This comment was posted on the blog by Peggy Robertson, founder of United Opt Out, in response to the New York Times’ article implying that the Opt Out movement is led by the teachers’ unions.
Peggy Robertson writes:
Opt out is led by parents, teachers, students and citizens. When United Opt Out National began over four years ago we were simply a facebook page with a file for each state. Within hours our FB group page was flooded with opt out requests and now we have opt out leaders all over the country and grassroots opt out groups popping up everywhere. I think Florida has 25 at this point – probably more since I last checked – and mind you they did this all on their own. UOO has simply been a catalyst and a support. What is even more fascinating, and sad, is that UOO has reached out to the unions many times, and never received a response. You will notice that United Opt Out National is rarely mentioned in recent articles. I think that’s because we represent the people. The power of the people. UOO has no funding (heck I paid for our website for the first two years pretty much on my own). When our website was destroyed last year guess who helped UOO fund/rebuild it? The people. No corporations. No unions. The people – the citizens of this country – for free – and with truth and heart – have helped us to create fifty state opt out guides. The citizens have helped us to continually update and alert folks to opt out situations across the country. The people have helped us create essential guides, opt out letters, and social media campaigns. The fact that this is happening by the people, for the people, with no funding, is true democracy and is a dangerous thing. Folks would much prefer that we are sheeple and that we are incapable of strategically planning a nationwide opt out movement. Guess what? We did it. All of us. That makes us dangerous. That makes the media/corporations want to co-opt and shut down our work. A mass movement of civil disobedience that is running through our country like a tidal wave in an attempt to save our democracy is indeed a powerful force that no corporation can shut down. Let’s keep pushing forward. Solidarity to all of you.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Go Peggy. Thank you.
The powers that be know that the Opt Out Movement is people powered and it scares them to death. That’s why they attacked the website. That’s why they have to try to smear it with the dreaded “union” label. Anything they can do to minimize, smear or destroy it.
A mass movement of civil disobedience that is running through our country like a tidal wave in an attempt to save our democracy is indeed a powerful force that no corporation can shut down.
Earnestly hope this is true. Your correction to misleading news is great.
Reblogged this on Crazy Normal – the Classroom Exposé and commented:
The truth about the national United Opt Out movement that the billionaire oligarchs and their puppets in the corporate education reform movement don’t want the country to know.
In its thirst to “invent” the news and to sensationalize the issue, the media moguls and their minions have manufactured a lie that you can read about, see and hear on “the news” every day. The message? That educators are to blame for lousy public schools in America. The lies are fed by corporate $$$ and hedge fund investors looking to gain from taking our tax dollars in an effort to privatize education. Aside from the growing number of parents who have FINALLY come to the conclusion that educators ARE NOT to blame here, the damage that has been done to the future of the teaching profession is immeasurable. It will take YEARS once we, the people, RETAKE the role of supporting America’s public schools, administrators and teachers to support those choosing the noblest of professions.
Newspapers sell a lot of papers everyday and television “news” often leads with stories about the opt-out movement because it resonates with parents and viewers. Never under estimate the power of folks when they are UNITED. Not because we may be union members, either. That’s the “EASY” fallback answer. No, we are united because we care for our kids, our schools, our teachers, stalwart administrators and support staff. These folks are TRULY UNSUNG HEROES and despite the unpopular nature of what they do, they go about their business EVERY DAY providing a safe and as educational an environment as humanly possible despite the inequity of public school funding across this country from poor school districts to wealthy ones … do you want to find the truth? Go out and visit a wealthy suburban school district, an urban school district in the inner city and then a rural district. Pay careful attention to what you see. You will be astonished.
The math assessments begin tomorrow here in New York. I hope that this years numbers of opt-outs is STAGGERING. Our governor continues to punish the teaching profession and in doing so, is punishing the children in public schools in New York State for years to come. That will be his unintended legacy.
OPT OUT, AMERICA! It’s time to retake America’s public schools for our future generations!
I am a teacher in NC. We have no labor unions and opt out is not “legal” here. But, when my school decided to hold a “MOCK” EOG(End of Grade) test day, I stayed home! Living here is like being in a time machine that travels backward. Thank you Peggy for helping me to know there are people willing to stand up for their beliefs.
“opt out is not “legal” here”
What law/statute/regulation/ordinance/etc. makes it illegal? Unless there’s a specific law making something illegal, it is legal. That’s the way a free country works. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Next thing you know, they’ll be telling you you can’t sleep in on Saturdays because there’s no law saying you can.
For more info see: http://unitedoptout.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/North-Carolina-OPT-OUT-Guide-February-2015.pdf
Go Peggy, the people are totally behind you. I know people who are opting out their kids and taking a stand on something publicly like this for the first time ever in their lives–people who have never even voted. The unions have no part in influencing me or anyone else I know. This is truly grassroots, Main Street America–the average, everyday hardworking Joe in small-towns and big cities– rising up and speaking out. I feel we have not seen this kind of activism in a very, very long time.
Go get ’em, Peggy, and your army of thousands! The truth will come out, but we certainly cannot rely on these newspapers whose editorial boards are intent on supporting the plutocracy. I find it fascinating that the New York Times–and many other newspapers–refuse to mention United Opt Out. It’s clear they don’t want to enable their readers to join the movement. Well, the joke’s on them.
The article also neglected to mention the Badass Teachers Assn, whose leader Marla Kilfoyle was interviewed for the piece. Motoko Rich claimed this was because of “family style” editorial policy. Funny though; that didn’t stop them from quoting John Boehner telling congress to “get off their ass” in another article or writing about “biting asses” in a bird watching article. Regardless, what’s profane about United Opt Out?
“Family Friendly?”
“Badass” isn’t kosher
But school destruction is?
Tell me what is wrong here
Cuz something seems amiss
The laser-like focus on unions is just weird. Ohio public school teachers belong to a union. We’re building a new school here and we’ve had a series of community meetings since last spring on it. The meetings are not just about the facility- the building- they’re about everything we do or want in our schools; testing, “project-based learning”, “blended learning”, collaboration, community support, discipline…
“Teachers union” hasn’t been mentioned once.
Maybe people here are secretly thinking labor unions are the Number One issue in our public schools and they just haven’t mentioned it at 7 meetings over the last year, but I doubt it.
“Media Talking Points”
Union’s code for “bad”
For “pedophile protection”
If PARCC is to be had
Use union misdirection
It IS weird, though. It’s like talking about parcel delivery and limiting that discussion to “UPS are Teamsters and FedEx are non-union”
We must only discuss this within this frame! Ed reformers want to talk about teachers unions so henceforth that will be The Rule!
It’s bizarre, really, if you think about it.
I am reminded of a trip to Poland about 15 years ago, when someone complained about “the Jews.” I had to remind them that almost every Jew had been exterminated.
dianeravitch: what you said.
Somebody had to make the obvious parallel—
Thank you.
😎
Really shows how widespread the dissatisfaction is with the testing system. It’s not just the teachers who see what the testing does to their students, its the parents and students themselves. Wait, students don’t want this testing on top of all the other tests they have to take for their schools normally? Say it ain’t so!
The NYT has become an anti union newspaper. This paper’s editorial board and Op Ed writers have hitched their wagongs to the myriad ill begotten corrosive education misadventures that are eroding public education. It is in the the ideologica; best interest of the NYT to tie the parent driven locally based Opt Out movements to unions. Parents resistance will be known by the NYT generated company it keeps.
The persistant problem is how to combat the lies circulated by the NYT? How parents group and yes, unions can disseminate to the general public an accurate counter narrative to that set by “The Paper of Record”.
First of all, our union could be more vocal, especially with tv commercials. Secondly, we really need to find some rich people to support public schools and the opt-out movement so that they can also create commercials. We are being shut out of the NYT because of said reasons; clearly the owners are anti-public schools and unions. We should create ads/texts and find people to pay for and produce an effective ad campaign to combat those supporting charter schools, Cuomo’s propaganda and teacher bashing in general. I would certainly work on this, as I’m sure most bloggers here would, too! In fact, most of our arguments have been articulated in these comments an infinite amount of times.
Clearly, the NYT editors have a stake in creating media talking point for subscriptions. They do not seem to care the role of parents in opt-out movement, since it does not fit well with ‘union vs. corporation’ story line which will be put in a boiler plate. They want to sell their story like new computer game software from ‘NYntendo Times.’
@UnitedOptOut EXPOSED. Peggy Robertson talks about the dark underbelly of the “opt out movement” and the dark money that has helped UOO’s administrators live like the 1%.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bustedpencils/2015/04/19/united-opt-out-astroturf-or-grassroots
Who are you, Mr. Slekar? Your link is nothing but just a s**t. Back2basic.
Tim Slekar is the dean of education at Edgewood College in Wisconsin, he’s a long-time critic of corporate-style education “reform,” and he’s a member of United Opt Out.
Mr. Slekar is co- founder of UOO.
My son became physically ill and has been experiencing tummy aches , headaches and sniffles and coughs when his school began preparations for the test. On the day of the test he came down with a flu. I took this as a sign that we need to follow Diane’s wisdom and lead to OPT OUT. We did and boy do we feel so much better. My son is my canary in the coalmine. He usually knows before me when something is not right.
Peggy has done magnificent work, a blessing to all of us, thank you, along with Morna McDermott and Rosemarie Jensen, we are in your debt, building so much with so little.
If we wait for wealthy ‘liberals’ to fund anti reform and/or op-out publicity and education, we will be waiting for the cows to come home. The traditional liberals state have for the most part thrown their funds into backing the reform agenda; they have been co-opted. I think that parents and alllied educaors will be left to their own devices to reshape the current reform narrative. What has been clearly demonstrated is that successful resistance is based on local actions and the tool to change state law is to begin to field anti reform candidates; candidates that, in effect, represent a popular front of parents, educators and other like minded individuals and groups.
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Sent from my iPad reform
“For-profit colleges that make a profit off students who don’t gain skills is “educational malpractice and amoral” @arneduncan #EWA15″
Which I guess is why the Obama Administration did absolutely nothing about it over 7 years.
I mean, come on. Can someone ask Arne Duncan an actual question? It’s been 7 years.
I know ed reform is an exclusive little club, but why is he allowed to get away with these statements? Is there a journalist in the house at this EWA thing?
Thank-you, Peggy, a thousand times over for playing a huge role. You are helping to save public education here in the US!
They privatized prisons- and made money. In Long Island, they privatized transportation- and made money. Now they want to privatize schools- so they can make money. This cannot be allowed to happen. Hedge Fund millionaires don’t care about their neighbors,and being part of a community- that’s the country club! Good public schools are important to everyone.
“Sometimes the adults make a big deal,” @arneduncan says, but assessment is just a regular part of life for students. #ewa15
This is nonsense. Not one adult sitting in that room took anything like the Common Core tests in grade school. Not one of them.
If they want to rank kids on a 1-5 national scale beginning in 3rd grade they should have at least have the decency to own that as “new”.
Peggy, I really admire your courage and resilience to do for WHAT IS RIGHT regarding DEMOCRACY. My heartfelt thanks go to you.
The truth is always about lack of money for many related expenses. However, with the right mindset, and the strong will for GOOD DEED, we will always find out many ways to achieve our goal.
Hopefully, United Opt Out members will attend NPE Chicago Conference this weekend April 25-26. I wish that somehow, Dr. Ravitch will shoulder to open DIGITAL NEWS specialized “global” education with many “GLOBAL” educational retirees who will participate for free in order to express all “INITIAL” oppression and bad intention from corrupted corporations and corrupted leaders in education in worldwide. May.
There are so many things to be despondent about these days, but your movement Peggy, IS NOT ONE OF THEM. Thank you for organizing this Movement and giving us hope in democracy!
Was this sent to the Times?
I hope so but I tweeted it just in case. Many should.
Congratulations, Peggy and UOO. You are scaring the powers that want an unthinking population.
Peggy Robertson, you inspire all of us! You show us that we can all speak truth to power, no matter where, no matter when. Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you!
I can appreciate the parents and teachers and others who are a part of United Opt Out and who are protesting rampant high-stakes testing and corporate-style education “reform.”
But if one is really seeking “the truth,” then it has to be acknowledged that corporate-style “reform” is far bigger than just the PARCC tests. If one is truly concerned about “common core standards” and “educational malpractice,” then why focus almost solely on PARCC? What about ancillary common core-PARCC educational practices?
What about, say, a high school that has a full-fledged STEM certification program, complete with a Lockheed Martin logo and tutoring program, and a webpage chock full of misinformation where students (and parents) are led to believe that most new jobs in the near future “will require at least some background in STEM?”
And what if that same high school offered a full-fledged Advanced Placement program, and touted AP test scores, even though the AP program is produced by the College Board, the same organization instrumental in developing the Common Core?
And what if that high school prominently displayed its students’ ACT and SAT and PSAT scores on its school profile, suggesting that it was “better” than other schools in the state and nation because its scores were higher?
The fight against corporate-style “reform and “educational malpractice” is far bigger than just PARCC tests. And that seems to be something that many who claim to be genuine ‘reformers’ have yet to figure out.
Sounds like this schools has been victimized by NMSI. Mine was and looked like this.
My point, Christine, is that many of those who think – and say – they are engaged in “reform” look the other way when it comes to a school like the one described in my comment above.
It is, by the way, a very real school. There are many, many others just like it.
How many of those engaged in finding “the truth” are “inspired” to do much if anything about schools and programs and practices like those I cited above?
Democracy –
I’m not making light of what happened at your school.
The National Math and Science Intitative was the brainchild of Tom Luce, a Texas businessman and undersecretary at the DOE under George W. In my school it ushered in merit pay, “verticle alignment” of curriculum, an obsession with bubble testing, exclusion of non-math and science classes as having any import and an insistence on AP for all. The purpose of schooling was completely upended by the intrusion of this program (MMSI – Massachusettes Math and Science Initiative). I consider it to be an early iteration of the funneling of school funds to the testing industry.
See: https://www.nms.org
Christine,
I know who Tom Luce is and I know about the NMSI. Luce has been cited by Jay Mathews at The Post for years as a reference for why AP is needed everywhere. Mathews cares little for research though.
And the school I cited in my comment above is not MY school. It’s the school Peggy Robertson’s son attends.
Perhaps the press and government and corporations have spent so much time “talking among themselves” they can not imagine that anyone else knows more than they do.