Re: NAACP and NCLB

[Bob Schaeffer <bobschaeffer@earthlink.net>]

Not that facts have every gotten in the way of Art's knee-jerk 
apologetics for NCLB, but the NAACP is one of the now 61 organizations 
who have signed onto our Joint Statement calling for an overhaul of NCLB.

Here's a a somewhat-dated article on the topic from the FairTest 
Examiner newsletter. Those not blinded by their unwavering loyalty to 
high-stakes tests will observe that a number of the supporting groups 
represent African American and Latino constituencies.


Groups Oppose NCLB Test Expansion
More than 45 education, civil rights, child advocacy, disability, 
citizens and religious organizations, including FairTest, have sent an 
open letter to Congress opposing President Bush’s proposal to expand No 
Child Left Behind (NCLB) testing to grades 9 – 11.
In their letter, the organizations explained, “While we welcome the 
President’s focus on improving student achievement in high schools, two 
more years of testing will not accomplish this important goal but could 
instead lead to narrowing the curriculum and increasing the number of 
students who drop out.” NCLB currently requires testing in one high 
school grade.
The organizations included a copy of their “Joint Organizational 
Statement” on NCLB, initially released in October 2004 (see Examiner, 
Fall 2004). That statement calls for major changes in the federal law’s 
language on assessment, school progress measures, sanctions, school 
instructional capacity, and funding. The February letter asks that 
Congress address these issues during the current Congressional session, 
rather than wait until NCLB reauthorization in 2007.
Among the signers are Children’s Defense Fund, NAACP, ASPIRA, National 
Urban League, League of United Latin American Citizens, National School 
Boards Association, American Association of School Administrators, 
National Education Association, Council for Exceptional Children, 
Advancement Project, National Association for Bilingual Education, and 
National Alliance of Black School Educators.

ABurke5054@aol.com wrote:

> What nonsense. The NAACP brief said clearly and explicitly that in 
> opposing NCLB Connecticut was trying to avoid its responsibilities for 
> educating its children. How much plainer could it be?
> Art
> In a message dated 3/2/2006 12:30:23 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
> pwmjoy@earthlink.net writes:
>
>     The rhetoric crusading as concern for underachieving black
>     stuudents shows little, if any, understanding of what the
>     fundamental motive is behind the Connecticut NAACP's attempt to
>     block the state of Ct.'s suit against the Federal Government for
>     underfunding NCLB. From that venue of trumped up concern, blind
>     sanctimony continues to ironically assert and imply that those who
>     fight against NCLB are racist.