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.
‘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
