisco? Serves them right. Why not have parents, teachers and community run schools where they actually control it. In high schools we intend on having at least one student with a vote on the governing board also. Students need to be heard also.
I too, am disappointed in us teachers. But we are all not well educated or these reforms, or simply in denial with our heads buried in the sand that “it will all work out” or “that wont happen here”. Our union leadership has failed us horribly, so while we have the numbers to demonstrate, we can’t get ourselves together to do it.
Countless times I’ve been in discussions with teachers that agree these measures don’t make any sense, yet no one is motivated enough to take action. I see the older veterans counting down the days till retirement and/or silently angry trying to get by, the folks in the middle afraid because they are too young to retire but don’t have the support to rock the boat, which inturn leaves the new folks heads spinning, balancing their natural optomism with reality and subsequently they don’t know what to think.
I think about this weekly, if not daily–how to get our power back. We allowed the reformers to drive the narrative for nearly 10 years and it has been impactful, and we in turn have been paralyzed by fear–fear we didn’t have when our unions had teeth. In the end the kids lose.
I’ve stated on this blog before that parents are key but i also think the answer is to take back our unions. Yet even with that, i don’t see the necessary support among membership, at least in my state. Things may have to get a lot worse before more people take action.
The time is now! Throw your boots into the reformy machine! SABOTAGE, do not engage these idiots in discussion any longer!