Dear Friends,

If you know me at all, you know that I have a number of public education heroes (or "sheroes," as the case may be) and Dr. Diane Ravitch is right up there at the top of my list. She blogs daily--most days several times a day--and I read her posts pretty much as they pop up so see what new gem or word of wisdom she has to offer.

Today, she offers a post on a group who is calling for change in the way we deal with high-stakes testing in this country. I urge you to take a look and to follow the links that she offers. The link is here.

I have personally long despaired over the way high-stakes testing has been abused for a number of years now. A few years ago, when a Washington state teacher quit his job rather than to administer the test that was scheduled for that day, I cheered for him and I hoped against hope that others would take his lead. Sadly, that wasn't the case, and in spite of the fact that many teachers know in their hearts that what they are doing to children with the regimented, almost daily barrage of tests is not in their long term best interests, they are caught up in a system that demands "data" so that we can "measure" what we are teaching...while what we are mostly teaching anymore is how to take the dang test!

More recently, another teacher quit his job over his frustration that he was forced to "teach the curriculum" and wasn't allowed to tutor his kids who were struggling on his own time after school. He took to reading his letter of resignation on YouTube because when he wanted to share the letter at his school board meeting, he wasn't allowed to. Here is the follow-up to that event.

Not everyone has the luxury of quitting their job or retiring because they can't take it anymore. I know that teachers are really caught between a rock and a hard place. If we complain outside of our own ranks, we are accused of not wanting to be accountable. We fall into the trap of being part of that "ole teachers' union" that only wants the big pay checks and hefty pensions at the end of our careers. (Note that last bit was written with my tongue firmly planted inside my cheek.)

No, teachers are not the ones who can change this terrible trend, unfortunately, even though most of us would want to be able to do just that. But parents can make a change, and that is, apparently, the group that this new group is targeting.

If you find this idea of pushing back on high-stakes testing of interest, don't forget to check my post from the other day (January 2) when I shared (again from Diane Ravitch) that there is a rally that is being planned by another group urging parents to opt their children out of testing. The rally is planned for the front steps of the US Department of Education between April 4-7, 2013. It is an "occupy-type" event, designed, I am sure to try to gather some media attention to this ever growing problem.

I have felt for too long that the corporate education reformers are winning the battle for the heart and soul of public education in this country. There is a lot of money to be made and the testing companies are making out like bandits while dollars go unspent for textbooks, computers, and other much needed materials in our schools. In the same way that money couldn't the Presidential election in November, I hope and pray that in the end, money won't be able to prevail in this war for America's public schools. It doesn't look good...but the fat lady hasn't sung yet, either.

Until next time.

Kitty