Re: boycott -- RESIST

[Joan Jaeckel <jjaeckel@WHOLE.ORG>]

Bumper sticker?

Testing is not Education

Joan Jaeckel

-----Original Message-----
From: abril mackenzie <abrilmackenzie@HOTMAIL.COM>
To: ARN-L@listsrva.cua.edu <ARN-L@listsrva.cua.edu>
Date: Tuesday, September 28, 1999 7:49 AM
Subject: Re: boycott -- RESIST


>Monty writes:
>Monty Neill wrote: >I think we need to revisit the idea of bumper stickers,
>etc.
>
>The bumper sticker idea is still alive - and moving from the back burner to
>the front burner.  I'm supposed to pick one or a few for actual printing as
>soon as I get to it and then the Board will finance it, at least for the
>initial printing.  Don't know how much they may sell for (presumably not a
>lot).  I still have all the records.  The bumper sticker contest was fun,
>and thought-provoking.  I don't think we chose the "most effective" bumper
>stickers when we did the voting - which wasn't the announced intention.  So
>I am now going to review them for the "most effective".  If anyone is in
>marketing and wants to help, let me know.
>
>
>>From: Monty Neill <Mneillft@AOL.COM>
>>Reply-To: Assessment Reform Network Mailing List <ARN-L@LISTS.CUA.EDU>
>>To: ARN-L@LISTS.CUA.EDU
>>Subject: Re: boycott -- RESIST
>>Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 10:19:00 EDT
>>
>>In a message dated 9/27/99 7:36:36 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
>>Csubstance@AOL.COM writes:
>>
>> >
>> >  I think it's time for someone to initiate a "Call to resist
>>illegitimate
>> >  authority" (some people here will hear a historical echo) pledging
>>teachers
>> >  and students to boycott the tests and parents and professors (and
>>anyone
>> >  else) to support them. Those who sign the pledge will state clearly
>>what
>> > they
>> >  intend to do, and then they will do it.
>> >
>>
>>CARE here in Mass is working on language on what we are alternately
terming
>>a
>>"pledge of resistance" and a "boycott" (different traditions being drawn
>>on).
>>Signers would agree to boycott and/or support those who do boycott. When
>>ready, we will post the language. We also will circulate a more general
>>petition calling on the end of high stakes testing for students and
>>schools.
>>These are likely to begin locally, but have some statewide coordination --
>>our address is the mailing address for the statewide, but our resources
are
>>stretched thin.
>>
>>[One school committee here in MA, we are told, has directed the
>>superintendent to investigate the legalities of the city refusing to
>>participate in the state test. Meanwhile, the board of ed presses on with
>>defining the tests to be passed to get a diploma. Looks like they will
>>start
>>relatively low, then ratchet it up. The real question is the politically
>>acceptable level of "casualties" and of course their class and race and
>>immigrant status; not sure how they are going to address special needs.]
>>
>>Coordinating nationally will be a huge undertaking. At a minimum, a
>>person/group/well organized coalition will have to do the job in each
>>state,
>>and then coordinate. We then get into issues like what is a large enough
>>number of signatures to mean something on a national level (we have not
>>decided here on a state level). If this develops -- and for a start lets
>>see
>>what people on this list think -- we can then play by ear where we are at
>>by
>>spring. But since spring is in most states the testing season, that is a
>>good
>>time to focus.
>>
>>Pushing this will have the advantage of giving a focused point to talk
>>about:
>>why we are doing what we are doing. It could bring lots of us together on
>>the
>>same page.
>>
>>I think teachers may pledge to support, I think few will refuse to
>>administer
>>it because, contrary to George, I think they will face serious
>>repercussions.
>>But even pledging to support and then taking it actively to their local
and
>>state unions and then on to the nationals would lift the conversation. In
>>1975, the NEA called for a moratorium on all standardized testing -- this
>>was
>>approved at their annual gathering.
>>
>>I think parents will be critical. On one level they are more credible
>>("teachers just don't want accountability"). However, they are more
>>dispersed
>>and less able to be reached. But we can begin to think of trying to reach
>>the
>>PTA. I also think students will be essential, and they are of course very
>>dispersed; many also face real consequences (not being promoted,
>>graduating),
>>but others do not. Again, the idea of the pledge is to include both doing
a
>>boycott and supporting those who do.
>>
>>Resistance can also take other forms. Students can randomly bubble in, or
>>leave it blank -- and then, preferably, say publicly what they have done,
>>in
>>an organized fashion. Parents can deliver letters saying they are allowing
>>their children to take the test under protest. People can symbolically
dump
>>tests into the local harbor/river (fish them out, must ecologically
sound).
>>Instead of the pep rallies to beat the test, we can have rallies to beat
up
>>the test. I am sure many other ideas can/will arise.
>>
>>I think we need to revisit the idea of bumper stickers, etc.
>>
>>In sum, I think we can proceed in several ways: do what you can locally;
>>hook
>>up at the state (or within-state regional) level; then see what can evolve
>>nationally. Think and act locally and globally, yes?
>>
>>That's it for now.
>>
>>Monty Neill
>>FairTest
>>
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