tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410387772840321888.post2577345489198283221..comments2023-10-03T11:28:42.397-04:00Comments on Badass Teachers Association Blog: BadassTeacher Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06249079678877556839noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410387772840321888.post-56789152428926793682014-06-27T23:35:54.602-04:002014-06-27T23:35:54.602-04:00The problem is a regime of high stakes testing tha...The problem is a regime of high stakes testing that ranks schools, students, teachers and metes out rewards and punishments, and is being used as a mechanism to privatize the public school system, principally via charters. Stripping away teacher job protections is part of this orientation. This is being done in the name of empowering poor people, especially those poorly served by the school system. That is not a consequence of tests. It is not only a consequence of high child poverty rates with their attendant effects on children in school, it is also a consequence of increased segregation of students by race and income since the 1980s, and it has a lot to do with inequitable (and unequal) resource allocation. Consider this: High poverty schools that few or no white students attend typically have high teacher turnover rates and high concentrations of inexperienced teachers, and that problem has been getting worse over the past decade. Let's sue the school districts and the departments of Education at the federal and state level for violating the civil rights of students in this way. The corporate school reformers are in charge of the public school system across the country, and they are not changing conditions in high poverty schools for the better, but rather for the worse. They are carrying out a neo-liberal scheme to transform the school system. I think that the single-minded focus on testing, i.e., banishing tests is not going to be an effective antidote to corporate school reform movement. Doug Mannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16504498605645918638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410387772840321888.post-71678596102580890322014-06-27T11:53:01.464-04:002014-06-27T11:53:01.464-04:00I'm in!I'm in!Anne Namuthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15822511832008449402noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410387772840321888.post-86717741830990734282014-06-27T09:08:28.487-04:002014-06-27T09:08:28.487-04:00I'm uneasy about it because it would add to th...I'm uneasy about it because it would add to the inequity we already have. I get the purpose--showing that they aren't necessary/harm education--but I still prefer the "we're all in this together" view, which keeps us strong.Arlington Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17576187003783884764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410387772840321888.post-17449451552641749612014-06-27T08:37:48.741-04:002014-06-27T08:37:48.741-04:00Yes, all students should be free off high-stakes t...Yes, all students should be free off high-stakes testing and all students deserve a free and appropriate education.AutumnMoonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16156750776658679495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410387772840321888.post-66408434706696929672014-06-27T01:47:02.871-04:002014-06-27T01:47:02.871-04:00All public schools, and even charter schools, are ...All public schools, and even charter schools, are required to do testing under ESEA. Even though NCLB has "expired" it's testing requirements are still in force, so I'm not picturing this unless we change that. I'm not disagreeing with your idea (which is good). I'd just like to see it in all public schools. Leroy's Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13839945290918777434noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410387772840321888.post-63334329832960766402014-06-27T00:18:33.461-04:002014-06-27T00:18:33.461-04:00Hear hear Mark, Larry, and Sheila. Good idea, , M...Hear hear Mark, Larry, and Sheila. Good idea, , Mark, but I'm with Larry and Sheila. I hate the idea of exclusivity. What we are fighting for is for all public schools, for all students. I'm getting really tired of the more and more frequent divisions (read: segregation), even if all kinds of efforts are made to make it "fair." We are losing an entire generation of citizens here; we need to get them all learning again. Another thing: In our contract negotiations, we have settled for less and less every year and proposed less and less. There has been a lot of criticism of both union high-ups and Democratic politicians for their constant over-compromising and agreeing to fake compromises (those between two choices which are both at one end of the spectrum of choices). Let's back up and see the whole picture, not just what we think we are allowed to see.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02927155063316332320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410387772840321888.post-13416675508060475872014-06-23T22:30:32.296-04:002014-06-23T22:30:32.296-04:00Well said, Larry. I agree.Well said, Larry. I agree.Sheila Ressegerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03825902968436088673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410387772840321888.post-17511674514048314882014-06-22T16:52:15.043-04:002014-06-22T16:52:15.043-04:00It is time to untether ALL public schools from man...It is time to untether ALL public schools from mandated testing...except as prescribed by the engaged set of teachers, who base their testing choices on the specific needs of their students. We do NOT need *new* public schools to bring the critical component of this (bold and worthy) proposal to fruition...though there should surely be mechanisms in place for those districts that need new schools to open them. <br /><br />If high-stakes standardized testing is bad enough that we should stand up against it--and it is--we must be bold enough to push forward a plan that will allow EVERY teacher and EVERY student to benefit from our stand.<br /><br />This is not the time to "experiment." This is the time to stand for what we KNOW is right, what we KNOW must happen. Let's give the formerly ill-used phrase, "No Child Let Behind," a new and richer, deeper meaning! Empower teachers, and let them be the arbiters who choose and schedule appropriate tests as need be!<br /><br />Rita Rathbone's amendment is well-intentioned, but does not go far enough: We should not be asking permission of the Powers That Be to do what is best for the children in our care. We are a Militant Splinter! Let's militantly splinter our opposition and take a True Stand!<br />Larry Graykinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00935855504150187271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410387772840321888.post-44746845537714314102014-06-22T12:53:57.115-04:002014-06-22T12:53:57.115-04:00pinned, tweeted, sharing everywhere! excellent!pinned, tweeted, sharing everywhere! excellent!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com