Re: testing outcomes

[rick hotmail <scharfrick@HOTMAIL.COM>]

<<One thing you must certainly avoid:  Avoid using taxpayers' money (in the
form of materials, facilities, and time you are salaried for) to promote
your personal and political beliefs. >>

thanks art...
that has definitely been a point to keep in mind...our CARE chapter has been
trying to prevent literature from mass insight from going out in
schools...last year homeroom teachers were required to pass out their
pro-test propaganda which is signed (and we believe funded) not by the doe
but by mass insight...we will continue to fight that one...
rick

----- Original Message -----
From: "Art Burke" <aburke@VANSD.ORG>
To: <ARN-L@LISTS.CUA.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2001 6:07 PM
Subject: Re: testing outcomes


Rick ... You raise many complex and intersecting issues (and, in a political
world, what issues are not complex and intersecting?)    Art

>>> scharfrick@HOTMAIL.COM 08/22 11:59 AM >>>
<<Daria, would you clarify this for me?  Does this mean you can't speak to
parents about the test in a negative way while they are paying you? While
you are on district property?   To parents of your students regardless of
the hour?  If you're talking to a parent on the phone in the evening, can
you say something negative about the test?  To any parents anywhere?   Or
aren't they that clear?>>

becky and daria-
apologies for getting to this posting a bit late but...i've been having a
similar dilemma establishing the boundaries of what i can and can't do in
terms of communicating to parents...for me this was an eye opener...i teach
7th grade science...

i had written up a letter for parents to be sent home with students at the
end of last year which thanked them for their input throughout the year and
for support and positive feedback they offered, not only about what was
going on in the classroom but about anti-MCAS editorials i had written...i
also informed them of the upcoming CARE chapter meeting and the public
hearings on MCAS that would occur later that week...on the back side, i
included the statement i planned to make...

i ran the letter by my principal and vice principal before i sent it out and
was told that i could not because it was contrary to the stance taken by the
district and because it was to be given to children who are a "captive
audience"...furthermore i was told that it could not be mailed home to
parents nor could i call them on my own time based on the fact that i only
have their phone numbers and addresses because of my position as their
child's teacher...i let it go because i had enough on my plate at the time
and instead sent out a much more subtle letter that i hope indicated to
parents that they could contact me about my opinions "regarding their
child's success next year"...

i trust my administrators very much, so i think it possible that because i
was only a first year teacher, they were afraid they would not be able to
intercede if the superintendent (who has been quite pro-mcas) decided not to
retain me for this year that they prevented me from sending it...however, i
am not sure exactly what my rights are...i plan to re-address the issue with
my principal but are there any other suggestions for how i might go about
clarifying this...maybe this is an issue to bring up with my union reps
too...

rick scharf

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