Help, or get out of the way.

Dear Mr. King, Bloomberg, Cuomo, Gates, Stephen Perry, Ms. Rhee...

     We don't need you to tell us how to teach, or what children need. The very fact that you don't actually seem to know yourself should be the red velvet rope that keeps you out of our way, watching if you want, snapping pictures if you'd like, but basically staying out of our business. We don't hide our kids in gated communities or well-funded private schools while we systematically destroy the schools other people's children attend (all the while criticizing the victims).

     We show how we care for the children of others every single day. All children-not just the ones we hope to measure and filter in a corporate/profit oriented system. So pitch in and take the shovel and sandbags we'll hand you, or get out of our way and just watch.

Some history and our present situation.

History

Lloyd Blankfein testifies that he deserves every damn penny
Goldman Sachs pays him for screwing investors.

     The current  attack on public schools had its beginnings in the financial crisis of 2008. At that time the blame for the economic woes of the nation had appropriately been pinned on the financial games and the players within the investment community. Everybody knew whose fault it was and that the people to blame had made out very well at the country's expense. There were congressional hearings, the country was hopping mad, and it was about time-thank you very much.
     Unfortunately, the tone of the game players was not apologetic, in fact it was dismissive. You got the feeling watching that they felt put out by this congressional hearing silliness, and that the way they do business is the industry standard...a "ya pays yer money and ya takes yer chances" midway challenge. Little time was spent dealing with the fact that as industry insiders, the heads of big banks and finance industry insiders had not only been instrumental in designing the rules to be almost impossible to understand, they had designed it so they would win even when their customers and the economy lost.
     So we all lost. "Too big to fail" meant incredible amounts of taxpayer money went to bail out and prop up the institutions that had already abused their position and our trust. The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (2008) authorized the U.S, Treasury to spend up to $700 billion to buy up distressed assets from financial institutions that found themselves heavily leveraged in a failing market. Those funds were then redirected to inject capital directly into those institutions. Finding themselves flush with taxpayer cash one of the first things they did was pay out executive bonuses. (Los Angeles Times, July 2010)

(A couple tidbits from that L.A. Times story):

• The Obama administration's pay czar on Friday came to the same conclusion about fat Wall Street bonuses that average Americans have already reached: There's no logic behind them, except greed.
•  There's simply no justification for multimillion-dollar bonuses that are paid out to people who were irresponsible," said Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), who this year proposed legislation levying a tax on bonuses of more than $50,000 at TARP recipients. The money would be used to increase loans for small businesses.

But this criticism and attention (and outrage?) dissipated quickly. When the occasional hard question about incredible salaries and bonuses paid to top executives in the financial sector arose, the response had something to do with the necessity to pay competitively in those fields to attract talent.

A good question would be talent to do what?





"The anger at these corporate subsidies was justified because breaks like these are a symbol of a budget process designed to shift money and power to people who already have too much of it"


     Ironically, public workers during this time came under attack for their salaries, benefits and pensions. It was the only move that could be made when it had become clear that policy makers were either unable/unwilling to address, or culpable in the abuses of our economy. Someone had to fry, and public workers with the pensions that were not only an obligation-a debt to be paid,  but a source of play-money were a strategically smart target.  And this is one of the most vital things to keep in mind:

As average Americans struggle more and more financially, a very purposeful effort has been made to avoid contrasting the wages and benefits of public employees with the segment of the upper class that controls an astronomical amount of wealth, continues to see its fortunes grow, and controls policy. Instead, the powerful have used the media to make the comparison between public workers and the "average American worker" who has struggled with stagnant or declining wages on an economic playing field tilted towards the wealthy. For the wealthiest, fostering resentment and suspicion between the classes below them has been their solution  to the potential danger that those citizens might unite with an agenda of social justice and equity.

Our Present Situation

   The promise of "hope and change" that we had been sold by candidate Obama has vanished in swirl of bailouts and an assault on public workers. Suddenly the public is responsible for repairing the damage done by the irresponsible behaviors within the banking, mortgage and investment community. The loss of jobs; the loss of value in our homes; the difficulty in securing financing for the simple projects or possessions that the average American hopes for: a new car; a home equity loan or refinancing... Portraying public workers and public schools as the significant economic burden worked as a blame shift away from the true culprits while the myths of  investors and job creators went only briefly examined. Time and time again politicians called for that "shared sacrifice" in these trying economic times-but they weren't usually speaking to the top 1-2 percent. They were signaling to everyone else that they would need to tighten their belts. 

Shared sacrifice, really? 

     These calls for shared sacrifice, criticisms of public workers pay, doomsday prophecies regarding social security...all  have been echoed repeatedly by news pundits with little real connection to the majority of citizens already victimized-now being told they should accept being further disrespected. 

     And more often than not, the word "unions" is attached to the narrative as if it is at best a quaint but outdated concept-at worst a parasitic scourge and job-killer. Even gentler assessments of unions and their purpose miss the point.

"The struggle between teacher's unions and conservative think tanks to influence educational policy is clearly a key battleground in the context of school reform." (Neoliberalism in the classroom: The political economy of school reform in the United States)


      It isn't about influencing "educational policy".

      In the same way that teachers and schools are supposed to be apolitical in the way they deliver an education and support learners inside the school and the school day, politicians should refrain from assuming an understanding of the job of teaching that they have not earned. It's about professional autonomy and the difference between a mission statement for teaching that we can all agree on, and one that is either loudly ill-defined or silently shameful. 

Common Core, Bill Gates, and Market-Rot

Shared with me on Facebook just a moment ago. This illustrates my suspicion of CCLS, and reluctance to accept statements of CCLS proponents at face value-even when those proponents are also supposed to represent the best interests of teachers. From the beginning, market worship has been the inspiration behind reform-not actual practitioner input and insight. Real teachers in real schools have seen the evidence of an eroding society suffering from market-rot in the condition of the children coming to school. Their economic condition, emotional condition, and moral condition. They know instinctively that the market cares only for itself, and we all hear it revealed in tidbits like "choice" and "competition".

Not "care".

Not "fair".

Never "whatever it takes to do the right thing".

Here is what was shared with me. I agree that common standards and goals would provide a useful continuity. But from step one, true practitioners have been ignored and false idols have been propped up and protected. We need to put an end to market rot and take those who promote it to task. We need to take our schools back. 

“When the tests are aligned to the common standards, the curriculum will line up as well – and that will unleash powerful market forces in the service of better teaching. For the first time, there will be a large base of customers eager to buy products that can help every kid learn and every teacher get better.” ~ BILL GATES

My italics

Is this an accurate quote? Did he really say this?

response to legal advice to state and districts regarding parental rights

Eric L. Mihelbergel posted this on Facebook. It is interesting. Thanks for sharing, Eric. All information is good information.



Re: Testing’s Response to the “How to handle test opt-out requests”

Subject:  Alert to the NYSSBA By the New York State Association of School Attorneys

     Recently, the NYS Association of School Attorneys sent a legal alert to many NYS Board
of Education Members.These are confusing times and much information and
misinformation is being disseminated. While the memo repeats portions of what NYSED
regulations assert and what the state has already said, it also ignores other portions of
NYSED regulations and makes assertions that are open to interpretation.

    NYSED, teachers and parents are finding themselves in a new situation and there are many
unknowns. Therefore we have made every attempt to ensure that we are able to attribute
information that we put out to credible sources. To that end, we will provide you with
links to the actual NYSED sources so that you may read them and draw your own
conclusions.

     In reference to the NYS 95% testing mandate, the memo states:

If a district does not reach this level of participation, it will not make “Adequate Yearly Progress” 
(AYP), and a district’s Title I funding will be affected. In addition, there may be intervention 
consequences for districts that fail to meet AYP.

As per a May 2012 memo to school district superintendents from NYSED’s Ira Schwartz,
Assistant Commissioner Office of Accountability, “If a school is not identified as a
Priority School in June 2012, it will not be so identified during the 2012-13, 2013-14, or
2014-2015 school years. Similarly, if a district is not identified as a Focus District in
June 2012, it will not so be identified during the waiver period.”

The only schools that may have their funding impacted are schools that are ALREADY identified as schools in need of improvement and who also receive Title 1 funding.

You can read the memo here.

Furthermore, the memo does not include the information that if a school is designated as
a “focus” or “priority school,” Title 1 money is not lost. Rather, 15-20% is put into a "set
side" for special improvement projects. What these projects are remains vague.

You can find that information here.


The memo also ignores recent comments made by Commissioner John King in an email to
teachers:

No new districts will be identified as Focus Districts and no new schools will 
be identified as Priority Schools based on 2012-13 assessment results.(NYSED News and Notes, March 2013, “Message from Commissioner King” )

Regarding teacher evaluations, the memo states:

However, it is unknown whether student refusals to take any state assessments will be 
considered in this calculation under APPR. Without SED guidance on these open issues, 
districts face the unknown should a significant number of students refuse to participate in 
state assessments.

    We have been careful to be clear about what some of the unknowns are, this being one of
them. Many of the members of this organization are teachers themselves, so we are very
concerned about how any actions might impact a teacher's evaluation. What we do know is
that if a significant number of students do not take the tests, the teacher will not be
evaluated using NYS test scores. The teacher will have to develop 2 additional SLOs
based on local measures. This is as per the NYSED APPR Guidance document.

You can find that information here:

(Paragraph D51 and D52)

The memo also states:

For example, a district’s procedures for promotion to the next grade may be based on a student’s level of achievement on a state assessment. In addition, districts may make determinations for enrollment into honors courses/programs or gifted and talented programs based on students’ performances on state assessments.

In New York State (With the exception of NYC) standardized testing does not count
towards promotion until high school. The test scores do not have any effect on your any effect on your child’s grades or progress. In fact, grade retention in grades K though 8 is uncommon and


only happens in certain circumstances with parent permission.

Read about this here.

Further, as per NYSED, state test scores are not the only determinant for a student to
receive academic intervention services. These services are determined, through a
“district-developed or district-adopted procedure uniformly applied, to students at risk of not
achieving State standards in English language arts, mathematics, social studies and/or
science.” Access to accelerated programs is also determined through a district adopted
procedure and is specific to your particular district. Most districts rely on multiple
measures.

You can read about that here. (P-12 › Part 100 Regulations)

The memo also states:

In addition, districts may want to consider what, if any, consequences to implement if a student has an unexcused absence on a state assessment day. For instance, districts could prohibit students with such unexcused absences from participating in extracurricular clubs, athletics, or other school sponsored functions (i.e., school dances, activity nights).

In other words, The New York State Association of School Attorneys is advising school
boards to develop punitive measures to punish children whose parents or guardians choose
to invoke their parental rights and refuse to have their children participate in high
stakes testing. This is perhaps the most alarming and disturbing aspect of this memo.

The Reform We Need

The difficulty of the tests and the students having to take them

     There is nothing wrong with high expectations, depth, and rigor. What has been happening, though, is a shift away from logically scaffolding experiences in public school to take advantage of normal childhood social development. Already, kids get less live, active play with others, moving instead to more isolating hand-held and computer games. School play is being diminished to push more academics down from above.
Students are less comfortable with recess, group-work,  speaking to other students and adults...
    There are  more and more students in primary grades and elementary school who haven't come prepared for friendships or ready to navigate the social settings, situations and relationships that exist in school. Academic "depth and rigor" ignores the social curriculum needed, and the most vocal reformers either don't get this because they enjoyed privilege and security their whole lives, or they deny this need and how it impacts learners because it's one of those inconvenient truths.

The "shock and awe" of "sharing the sacrifice" and "staying the course" to "hope and change" to make sure that there's "no child left behind" and that all students leave schools "college and career ready"..."NO EXCUSES!"

     I'm sorry, but after a while the stuff politicians and policy-makers say starts to sound like one long Charlie Brown style drone...

     Much of what is happening in school reform has happened before. The willingness of government to paint schools as unworthy and then bend the direction of education to match the desires of corporate backed policy-makers and their designs on our nation, the world, and its economy is well documented.

"A Nation at Risk" (1983) portrayed our school system as a threat to the nation then, and that same spirit of accusation has come back.
     The economy has been gamed by those who already enjoy a disproportionate benefit and the protections that their wealth can buy. The most recent attack on schools has been accompanied by all the tidy little catch phrases that come with such campaigns to win over public opinion. Schools it seems, and teachers-especially public schools and unionized teachers are to blame for everything. The economy's precarious situation, the government's unwillingness to meet its obligation to public servants that give up pay to pension and retirement systems, the failure of investors to invest and job creators to create...It's because teachers (again, it's public school unionized teachers) aren't teaching hard enough and can't be fired easily enough. Remember how, on the heels of the financial crisis, we kept hearing about "shared sacrifice" when it came to extending retirement age, concessions for public worker wages and benefits, employee bargaining rights...pretty much a middle to below class give was what was being called for and the popular news stories had to do with how much money was being stolen by greedy public workers.
     Yet banks were bailed out. Bonuses continued to roll. Raises in corporate and finance wages and compensations continued to far outpace anything in the "real world". Corporate profits continue to break records. How has the sacrifice been shared?

Why is this happening?

There is a distinct difference between heart, soul, mind, and wallet. Unfortunately, wallet wins up front, as it is winning now. Money is making decisions that make other people more money than they are worth. But the tide is beginning to turn. Keep thinking, keep talking, keep writing, and keep voting. We need reform, for sure, but it is on the policy end first, and THEN in schools. It needs to look different than the top down press. It needs to be lifted from within, by the students, communities and teachers that know what they are doing.

The recent Steve Perry post reminded me...

1. Earlier in the month I made a comment in response to an inane and arrogant (in other words, completely in character) tweet from Steve Perry (not the guy from Journey), and a shout out of support who clearly is a drinker of the kool aid. I then got caught up in one of those exchanges, where you know that the other person knows truly what's right from wrong, then you start to only think that they do...then your not even really sure. What IS absolutely true is that there is reluctance to examine the respect/pay/even fame of those who operate under different rules. Should selective-enrollment school leaders benefit from recognition and fame for apples to oranges results and obnoxious clown behavior? Should short lived and decidedly damaging impact on classrooms and schools, a dark cloud of secret backers and dishonesty, and  WORSE (mouth taping/bee eating/public firing...) be rewarded with money and status? 
   
   Anyways, it's clear that training has occurred here.
   

   
   

   
   

   Dr. Steve Perry ‏@DrStevePerry   6 Apr

   Why am I still doing panels w ppl who are convinced that poverty is an impenetrable? How's that adding to my life to 'argue' w nonbelievers?

   Expand

   
   

   Chris Stewart ‏@citizenstewart    6 Apr

   @DrStevePerry because the world is worse when they go unchallenged. They make audiences dumber every time they speak unchecked.

   Expand    

   
   

   
   

   This is where I came in

   
   

   
   

   
   

   Dan McConnell ‏@DMaxMJ    7 Apr

   @citizenstewart @DrStevePerry Man, you R not kidding. If only there were schools we could put the easy kids in to make some public $ from.

   
   

   
   That prompted a response from Mr. Stewart:
   
   
   

   
   

   Chris Stewart ‏@citizenstewart   7 Apr

   @DMaxMJ @DrStevePerry What is an "easy kid"? And, in fact, you ARE making money off our kids, right? Isn't that what you're defending?

   
   
   

   Interesting..."our" kids, in the collective. I am not real familiar with everything Perry says, I tend to tune out charlatans and salespeople, and especially combinations of the two...but the "our kids" I thought included MY kids...and my students. But this Perry-bot was drawing a line of some sort.
   
   
   

   1. 
      

      Chris Stewart ‏@DMaxMJ 7 Apr
      
      Why focus on Dr. Perry who is fighting to save our kids, rather than focus on the gross inequities in the mainline district?

   
                     Dan McConnell @citizenstewart 
   
   
   

   We agree on inequity.steve prep school perry shouldn't criticize teachers of

                     inequities victims

   1. 
      

      
      

      Mr. Stewart managed, over the course of our extended exchange, to avoid the reality of how selective enrollment practices (acceptance/refusal/expulsion) are tools that help some schools have achievement data that can look good on paper. Being able to block some students/council out some students, require uniforms, contracts, parent participation...what else? I don't know.
      

      
      

      Anyways, some tweets are not here-both his and mine, because it was like trying to get rid of a vacuum salesman-except I wanted the salesman to hang around.  He clearly worships Perry, and feels strongly about the good things that can be done in those schools with a very particular type of student and the ability to work outside of the mandate to serve ALL students in public schools. Regardless of status, parent involvement, uniforms...

      
      

      It got a little unusual when I suggested the self-righteousness and praise were not so well deserved when considering criticisms of those who serve ALL coming from those who serve only some. Mr. Stewart compared Steve Perry to Harriet Tubman. Freeing only some slaves and getting criticized. 

      
      

      Holy crap.

      
      

   
   

   
   

   Chris Stewart ‏@citizenstewart7 Apr

   @DMaxMJ @DrStevePerry You're trading in stereotypes and creating a good kids vs. bad kids meme. I see how it serves you; still disgusting.

   
   

   Dan McConnell ‏@DMaxMJ7 Apr

   @citizenstewart @DrStevePerry Not trading-noticing..I actually work in a no tuition school serving any local student that comes through door

   
   

   
   

   Chris Stewart ‏@citizenstewart7 Apr

   @DMaxMJ @DrStevePerry Nonsense. You defend paychecks. Attacking non-unionized schools is a predictable response to competition, & to losing
   
   
   In here is where the Tubman thing happens. I am having tech difficulty pasting into here, and expanding all the little conversations, but I hinted that that comparison might have been a little over the top.
   
   Chris Stewart ‏@citizenstewart
   7 Apr

   @DMaxMJ So you define for us what a hero should be and what conditions our community should educate ourselves? And a hero looks like you?

   Expand
   
   
2. Dan McConnell ‏@DMaxMJ7 Apr

   @citizenstewart An opportunistic over-hyped prep school braggart vs me...I don't come close to Harriet Tubman-but closer than him? Dunno

   Expand
   
   
3. Dan McConnell ‏@DMaxMJ7 Apr

   @citizenstewart I will teach ANYONE who steps into my room. No uniform, contract, conditions required. No PR team or TV spots either.

   Expand
   
   
4. Chris Stewart ‏@citizenstewart7 Apr

   @DMaxMJ Good for you, but your system isn't for us, by us, or designed with us in mind. What if we prefer a path to self-determination?

   Expand
   
   Dan McConnell ‏@DMaxMJ
5. 8 Apr

   @citizenstewart That's justifiable.Leaders of schools/teachers that can select students criticizing results of those that can't is not..

   
   
   There's more...I may try to dig it up. But the bottom line is clear: avoid the issue of the indefensible attack and inflate the results. Don't get me wrong, I wish Perry and Stewart success. But the most recognition seems to come in response to the attacks, not the results.
   
   
   
   
   

I'm taking a fun break.

Tomorrow I have to go in and test some more. I am taking a fun break for a moment.


Here is the race I want to be involving children in-not to the top trampling others on the way up.

The child used in this photo is my own. Judges review showed she won.

And here they all are. There is not one in this picture that can be quantified by a VAM formula, a standardized test or the presumptuous Common Core. These are public school kids, a public school teacher, and their mom. Reformers beware!