I received the following comment from a parent. There are all too few opportunities for parent voices to be heard.
One such space is the website http://www.parentvoicesny.org
I am glad to provide the opportunity for this parent to express frustration at the way that standardized testing and data-driven instruction have overtaken teaching and learning.
“As both a parent and an educator, I am keenly attuned to the issue of standardized testing and am absolutely appalled at how it seems to have become the epicenter of instructional decision making. Last week, I learned that a Pearson field test for ELA would be given in my son’s third grade classroom so I contacted the principal to inquire about the protocol for boycotting this test. I was advised to keep my son home from school as the directive from the state was that if the child was present, it was required that he be given the test. The principal advised me that the test would be given first thing in the morning on Wednesday, June 6 and that I could safely assume that it would be done by 10:30 AM at which time I could bring him to school. As per these suggestions, I kept my son home from school during which time he practiced the piano and read Harry Potter for 45 minutes. As fate would have it, when I dropped my son off at school at 10:30, his child’s teacher was “running a bit behind” and was still administering the test. Despite my wishes and actions to prevent him from taking the test, he was given the test anyway. When I learned of this occurrence, I contacted the principal who apologized profusely. I asked what recourse I had with regard to having his test pulled and destroyed. In addition to the principal, I have spoken to the assistant superintendent and a woman who works in New York State’s assessment office in Albany. They have all told me that I have no recourse. According to them, this field testing is in the best interest of my child and they were just doing what they were told to do. So in spite of my boycott, my wishes, and their gross error, they are sorry, but there is nothing they can do. His results will be sent to Pearson. This is in the best interest of my child? From where I stand, my child’s interests would be best served by giving him time to read books of his choice and time to practice writing thoughtfully and persuasively. It would be in his best interest to conduct experiments and collaborate with peers to solve problems and grow new ideas. This field test, the state test, and the test-driven curriculums that follow don’t support any of these things. And as far as I can see, the only one who “benefits” from this is Pearson. As a parent, I feel violated. And angry. I don’t understand how Pearson has the right to impose upon my child’s education like this without my consent. I am confused and disappointed in my school district who dared to suggest that this is what is right and best for my child. It makes me realize how defeated educators feel and how they have succumbed to the pressures of our data driven culture. We have forgotten what really matters—children and learning. Educators appear beleaguered and beaten by this battle which means just what you have said, Diane. It is time to awaken the sleeping giant. Children are the heart of our schools and the best voice for children are the ones who love them most: their parents. I hope this is only the beginning of the rally cry.”
When you read this comment, reflect that the same politicians and policymakers like to prattle on about “choice,” but are not willing to permit any choice when it comes to the imposition of standardized tests on children. They like to blather about differentiated instruction, but insist that children all be judged by the exact same test.
We live in a low, dishonest decade.
Diane
P.S. Any parent interest in learning how to remove their child from state testing should look at this website: www.unitedoptout.com
Pearson is reaping profits from this aren’t they? Can’t the parents get together and sue Pearson to compensate them for the use of their children? I would think there would be some legal recourse.
What is the going rate for a lab rat these days?
Parents are the key here. Unfortunately, parents tend to be invested in their own children’s education and that does not translate into a national movement yet. Many parents are still ardent supporters of a data driven, educational model whether the numbers tell them something useful or not. The outrage is not universal, by far, as not every state, city, or local district has embraced the testing culture to the same extent. It will come as we all jump on the common core bandwagon. When parents throughout the country start to grumble, the political machinery will start to crumble. I wonder how long powerful foundations and corporations will be able to control the agenda. They can’t possibly be totally staffed by people who can afford elite private education for their children. Will they sell out their own children?
Level of corruption seems to be reaching new highs. The Plutocracy we live in nourishes faceless unaccountable tyrannies like Pearson, gives them blank checks, secretive no bid contracts for many years, and free hand in testing the tests by using children – that are already overwhelmed with multiple choice drill rather then educate form of tests – as guinea pigs for their profiteering and abuse.
In a Plutocracy the sound of the people is not being herd or ignored by the abusive business people who run the system away from scrutiny. They indeed detest democracy and need a form of tyranny – or country with nonfunctional democratic institutions – in order to keep pushing policies that have been failing for the majority of people.
In regard to education and the economy Professor Noam Chomsky said in his recent article ‘Public education: “failure by design” ‘ that:” Failure of Design” is class-based. For the designers, it has been a stunning success, as revealed by the astonishing concentration of wealth in the top 1 percent, in fact the top 0.1 percent, while the majority has been reduced to virtual stagnation or decline.” Indeed the while the elites are protected, the rest of our community has to suffer through this cruel unjust, anti-intellectual, pro business experiments. Their aim as professor Chomsky observed is to: “destroy students’ interest and seek to fit them into a mold, easily controlled. ” No doubt that obsessive multiple choice test has been shown to be perfect to accomplish a failing system. It seems that fraud and crony capitalism has overwhelmed most of Americans, which can partly explain the relative apathy to this anti intellectualism coup.
It always reminds me of act 4 from Macbeth, when Lady Macduff and her child facing Macbeth’s thugs and talk about their husband/father, who they are told, is a traitor and should be hanged. The son says:
“Then the liars and swearers are fools, for
there are liars and swearers enow to beat
the honest men and hang up them.”
We live in a time when liars and swearers setting the tone and have accumulated enough power and have diminished democracy, to put us all in a great risk.
It is a rally cry, and I hear you! I, too, am a teacher who is saddened by the testing and test-driven curricula that has overtaken the district in which my kids attend. Parents need to understand the choices that schools are making and the kinds of educational experiences that are being sacrificed to the alter of accountability and a false sense of equity. I would bet all that Pearson is worth that the experiences that happen at the University of Chicago Lab School, the alma mater of Mr. Duncan and the former school of the Obama girls, are radically different from schools that are teaching to the Illinois State Standards by purchasing Pearson tests and products. I think we need Michael Moore to do his next film on what’s happening in our schools.
I have written the same to Michael Moore! As I understand it, a new film IS in the works, but he will not divulge its subject matter.
Let’s all keep our fingers crossed!!
Pearson saw the blueprint for making money at the expense of instructional time and quality learning prior to No Child Left Behind. They’ve become a major provider of textbooks, supplemental instructional programs, and testing. As a corporation milking dollars from education, they have no peer. Their influence with politicians is frightening, and their response to criticism is pathetic.
What’s really killing public education in America is the policy-makers letting Pearson decide precisely how to destroy the art and science of teaching.
the land grab for profit off the heads of children by corporations is blatant and shameful-
Thank you for referring people to our United Opt Out National group. The administrators are amazing people who put in many hours each day in order to spread the word about this important issue and to offer solutions and hope. An important part of this is our “We don’t negotiate with children’s lives- Do you?” campaign. We strongly feel that too much is at stake to back down or let those in power hide their true intentions. We hope that you all will join us in this effort.
Just 12 months ago, people thought that they were alone in this. Now we realize that there are many others who understand the truth… from amazing people such as Diane Ravitch to the person standing behind the check out counter at the local mini-mart. The message is getting out.
However, it will take all of us, standing firm and speaking loudly and with conviction, to make a change. Thank you, Dr. Ravitch, for helping our voices to be heard!
— Laurie Murphy
[…] https://dianeravitch.net/2012/06/07/parent-to-pearson-let-my-child-learn/ […]
This is heartbreaking. And, what’s more, even though her son is probably bright, the test will be scored only for those portions completed. Therefore, 0%s would be given for sections left unfinished or blank. A big “ha,ha” to the principal & superintendent, as this makes their school/district look bad.
Hold on a minute. This is just a “field test,” so the scores don’t count against anyone.
The only thing that counts, here, is the time taken away from the education of children.
Since the principal & the superintendent decided that the child “HAD” to take it, they should be personally responsible for monetarily compensating both the child & all the other children who “HAD” to take the tests.
Additionally, isn’t there a state law that requires a certain amount of the school day contain so many minutes of L.A., so many minutes of Math, & so on?
Sounds like NY parents have a lawsuit waiting to happen!
[…] Letter via blog comment. ”Parent to Pearson: Let me Child Learn.” Diane Ravitch’s Blog. June 7, 2012. Retrieved from: https://dianeravitch.net/2012/06/07/parent-to-pearson-let-my-child-learn/ […]
As the parent in the story, I want to say that reading your comments makes me feel supported. This story comes with a PS that involves my older son who is in sixth grade who was not slated for field testing. However, the seventh and eighth graders in his middle school were. While these children were taking the field test, my sixth grade son was placed in the auditorium and shown Mr. Popper’s Penguins for an hour and a half to minimize movement in the hall and maintain the conditions conducive to testing. As we strive to improve our schools, I am quite certain that spending instructional time in this way will not help achieve that goal.
You all should know that I have contacted a lawyer and we are looking into a class action lawsuit.
[…] hadn’t happened to Kim. You can read about Kim’s experience on Diane Ravitch’s blog, Parent to Pearson: Let My Children Learn. Filed Under: Musings, […]
Join the opt out movement in NYS. changethestakes.wordpress.com in NYC area or nystoptesting.blogspot.com if you are upstate.
[…] of accreditation for profit, and the role of military accreditation in the United States. Diane Ravitch writes eloquently about this in the USA on her blog [search for the Pearson […]
Love this . When I was in 12th grade I had to take a test and pass it to be able to walk and graduate from my school. Pearson told me I failed my biology test by ONE POINT . & my school didn’t allow me to walk with my senior class . I ended up taking a retest and of course passed it AFTER graduation. So I got my diploma a month later but didn’t get to walk the stage. I worked my butt off twelve years for that moment!!! Four years later they send me a letter telling me I actually passed it. Pearson said there was a problem or some bull. Anyway they offered me a 1000 scholarship for school only . I haven’t accepted it they just don’t understand how bad that time was for me. How embarrassing it was .