The previous post included the letter that Dr. Michael J. Hynes of the Patchogue-Medford school district sent to teachers.
Parents in the district on Long Island in Néw York received this letter from Dr. Hynes.
The letter is straightforward. It says parents have the right to opt out without penalty.
Did your superintendent say that to parents in your district? If not, why not?
Thank you, Dr. Hynes, for leveling with parents and siding with students. I hope other superintendents follow your example.
Critics of opt out have likened the state tests to taking a vaccination. If the state tells you to do it, you must. The importance of a vaccination is based on science, not whim or politics. Children should be vaccinated whether their parents approve or not, because public health is at risk if they don’t.
But in light of the fact that the standardized tests now used are social constructs that arbitrarily label children as failures, parents should feel no obligation to subject their children to the tests. There is no risk to public health if children don’t take the tests. Opting out is the only way that parents can send a strong message to their elected representatives, who mandated the tests.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Reblogged this on and commented:
Another stunning example of what school is for… standing up for kids and families. Read the Hynes letter to parents
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Cross posted at http://www.opednews.com/Quicklink/Did-Your-Superintendent-Se-in-Best_Web_OpEds-Children_Diane-Ravitch_FACT_Failures-150901-367.html#comment561254
with this comment, which has embedded links at the article post.
For more on opt out, here is link to the Ravitch blog on that subject CLICK HERE.
And to learn more about the standardzed test conspiracy to end public schools that began with this idea to test children to evaluate their schools and their teachers, click here:
Also, I added this from an earlier post by Diane. (links are embedded at OPED)
‘Mark Weber, explains how standardized tests are designed and how they function in real life.Standardized tests are designed to produce a normal curve. Most students are in the middle. The curve accurately reflects socioeconomic status. If states use proficiency levels instead, those levels are completely arbitrary. They can be moved up or down, as the leaders choose, to demonstrate progress or failure.”
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“But in light of the fact that the standardized tests now used are social constructs that arbitrarily label children as failures. . . ”
That’s not arbitrary, Diane, it’s on purpose!
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Does anyone remember that clause in NCLB that says reforms must be based on peer-reviewed research? What research is there that says testing improves performance in schools, or that all children must be tested to gain any improvements?
It’s a conflict of laws issue, I suppose, but wouldn’t it be useful to have some litigation on the issue?
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In New Mexico the Superintendents do not dare to send out such a letter to the parents. If any of the 89 Superintendents even hint that opting out is okay NM Secretary of Education Skandera will do all in her power to withhold funding for the any school district and come up with other ways to punish the School Districts. Basically, in my opinion, she is using financial coercion to demand Superintendents and Teachers to do all they can to force students to take all the standardized tests. Skandera does not give a damn about Parents or Students rights. It is all about the all mighty standardized tests — especially the PARCC — and nothing else matters, not even high quality education for the Students.
New Mexico has some outstanding Superintendents and Teachers but they are put in a box where they have little or no control over what happens in the Districts or Classrooms. Everything is directed in a dictatorial manner from Skandera’s office in Santa Fe with the total support and agreement of NM Governor Martinez.
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New York’s governor is a shill of the privatization vultures. He just hired a commissioner who got run out of Florida because of mismanagement and strong arm tactics in favor of privatization. It is the parents of New York who are defining this movement. Parents in New Mexico must begin to speak up.
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Florida’s AIR test was just validated with some reservations:
Click to access FSA_Final_Report_08312015.pdf
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I’ll venture to say this is very unusual.
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No ours did not, is not likely to do so, and would probably send us a letter that says we’d better show growth ir else!
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Opting out, while enshrined in law in Utah, is still a well-kept secret. Teachers cannot even hint that opting out is an option. My district sent out an e-flyer with the opt out information. The problem is, that parents get a TON of these e-flyers weekly. I doubt anyone (that includes me as a parent) even pays attention to them. So they “informed” parents without really informing parents. It’s ridiculous.
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Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Education.
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No. Our Superintendent sent out a letter addressed to
Current Resident or
Name and Address
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