Re: Text of Bush Radio Address on Testing

["Jennifer Meltzer" <meltzer_jennifer@msn.com>]

I agree that the point about equal opportunity versus standardized results
is something to focus on.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Karen Canty" <kvscanty@pacbell.net>
To: <arn-l@interversity.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 04, 2003 2:45 PM
Subject: Re: [arn-l] Text of Bush Radio Address on Testing


Bob,

There are a couple of questions I have...after reading this wonderful
piece on a Saturday morning...

1) Does the federal budget really have enough money to test every child
in grades 3-8?  I thought I had read somewhere where that's not true,
but can't remember my source.  If anyone else remembers, please let me
know.

2) Isn't he mixing "equal chance to succeed" with outcomes?   Isn't his
comment that "Our reforms will not be complete until every child in
America has an equal chance to succeed" about opportunity, not outcomes?
But the whole testing regime is about outcomes, right?

3)  The "hot button" stuff seems to be "local control, high standards,
accountability"  and parental choice that have all tested well, I'm
sure..but who decides what the definition of those words are?  It seems
that now, in California, after adopting what the state feels is "our"
definition of those words, they will not fit into the federal system for
determining which schools are successful/unsuccessful - so who wins?
Why, Washington, D.C., of course, although "we" all know that the
nation's schools can't be run out of D.C.!

How do we "fight" his giant polling and p.r. machines - except to
continue doing what we're doing...asking questions, getting the word
out, letting people in California know what Nebraska is doing and why,
etc. etc. because as crazy as it seems, if GW felt he had to devote one
entire Saturday speech to this issue - at a time when war, Iraq, North
Korea, South Korea, tax reform, etc. etc. are on his plate...somebody is
doing something right!

Happy New Year!

Karen

-----Original Message-----
From: arn-l-owner@interversity.org [mailto:arn-l-owner@interversity.org]
On Behalf Of Bob Schaeffer
Sent: Saturday, January 04, 2003 12:23 PM
To: ARN Main List; ARN state
Subject: [arn-l] Text of Bush Radio Address on Testing

For those with a high tolerance for wading through fresh fertilizer,
here's a link to the full text of the White House "chat" about staying
the course. I actually think it is important to read and analyze this
stuff carefully because Bush has top-notch pollsters and spinmeister's
working for him. Thus his message builds on themes that have "tested" as

most persuasive by his political handlers -- if we want to win, we need
to figure out how to parry these arguments.

<http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/01/20030104.html>