Parents, teachers, administrators, and elected officials on Long Island in New York will rally to encourage families to opt their children out of the state tests.
If the children don’t take the tests, the state can’t rank and rate them; their teachers won’t be evaluated based on their test scores; their principals won’t be evaluated based on their test scores; their schools won’t be rewarded or closed based on their test scores.
The whole facade of corporate reform collapses if enough families say, NO. I REFUSE.
DON’T TEST MY CHILD. THIS IS YOUR GAME. I WON’T DO IT.
NO.
TEST YOUR CHILDREN FIRST. TEST YOURSELF.
YOU GO FIRST.
NOT WITH MY CHILD.
***For Immediate Release***
iRefuse – The Great American Opt Out Rally
Date: Saturday March 29, 2014
Time: 12:15PM – 4:00 PM
Location: Comsewogue High School, 565 Bicycle Path, Port Jefferson Station, NY
Contact: Mark Ferreris, i.Refuse@Outlook.com, 516-306-6148
iRefuse is hosting its first annual New York State “Great American Opt Out” Rally on the football field at Comsewogue High School on Saturday March 29, 2014 at 12:15PM.
Join us as we make our voices heard and stand up for children against out-of-control education reform (Common Core) and high stakes testing in New York State.
Hosted by “America’s Superintendent” Dr. Joe Rella and emceed by Mark Ferreris, we will hear from notable guest speakers such as:
Al Graf, NYS Assemblyman
Yvonne Gasperino (co-founder of Stop Common Core in New York State),
Mary Calamia (psychotherapist who testified to the NYS Assembly about the dangers of Common Core),
Michael Bohr (founder of Bad Ass Parents),
Beth Dimino (teacher and PJSTA President),
Mercedes Schneider, National Blogger (deutsch29.wordpress.com),
David Greene, Teacher/Author/Activist, and
Tim Farley, Principal Ichabod Crane Elementary/Middle School.
For more information: https://www.facebook.com/irefusethegreatamericanoptout
Event details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1404542626467110/
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Diane, thank you for the publicity. Looking forward to speaking in Long Island.
From yesterday’s evening news in New Orleans:
http://www.wdsu.com/news/local-news/northshore/Billboard-pop-up-on-Northshore-protesting-Common-Core/24703480
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Awesome! I hope someone will be doing a good job of notifying the press about this and ensuring a good showing of reporters and cameras.
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@Bob Shepherd.. I wish reporters would publicize this event but the media seems to be so pro “ed reform” these days that they ignore the opposing views! Of course the movement to expose the fallacy of “ed reform” is growing by leaps and bounds so we can hope the press/media pays attention!
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Way to go NEW YORK ! BRAVEHEART of our Nation!
I Opted Out in Texas by resigning. As an educator, I could no longer violate my professional ethics or my conscience and participate in a state school system that abuses children. I felt that I was being manipulated and “used” to abuse children in order to support an immoral cause. It was creating emotional distress for me just as it is the children. I wrote this piece to express my protest. I hope you are not offended by my frankness. I am an Aspie, so I have an excuse for telling the truth:
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
We Should Have Listened to the Lorax !!!
It came in so boldly in very plain sight
That no one reacted with outrage or fright.
The teachers all worked it to lift children’s scores
too busy to notice their role shift to wh – – – – .
They followed directives and put it to use,
so how could they know they were causing abuse.
It called itself “common” and bragged without shame,
That all kids would need it to be just the same.
To measure the contents of what children learn
came methods of strictness all callous and stern.
It claimed to have rigor to help kids succeed,
but most could not see underneath was all GREED.
It first made a difference and upted some scores
but then it continued with more more and more.
The children were sweet and so nice and polite
They all were submissive without any fight.
They did it to please those they trust to know right.
They did it in spite of their bindings so tight.
They suffered in silence and gave their best try
They never complained or even asked “why”?
…..but some did cry.
Their innocence plundered their self now askew,
They hardened completely while no one even knew.
Their spirits were taken their childhood replaced
A new breed of children – a much meaner race.
Now where are those sadists who made up such rules
to torture young children with cruel cunning ruse?
They’re safe in their castles no thoughts of that time,
When children were maimed by their heinous crime.
Our nation is dying this loss is too great
The end of our children will be our last fate.
The Lorax was trying to speak for the trees.
I speak for children….begging….on my knees.
Please notice the children are having distress
Don’t let them suffer the harm from this mess.
This hidden agenda is well on it’s way
to make a Police State….that’s all I can say.
…and now I’ve gone away.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Illustrated signed copies are available: fairyprincess78704@gmail.com
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Thanks Diane! We appreciate your support!
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Your poem made me cry, fairyprincess! Thank you for your honesty. I saw my own young children suffer this past year after their school (in NYS) went all in for the common core. My third grader who LOVED school and had perfect grades since kindergarten was crying every single day in school and my kindergartner cried every day before leaving the house begging that I not send him. When they suggested that there was something mentally wrong with my children (it could not POSSIBLY be related to the radical remaking of the curriculum in what had previously been an excellent elementary school) and recommended a “facility” for my kid, I OPTED OUT by removing my children (mid-year) from what has become a toxic environment for little kids. We homeschool now. We HAD a wonderful public school here, and I am sad to see it destroyed.
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Quick question: I’m wondering about whether opting out is working better for parents who are against high stakes testing as it relates to Common Core (like in NY) whereas if parents are fighting against state ALEC law based tests (like Ohio’s Third Grade reading Guarantee related tests) there can be repercussions for students and teachers and schools if the parents opt out (these are built into the law essentially not allowing for an opt-out). It is probably all more complicated than what I’m asking but can someone clarify this for me?
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I wanted our 4th grade son to Opt Out, but he’s afraid of being “different”. As a parent should I insist, or do we have any feed back from social workers about the distress of children caught in this tug of war?
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School Social worker here! I can tell you it IS having detrimental effects on kids. I also have an 8th grade girls group and they have been told the test scores are everything. I have to challenge their thinking and ask them what is really important in life. Its certainly not test scores. I have proctored fluency tests and you would think the kids are running a marathon trying to read every word. Then they ask, “what is my score”, “did I do better than last time?” “I think Im stupid”, “so and so got a better score”, etc. Why so much depression and anxiety? I wonder if the pharmaceutical companies and the testing companies have some deal going on.
Maybe some teachers have time to throw some fun exciting elements in from time to time, but with all the testing going on how can they teach a love for learning? I have opted my Kindergarten child out of these tests. She is not old enough to understand my reasoning but your child is inquiring. You might ask him how he thinks he would benefit by taking the test. If others see him not taking the test, they may go home and tell their parents and then maybe they will opt out too. I wouldn’t tell my daughter that these tests are bad, etc, b/c eventually she will have to take them. But this has more negative effects on their self esteem, and causes anxiety in children who are not old enough to understand what the heck scores mean.
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I asked about opting out in NC and I was told it is not possible.
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But you can still refuse.
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Janna,
What will they do if I refuse?
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My wife (a 3rd grade teacher in Ohio) told me that — at least in Ohio — if a student opts out, the teacher gets the minimum grade for that student. Personally, if this is indeed the case, I would still be fully supportive of any of my students opting out. She also told me the same thing about how students can’t move on to 4th grade without passing the 3rd grade reading test.
Side note. The Cincinnati Enquirer had a 5-editorial section on CCSS in Sunday’s Forum section, with 4 by experts in favor of CCSS (1 of those anti-tests), and a single one from an opponent. None from teachers or parents. Today’s Letters to the Editor were unanimously (all four — none from teachers) anti-CCSS. All were awesome. Well reasoned and persuasive. Hopefully reflective of society and the response to the Forum section.
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They give a minimum score to a teacher even if the parents opt out?
OMG…OMG..and again!
How can they do that?
Sounds illegal!
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@Neanderthal.. I bet they give a “minimum score” as a buffer in case too many students opt out. This way they can still carry out the tests!
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Is opting out allowed in NY? If so, are students allowed to attend school on test days?
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Yes, opting out is allowed in NY. we opted our child out last year. He went to school on testing days, read books, etc.
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Is the opt-out option mentioned in the law? I would like to pursue getting an opt-out option written into the law in my state.
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This rally is even more important than the couragous work done in Chicago by thhose brave educators two summer ago.
Find you courage New Yorkers! Long Island leads the nation!
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If anyone is interested in refusing the state assessments or know someone who is:
REFUSAL LETTER:
Dear Board of Education, Superintendent, Principals, and Teachers of ________________ school district,
We are writing today to formally inform the __________ school district of our decision to refuse to allow our child _____________ to participate in any local assessments tied to APPR for the 2013-2014 school year. My child will be scored as a “refusal”, with a final score of “999” and a standard achieved code of 96, on all State testing including ELA, Math and Science as described in the NYS Student Information Repository System (SIRS) Manual on page 63.
Our refusal should in no way reflect on the teachers, administration, or school board. This was not an easy decision for us, but we feel that we have no other choice. We simply see these tests as harmful, expensive, unfair, and a waste of time and valuable resources.
This year we will show effort to eliminate unnecessary and harmful assessments in our public schools. Our child will not participate in any assessments other than those solely for the use of the individual classroom teacher.
We refuse to allow any data to be used for purposes other than the individual teacher’s own formative or cumulative assessment. Any assessment whose data is used to determine school ranking, teacher effectiveness, state or federal longitudinal studies or any other purpose other than for the individual classroom teacher’s own use to improve his or her instruction will not be presented to our child.
To be clear, our children will not participate in the following:
➢ Any so-called “benchmark” exams whether they are teacher-designed or not, since these exams are imposed by entities other than the individual teacher.
➢ Pre–assessments connected to “Student Learning Objectives”.
➢ Any progress-monitoring or RTI assessments such as AIMSweb, MAP, or STAR
➢ Any exam used to formulate an evaluation or score for our children’s teachers or their school.
We believe in and trust our highly qualified and dedicated teachers and administrators. We believe in the high quality of teaching and learning that occurs at _____________ School. We hope our efforts will be understood in the context in which they are intended: to support the quality of instruction promoted by the school, and to advocate for what is best for all children. Our school will not suffer when these tests are finally gone, they will flourish as they have in the years previous. ________ school should have a unified policy in place to address children who are refusing these assessments.
We do apologize in advance for the inconvenience this decision may cause the administration, the school, and staff.
Sincerely,
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