Archives for category: Parents
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More than TFA Dissidents Meet Tomorrow

By dianeravitch
July 13, 2013 //
118

A reader comments on an earlier post about a conference tomorrow in Chicago that will discuss TFA and the privatization movement.

She writes:

“Diane, it is not only ex-TFA members. I am also one of the presenters at the conference, representing traditionally trained teachers in New Orleans who now struggle to find employment. We also have parents, students, and community members who have suffered from the corporatization of public education presenting at the conference. We are an inclusive group that has come together to work against the takeover of our schools and communities, because we all must unite in order to defeat the privatization agenda.”

Categories Parents, Privatization, Teach for America TFA

Rachel Levy: To Opt Out or Not?

By dianeravitch
June 30, 2013 //
8

I am a few days late posting this good essay by Rachel Levy. Here she debates whether to opt out her children from Virginia’s state testing.

Levy has a terrific blog, and you should read it whenever possible or subscribe. She is one of our best thinkers today writing about education issues.

She knows that everyone is caught up in the same snare, and she doesn’t want to cause problems for her children’s teachers or their school.

She considers the pluses and minuses and ultimately decides not to comply.

She writes:

“The best education is one that involves a rich and diverse curriculum where kids learn lots of stuff and read lots of books. Good leadership or bad, America’s public schools students largely aren’t getting that right now. Test prep and practice does not facilitate a rich and meaning full education and what’s more, it doesn’t even facilitate a meaningful boost in test scores.

“So, by all means let’s protest and work to end poor education policy and end high-stakes standardized testing. In the meantime, I am mostly willing comply with what is required. But I vigorously protest all the rest; it’s not necessary, it doesn’t work, and it’s poor practice.”

Categories Accountability, Parents, Testing

L.A. Parents Score Big Victory Over pRev at Board Meeting

By dianeravitch
June 20, 2013 //
18

Los Angeles parent Karen Wolfe here recounts the hilarious showdown at the meeting of the LAUSD school board between real parents and the organizers from Parent Revolution.

The subject at issue was whether the board would assure an open, transparent, public process when some outside group (ahem) seeks to gather signatures to seize control of the school. That is, when someone decides to pull the “parent trigger” and fire it at staff or the school itself.

The outcome was great: The parents won.

More evidence that the public is awakening to defend public schools against disruption and privatization disguised as “reform.”

Categories Los Angeles, Parent trigger, Parents

Texas Parents Rage Against Perry Veto

By dianeravitch
June 16, 2013 //
14

https://www.facebook.com/TexasKidsCantWait

Texas parents created a Facebook page to vent their anger at Governor Perry for vetoing HB 2836, which would have reduced the heavy burden of testing in the elementary and middle school grades. Presently, as much as one month–sometimes more–of the school year is devoted to testin and testing preparation.

HB 2836 passed both houses of the Legislature unanimously.

Our hero? Rep. Bennett Ratliff.

Read more here.

But don’t forget, Pearson has a contract for $500 million for five years of testing. It would be rather unpleasant, wouldn’t it, if the state didn’t want so much testing. After all, the state already reduced the number of graduation tests from 15 to 5. Pearson can retreat just so much and no more. Fortunately, Pearson has its top lobbyist, Sandy Kress, taking care of business. You know Sandy, the architect of NCLB. The testing industry’s best friend.

If you want to keep up with the anti-testing movement, follow their Facebook page.

Now that parents understand that all that testing doesn’t help their children, the game is up.

Categories Parents, Testing, Texas

How Parents set the Record Straight for This Teacher

By dianeravitch
June 9, 2013 //
32

You may recall a few weeks ago a post about a teacher who was falsely accused of putting a state math question on Twitter. His principal suspended him. Eventually he was cleared of wrongdoing but there was a cloud over his head and a bitter taste in his mouth about the episode.

Then the parents in his school did something wonderful. Please read about it here.

Not only is it heartwarming but it reminds you that all the badmouthing of teachers is orchestrated by pundits and people with an agenda. The public, especially parents, know how hard teachers work, and they love their children’s teachers.

As Rlratto says, parents will save us from the mess we are in:

“Parents are organizing to opt their children out of high stakes testing. Parents are challenging the motive and research behind the Common Core Curriculum. Parents are challenging those who want to create a data base of their children’s information. Parent’s all across the nation are saying stop scapegoating our teachers, stop closing our schools, stop destroying our nations most important asset. Parents will be setting this all straight.”

Categories Parents, Teachers

Pennsylvania Parents Mobilize to Protest Governor Corbett’s Budget Cuts

By dianeravitch
June 5, 2013 //
3

Pennsylvania blogger Yinzercation reports that parents and concerned citizens are pressing their legislators to reverse Governor Corbett’s policy of defunding public schools.

Philadelphia has been under state control for a decade. Now parents and activists are demanding the restoration of a democratically elected board. The School Reform Commission “passed a draconian budget, wiping out public education as we know it. The plan cuts 3,000 more employees (including teachers); completely eliminates counselors, librarians, and secretaries; provides only one nurse for every 1,500 students; and gets rid of athletics, music, and art. [Philly.com, 6-4-13] As Philly parents have pointed out, this is a plan to warehouse students, rather than educate them. [Philly.com, 6-2-13]”

“Allentown has just proposed a plan to cut over 150 employees – nearly all teachers, and most of those in art, library, and physical education.”

Districts across the state are reeling because of Corbett’s ALEC agenda of cutting the schools while bestowing generous tax breaks on corporations.

In Philadelphia, Mayor Nutter seems to be deeply concerned that state funds are not available to permit charters to expand their enrollment, even though many existing charters are either failing or under investigation for corruption. Nutter has not spoken up for public schools, which most of his city’s children attend, only the privately-managed charters.

Categories Budget Cuts, Parents, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

NYC: On Thursday, Join a Demonstration for Education!

By dianeravitch
June 4, 2013 //
2

This just in:

Hope you can join us and spread the word!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, June 6th, 2013

NYC public school children will sign John Hancocks to their own “Declaration of Education” on Chancellor’s Day

City Hall Park gathering injects a positive message into the standardized testing debate, favors giving administrators room to create learning communities and giving teachers time to do what they do best: teach!

MANHATTAN—Parents, New York City public schoolchildren and community members will gather in City Hall Park on Thursday, June 6th at 10:00 am for a Chancellor’s Day event that will feature music, giant puppets and a participatory social studies lesson inspired by the drafting of the Declaration of Independence.

“We’re coming together in support of our amazing public school teams,” said Jody Drezner Alperin, one of the event’s organizers. “The high-stakes testing culture handcuffs our teachers and administrators and keeps them from doing what they do best. We want to see the tests return to being just one valid measure of success among many.”

Vicky Finney Crouch, another event organizer, said “This isn’t about opting out, it’s about redressing the balance. We don’t send our kids to school to just take tests and do endless test prep; we send our kids to school to learn. We don’t want our schools turned into test-taking factories; we want them to be nurturing communities of learning again.”

At the gathering, as part of an interactive lesson, kids will offer suggestions for what they believe are the fundamental ingredients every school should have, and their ideas will be inscribed on an enormous scroll, the “Declaration of Education”. Candidates for mayor and City Council have been invited to attend.

The scroll, which the kids will sign, will be delivered later to New York State Education Commissioner John King. Copies will go to Mayor Mike Bloomberg, NYC Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott, NY State Board of Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch, NYC City Councilmembers, city members of the NY State Legislature, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew, Council of School Supervisors and Administrators President Ernest Logan, US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

“We’re helping New York City Public School children share their strong and important voices with the powers that be,” said Drezner Alperin. Added Finney Crouch, “This will remind decision-makers how fantastic kids can be when they’re encouraged to think for themselves. And it will show them that when kids are actively engaged, real learning happens – the kind of learning can’t happen during test prep and isn’t valued by standardized tests.”

Media Contacts: Jody Drezner Alperin: 917.902.0944. jd.alperin@gmail.com
Vicky Finney Crouch: 917.608.4321. vickyfinney@mac.com
Robin Epstein: 917.658.8803. robinepsteindesign@gmail.com
####

Categories New York City, Parents, Students, Testing

What Is Going On in Cheatham County, Tennessee?

By dianeravitch
June 4, 2013 //
21

A teacher in Cheatham County, Tennessee, sent me this article about the unusual exodus of teachers from the county’s schools. Twenty-five percent of the staff have resigned in the past year, including the football coach and the basketball coach (whose teams had good seasons).

There is a local school board meeting tonight to hear all sides. Parents and citizens should show up and get involved. Learn what is happening in your local schools.

Categories Parents, Support for public schools, Tennessee

Is School Reform Really About Economic Development?

By dianeravitch
June 4, 2013 //
8

Leslie T. Fenwick, dean of education at Howard University, argues that what is called school “reform” is really about urban land development, not about improving the lives of disadvantaged minority children. She says, follow the money to understand the “reforms.”

Dean Fenwick doesn’t mince words. She writes:

“The truth can be used to tell a lie. The truth is that black parents’ frustration with the quality of public schools is at an all time righteous high. Though black and white parents’ commitment to their child’s schooling is comparable, more black parents report dissatisfaction with the school their child attends. Approximately 90 percent of black and white parents report attending parent teacher association meetings and nearly 80 percent of black and white parents report attending teacher conferences. Despite these similarities, fewer black parents (47 percent) than white parents (64 percent) report being very satisfied with the school their child attends. This dissatisfaction among black parents is so whether these parents are college-educated, high income, or poor.

“The lie is that schemes like Teach For America, charter schools backed by venture capitalists, education management organizations (EMOs), and Broad Foundation-prepared superintendents address black parents concerns about the quality of public schools for their children. These schemes are not designed to cure what ails under-performing schools. They are designed to shift tax dollars away from schools serving black and poor students; displace authentic black educational leadership; and erode national commitment to the ideal of public education.”

What is needed to change the stagnant status quo? Read the article.

Categories Budget Cuts, Charter Schools, Education Industry, Parents, Privatization, Teach for America TFA

Should This Parent “Shut Up”?

By dianeravitch
May 31, 2013 //
60

This parent posted a comment expressing her outrage about tests that no child passed. She was told to “shut up.” Aside from the fact that this is rude language, it’s bad advice. Parents should speak up. They should organize. Alone, they are powerless. When they organize, like the parents in Texas who created Texans Advocating for Meaningful Student Assessment, they can turn a whole state around.

She writes:

“My first grader failed a 72 question benchmark test as did the ENTIRE FIRST GRADE. I begged for something to be done about all the testing. I begged for them to make any testing to be age appropriate. I begged for someone…anyone…to do something about all this RIDICULOUS testing that our children are enduring! I went through the appropriate channels, followed protocol, spoke with teachers, administrators, parents. I was asked to speak to our Assistant Superintendent regarding how I felt. I did my research and I spoke to her based on what I am living on a daily basis with my child. Of course I got some speech about how we are right on target and the manner in which we test in definitely appropriate. So I questioned then why are all the 5-6 year olds in our school district stupid if the testing is so appropriate! No answer. At the beginning of the following year, I was called to the BOE office and was told by my child’s principal and the Assistant Superintendent that I needed to “shut up.” I was told that parents in our community listen to my opinion and that I need to “shut up.” Not once, not twice, but three times…”shut up.”

“So if you think teachers are the only ones getting “reprimanded” for standing up for the rights of children…you are wrong…even parents are not entitled to their opinions regarding their own children because of the ALMIGHTY TEST SCORE!!! IT IS INSANE!!!”

Categories Parents, Testing
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