After NCLB?

[Harold Berlak <hberlak@yahoo.com>]

  I have recently posted "Why a Student and Parent Testing  
Protection Act? (And what it should include)" It's far from perfect.  
I hope it will stir some responses. My view is that we need to  
organize around an affirmative agenga-- pursuit of rights not around
opposition to a particular piece of legislation.

I fully support and celebrate efforts underway to salvage something  
from this dysfunctional Congress. But just how much can we expect  
from a Democratic Congress when the two champion corporate  
contributors to the Democratic Party , Broad and Gates,  are  pumping  
millions into a public relations (i.e. propaganda) campaign for  
preserving high standards --code for government mandated rankings and  
national testing. After the dust settles and we've managed to get  
some wimpy changes that do not challenge national testing, the troops  
disband since our mutual distaste for NCLB is mostly what held us  
together.

To repeat: we need an affirmative, inclusive pro people's rights agenda.

Let's build a new society, and develop a new progressive school  
vision but let's put our priority on protecting the kids and
families now destined to live in the system that is-- and is  
destroying them.


Harold

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**** Insurance companies are to sound medical care as standardized  
tests are to a sound education. **