Stop Pearson Child Abuse: Get Ready to Rumble - er - Opt Out -- of June Field Tests

1,391 NYC schools with June Stand-Alone FT assignments

Thanks to Fred Smith for getting this material together. What are field tests? They are tests given in June to use our kids as guinea pigs for future tests. So kids and teachers are made to go through useless testing for the purpose of Pearson profit -- PPP. Fred points out that the kids and teachers know full well these tests have no meaning and they put little effort into them, with many kids just guessing to get through the test, thus invalidating the test.

Last year's field tests created a bit of a stir with some parents opting out. Look for a more massive opt-out movement this year with rallies and demos. And Ed Notes will be there to cover.

Fred has more stuff for the rest of NY State/Long Island if you are interested. Email me and I'll put you in touch.

CtS PDF 2013 June NYC Master Stand-Alone FT Assignments

Before there was a GEM, the NYCORE Justice Not Just Tests Committee, Teachers Unite, Center for Immigrant Families and Time Out From Testing  supported a teacher whose 4 8th grade classes refused to take the field tests. Kids testified that the idea came out of a discussion in class after they asked the teacher why they had to take more tests that had no meaning. We asked the UFT to support that teacher.  [Posted on ed notes: June 3, 2008].

ASK THE UFT TO MAKE THE TESTING BOYCOTT A PRIORITY ISSUE

CONTINUE TO DEFEND ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH
ASK THE UFT TO MAKE THE TESTING BOYCOTT A PRIORITY ISSUE

We ask that you continue to write e-mails to Chancellor Klein in support of a teacher who teaches critical thinking.
We are also asking the UFT to make this issue of academic freedom and freedom of speech a priority. Please e-mail UFT President Randi Weingarten rweingarten@uft.org and Vice President Leo Casey lcasey@uft.org asking the UFT to continue to defend teacher rights in this matter and to make this issue a priority for the UFT.

A sample letter is below:
Dear Leo Casey and Randi Weingarten,
As a member of the UFT, I ask that the teachers' union continue to be proactive in the struggle to defend the academic freedom of public school teacher Douglass Avella, who wanted his students to think critically about their education.

As an educator concerned with the abuse of standardized tests, I also support the 160 8th grade students who used their freedom of speech to boycott the practice test to demonstrate how excessive testing has taken away valuable learning time from the classroom.
Because of the large amount of support from teachers, educators, organizations, parents and students, I ask that our teachers' union make this issue of academic freedom and freedom of speech a priority.
Sincerely,

____________________
Teacher/UFT Member

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Supported by:Center for Immigrant Families, NYCoRE, Teachers Unite, Time Out From Testing