Fwd: a snafu, an act of conscience, a debate, posts of the day.

[Susan Harman <susanharman@igc.org>]

Carl is the Seattle teacher refusing to administer the WASL.

Susan

  Here is an update on our colleague, Carl Chew's act of conscience.  I am
  enclosing a letter he wrote to Susan Ohanian, Juanita Doyon, Patricia Lang, 
  Yvonne Siu-Runyan, and me.  Carl has also agreed to do an interview with
  Yvonne, something she did with me a few months ago.  Please see brother
  Carl's website, it is wonderful:

  Dear Juanita, Don, Susan, Yvonne, and Patricia,

  Many, many thanks for your support.  These last few days have been nerve
  benders!

  I think my civil disobedience went pretty well this morning.  I am still not
  absolutely sure of the final outcome, but am fairly confident they have done
  what they are going to do, which is, for a better word, banishment for an
  undisclosed period to the hinterlands (also known as the Science Materials
  Center).

  Early this morning SEA president Wendy Kimball came by my school to make sure
  I understood all the possible consequences.  I assured her I did.  She then
  seemed to indicate that SEA would represent me if I needed them to.  She
  seemed guardedly supportive. 

  One thing I have noticed is just how scared everyone is to say what they
  actually feel!  What a climate of apprehension and supression there is!  A
  few teachers seem fearful that if they even look at me they will be
  reprimanded somehow.

  At the bell the principal and her district supervisor showed up at my door
  and summoned me into the hall (now I really know how the students feel!). The
  supervisor informed me that they would let me keep my room key and she gave
  me the address where I was to report until they "figured out what to do with
  me."  They then escorted me to an exit.  On the way I told the school
  principal I was sorry to have caused her any distress and that I respected
  her vision for our school and looked forward to working with her in the
  future.  I was thinking at that moment though, what a difficult situation she
  was in, too.  Regardless of her views about high stakes testing, NCLB has
  got her and everyother principal super paranoid that their every move
  is being watched.  Whew!

  The link to my Web site is below.  You will all see that I, like you, have
  used my time on this planet to explore, create, and think, as well as teach
  and work with children.  Aren't we lucky!

  Thanks for helping me keep breathing!

  Carl Chew

  ctchew@earthlink.net

  http://ctchew.com

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