Thank You Wisconsin

In two days an election will occur that will ripple through my core and bring me to tears, no matter what the outcome. If we win, my emotions will be through the roof.  We owe so much to the people of Wisconsin. And so today I want to say thank you - as I grab your shoulders and look you in the eye with intense gratitude - thank you Wisconsin - my children thank you - our country thanks you. On election day I will get on the phone and call Wisconsin voters for several hours to remind folks to get out and vote.  It’s a small gesture, and not enough to thank those in Wisconsin who stood up for all of us across the country in a fight to save our democracy.

I owe much to Wisconsin.  Madison woke me up and with that awakening came a roaring from inside that could no longer be contained – years of anger with being silenced as a public school educator – years of watching our society look down on teachers while I smiled gracefully yet had no strategy for response – these years came to an end.

My first blog post “Are You There, Mr. President? Madison is Calling” was shared by Anthony Cody at Living in Dialogue - and after that I shut a door and opened another.  No longer could I sit back and watch from the sidelines.  No longer could I be content not understanding what was going on.  No longer did I blindly trust.  No longer did I assume I didn’t know enough, wasn’t smart enough or articulate enough to speak the truth.  Suddenly I realized the power I possessed – I was a teacher – I know how to teach and I can support others in learning how to end this madness called corporate education reform. We teachers often underestimate our talent, skill and knowledge - and society continues to try to keep us down.

While many called me obsessed (and still do), I recognized that I could no longer worry about what others thought about my intense focus on saving public education.  There was no time to doubt myself, it was time to act. It was time to be brave. I owed it to the children of our country who were suffering and whose voices to this day continue to be ignored.

I am often asked – has this changed me? Yes.  Am I hardened and cold with hatred flashing in my eyes?  Sometimes.  But mostly not.  Mostly I am scared and forever in awe that this is truly happening to our country while we continue to eat, sleep and watch our children grow. It seems unreal.  It drives me to write and put on paper what I cannot see in the faces of those around me – where is the urgency? Where is the face of anger and disbelief seen on those who have been robbed?  I am told everyone is so busy. The economy is so bad. I agree. But I also believe that if mainstream media focused on the dismantling of our democracy and the privatization of our public schools – if they shared the truths that education activists know – I do believe then, an uprising would be inevitable.  Every day we get closer and every day the resistance grows.

So, I do have great hope on Tuesday. But, I admit, I am scared. I am surrounded by many who have no interest in seeing Dictator Walker out of office. I am surrounded by many who hate unions and teachers and who believe this testing madness is good.  It is hard to continue this fight in an environment filled with those who do not understand that their democracy is crumbling.  So, while I am scared, angry and forever trying to grasp this reality that seems like a science fiction novel, I am also continually reminding myself to be patient with those who do not understand what is happening. I will continue to educate and create awareness.

This Tuesday, I will wait and watch, much like I did over a year go, when the people of Madison stood in the capitol chanting day and night - demanding to be heard.  I watched for days on end from my computer while intermittently turning on the TV to find nothing - nothing.  This memory of nothing to this day chills my soul - this country owned by corporations - telling the people of our country nothing.    

Today I send Wisconsin gratitude,  hope, love and the belief that together we indeed can end the privatization of our country and the dismantling of our democracy. 

Let us hope for one step forward. Yet, if there is one step back, I will be waiting. Ever so patiently.  Please turn to find me, and when you do, grab my hand tightly – and together - we will all walk forward once again. 

Sell Outs.

I just read a government document entitled Transforming the Teaching Profession which is signed by – among others – Randi Weingarten (AFT president) and Dan Van Roekel (NEA president).  I read this document and was highly impressed by the vague wording that made it sound like a kumbaya moment – yet, for those who know the true meaning, it’s more of the same garbage which hinges everything on teachers, standardized test scores and throws in a few lines about student health and nutrition at the end.

I shared the document on Facebook and commented, including Randi directly in my comment so she could see my thoughts. I wrote, “And signed by those who negotiate with children's lives - Randi Weingarten and Dennis Van Roekel. Love the vague wording. Just spit it out and call it what it is. The layman would need a secret decoder to understand it. But no worries, as they say, ‘It is in this spirit of collaboration that we offer this joint statement on elevating the teaching profession to improve the education of our students.’ ”

Randi wrote back, “Actually it is similar to what the countries that outcompete us do- its a value statement”

I wrote, “Yes, and it is clear to me what is valued by those who signed it. Yet, as I stated, I don't believe it is clear to the rest of the country. Lots of vague wording that really translates to a focus on standardized test scores with minimal if any attention to sheltering children from poverty. Stephen Krashen says it best.” http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2012/04/stephen_krashen_pulls_the_rug.html

Let me give a few examples from the document.  This statement comes toward the end of the document – rather telling simply in its placement at the end:  Further, we must be prepared to get the best teachers and principals to the highest-need students (including low-income students, minority students, English learners, and students with disabilities), and to ensure that all students have access to the other resources (such as technology; instructional materials; and social, health, and nutritional services) necessary to support their academic success.

Yes – first teachers who supposedly can overcome anything and then.....the other resources. 

So, in order of importance concerning “the other resources” we have:

Technology

Instruction materials

Social, health and nutritional services.

Wow.

And last but not least we have a discussion regarding communities – you know - those communities they are destroying as organizations charged with protecting children embrace corporate education reform ideology?  

Here’s the “Engaged Communities” piece at the end of the document: Finally, no community can flourish unless its children are safe, healthy, well-nourished, and well-educated; and no school can be a strong pillar of a thriving community without deep community responsibility for and ownership of the school’s academic success. Thus, recognizing that the fate of communities and their schools are inextricably linked, we must make schools stronger by educators embracing community resources, expertise, and activities; and we must make communities stronger by anchoring them around highly effective schools.

It really sounds lovely, especially the whole flourishing part. This final piece is going to be damn hard to put in place with kids scattered all over the map as they jump on a bus headed to a charter school.  It’s going to be really hard for teachers to engage with their communities when they are fired and replaced by SCABS – also supported by those who signed the document - as noted in the section titled Top Talent, Prepared for Success (where they discuss embracing alternative pathways to entering the teaching profession).  Can't imagine where all these community resources are going to come from considering all of our tax dollars are spent on high stakes testing.  And what ownership? Really?  They've stripped communities of all ownership.

The introduction to the three page document makes the focus and the need for collaboration clear – and it doesn’t include protecting children from poverty.

Improving student learning and educational equity require strong, consistent, and sustained collaboration among parents, teachers, school boards, superintendents and administrators, business leaders, and the community. And such improvements require that we all take responsibility for the academic and social well-being [underline added] of the students in our charge. It is in this spirit of collaboration that we offer this joint statement on elevating the teaching profession to improve the education of our students.

Academic and social well-being? Kind of hard if you’re hungry, tired or sick like the 21% of our children currently living in poverty.  What about them? How about physical and mental well-being?  Quit feeding the children high stakes tests while placing student and teachers in institutions ruled by fear – try that for starters.

Can you imagine how different things would be if they would write value statements about protecting children from poverty?

These are the kind of documents that make me want to spit nails – BS documents that are signed by those who are charged with protecting children.  Sell outs. Get them out of office and get in some real leaders who don’t negotiate with educators’ and children’s lives. And visit us at United Opt Out National to join our new Don't Negotiate campaign.

John Sherman Visited The Project School. David Harris Didn't.

Today I am sharing a post that few would see otherwise; it currently resides on the Facebook page of The Mind Trust, a nonprofit planning to dismantle and privatize the Indianapolis public school system - they would tell you different.  

I share this - and will continue to share such posts - because mainstream will not.  In this fight to save public schools we can share the truths, educate the masses and together rise up and say NO to corporate education reform.   

At United Opt Out National we make noise - with intent - we get loud - so that someone might say - what is that noise? And why are you doing that? We respond - we are glad you asked.  Let us tell you why.

The Mind Trust has recommended the closing of The Project School in Indianapolis. The CEO, David Harris, makes the recommendation without ever stepping foot in the door of The Project School.  He bases his recommendation on standardized test scores, which do not tell us about authentic student learning - they do tell us one thing – which children are living in poverty.  Read my previous blog to learn more about David Harris and The Mind Trust.

In this post today I share the words of John Sherman, who recently did indeed visit TPS to study poetry with students in fifth and sixth grade as part of his Individual Artist Program grant from the Indiana Arts Commission. 

Here is his post:

I have just spent four amazing sessions at The Project School, working with 5^th and 6^th graders on poetry, as part of my Individual Artist Program grant from the Indiana Arts Commission. I am so impressed with the dedication and hard work of the school’s teachers and parents, the excitement of the students to discuss poetry and other artistic forms, and the quality of work they created as a result of our time together. There is intellectual fervor at The Project School. The young people, as well as many of their parents and faculty with whom I also interacted, were so engaged in our discussions not only of poetry, but, through the use of my posters of my poetry and photography, of many wide-ranging topics from Stonehenge to Anne Frank to African culture to the civil rights movement in this country, and I was pleased – and amazed – at how well informed the children were.

Unfortunately, intellectual fervor is lacking at the Mind Trust. “Trust” is hardly the word I would use for this organization whose goals I find suspicious, whose lack of basic knowledge of the classroom (I am a former classroom teacher in public and private schools), whose demands that  teachers be held accountable for their students’ performance – deliberately ignoring a multitude of external factors -- is a willful disregard for the truth. Who is really behind The Mind “Trust”? (Perhaps we should put “Mind” in quotes, too, as the severe lack of intellectualism and common-sense doesn’t indicate much of a “mind.”)

What is its real agenda? It has fooled a lot of people in this community – and other communities, as well – into thinking it has our children’s best interests at heart, yet even a casual review of its demands should cause every citizen to raise his/her eyebrows at the ignorance expressed by the Mind Trust’s claims and statements; more to the point, we should all be repulsed by its agenda that will provide a lot of money for the wrong people – while pretending to be so worried about the education of our children, something that is truly not a concern of this organization.

Wouldn’t it be refreshing if the media would conduct investigations of the Mind Trust, and expose it, rather than give it so much uncritical attention, so we could move forward with real educational reform that lacks hidden agendas.

 Follow the money!

 John Sherman

www.shermanandcompany.net

Feel free to visit The Mind Trust Facebook page and let them know what you think. Join us. Make some noise.

 

Mind Trust's David Harris: His Next Step Will Be Over You

As a former public school teacher who knows a lot about authentic assessment, I am always fascinated to read directives given by the likes of Mr. Harris, who hasn't taught - yet can suggest a school closing based on standardized test data - data that quite honestly, is worthless – if indeed you wish to know about real student learning.  Mr. Harris, CEO of Mind Trust, recently stated that The Project School (as well as three other schools) in Indianapolis should be closed, based on their low test scores. 

The research on test-based incentive programs shows that these mandates do not raise student achievement, yet, this prized standardized test data continues to be used to determine the success or failure of our public schools. Standardized test data does tell us one thing - which students are living in poverty. At TPS approximately 71% of the children receive free or reduced lunch.

The Project School is a charter school, but it is an “old school” charter school - the kind of charter that existed before profiteers co-opted the concept. One can be quite certain that high stakes testing is not a part of the TPS philosophy (note the word PROJECT – not bubble sheet).  The mission of The Project School reads as follows:

"The mission of The Project School is to uncover, recover and discover the unique gifts and talents that each child brings to school everyday. Our school works collaboratively with families, community members and social service agencies to solve real problems, as well as create art for public spaces. Students graduate from The Project School as stewards of the environment with the will, skill, capacity, and knowledge to contribute to the greater good."

Assessment components at TPS include:

• Literacy Assessments—conferences, interviews, anecdotal records, authentic student work, Reading Miscue Inventory
• Math/Logical Assessments—Investigations assessments, formal and informal teacher created assessments, instructional rubrics
• P3 Ongoing Assessment—formal and informal teacher created assessments, instructional rubrics
• Formal Standardized Assessments—ACUITY, ISTEP+
• Student Exhibitions
• Museum of Authentic Work
• The Culminating Event
• Electronic Portfolios
• Student-Led Conferences
• Project School Progress Report
• Intensives

Quite honestly, out of all the assessments listed above, the formal standardized assessments are the least valuable and certain to represent the narrowest view of what the students at TPS know. 

Corporate Education Reformers who are privatizing public schools these days use standardized test scores because it is efficient and allows them to fail schools with a cut and dry approach – look at the data – not the learner.  If they bothered to look at the multitude of assessments of REAL learning, it would be much more difficult to fail schools. Imagine the growth you could demonstrate by looking at authentic student work, conferences, anecdotal records and exhibitions - all found in the list of TPS assessments.  However, Mr. Harris has never set foot in the door of TPS so he wouldn't see any of that.  The real strengths, needs and next steps of the students at The Project School are unknown to him.

Corporate education reformers spout directives with no knowledge of teaching and learning. I believe Mr. Harris has a degree in political science and is a former attorney. Go figure. Same game, new name.  Mr. Harris is a cookie cutter corporate education reformer.  He couldn’t evaluate a reading miscue analysis or decipher the value of anecdotal notes if he tried.  He doesn’t know the learners at TPS  - their hopes, dreams and day to day struggles.  The educators at TPS know these things, but their authentic teacher evaluation of the students does not count in the world of high stakes testing.

I admire TPS because they have attempted to focus on real learning and real teaching in the face of high stakes testing.  While many schools have caved and resorted to focusing solely on test prep, TPS has continued to follow their mission – that takes guts in today’s fear-based public school system, thanks to cookie cutter prototypes such as Mr. Harris who are charged with the overhaul of a school district.

Egos are big in this fame game played by corporate education reformers.  Protecting the children of the 99%  is not. Children's lives are unnoticed and ignored. How frequently do you see the story of a community destroyed by high stakes testing on the front page of your local newspaper?  Who reports the stories of these children whose lives are disrupted due to school closure?  Who shares the children’s feelings when their future is thrown to the highest bidder?  

No one in mainstream media reports these stories. Instead you see the bravado of corporate education reformers who squish schools like bugs and smile for the camera.

So, if Mr. Harris gets his way, what will happen to the children at TPS?  Does anyone care?  Will it fuel the school to prison pipeline?  Where will the children go to school?  Will they join a new school community focused solely on test prep?  Will they all be sorted and thrown in different schools, no longer attending school with their neighbors?  Will the TPS community of families slowly fade as parents head in different directions to take their children to school?

If I know the parents of TPS like I think I do, I believe Mr. Harris is in for a long fight.  And I intend to publicize what mainstream media will not. 

Perhaps Mr. Harris is suggesting shutting down schools to make room for new charters headed to Indianapolis.  Perhaps these new charters require less overhead – such as Carpe Diem.

Six Carpe Diem schools are indeed headed to Indiana. ALEC loves them. See chapter five of their latest report card.  Six schools will soon arrive, focused on ALEC’s love of technology and lack of teachers. This isn’t innovation – this is mind-numbing education delivered via computer with a few teachers (4) left to fill in the regimented gaps.  ALEC wants good little worker bees – not movers and shakers like those found at TPS.

Our country which prides itself on innovation is developing a generation incapable of thinking critically, conceptually or creatively.  If Mind Trust were truly inclined to help the children of Indianapolis they might just take that charter school incubator money and funnel it into wrap around services at schools for children living in poverty.  They might look at these schools which are considered failing and really dig deeper than a bubble sheet by looking at real assessments, such as those shared on the TPS website.  If Mind Trust were really about preserving and improving public education they would consult and respect the educators who know the community, culture and needs of the learners.  If Mind Trust cared about the children of Indianapolis they would listen to the parents who love TPS and are proud of the accomplishments of their children and their school.  If you wonder why they don’t, well simply look at the money trail.  Real learning, real teaching and protecting children from poverty do not create profit. 

The likes of Mr. Harris and Mind Trust do.

The Crime in Philadelphia

These are not my words.  These are the words of Mr. Johnson, who commented on the article Philadelphia School District announces its dissolution. I am sharing them here because the crime in Philadelphia continues to be ignored.  The children of Philadelphia continue to be ignored.  Share widely.

Mr. Johnson, thank you for this comment - the outrage you express is what I feel in my heart about the dismantling of public education everywhere. Our democracy is vanishing.

Mr. Johnson's comment:

Today they declared the end of public education in Philadelphia.

And with this crime, they have surely murdered the last hope for democracy.

First they defund the schools. Then they tell us they don't work. Then they privatize them. Pretty much the same pattern they've been using on every public service. Underfund them. Starve them. Claim they don't work. Buy them for profit. Where all our public services are going, and of what little remains of our our Commons.

The full realization of this theft... the report yesterday of the end of public education in Philadelphia (and don't fool yourself--that's exactly what it is!) has been hard to absorb... just how historically significant, --is almost impossible to comprehend. Made more difficult by the near indifference of the public.

Walking down a street in Center City I remembered my feelings, riding to the cemetery after my grandfather died, seeing people on the street--realizing we inhabited at that moment, different universes, different realities.

There are no words, no names adequate for the enormity of the crimes done to us--being done to us...impossible to fathom the consequences--though the mad scramble to build more prisons certainly suggests that there are those who have more than an intimation of what's in store.

A response anywhere close to proportionate to the outrage would have had 2 million people on the streets this morning storming City Hall, the banks, marching to Harrisburg with blood in their eyes... which explains the militarization of our municipal police, the riot tanks, the drones on the drawing boards, the new prisons... cause sooner or later it's going to come to that. The longer it takes, the worse it's going to be. And from what I see and hear, it's going to be worse than anyone can now imagine.

Looking the Other Way

This weekend I attended the Colorado People’s Assembly, a gathering of activists from across the state who are working hard to wake up Colorado. They have brilliant ideas and strategies – they weren’t crunching numbers to determine how the end result will create profit for a few.

I went to the Colorado People’s Assembly to help create community and to do a teach-in on the effects of corporate education reform.  It can be hard for me to speak objectively about these issues – these issues are wrought with pain for so many people – yet, I recognize that the facts, the stories, speak for themselves, and often that is all that needs to be told.  I try to share this information within the confines of an hour - not an easy feat and it is inevitable that after one of these talks I am pulled to the side and told another story that makes my hair stand on end and my throat tighten.

While the Occupy movement is surrounded by those who sneer, mock and laugh at the efforts of the 99%, I am always so honored and impressed by the people I meet at these events – highly educated citizens, grandparents, retired teachers and college students to name a few.  As I dig through my purse to pull out all the business cards I received (yes these people do indeed work) I am caught by Daniel’s card. 

Daniel talked to me about growing up in Detroit – how beautiful it was – the parks and the city.  He went back to visit recently and took pictures of the places he once knew.  Now, empty lots, nothing left but weeds and concrete.  He talked about seeing pockets of people sitting in chairs on the sides of an empty street – he said the looks on their faces told it all – they had given up.  In Michigan, where many emergency financial managers rule, cities have been stripped of everything, many neighborhoods no longer have access to a fire department, police department or ambulance service.  Daniel took a lot of pictures while he was there.  I want to see them.  When Daniel has another gathering of folks from across Colorado he plans to invite me as well so I can look at these atrocities first hand, and again listen to the narrative of someone who knows the before, and the after.

During my session I met the most amazing college students.  They asked hard questions.  How do we get other college students to care?  How do we get them to our meetings?  This is OUR future, they said.  Yes, it is their future, and mine, and my children’s future.  It is all of our futures. 

I was asked, how do we help wake people up? I hear a lot of solutions to these questions which include coalition building, sharing the research to counter the bullshit spouting from the mouths of profit mongers, engaging in civil disobedience, writing legislation, to simply focusing on the good in people – the passion – the relationships to community and those we care about.  I see all of these attempts being made now.

Yet, many still look the other way.  

credit MissPronouncer

I am often asked, when did I wake up? This is a discussion that activists often engage in - what did it take to push you out into the public light?  It took Wisconsin to push me forward.  Watching a legislator place his desk on the front lawn of the capitol during the reign of Scott Walker was my breaking point.  And it was also the point at which I took a deep breath, grinned and said, I’m with you and here we go - and once you open your eyes to what is true - there is no turning back.  If that man, pictured above, can haul his desk out on the lawn in defiance of King Walker’s ruling - meant to keep the legislator from his constituents - I sure as hell can speak up for teachers and children who are being slowly starved under the federal mandates and privatizers circling their heads.

I work with a group of educators at United Opt Out National who are asking for one act of civil disobedience.  The request is to have parents opt their children out of the state test.  This request is necessary and currently the one loophole that has not been closed by the corporate education reformers.  This act of civil disobedience will shut down the privatization of our public schools - it will allow us the space needed to regain what is rightfully ours - a whole and equitable education for all children.  I recognize that there is fear in opting out of the state test. I recognize that it requires great bravery on the part of parent and child.  I recognize that by doing so, your community might ostracize you.

Yet, in a time when our most needy children are being asked to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and make sure their eyes “track the speaker” while receiving massive doses of test prep – I must ask – how can we look the other way?  These children are not allowed to look the other way.  These children often face punishment and face being shamed in front of their school community. 

Are President Obama's children required to track the speaker or face punishment?  Do President Obama's children spend extended hours in school and attend a Saturday test prep class?  Do President Obama's children get denied recess, art or PE when they score poorly on a test prep item?

I receive a lot of stories from teachers about students with disabilities.  Rebel Speducator speaks to this better than anyone I know.  She is brave and she puts herself out there – a teacher who could get fired for speaking her mind.  I know first hand what it is like to work with special needs students, as a sister and as a teacher.  I remember the anger my mother felt when my sister brought home a worksheet with a sad face (drawn by her teacher). My sister reads at a very low level and has difficulty speaking; while she hears quite well, sign language has supported her efforts to communicate. I can’t imagine the anger and rage my mother would have felt had my sister been forced to endure relentless hours of standardized testing which would not have served her best interests.  Special needs students are forced to sit – often in tears - at desks where they fill in bubbles to test items they cannot understand - nor would it serve them well to understand these test questions. Simultaneously, profiteers are placing more money in their pockets.

While this happens, many look the other way.

I am reminded again and again by ever patient friends and activists, that history shows that people have always looked the other way.  And then, when the atrocities were reported, published and documented, everyone said – I had no idea that was going on.

Well, it is going on.  It is going on now.  And while these atrocities may not be in your backyard at the present time, they will be in your grown children’s backyard.  I question what our country will look like then, with leaders who grew up in a public school system that did not prepare them for creative, critical and conceptual thinking.  How will they tackle the many problems facing our world?  I wonder how many of these children will enter the school to prison pipeline - already we imprison 25% of the world's population - how many more will there be as a result of punitive high stakes testing?

I know of parents who are “quietly” opting out of the state test.  I commend you.  But, I dream of the parents who are ready to take on the system and blatantly call for a mass opt out, in an effort to stop the starvation methods currently being imposed on our public schools.  A mass opt out would - without question - halt privatization and the punishments currently penalizing our neediest students and communities. 

I am continually asked, “I am afraid to opt out – will it hurt my school?”  Your school has already been hurt  - and the level of hurt varies by school.  While some children are placed in militarized school environments, others are displaced as their neighborhood school is closed. Many are booted out of charter schools where they didn’t quite “fit in.”  Children are suffering under the mandates of Race to the Top - incessant test prep and testing, no art, PE, music, recess or developmentally appropriate play.  If you think standardized testing is useful and necessary, I can simply say, that is not the case.  It is the least valuable information I have ever received about my students.  My students were so much more than a standardized test score.  Need research?  Go to Fairtest.org for more information - the proof is there. Are you wondering how in the world teachers will know what their students have learned?  Just ask them - give them the respect they have been denied - they have many alternative assessments they use daily to determine your child's strengths, attempts and next steps. Do we want to slowly starve our schools while increasing corporate profit - or do we want to stop the madness now and regain control and demand equity and opportunity for all children in our public schools? Without the test data, they cannot punish your school.  Without the test data, they lose profit -and they will be forced to listen.

While Finland focuses on equity within their schools, America focuses on competition – with severe punishments for the losers and major profit for the 1%.  While many look the other way, the profiteers are taking this opportunity to treat education like a product and students like widgets – and in order to do this, it is necessary to remove the emotional or human factor from the process.  They/the corporate education reformers – have wooed the public with words like choice, accountability, innovation and customizable. 

They use these words to fool parents into believing they have choice - but when these privatization strategies have been put into place -  while saying on your mark, get set, go – we continue to see large groups of runners left behind.  You see, that is how a race "to the top" works - and therefore, left behind, are...

those who couldn’t understand the English words that were spoken at the beginning of the race, 

those who are physically challenged,

those who are wise to the race and know it is rigged - therefore they just don't race,

those who are tired and too hungry to run,

those who have asthma, or other illnesses, and are too weak to run,

those who are poor runners and would have found more success demonstrating their talent with a musical instrument, a speech, a science project or art canvas, 

those who fear competition or racing and simply want to relish in the pure joy of what it feels like to run as a child – not to win a medal, 

those whose special needs are ignored and neglected – because customization for this group simply doesn’t fit within the race parameters,

those who are simply too slow,

those who were already losing, so they left the race and headed down the school to prison pipeline,

those who had no transportation to arrive at the race,

those who didn't make the cut to even participate in the race,

those who are counseled out of the race for fear of causing the group to lose points,

those who have no shoes and who are simply thankful that their teacher brings them a clean shirt to wear every Monday, taken home by the teacher on Friday, to be washed and brought the next Monday – the last thing on their minds right now, is a Race to the Top - they are simply trying to survive.   

The children of the 1% are not racing (a.k.a. President Obama, Arne Duncan et al.).  These children are enjoying an education filled with beautiful school buildings, ample resources, dedicated and respected teachers, fine arts, developmentally appropriate learning, field trips for all, and healthy food for lunch.

Is there some reason anyone reading this believes the education for the 1% is not meant for all of America's children?  And, if you do believe it is meant for all - then why do we allow America's children to endure abuse while the children of the 1% thrive and enjoy learning and childhood? Why are we spending billions of dollars on testing when the schools of the 1% would never waste their money on such testing? Our president's children do not have to take mandated standardized state testing with punitive consequences for those who score poorly. When will the masses begin to question the corporate education reformers who profit - and have decided - that testing - at the expense of everything that represents real learning - is simply what our children need?

Now, in the public schools of the 99%,  they have pit student against teacher - they are all starving under the mandates - a slow gut wrenching death of our public schools filled with fear, anger and entrapment.  They have created a scenario so evil I cannot fathom teaching in this country today – now some teachers - fearful - hands tied - will say, run students run – if you don’t run I may get fired, I may lose my bonus, I may receive a poor evaluation printed in the newspaper, and our school may be closed – you simply must run.

These children have lost their childhood. 

It is the stories of all these children, that make it impossible to look the other way, and it is why I implore all parents to rise up and opt out - not just for your child - but for all of America's children.

Parental Rights in the Kingdom of Colorado

Things are brewing here in Colorado – or should I say boiling. The events over the last few months have been an eye opener to say the least.

We can begin with the petition I sent out this fall.  This petition spoke to the negative effects of high stakes testing and has received close to 4,000 signatures.  The petition states:  Colorado school children are spending too much time on standardized tests and not enough time learning. These tests do nothing to actually help the students who take them. Worse yet, politicians are using the results of these tests to justify deep budget cuts for public schools and to punish good teachers. It's time to end the era of high-stakes standardized tests in Colorado. We, the undersigned, demand that the era of high-stakes standardized tests in Colorado must end immediately.

We thought Governor Hickenlooper might be interested in this petition.  I had planned to hand deliver it to him.

We also thought he might like to learn about the parental rights bill (HB12-1049) introduced in this state legislature session titled:  Parental Rights Regarding Statewide Ed. Assessment. The bill summary states: The bill prohibits a public school from penalizing a student whose  parent does not allow the student to take all or part of a statewide student  assessment.  Further, the department of education shall not lower a public school's attainment level on the accreditation performance indicators or otherwise penalize a public school due to a parent's refusal to allow his or her child to participate in statewide student assessments.

We wanted to share a second bill which reduces state testing and increases preschool funding.  HB12-1091 summary states:  The bill removes the provisions of the Colorado student assessment program that require the department of education (department) to administer statewide assessments in certain subject matters to students in certain grades. Statewide assessments administered by the department shall not exceed federal requirements for the administration of assessments of students. The bill states that for the 2012-13 budget year and for each budget year thereafter, the general assembly intends to appropriate to the department, for the purposes of the Colorado preschool program, the general fund savings realized in implementing the provisions of the bill.

It seemed the right time to request a meeting with Governor Hickenlooper.  So we did.  He works for us - right?

The request for the meeting simply stated:  We would like to meet with the Governor regarding upcoming education policies, budget priorities, and concerns regarding children and education. During this time, we'd like to present a petition with more than 4,000 signatures from parents across Colorado requesting a reduction in state testing. While I've listed a date and time according to the required fields, we will accommodate a meeting at any date or time within the next two months. It is important that we meet directly with the Governor. Thank you.

The sponsors for this meeting included: Uniting4Kids and the Coalition for Better Education.

Yet, Hickenlooper declined the meeting.

I received this email from Angela Engel of Uniting 4 Kids:

I thought I'd just let you know that Governor Hickenlooper declined to meet with parents. The proposed meeting date and time was open ended so this is a clear refusal to hear to the concerns of parents. Education decisions will continue to be made by those working outside of education - big business and government. Please inform your members that the request for 50 parents to meet with our Governor for 30 minutes, was denied.

Thank you,

Angela Engel

Funny how the state of Colorado feels more like a kingdom than a democratic state built on democratic values.  I am exaggerating?  I don’t think so.

So, let me continue….

Recently I wrote a blog about Tom Boasberg, Superintendent of Denver Public Schools.  Tom Boasberg lives in Boulder. His kids go to school in Boulder.  Yet, he represents and serves the children of Denver.

David Sirota writes, “Boasberg, you see, refuses to live in the district that he governs. Though having no background in education administration, this longtime telecom executive used his connections to get appointed Denver superintendent, and he now acts like a king. From the confines of his distant castle in Boulder, he issues edicts to his low-income fiefdom — decrees demonizing teachers, shutting down neighborhood schools over community objections and promoting privately administered charter schools. Meanwhile, he makes sure his own royal family is insulated in a wealthy district that doesn’t experience his destructive policies.”

If you are unfamiliar with Boulder, here’s a brief synopsis from my previous blog on Boasberg:

NeighborhoodScout has the following to say about Boulder: "Boulder home prices are not only among the most expensive in Colorado, but Boulder real estate also consistently ranks among the most expensive in America. Boulder is a decidedly white-collar city, with fully 90.59% of the workforce employed in white-collar jobs, well above the national average."

Boasberg and Hickenlooper have something in common. You see, Hickenlooper is also a millionaire with a net worth estimated between five and ten million.  

It seems that Governor Hickenlooper is as detached from his constituents as Boasberg. He has declined to meet with parents – when the meeting time and date were left open and flexible to meet his needs.  What about our needs? 

I wonder what it will take to turn the tide on the corporate kingdom ruling our state?

I, for one, am not waiting around to bow down to Hickenlooper, Boasberg, or any of the millionaires running our state with little understanding of the needs of the 99%.

The politicians.  The leaders.  The media.  Have. Been. Bought.

Would you like to regain some of your parental rights – or better yet – let’s restate that – there’s no need to regain them, they’ve always been there. We simply trusted, while unknowingly, decisions were being made to dismantle our democracy.  We need to reclaim what is ours.

Start here. 

Sign the petition.

Support the Parental Rights bill. 

Support the bill to reduce state testing and increase preschool funding.

And begin to use your voice.

The petition and the bills are the catalyst to allow us to regain what is rightfully ours.  The governor and the superintendent work for us; we are the taxpayers paying their salaries.  Don’t forget who is in charge here.

Come to the capitol on February 9^th  to share your testimony at the committee hearing regarding the need for the Parental Rights Bill (HB12-1049), Room 0112, State Veterans & Military Affairs (upon adjournment of House Assembly - plan to be there around 9:30 a.m.).  Come to the capitol on February 23rd to share your testimony regarding the need to reduce state testing and expand preschool placement for at-risk children (HB12-1091) - also Room 0112 - and also at 9:30 a.m.

Let the bills and the petition be a catalyst to return a whole and equitable education to all children.  Currently “choice” within our public schools represents only choice for a few.  Let’s begin by halting high stakes testing, so that the corporate education reformers no longer have the data to punish our students, teachers, schools and communities.

And then, let’s do what our leaders should have done. Let’s remind Colorado about the foundation of our democracy:  equal opportunity for a whole education for all of Colorado’s students.  And let’s make it happen.  If you take away their data, they will be forced to listen.