Fighting The State Test!!
angelwings14513 <[email protected]
Dear Friends of Education:
Last week, the Associated Press reported that, "At a time when the
state is
holding students, teachers and schools to higher standards, [NYS
Board
of
Regents] Chancellor Robert Bennett is raising the notion that school
boards
should be held equally accountable." A former Buffalo school board
president
is quoted as saying, "If you're holding everyone else accountable,
beginning
with the students, you can't have the elected officials not have
some
kind of
standards."
"Putting Children First" believes that this is an excellent
opportunity
to
hammer this point home: if our elected officials will not sit for
state
tests, then neither should our children be forced to do so!
We intend to submit the short (175-word) letter to the editor pasted
below to
as many newspapers statewide as we can--and to attach the names of
as
many
signatories as we possibly can--hopefully, as many as 1,000.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!! Here's what to do:
1) READ THE LETTER (below).
2) If you agree with the letter and would like to join in signing
it,
please
respond to PtnChildrenFirst@... by 11pm, Sunday, March 2. The
letter
will go out to newspapers on Monday morning, March 3.
3) Fill out this information and include it with your response.
Complete
responses will be required in order for many papers to permit use of
your
name:
"Please add my name and address to the list of those who will sign
the
editorial letter from Putting Children First! with regard to
Chancellor
Robert Bennett's recommendation of state standards for school
boards."
YOUR FULL NAME:
YOUR HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER:
YOUR FULL STREET ADDRESS & ZIP CODE:
4) Please let us know the name, street address and e-mail address of
your
local paper, if you are willing to allow us to submit this letter
electronically with your name and address (as well as other
signatories).
5) If you are willing, please also note (for the papers) whether you
are:
--a student? at what school?
--a parent?
--a teacher? at what school?
--a professor? at what school? what is your field?
--a businessperson? What is your title and the name of your company?
6) Please FORWARD this post to other people or listserves which you
think
might be interested in participating in this effort!
7) Those interested in more information on "Putting CHILDREN First!"
(not
test scores) are encouraged to contact PCF at
PtnChildrenFirst@...,
or
call (585) 872-4267, or write to PCF at 1210 Severn Ridge Road,
Webster, NY
14580. We can make a CHANGE--for all our kids!
Marcia Weinert
Coordinator
Putting Children First!
1210 Severn Ridge Road
Webster, NY 14580
(585) 872-4267
PtnChildrenFirst@...
_______________________
THE LETTER---
Dear Editor:
NY Regents Chancellor Robert Bennett has proposed that school boards
should
have "higher standards."*
Commissioner Mills argued in court last year that passing five
Regents
examinations should be considered minimal evidence of a student's
ability to
participate effectively as a citizen. Following this argument,
neither he
nor any Regent, legislator, or school board member should hold
public
office
without first passing five Regents examinations.
Of course, policymakers come to office after demonstrating their
abilities in
varied real-life situations. A paper-and-pencil test will not
capture
their
capabilities in working creatively, cooperatively, or over time.
Just so: if standardized tests are not a good way to assess the
abilities of
our leaders, then neither are they a good way to assess students.
Standardized tests steal funds from classrooms while school
districts
statewide face fiscal crises. A minimal requirement for school board
"standards" should be to call on Mills and the Regents for an
immediate
end
to their simple-minded over-emphasis on standardized testing as a
measure of
quality teaching, learning, or thinking.
*AP article by Carolyn Thompson, Feb. 24, 2003
Last week, the Associated Press reported that, "At a time when the
state is
holding students, teachers and schools to higher standards, [NYS
Board
of
Regents] Chancellor Robert Bennett is raising the notion that school
boards
should be held equally accountable." A former Buffalo school board
president
is quoted as saying, "If you're holding everyone else accountable,
beginning
with the students, you can't have the elected officials not have
some
kind of
standards."
"Putting Children First" believes that this is an excellent
opportunity
to
hammer this point home: if our elected officials will not sit for
state
tests, then neither should our children be forced to do so!
We intend to submit the short (175-word) letter to the editor pasted
below to
as many newspapers statewide as we can--and to attach the names of
as
many
signatories as we possibly can--hopefully, as many as 1,000.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!! Here's what to do:
1) READ THE LETTER (below).
2) If you agree with the letter and would like to join in signing
it,
please
respond to PtnChildrenFirst@... by 11pm, Sunday, March 2. The
letter
will go out to newspapers on Monday morning, March 3.
3) Fill out this information and include it with your response.
Complete
responses will be required in order for many papers to permit use of
your
name:
"Please add my name and address to the list of those who will sign
the
editorial letter from Putting Children First! with regard to
Chancellor
Robert Bennett's recommendation of state standards for school
boards."
YOUR FULL NAME:
YOUR HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER:
YOUR FULL STREET ADDRESS & ZIP CODE:
4) Please let us know the name, street address and e-mail address of
your
local paper, if you are willing to allow us to submit this letter
electronically with your name and address (as well as other
signatories).
5) If you are willing, please also note (for the papers) whether you
are:
--a student? at what school?
--a parent?
--a teacher? at what school?
--a professor? at what school? what is your field?
--a businessperson? What is your title and the name of your company?
6) Please FORWARD this post to other people or listserves which you
think
might be interested in participating in this effort!
7) Those interested in more information on "Putting CHILDREN First!"
(not
test scores) are encouraged to contact PCF at
PtnChildrenFirst@...,
or
call (585) 872-4267, or write to PCF at 1210 Severn Ridge Road,
Webster, NY
14580. We can make a CHANGE--for all our kids!
Marcia Weinert
Coordinator
Putting Children First!
1210 Severn Ridge Road
Webster, NY 14580
(585) 872-4267
PtnChildrenFirst@...
_______________________
THE LETTER---
Dear Editor:
NY Regents Chancellor Robert Bennett has proposed that school boards
should
have "higher standards."*
Commissioner Mills argued in court last year that passing five
Regents
examinations should be considered minimal evidence of a student's
ability to
participate effectively as a citizen. Following this argument,
neither he
nor any Regent, legislator, or school board member should hold
public
office
without first passing five Regents examinations.
Of course, policymakers come to office after demonstrating their
abilities in
varied real-life situations. A paper-and-pencil test will not
capture
their
capabilities in working creatively, cooperatively, or over time.
Just so: if standardized tests are not a good way to assess the
abilities of
our leaders, then neither are they a good way to assess students.
Standardized tests steal funds from classrooms while school
districts
statewide face fiscal crises. A minimal requirement for school board
"standards" should be to call on Mills and the Regents for an
immediate
end
to their simple-minded over-emphasis on standardized testing as a
measure of
quality teaching, learning, or thinking.
*AP article by Carolyn Thompson, Feb. 24, 2003
angelwings14513
THIS IS FROM PCF_ INFO I THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE WITH NY'ERS
Dear Friend of Education,
If you have had half an eye on the news this week, you already know
that
massive numbers of NYS school children will be denied diplomas this
month because
of abusive state tests, particularly the Math A and Physics Regents
Exams.
The good news is that Commissioner Mills has painted himself into a
corner by
relying on a weak tool to measure the growth of the human intellect,
and that
those who oppose the state tests now have a golden opportunity to
speak
as
one against their devastating impact.
A "Rally for Our Kids" is being planned in the Rochester area--see
information below--but I heartily encourage those of you elsewhere
in
the state to find
a way to make some noise. Write your legislators, hold a mini-
protest
on a
streetcorner, write to the newspaper, write your Regent, call your
local high
school and find out the facts about the impact of this year's
tests.
THE DAMAGE
MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE. We need ALL of our kids!
"RALLY FOR OUR KIDS"
7 am planning meeting, Monday, June 23
Fairport High School, 1358 Ayrault Road, Fairport, NY
3:30 pm RALLY, Tuesday, June 24
East High School, 1801 East Main Street, Rochester, NY
Please bring your friends, your children, and posters to share our
rage!!
Marcia Weinert
Coordinator
Putting Children First!
1210 Severn Ridge Road
Webster, NY 14580
(585) 872-4267
PtnChildrenFirst@...
Dear Friend of Education,
If you have had half an eye on the news this week, you already know
that
massive numbers of NYS school children will be denied diplomas this
month because
of abusive state tests, particularly the Math A and Physics Regents
Exams.
The good news is that Commissioner Mills has painted himself into a
corner by
relying on a weak tool to measure the growth of the human intellect,
and that
those who oppose the state tests now have a golden opportunity to
speak
as
one against their devastating impact.
A "Rally for Our Kids" is being planned in the Rochester area--see
information below--but I heartily encourage those of you elsewhere
in
the state to find
a way to make some noise. Write your legislators, hold a mini-
protest
on a
streetcorner, write to the newspaper, write your Regent, call your
local high
school and find out the facts about the impact of this year's
tests.
THE DAMAGE
MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE. We need ALL of our kids!
"RALLY FOR OUR KIDS"
7 am planning meeting, Monday, June 23
Fairport High School, 1358 Ayrault Road, Fairport, NY
3:30 pm RALLY, Tuesday, June 24
East High School, 1801 East Main Street, Rochester, NY
Please bring your friends, your children, and posters to share our
rage!!
Marcia Weinert
Coordinator
Putting Children First!
1210 Severn Ridge Road
Webster, NY 14580
(585) 872-4267
PtnChildrenFirst@...