Sarah Blaine, a lawyer and parent, writes a terrific blog about education. In this one, she describes how her 10-year-old daughter Elizabeth testified at a school board meeting in Montclair, New Jersey, about what’s wrong with the Common Core PARCC test.
Watch the video.
Elizabeth wrote her own remarks and delivered them with poise. She begins by saying, “I love to read, I love to write, I love to do math. But I don’t love the PARCC. It stinks.” When she finished, she received an ovation from the audience.
And a litttle child shall lead them.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Texas Education.
Thanks for sharing, Diane. I am really proud of Elizabeth. Fortunately, she has zero independent access to social media, so the biggest outcome for her was seeing her picture on the front page of our local newspaper yesterday. A janitor at her school recognized her from her picture in the newspaper at lunchtime, congratulated her, and gave her a copy of the paper. In even better news, the local newspaper article apparently sparked some thoughtful discussions among the children at school yesterday.
I obviously encourage all of you to read my blog, but here’s a direct link to the YouTube video if that’s easier, because in this case, the story is definitely Elizabeth’s, and I’m just the proud mom:
She’s really a great kid, and it was gratifying to see first-hand that she really absorbed, processed, and synthesized the discussions she’d be hearing around our dinner table each night — and then applied that information to the PARCC preparation she’s been experiencing in school.
Neat story about the WaPo tour.
Fortunately, she has zero independent access to social media, so the biggest outcome for her was seeing her picture on the front page of our local newspaper yesterday.
This is wonderful to hear. I commented on Sarah’s blog where there is a wonderful account of some events you will miss if you just look at the video.
Indeed!!! Out of the mouths of babes.
Sad when a 10 year old has more insight and brains than the “movers and shakers” who eviscerate the public schools.
And they say our students, teachers and schools are failing.
Well, Elizabeth is proof that “they” are wrong.
“They” ( Duncan, Gates, Coleman, Obama, Cuomoetc) should be forced to appear on the program “Are you smarter than a fifth grader?”
“They” would fail, for sure.
During the last Englewood Cliffs Board of Education Meeting I informed the Board during public comment that my son will not be sitting for the PARCC testing (if they are still around) when he reaches third grade. I am quite serious as I feel PARCC and everything behind it is not in the best interest of any student. In fact, I feel that it is hurtful to students for several reasons not limited to these:
1. PARCC will be administered on computer rather than paper which places pressure on our youngest of students to learn keyboarding and be exposed to computers even before they have had the experience and develop the proper motor skill to form letters correctly. The computer forms letters perfectly at the push of a button. In the perfect world I would prefer students be on a computer much later. In addition, tight school budgets are spending yet more hardware just to accommodate the computerized test.
2. The type of questions I found on PARCC in taking a practice test caused me a huge headache as they were twisted and confusing. I would not subject a young mind to such an assessment.
3. Data collection – I will not have 400 points of data collected on my son and held in a database somewhere for unknown future use. More than enough data to inform instruction can be obtained within the school itself.
4. Two tests per year that will eventually be used to evaluate the teacher performance is a flawed logic. There are way too many variables. In addition, over evaluate and you will have no heart to inspire – no energy to motivate. Yet more tests, in most cases, are also administered for the so called „Student Growth Objectives“.
An educational leader, in my opinion, must be a catalyst – must be the cause of positive excitement about the world – like of the world, real curiosity, knowing of the world! The American poet and philosopher Eli Siegel stated “The purpose of education is to like the world through knowing it“ and I wholeheartedly agree. I hope Mr. Hespe will find out more about his philosophy. I believe that we are presently in a situation where teachers are not lifted up – but instead, insulted through SGOs, endless data collection, performance rubrics, and more. A once more collegial relationship is being replaced by a corporate style data collecting and crunching top down management – filling out endless computerized evaluations of teachers digitally warehoused by a centralized and privatized third party company. If more weight were given to supporting and lifting our teachers – more resources given to motivating, exciting, and further educating them – it would, in my opinion, be very wise – as our students, our children, my child, would benefit.
I intend to be a vocal critic / advocate for my son and all his classmates at Englewood Cliffs PTA meetings, Englewood Cliffs BOE meetings and even council meetings. I hope more parents will object to mandating of Common Core / PARCC / teacher evaluation, and hope that the state reconsiders how it sees its schools and all its young residents.
Most importantly, in order to have more schools be more successful everywhere, the state must work hard to close the financial gap between communities rather than attempting to run all the schools like a big business.
Thanks for adding your comment.
Hopefully, All movers and shakers in Edu-business will learn something from this 10 years old child about the joy of learning, NOT playing twisted/confusing game between key-board tech-task, and redundant text context (= inappropriate age for multitask within 30 minutes or maximum 1 hour test per semester)
Would they want to sit through 9 hours test in one week? I am ” a straight A student ” through out elementary, middle school, and high-school. I enjoy to be challenged with testing at all entrance exams because of my ego. However, at my golden age, I recognize that learning is all about humanity and about treasure of freedom with consequences.
America can only be proud to be the most powerful country IF and ONLY IF American Public Education can produce a student like Elizabeth who can be polite, intelligent and articulate so well about her own experience with PARCC tests. Back2basic
The 1% opted their kids out. The 99% owe their children, no less.
National measurement is one more money-making scheme for Wall Street, test and tech firms. They’ve given up on creating value, instead they rip-off taxpayers and steal from children.
If we love our nation, it is our obligation to say “no” to school corporatization and privatization.
The media reports that a Missouri judge blocked payments, on 11-29-2014, to SBAC as a result of a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cole County. The suit was filed on behalf of taxpayers against the Governor and Board of Education.
Elizabeth appeared on television this morning to talk about why the PARCC tests make no sense to her:
http://video.foxnews.com/v/3956603007001/no-time-for-nonsense-student-blasts-common-core/?#sp=show-clips
All of us parents with kids need to think seriously about voting with our feet by refusing to allow our children to take these tests.