Note to the Regents: Parents and teachers have had it. They are sick of the same old, same old, test-and-punish, top-down mandates. Isn’t it time to pick a leader who is not in love with high-stakes testing and lockstep policies?
John Ogozalek, teacher and thinker, speaks for many others when he wrote this morning:
Maybe at this point someone in charge should apologize to the children, parents, teachers and taxpayers of New York State for 8 years of chaos and waste and harm.
But I’m not holding my breath waiting for that.
I’m going to go water the garden.
Enjoy this beautiful, summer day all!
I agree that the state owes everyone an apology. But I don’t agree that we should sit back and wait to see what happens. Speak up, contact your Regent if you live in New York, demand a new approach that respects the intelligence of parents, teachers, students, and taxpayers. All over the country, parents and educators are starting to demand fresh thinking, free of the shackles created by No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top. New York should lead, not follow, in breaking free of the status quo.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Parents in New York should speak up and demand more of education in New York State. It is hard to ignore a groundswell of complaining parents. Parents, grandparents and concerned citizens should use their collective power to demand change by contacting their Board of Regents. Unless there is an effective response to support change, the Regents will be hearing from the lobbyists for the testing companies and those that support more privatization. This time requires active participation from the community, if there is any hope of effecting positive, substantive change.
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A group of teachers from my school contacted Regent Judith Chin a month ago. We wrote her about the deplorable treatment of ELLs. She didn’t see fit to respond. I’m pretty sure in September, when we send her the same letter with 100 signatures, she’ll also be busy. It’s unconscionable the indifference with which ELLs are treated. It’s remarkable how it’s blithely accepted by so many parties who ought to know better.
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saddest words for years now, WHO OUGHT TO KNOW BETTER
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Thanks for including my comment front and center. And, good advice.
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