Tag: standardized testing

“Learning is more than a test score…” Tee-shirts

Just a reminder, PJSTA members should be wearing their “Learning is more than a test score” tee-shirts tomorrow for the first day of the 2013 ELA exam.

tees

North Bellmore’s BOE joined Comsewogue’s last week in issuing a resolution against the use of standardized testing in New York State.

Another Newsday hatchet job here.

Long Island Opt Out’s Jeannette Brunelle Deutermann responded with the following…

Newsday, you have missed the mark yet again. There is an awakening that has been occurring throughout Long Island, New York State, and the Nation. Parents are finally educating themselves on the state of our educational system, and we are horrified by what we have found. Excessive testing on educationally inappropriate material, an experimental common core curriculum which eliminates inspired and creative learning, selling of our children’s data without our consent, and a system which vilifies the only component in this equation putting our children first; the teachers. John King, whose own children do not take part in state assessments, claims his goal is “college ready learners”. Instead he is creating an epidemic of children who are uninspired, dispassionate, bored, and stressed; An epidemic of children who hate school. What is the use of “college ready” when our children won’t even WANT to go to college?

Educators warned the State years ago that if they continued to leave teachers, parents and students out of the equation, the parents would eventually rise up. And rise up we have. Newsday has discounted us as troublemakers and complainers. We are over 7,000 strong JUST ON LONG ISLAND, and our numbers grow by the day. We will no longer sit idly by while businessmen and politicians dismantle our educational system. We will take back our schools. Thousands of children across the State will not be taking part in this week’s state tests. Do not discount us. We will be heard.

Calling All Activists!

A few opportunities to speak out against the overuse and misuse of standardized testing…

United Opt Out National is hosting “Occupy 2.0: The Battle for Public Schools” from April 7-10th in Washington D.C.  Speakers over the course of the weekend include Diane Ravitch, Leonie Haimson, Nancy Carlsson-Paige, Brian Jones, and Karen Lewis.

New York Principals are hosting “More than a Number: How State Testing is Affecting the Educational and Emotional Health of Our Children” on April 10th at the Hofstra University Adams Playhouse at 7:00 pm.  Click here to register.

Bravo Garfield High School Teachers!

The faculty of Garfield High School in Seattle has voted unanimously not to administer reading and mathematics tests this year.  Despite the fact that there will certainly be serious ramifications for these teachers, they have taken a stand, stating that these tests waste time, money, and precious school resources.

Shortly after word of this got out, more Seattle teachers have decided to follow suit.

The teachers are also being supported by their local union, the SEA as well as their school’s PTSA.

Via Diane Ravitch, Adam Urbanski, President of the NYSUT Local Rochester Teachers Union stated:

“In his letter from the Birmingham jail, Martin Luther King wrote, ‘There are just laws and unjust laws. And we are obligated to disobey the unjust laws.’ A nationwide movement of creative insubordination may be the only way to put a stop to the injustice now imposed on America’s public schools, teachers and especially students.” (emphasis mine)

You can sign a petition in support of the teachers of Garfield High School here.

Thank you Garfield High School teachers… your fight is our fight!