http://www.facebook.com/groups/264594250218348/ As long as corporations dictate the testing and assessment requirements, grading teachers based on test scores, and fund schools based on those test scores, THERE WILL BE NO CHOICE. All the schools are held to the same BS, so how will you find a school with “alternative” settings? You have choice now…you can go… Read more »

Dear MSNBC, After watching MSNBC’s “Making the Grade” with Tamaron Hall, and all of the other attempts to tell the story of American public education, I was disappointed that teachers and others fighting the take over of public schools were not part of the conversation. The special left out a significant piece of the discussion… Read more »

Dear Mom and Dad, It’s almost back to school time. I’ve been thinking about the coming year. I know I’m not an expert, but after seven years of going to school, something seems wrong. Don’t misunderstand me. I love seeing my friends and I can’t wait for football season, but I’m just not looking forward… Read more »

Let us begin the “selective dismantling” of the high stakes testing industry and the punitive policies aimed at destroying public schools. Please visit the new Website and Facebook site devoted to organizing a national boycott of standardized tests and rebuilding our public schools. Time to take away the data. Without it, the deformers have nothing…. Read more »

“This is not a Democrat or Republican issue. Our nation’s destiny is at stake. As policy and funding discussions take place, leaders in both parties must work together to reward what matters most: student achievement.” Jeb Bush Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/60651_Page2.html#ixzz1U9z8Xb00 Can’t disagree with the first statement. Second statement might be true. Third statement SOS (not… Read more »

I was wrong. I can read more about people who defend testing in the wake of “cheating” scandals “Even the hint of testing irregularities and misconduct in the test administration process could call into question school reform efforts and undermine the state accountability systems….” Arnie Duncan “Test score data will be the life blood of… Read more »

Below is my note to Ms. Kim Bierly (PA Senator Robert Casey’s contact). Maybe we should all send personal invitations to our elected representatives. Dear Ms. Bierly, It has now been almost 5 months since we (Michele Gray and I) met with you to talk about Senator Casey’s position on standardized testing, NCLB and Race… Read more »

After thinking about my last post where I imagined educators consciously “cheating” on state tests as a form of protest, I now believe that teachers and administrators must actively engage in a form of civil disobedience. “Irregular erasure patterns” — it’s that simple. In a warped sense, educators in Atlanta, Philadelphia, D.C. and all the… Read more »

Dear Editor, The age of accountability should be renamed the age of blame, when teachers wear the scarlet letter for the failings of a nation. We send teachers into pockets of poverty that our leaders can’t or won’t eradicate, and when those teachers fail to work miracles among devastated children, we stamp ‘unacceptable’ on their… Read more »

I was thinking about why I am marching on July 30th, and after reading all the reasons offered by so many I almost remained silent. I didn’t want to rehash all the great rationales offered by the many activists and bloggers. So I decided to do a little reading first. Maybe find something interesting. Something… Read more »