Fred Smith, Poet Laureate of Opt Out - 'Twas the night before...

And then there’s Mulgrew who must choose who is winning

To claim he was backing them from the beginning. 

I first met Fred, a testing expert who used to work for the NYCBOE, when he contacted me about getting ICE members to assist in gathering data for his exposures of the evils of testing. Over the years, his involvement with groups like GEM and Change the Stakes has grown.

Fred is also a statistician for the NY Jets - don't blame him for their absence from the Super Bowl for almost 50 years.

Fred Smith convincing Jets dancers to boycott field tests - he's the one in the middle

Last year Fred Smith gave us this gem.
Fred Smith: The Day Before Xmas (With Arne Duncan ...
Here's another brilliant piece of holiday cheer from Fred.

‘Twas the night before Christmas of 2015.

My poor head was spinning from all I had just seen.

ESEA revisions were clouding my brain

And Cuomo’s Task Force sugar plums causing me pain.

In the City the Chancellor held town halls in schools,

“Engaging” parents to tell them testing still rules.

A district supt. warned teachers of testing taboos

And not aiding parents who might want to refuse.

A new exam company was coming to town,

Having just won a $45 million test crown.

Yes, Questar will be here bedecked richly in green,

Bringing a bright shiny gift that was ne’er-before seen.

Soon enough I knew we would find ourselves captive

Of competence-based tests/computer adaptive.

But Pearson was still here to make ‘16’s test toys

To be given again to New York State’s girls and boys.

And ‘ere I descended into more gloom and fog,

An inner voice urged me to chug two mugs of nog.

My mind became fuddled with stark dueling visions

Of sky riders this night on opposite missions.

On the right was a sleigh dark-sided and shady

With curly-haired driver and a pearly white lady,

Whipping a dreary team of worn out work horses,

Having clearly lost sight of where the real Force is;

Still maintaining the will to accomplish their goal

To fill all children’s stockings with Common Core coal.

Though Andrew and Merryl might be losing their grip,

For now, they would go forth in their moonless sky ship.

And there on the left stood a sleigh wreathed in light,

Poised to keep sailing upward in glorious flight.

For on this voyage the crew never slumbers,

And everyone counts in ever growing numbers.

There’s no one commander playing ego trip games,

So before we proceed, here are some worthy names:

Diane Ravitch and Haimson and Scott and Burris,

Analysts, activists and writers who stir us;

Jeanette Deutermann, Lisa Rudley, Buffalo Chris

On Long Island and upstate—throw them a kiss;

Nichols-Stone-Mata-Sopp-Zavala had what it takes

Parents to start City opt out and change the stakes;

Lisa North, Jane Maisel and Rosalie Friend,

True educators from beginning to end—

With Jia-Jeanne-Katie-Nancy-Edith and Ruth

Unafraid to fight Power by speaking the Truth;

And let’s not forget Regents Rosa and Cashin—

Both know the score and bring the stature and passion.

If anyone was left off the list afore-scribed,

Please put the blame on the quaff that I have imbibed.

Back to the sleighs racing to our children this year,

My bet’s on the one with all the wondrous reindeer

And then there’s Mulgrew who must choose who is winning

To claim he was backing them from the beginning.

I’m riding shotgun tonight with the Doboszes.

It’ll be 70 degrees; we won’t have red noses.

The reins in strong hands are pulled by Jamaal Bowman

Proven time and again he’s no melting snowman.

But seriously folks, our objectives this year:

To spread the joy of opt-out and lessen the fear;

To every City corner and to be very thorough;

To take back our schools for each child in each borough.

And though we’ve gained ground on the dark sleigh of the night

And while we firmly believe that our causes are right

We all are aware that we’re in a long fight.

But, hey—Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!

~Fred Smith