We are now in Alice in Wonderland territory. Republicans want to relieve states of onerous federal mandates.Democrats insist that testing is somehow part of civil rights.

Nothing good can come from this nonsense.

Categories NCLB (No Child Left Behind), Testing

56 Comments Post your own or leave a trackback: Trackback URL

Joe Prichard says:

February 27, 2015 at 4:06 pm

what does Hillary say? if she wants to increase their number and be their leader in charge of vetoing stupidity…..she needs to let us know where she stands.

LikeLike

Reply
- NJ Teacher says:
  
  February 27, 2015 at 6:14 pm
  
  Hillary is a corporatist.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
  - Duane Swacker says:
    
    February 28, 2015 at 9:45 am
    
    And that’s being nice!
    
    LikeLike
  - Michael Brocoum says:
    
    February 28, 2015 at 12:49 pm
    
    Unfortunately every politician is a corporatist today if you want their dollars to run a campaign. The just announced FCC rule to classify internet traffic as “common carrier” was an incredible and rare victory against big money (4 million+ letters). If the UFT/AFT & NEA actively fought against these “reformers” with close to 5 million members, I believe, things might look different today. When I hear R Weingarten accepted millions from Gates and is a member of reform committees head by Broad and so on then it’s no wonder. I also blame teachers for their passivity and re-electing the same union leaders.
    
    LikeLike
  - NJ Teacher says:
    
    February 28, 2015 at 2:01 pm
    
    Duane,
    
    When I gave my opinion on Obama, I angered people on the blog. I am minding my manners on Hillary.
    
    LikeLike
  - Michael Brocoum says:
    
    February 28, 2015 at 2:47 pm
    
    When I gave my opinions on Obama I also angered people. Too bad. Obama has been a MAJOR disappointment in so many areas but especially in education.
    
    LikeLike
  - NJ Teacher says:
    
    February 28, 2015 at 3:20 pm
    
    Thanks Michael!
    
    Hillary voted for the Iraq War.
    
    There remain unanswered questions on her role in the Benghazi fiasco.
    
    She has moderated her pro-choice position over the course of her political career.
    
    LikeLike
David Greene says:

February 27, 2015 at 4:11 pm

It is another episode of Bizarro World! UP is down. Down is up. Left and Right have switched.

LikeLike

Reply
Erin says:

February 27, 2015 at 4:12 pm

Alice in Wonderland is the perfect phrase. Here in Cincinnati, my small tribe of dedicated and informed teachers have been feeling EXACTLY like that. The more we educate ourselves on the issues, the more crazy things become.

On a personal note, I am becoming very disheartened by the actions of my beloved Democratic Party.

LikeLike

Reply
- Chiara says:
  
  February 27, 2015 at 4:36 pm
  
  They passed an amendment to limit the number of standardized tests.
  
  Sadly, it’s a horrible amendment that just adds layers of reporting requirements and will probably result in more focus on standardized tests simply to comply with it, as a practical matter.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
SW says:

February 27, 2015 at 4:18 pm

Can we start a new “for the people, not the corporations” kind of party? Where does Elizabeth Warren stand on this?

LikeLike

Reply
- Joe V. says:
  
  February 27, 2015 at 8:07 pm
  
  She supported vouchers in the past. Don’t know about now. Don’t know about charters specifically. I wrote an email to her about ‘charters being a scam and please vote no on privitzation’ and she sent a crafty non-position response (included below). Dr. Diane Ravitch has some faith in her. Honestly though, expect the worst.
  
  ——–
  Dear Joseph,
  
  Thank you for contacting me about charter schools.
  
  My first job out of college was working with special needs students in a public elementary school classroom, and I saw firsthand the difference that a first-rate public school education can make in a child’s life. While I believe charter schools have a role to play in our education system, it is critical that we focus on reforms that will ensure a high-quality public education for all children. That begins with setting high standards for academic achievement, equipping schools with the resources they need, and making sure that educators, schools and states have the flexibility they need to best respond to the needs of their students.
  
  As I work to improve our public school system with my colleagues on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, I will keep your thoughts in mind.
  
  I appreciate your reaching out to me about this issue, and I hope you contact me again in the future about issues of importance to you.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Signature
  
  Elizabeth Warren
  United States Senator
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
  - Teacher Ed says:
    
    February 27, 2015 at 10:15 pm
    
    Thanks for sharing this letter, Joe!
    
    Well that pretty much seals the deal for me –not that I’m surprised by Warren’s support of charters, since she did come out for vouchers years ago. Her reference to “high standards” sounds like she is promoting the Common Core though, instead of indicating that her own state already had the best standards in the nation, and nothing in NCLB or RttT enables, “educators, schools and states” to “have the flexibility they need to best respond to the needs of their students,” so she should have long ago come out against them. but I’ve heard nothing from her on these important matters.
    
    As long as Warren or any other politician says they “believe charter schools have a role to play in our education system,” without acknowledging how that role right now is to divert tax dollars away from public schools and into the hands of non-educator profiteers, in order to privatize public education and promote segregation, I would vote 3rd party rather than vote for them for ANY public office.
    
    We need to let politicians know that they are not fooling us when they act like privatization is no big deal, or we will soon see many more public services privatized to the benefit of profiteers over the masses, including Social Security and the Post Office.
    
    LikeLike
- The Real One says:
  
  February 27, 2015 at 9:20 pm
  
  Warren is a Corporate stooge. Stay away!
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
  - Susan Lee Schwartz says:
    
    February 27, 2015 at 9:44 pm
    
    seriously…and who would you propose?
    
    LikeLike
  - Teacher Ed says:
    
    February 27, 2015 at 10:21 pm
    
    Bernie Sanders.
    
    LikeLike
Marcie Lipsitt says:

February 27, 2015 at 4:29 pm

Republicans also want to remove all accountability for students with IEPs and take money away from our most economically disadvantaged districts. Democrats need detox to clear their minds from the toxicity of Gates, Broad, Zuckerberg, Walton and Pearson, but the don’t want to destroy public education. Republicans want vouchers, local control and no accountability for students with IEPs. Picking my poison, I will stick with the Democrats and fight every day for truly public education.

LikeLike

Reply
- Karen Wolfe says:
  
  February 27, 2015 at 5:39 pm
  
  Detox is the perfect metaphor! The spiked Kool-Aid served up by the privatizers is poured for all, regardless of party affiliation.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
- Chiara says:
  
  February 27, 2015 at 5:43 pm
  
  “but the don’t want to destroy public education.”
  
  Does that matter though? There’s an incredibly focused anti-public school faction that have been dreaming of privatization since Barry Goldwater, and on defense? A group of technocratic, data-based “agnostics”.
  
  Public schools will lose that fight.
  
  I think one probably has to value public schools to be an effective advocate on their behalf. I don’t get any sense that Democrats do value public schools. Listening to Obama I think he’d be just as happy with a national chain of Rocketships, as long as they “work”- produce “measurable outputs”.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
  - pculliton says:
    
    February 27, 2015 at 6:25 pm
    
    Yes, Chiara, I can picture the Dems looking over the devastation of privatization and saying (too late), “But this isn’t it at all. This isn’t what we meant at all.”
    
    LikeLike
- The Real One says:
  
  February 28, 2015 at 5:06 pm
  
  Bernie Sanders is an excellent choice. By the way Susan if you were being sarcastic in your post then you really have had your head buried in the sand like an ostrich when it comes to Elizabeth Warren. She is a Corporatist watch her closely and take note of her positions and in the meantime stop being so naive.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
Susan Lee Schwartz says:

February 27, 2015 at 4:41 pm

To quote Krugman’s essay, “The Triumph of The Wrong”
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/07/opinion/paul-krugman-triumph-of-the-wrong.html?

“Now is a good time to remember just how wrong the new rulers of Congress have been about, well, everything… .But the biggest secret of the Republican triumph surely lies in the discovery that obstructionism bordering on sabotage is a winning political strategy. From Day 1 of the Obama administration, Mr. McConnell and his colleagues have done everything they could to undermine effective policy, in particular blocking every effort to do the obvious thing”.

Krugman was talking about the economy but he got it right… ‘obstruct everything we the people need,” because these guys elect them, not us.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/inside-the-koch-brothers-toxic-empire-20140924

http://billmoyers.com/2014/12/19/web-extra-new-robber-barons/

LikeLike

Reply
- The Real One says:
  
  February 28, 2015 at 5:17 pm
  
  “Undermine the effective policy of Obama”? Putting together a sentence with the phrase effective policy and the name Obama attached to it is borderline delusional. Take the Democrat blinders off will you! A Republican and a Democrat are the same damn thing. How many times do you need to get shitted on my Dems before you realize they are just as bad as Republicans and not worthy of a single vote.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
  - The Real One says:
    
    February 28, 2015 at 5:19 pm
    
    “by Dems” above not “my Dems” sorry for the error.
    
    LikeLike
TC says:

February 27, 2015 at 5:37 pm

The federal government should continue to provide extra funding for each low SES student. The rest of their machinations need to be cut back.

LikeLike

Reply
Charles says:

February 27, 2015 at 6:12 pm

Start THE drums, No to Bush or Hilary! We will not take our orders from Wall Street as Educators again.

LikeLike

Reply
pculliton says:

February 27, 2015 at 6:21 pm

I was unaware that we had ever left Alice in Wonderland territory…

LikeLike

Reply
H.A. Hurley says:

February 27, 2015 at 7:25 pm

Everybody’s “in our classrooms” except our children & teachers.
Everybody’s dictating what should happen in our classrooms, except our teachers and children.
We have been taken over by the worst educational ‘Super Bug’ in history and no antidote available.
America: REFUSE THE TESTS, ALL OF THEM!

LikeLike

Reply
- Duane Swacker says:
  
  February 28, 2015 at 9:49 am
  
  “America: REFUSE THE TESTS, ALL OF THEM!”
  
  Thank you H.A.!!!
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
  - Michael Brocoum says:
    
    February 28, 2015 at 12:54 pm
    
    If the unions supported teachers to boycott the tests this story would be history.
    
    LikeLike
  - NJ Teacher says:
    
    February 28, 2015 at 3:22 pm
    
    Michael,
    
    The AFT works primarily against the interests of teachers.
    
    LikeLike
cary444 (@cary444) says:

February 27, 2015 at 7:29 pm

Education is one giant WHITE/GOLD – BLUE/BLACK dress of a mess!!! nuf said!

LikeLike

Reply
- Duane Swacker says:
  
  February 28, 2015 at 9:56 am
  
  ” WHITE/GOLD – BLUE/BLACK dress”
  
  Had me on that one. For the rest who are confused by the reference see:
  
  http://www.wired.com/2015/02/science-one-agrees-color-dress/
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
- Duane Swacker says:
  
  February 28, 2015 at 10:07 am
  
  At first I thought you might have been referencing:
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
H.A. Hurley says:

February 27, 2015 at 7:33 pm

Are there any other professions that have been totally taken over and run by non-professionals? Social Revolution by getting ‘rid of’ scholars? Scary, Scary!!

LikeLike

Reply
- Teacher Ed says:
  
  February 27, 2015 at 9:19 pm
  
  An obvious sign that something is very wrong with the perspective of these non-educator, corporate sponsored “reformers” is how common it is for the privatized “no excuses” charter schools they support refer to students as “scholars.” When a 5 year old can get the title of “scholar” the very first day he walks into school, without ever having been required to earn it, the value of genuine scholars, who’ve worked hard for years to develop expertise, is totally discounted and diminished. In a world where a first day Kindergartner can be referred to as a “scholar,” then a first day, five week trained TFAer can be readily called “highly qualified.” Just one more indicator of how “reformers” have been working towards deprofessionalizing education on multiple fronts.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
Matt Pappalardo says:

February 27, 2015 at 8:06 pm

But who will put a stop to such nonsense? Democrats love to pretend that they can take money from special interests, and stay ‘above the influence’. Quite frankly, this is pure, unadulterated bullsh*t. Our current electoral/political system is undeniably tilted in favor of neoliberal ‘solutions’. More specifically, the proliferation of neoliberal ideological biases has been facilitated by innumerable government and private sector actions over the past 35-40 years. A substantial portion of Democratic politicians are wittingly (or unwittingly) gutting public services/the public sector, so how can we honestly expect them to ‘save us’? What’s desperately needed are innovative ideas, and a coherent political strategy. It’s safe to assume that politicians will provide neither.

As a result, we must look beyond traditional politics and focus on building grassroots support. Of course, unions/the AFL-CIO have potential, but they are currently too wedded to the Democratic party establishment. However, it should be obvious that there are no quick fixes since the problems of the present are the culimination of a decades-long process.

Finally, we must remember that this crisis extends beyond K-12 classrooms. Universities and scientific research have already been fundamentally warped by the widespread adoption of neoliberal ideology.

LikeLike

Reply
- Duane Swacker says:
  
  February 28, 2015 at 9:58 am
  
  “this is pure, unadulterated bullsh*t”
  
  Come on Matt, you can type it-bullshit.
  
  What is the difference???
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
chemtchr says:

February 27, 2015 at 8:20 pm

Our profession and our unions are literally the last bastion of the people against total tyranny by the runaway financial sector. We can only defend our people in our own schools, in the streets, workplaces, and at the ballot boxes. Let the federal “education” law die, so we can fight for free and democratic, integrated schools in every community. There are people who can write a real law, later.

Look at the news feeds today. The people of Wisconsin are still leading. I’m at this moment in intensive care, but out of all danger, heading back to my classroom as fast as I can. Those are our barricades, brothers and sisters.

LikeLike

Reply
- FLERP! says:
  
  February 27, 2015 at 9:45 pm
  
  “Fortress Unionism”
  
  http://m.democracyjournal.org/695725/show/b660f1bb454f6f36ce39deebbb349887/?
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
- NJ Teacher says:
  
  February 28, 2015 at 9:11 am
  
  Speedy Recovery chemtchr!
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
Michael Brocoum says:

February 27, 2015 at 8:28 pm

Can’t believe I agree with Republicans. Democrat politicians selling their souls for wealthy/corporate donors.

LikeLike

Reply
Tracey Mallow says:

February 27, 2015 at 9:07 pm

These vampire testing companies suck tax payer dry whilst praying on our fears.

. If teachers suck then why are you not holding the universities who produce them accountable? You are not because the issues creating the push for no child left behind can’t be solved by testing.

Generational poverty will still be there no matter how low the bar is set and will be if you test every damned day of the year.

Save our money and pay teachers doctors salaries. The conpetition for jobs will bring the excellence but you can’t expect teachers to fix societal ills anymore than you can test it out of our kids. You certainly can’t legislate it away either.

I would like to see a those in political office to be required to also take higher education courses to keep your job. Economics, historic studies, sociology, evironmental science etc. ,are some areas to keep abreast of and continued improvement. If a masters in education with continuing education is needed to run a class room I would think the same requirements would hold true for those that run our government. Wouldn’t you agree Both jobs dictate the course of our future?

LikeLike

Reply
booklady says:

February 27, 2015 at 9:09 pm

Should we start a nonprofit: LFA Legislators for America? Enlist recent college grads, give them 5 weeks of training in writing bills, send them to DC. The 2-year commitment would be more appropriate to House members than TFA is to teaching profession.

LikeLike

Reply
- Teacher Ed says:
  
  February 27, 2015 at 10:27 pm
  
  Not needed. ALEC has assumed the role of writing legislation so it’s not really necessary for lazy politicians to learn how to do that themselves, especially the right-wing corporatiists who share the same ideology and dominate both parties.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
madhammer says:

February 27, 2015 at 11:11 pm

If you like your teacher, you can keep your teacher.

This is what happens when we let the federal government be master of us all–in health care, education, meals, Internet, housing, whatever. Accountability = Subservience.

LikeLike

Reply
rpillala says:

February 28, 2015 at 8:27 am

The Democratic Party sold us out a long time ago. Their being wrong on education most/all of the time is not surprising.

LikeLike

Reply
helen olchak-otero says:

February 28, 2015 at 9:48 am

Even stranger is the legislative groups calling the testing a Civil right!! The new GED exam for New York State had a 90% failure rate. We all need the right to fail!!!

LikeLike

Reply
msvigeljsmith says:

February 28, 2015 at 5:03 pm

Actually, I’ve been arguing for a year that high stakes standardized testing is a civil rights issue. It has hurt traditionally oppressed or underserved populations the most: students of color, students with disabilities, and English language learners, particularly in areas of high poverty. Tying test scores to teachers exacerbates the problem. Teachers aren’t going to be attracted to teach in areas of poverty, because all of the research indicates that the only thing reliable about these tests is that they reflect the socioeconomic status and background of the students testing. Teachers are caring people, but we also love our families and need to know that our livelihoods are not based on a helpless, hopeless, unfair system. High Stakes Standardized Testing actually sent me to jail & saved my teaching soul. msvigeljsmith.wordpress.com

LikeLike

Reply
- Susan Lee Schwartz says:
  
  March 1, 2015 at 11:16 am
  
  Of course it is a civil rights issue!
  But when you understand that VAM and all the testing to evaluate a teacher out of the system, is
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
- Susan Lee Schwartz says:
  
  March 1, 2015 at 11:34 am
  
  Of course it is civil rights issue!
  This is the second assault on teachers, and the first assault worked so well, that they figured lets go the same way…. no one represents the civil-rights of teachers or this ocul into have happened… tens of thousands of teachers were sent out the door with bogus allegations AS THE UNONS, LOOKED THE OTHER WAY, and did not address grievances. The hearings were kangaroo courts.
  http://www.perdaily.com/2011/01/lausd-et-al-a-national-scandal-of-enormous-proportions-by-susan-lee-schwartz-part-1.html
  
  Right now, the same abuse is going on.
  Look at what they did to Francesco Portelos in NYC
  http://protectportelos.org/does-workplace-bullying-continues-my-33-hrs-behind-bars
  http://rubberroom3020-a.blogspot.com/2013/08/dear-arbitrator-wittenberg-doe-evidence.html
  or David Pakter, a brilliant celebrated teacher
  http://protectportelos.org/the-david-pakter-saga-an-all-too-familiar-of-a-story/
  
  http://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/2010/06/charges-against-david-pakter-dismissed.html
  and it is ongoing in LA right now.
  http://www.perdaily.com/2015/01/were-you-terminated-or-forced-to-retire-from-lausd-based-on-fabricated-charges.html
  
  NYC has a dedicated ‘gotcha’ squad,
  
  http://nycrubberroomreporter.blogspot.com/2009/03/gotcha-squad-and-new-york-city-rubber.html
  as the governor tries to enact legislation to make VAM 50% of a teacher’s evaluation.
  
  Teachers are fair game, because the sixth amendment does not apply to them in the school workplace (that would require the uNION to argue for them) , and administrators are NOT sworn UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY… which means they can allege ANYTHING they want, and the teacher will be GONE.
  
  In LAUSD 10,000 were accused of this or that, and ALL were fired… so VAM is actually an easier way , a RUSE to get rid of teachers with cooked up evidence of incompetence.
  
  All the activists who were taken down in the first assault, listen to you younger teachers under attack now, and say;” DON’T YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE VAM?
  
  Here is a sample: http://endteacherabuse.org/
  
  and in case you have not heard this brand of lawlessness, which I have posted many times
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfNxj-O1DiI
  
  Testing is actually a much simpler way for the top-down dictators to remove a teacher’s salary from the budget — but yes, it is a total abrogation of civil rights!!
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
Brent says:

February 28, 2015 at 8:18 pm

Democrats are still better on education than Republicans most of the time. Here in Indiana, the real disaster began under Mitch Daniels when Democrats lost control of the Indiana House in 2010. Republicans in the Indiana Senate had been complaining that “education reform” died every time it went to the House. Once Republicans took total control, they gutted education law in the 2011 legislative session and continue to do so. (They also have supermajorities in the legislature now and are ready to strip Democrat Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz of her powers)

LikeLike

Reply
- NJ Teacher says:
  
  February 28, 2015 at 11:19 pm
  
  Brent,
  
  In New Jersey, Democrats state Senator Ruiz and former Mayor Booker worked hand in hand with Republican Governor Christie to advance the reform agenda.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
  - Brent says:
    
    March 1, 2015 at 11:32 am
    
    That’s why I said “most of the time”, NJ Teacher. I understand what you mean, however. I think geography has an impact on the stances taken by politicians across our nation. For example, when Democrats ran the Indiana House they were fairly moderate, especially on social issues.
    
    In Indiana, a very large majority of the few remaining Democratic legislators support public schools. A few Republicans are even sympathetic and vote against some of the terrible bills brought up every session. But the problem is the Indiana House has 71 Republicans and 29 Democrats. The Senate has 40 Republicans and only 10 Democrats! Democrats don’t even have to show up to form a quorum.
    
    In some ways, I am surprised the legislature has not done even worse things to public schools.
    
    Our biggest hope is to defeat Governor Pence in 2016. He won narrowly last time and will probably be vulnerable.
    
    Brent
    
    LikeLike
Worried says:

March 1, 2015 at 9:42 am

It is critical that educators become politically active in local politics, regardless of party. In my state we have created an education caucus within our party and just sponsored a presentation this month at our state party issues conference on “Why privatization in not good for our state.” The room was full of folks who care about public education. Diane’s ears should have burning as she was widely quoted. Our party also ran a pro-public education candidate for governor (though he did not win in our very red state). He was widely supported by educators.

My point is educators need to enter local politics en masse and push for support for our public schools. Political advocacy begins at the local level. Our caucus tries to make sure we have pro-public education folks in each county to keep folks informed and to advocate for our public schools. We routinely sponsor speakers at local party meetings and use social media to keep our members informed.

Again, we need to enter local and state politics en masse to lead local conversations about how to support our public schools.

LikeLike

Reply
H.A. Hurley says:

March 1, 2015 at 9:43 am

GOP, Dems…nope, it’s the Party of Money!
Members have NO CONFLICT or ethical issues selling anyone’s freedom or holding anyone hostage for $$!
Justifying their purpose & reasons 4 serving their own needs…the easy part.
Piece of cake!
Frightening, especially as they multiply, swim in their $B, and only network with other Party of Money members.
Actually, we are there.
Teachers are viewed as the most vulnerable college educated professionals – mostly female. Tougher than most thought!
Just watch the news and see what teachers do to protect their students.
Without fanfare!
Tough Stuff!
We are not surprised, but THEY may be.

LikeLike

Reply