PETITION RE: JOHN KING

Although John King has already flown through the Senate Hearing for full appointment as U.S. Secretary of Education, I'm continuing to collect signatures.  

I know it's a small gesture.

But I need to keep taking small steps of defiance and action.

If I stop, I'm afraid frustration and despair will take over.

My family and my students would do better if I keep moving forward.

So here it is:

(And please share widely...)

Sign the petition to stop John King's confirmation to Secretary of Education

SCHOOL RECEIVERSHIP AND THE ACLU

I read on Diane Ravitch's blog this morning about the issue of Charters in Hoboken attracting the attention of the ACLU.

I’m curious to see how this plays out in Hoboken. A district in a nearby small city is in receivership and I didn’t hear about it until I attended a forum sponsored by NYSAPE. I haven’t seen it in the local news, and I certainly haven’t heard anything from NYSUT (state level union in NYS.)

The district has the largest minority student body in the area by far and it’s the only district in the area that’s in receivership. The first thing that struck me was that there had to be a civil rights angle. I contacted the ACLU but they declined to get involved, as they had other actions they were pursuing in the area.

I know the ACLU had more than enough work to do. And I’m not faulting them. But I can’t think of any more pressing civil rights issues in our day than those that impact the ability of children to get a free, appropriate education that actually prepares them to become citizens in a democracy. Nothing about the receivership process is indicating improvement and progress towards that end.

So I wonder, once again, where is the public outcry? The moral indignation?
I worry about the deafening silence that, intentional or not, implies acceptance or even complicity.

UN-TIMED TESTS AND OTHER MISLEADING "CHANGES"

This post is in response to a letter from Deputy Commissioner of Education, Angelica Infante, dated January, 2016:

Subject: “Changes for the 2016 Grades 3-8 English Language Arts and Mathematics Tests

The letter includes the following, in response to widespread concerns about grades 3-8 testing in New York State:

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) is making significant changes to the 2016 Grades 3-8 English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics Tests…These changes will improve the testing experience for students and the validity of the assessments.

This memo outlines changes made as a result of feedback from the field:

• ·  Greater involvement of educators in the test development process,
• ·  Decrease in the number of test questions, and
• ·  A shift to untimed testing.

The letter goes on to detail each of these bullet points. 

But sadly, these responses appear to be nothing more than superficial responses to very serious, substantive concerns.

The “greater involvement of educators” has yielded no real changes to date.  The standards remain developmentally inappropriate; the tests remain too long, cover too many days, and continue to be developmentally inappropriate in both scope and complexity.

The “decrease in the number of test questions” is misleading – almost laughable, actually.  The number of reading passages over the three days of ELA testing (for Grades 5-8) will be reduced by exactly one.  The number of questions will be reduced by the accompanying 7 questions. On Day 2, exactly one short answer question will be removed.  Math tests will be shortened by exactly two multiple choice questions on Day 1.  No changes are scheduled for Days 2 and 3.

Are we really expected to accept these minor changes as anything more than editing?  Surely no one seriously thinks these minor changes really address concerns about length of testing, developmental appropriateness, or stress caused by testing?!

And finally, “a shift to untimed testing.” 

What can that possibly mean and what concern does the SED hope such a change will address?  To date, my district administrators, and therefore all teachers in my district grades 3-8, have yet to be instructed on how an un-timed test will be administered.  This is all they’ve said so far: “This change will provide students further opportunity to demonstrate what they know and can do by allowing them to work at their own pace. In general, this will mean that as long as students are productively working they will be allowed as much time as they need to complete the ELA and Mathematics tests. Additionally, this change in policy may help alleviate the pressures that some students may experience as a result of taking an assessment they must complete during a limited amount of time. “

But exactly how long do we let children “work at their own pace?”  How do we determine if a student is “productively working?” What do we do when some students finish in fifteen minutes and others “choose” to work for two or three hours? 

Does anyone really believe this change of policy will actually “help alleviate the pressures” of testing????

Okay, call me naïve, unknowing of so much.  But I believe those who make such policy decisions really suffer from a lack of “Intelligent Disobedience” skills.  They know what they propose has no real value in addressing the serious concerns that have been raised about over-testing. But they’ve been given a job to do – “address the concerns.” And so they make a random list of changes that superficially could seem to respond to the concerns.  But they are counting on no one using their own critical thinking skills to analyze what the “changes” really amount to (or don’t amount to.) 
When what they should really be doing is saying “Wait a second, parents, teachers, administrators, citizens – stakeholders with significant things to lose – are asking for change.  I need to ensure I propose real change.  I need to make sure I contribute to solutions and not perpetuate the problems.  I need to make sure my superiors don’t co-opt me to further their own political agenda which is hurting children and our schools.”

But that is but a dream I have.  I know human nature keeps most from thinking critically when it may be in opposition to directives from above. 

So again, I recommend “Intelligent Disobedience – Doing Right When What You’re Told to do is Wrong” by Ira Chaleff.   Please check it out. Pass it on.  Share the message.

And then find your own inner “intelligent disobedient” self.  And start asking questions.  Refuse to be a pawn in someone else’s terrible game.

Is anyone else with me on this?

ANOTHER UNANSWERED QUESTION

So John King sails through confirmation hearings with nary a concern nor serious question?
No, I'm not honestly surprised.   But thanks anyway to those of you who signed my petition.
I'm still sending it.
Maybe too little, too late.
But I have to keep doing my small acts.
I know they're mostly futile.  But it seems to keep me moving forward, rather than freezing me in my tracks like so much of the insanity around me threatens to do.

So here's my latest, in the form of another letter to New York State Education Department  - unanswered, naturally:

Dear Mr. -----,

Thank you for responding to my inquiry.  I teach 5th grade in a NY State public school.  I've been anxious to see what would result from the information that has been gathered in recent months from teachers, parents, students and administrators around the state in response to the implementation of the CCSS and the new tests.  

It's possible there's been some mis-understanding about what was meant when concerns were raised about the length of the test and the stress the time spent on tests causes, though.  I think many(all?) of us were hoping there would be a reduction in the number of days of testing, as well as a reduction in the amount of reading passages and questions students are faced with.  It is the cumulative impact of day after day of lengthy testing that causes much of the stress students encounter.  Shortening the tests by a few questions and then allowing students to sit in an un-timed setting for longer than the 70-90 minutes previously allotted, over the course of six days, doesn't seem to address those concerns.

I want to support my students in an appropriate manner.  I'm not sure, though, I understand how I will be administering six days of un-timed tests.  What will the SED be recommending for protocol under the new recommendations of un-timed tests?

I also read, with interest, that teachers are being invited to help write test questions.  Will the Standards be modified before that process begins, so they'll be writing questions for developmentally appropriate standards, or are the standards remaining the same?

Additionally, is it possible there will be further adjustments made in response to concerns, or is this the final response?

I welcome feedback and open dialog, if that is possible.  I am a veteran elementary educator and continue to have passion for my job as a teacher.  I'm interested in helping New York return to sensible education policy that supports all students in their learning journeys.

I look forward to hearing back from you,

Sincerely,

MORE ON INTELLIGENT DISOBEDIENCE

I feel like the universe is trying to underscore my message about Intelligent Disobedience and how important it is.

Twice this week while searching for something new to watch on internet video, I randomly came across movies/shows with similar messages.  The Experimenter turned out to be the story of Stanley Milgram. (Odd, because I had just been writing about Intelligent Obedience...)  While I wouldn't recommend it as the greatest movie ever, it certainly shares his story effectively and shows his research into the human capacity of otherwise decent people to inflict harm on strangers.  (They were just doing as they were told...)

The other message came by way of PBS' "Foyle's War."  As a kid growing up in a Jewish, progressive family, I wrestled with trying to understand how Hitler had been so successful in a modern, civilized world. How could so many people comply with his brutal, illogical dictates?  Where were the voices of opposition, the unified outrage in the face of insanity? While this show doesn't deal directly with these questions, the story lines incorporate the reality that people thought they were doing what was right.  They were following strong, articulate leaders, acting based on fear, and failing to question how harming others could be an ethical, moral way to live life.

I am not trying to directly compare the unspeakable horrors of WWII to the "education reform" efforts in this country. But there are comparisons worth making.  Because at their most basic level, both moments in history rely on fear, compliance, blind following, and unquestioning obedience to authority.

Again, again, I say:  Intelligent Obedience.  We need to learn from the seeing eye dogs.  Sometimes, it is absolutely imperative to disobey orders. Even when we fear the consequences.
In the face of all the illogical mandates and policies created in the name of "education reform" in the past decade, we need to find our collective inner strength and speak truth to power.

The future of our schools and our democracy depend on our bravery and resolve to speak out with one voice.  The voice of reason and sanity in the face of the insanity before us.

Please join me.

INTELLIGENT DISOBEDIENCE: An idea whose time has come

People do all sorts of things due to the human nature to comply and to do what's asked of them. It takes a strong individual, or one who's been educated to do so, to stand up to questionable directives. 

Stanley Milgram was probably the most famous social scientist to study compliant behavior and exactly how far one person will go in following orders, despite the risk to another human's safety and well-being.  (If you're unfamiliar with his work, you can check it out here for starters.)

The answer to so many doing so much harm in the name of "education" or worse, "education reform," is to explicitly teach something called "Intelligent Disobedience." 

I highly recommend the book IntelligentDisobedience - Doing Right When What You're Told to do is Wrong by Ira Chaleff.  It's worth the time to read it, (although I think the part on how this would work in a classroom needs further development...)

The author is currently speaking out and trying to create awareness about this critically important facet of human learning.  He proposes explicitly teaching these skills to children (and adults) in hopes more people will be able to question directives when they may lead to harm of another.

In a world that includes so many working at odds with what makes for a healthy, functioning democracy - corporate philanthropists, private charters with public money, TFA, etc., we need more Intelligent Disobedience.

We need to Stop, Think, then Act. 

Is what we're being asked to do promoting well-being? Growth? Learning? Happiness? In whose best interest are you acting?

I am hopeful enough to believe this could help in our quest to turn the tide against the destruction of our public schools.

PETITION TO STOP JOHN KING'S CONFIRMATION AS U.S. SECRETARY OF EDUCATION

In case letter writing isn't for you, you can sign this petition.  Feel free to share it with your own contacts or on social media.

Sign the petition to stop John King's confirmation to Secretary of Education

Sample Letter to Congressmen/women re: John King

I teach in New York State.  If you don't, you can remove the first sentence of the second paragraph...

Dear _________________,

Thank you for participating in the hearings into the actions of the Department of Education’s Chief Information Officer, Dr. Danny Harris.  While it is still unclear if Dr. Harris’ actions were illegal, unethical, counter to Department policy, or just plain bad choices, one thing was made very clear during the February 2^nd testimony - John King is a person worth questioning further. 

As a teacher in the great state of New York, I witnessed first hand the detrimental effects of his rush to implement unproven and developmentally inappropriate standards in our state’s public schools.  He has a history of being unresponsive to outside suggestions, guidance, and feedback.  While working as the Commissioner of Education in New York, he remained consistently dismissive of pleas to reconsider policy decisions and to slow the pace with which he sought to implement change.  In the face of countless stakeholders (administrators, teachers, parents, and students,) testifying as to the negative impact of his decisions, Mr. King refused to alter his steadfast belief that his way was the only right way.  His rigid, dogmatic responses to concerns and questions raised at the Congressional hearing were consistent with his behavior as Commissioner in New York. 

The results of John King’s decisions have left a wake of confusion, frustration, and destruction in New York schools.  Mr. King’s decisions had such a significantly negative impact, that Governor Cuomo himself, formerly a strong supporter of Mr. King’s, reversed his opinion after Mr. King left to join the DoE following Arne Duncan’s resignation.  Governor Cuomo has stated that there was a “flawed” rush to implement new standards and tests and as such, he was in favor of a total “re-boot” of the process of education reform in our state.  The governor’s words could be accurately be seen as a vote of “no confidence” in the process Mr. King designed and led during his tenure as Commissioner of Education of the State of New York.

Please, I urge you to take a closer look at the actions and goals of John King.  He has a readily observable record in the public schools of New York.  There are many televised forums available where you can witness his bizarre indifference to the pleadings of administrators, teachers, parents, and students.  As Commissioner of Education in New York, he made decisions that continue to negatively impact the students and teachers of New York.  

I urge you to investigate and to question if he is the person that should be leading the Department of Education at this time.

Thank you for taking the time to read my concerns.

Sincerely,

________________

ACTION #1

Action #1: Letter writing to Congressman Chaffetz and other members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Timing for greatest impact:  February 20-27

Action:

I have long been feeling the need for some kind of on-going, unified action that we as teachers, parents, and concerned citizens can do to get our message out.  The message is a counter-narrative to the damaging, but wildly successful message of "education reform" that the corporate philanthropists and politicians of all stripes have written.  The tipping point for me was when I viewed the proceedings of the February 2nd Congressional hearing on questionable behavior by the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Education. (See background information below.) While it's still unclear to me if Dr. Harris is at fault for serious allegations, or if he's a fall guy of some sort, what is abundantly clear is that something is terribly wrong at the DoE. And with John King now leading that department, I am more than EXTREMELY concerned.  (And I'm a New Yorker with personal experience with his damaging "leadership.")

I am positive there are many, many substantive issues upon which Mr. Chaffetz, Chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and I disagree.   But I think he’s Chairing an investigation worth supporting at this time.  There is much that could be learned from further questioning.  The hearings to this point in time seem to raise more questions than have been answered.

These hearings demand a response from the public.  (See background information below, if you’re unfamiliar with the issues.)  We have to let both the Congressmen and women know we are watching and we are concerned.  We need to let them know there are more questions that should be asked and more concerns about the Department of Education that should be investigated.

I believe a worthwhile first letter-writing action should include the following:

·      
    Contacting Congressman Chaffetz to both thank him for leading an investigation into the Department of Education’s CIO, and encourage him to continue investigating how the Department functions.  (It has one of the worst “job satisfaction” ratings in the entire government, which has to mean something.)

·      Encourage further questioning of Secretary King which could help illuminate what exactly he believes is in the best interest of American school children and teachers.

·      Support further questioning/investigating by the other Congressmen and Congresswomen who sit on the Committee.

What questions do you think should be asked?  Please send me your thoughts and I will formulate a sample letter to share.  Or write your own letter. 

Below you will find contact information for the various Congress people who participated in the hearings.   In order to write them, you have to insert an address and zip code from their district. I used a street address close to their office and that seemed to work.  (Not sure how this will be received, but I added a P.S. to my letter apologizing for my minor deception...)
Alternatively, you can write your own representative, even if they’re not on the Committee, to share your concerns.

·      Mr. Chaffetz (Chair of the Committee-Utah-R) https://chaffetzforms.house.gov/contact/

·      Congresswoman Norton:  (DC-D)   https://norton.house.gov/contact/email

·      Mr. Wahlberg (Michigan-R) http://walberg.house.gov/contact/

Mr. Lieu (California-D)   https://lieu.house.gov/contact

·      Mr. Mulvaney- (SC-R)   https://mulvaney.house.gov/contact/email

·       Mr. Hurd - (Texas - R)   https://hurd.house.gov/contact

·      Mr. Meadows - (NC-R)  https://meadows.house.gov/contact/email-me

·      Ms. Plaskett (Virgin Islands) She is OUTSTANDING!!  “The panel is how the truth is uncovered. “ https://plaskett.house.gov/contact

·       

From this hearing it seems abundantly clear what is wrong at the DoE - cover-up, lack of accountability, lack of questioning, lack of follow-through, turning a blind eye, and now John King is heading this agency????

PLEASE WRITE/CALL and share your concerns about how the Department of Education is being run in general, and about John King leading the department, in particular.

Background:

In February, the U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held a Hearing entitled: “U.S. Department of Education: Investigation of the CIO.”  The goal was to further investigate allegations against the Chief Information Officer, Danny Harris regarding security of millions of American’s personal information and possible conflicts of interest in his personal life.  You can see details from the first hearing from November 17, 2015 here.

And you can see details of the February  2^nd hearing here.

The February hearing at least, is actually noteworthy tv/internet viewing, appearing somewhere between a docu-drama and tragicomedy.  I set out to view 10 minutes to get the gist of the issues, but nearly three hours later, I realized I’d sat through the entire proceedings.  And while the issues of security breaches and unofficial side-jobs and ethical questions of how a person at the head of a major government department can engage in even remotely questionable behavior, and the very real concerns about cyber security exposed by a controlled breach of the information system (that contains millions of Americans’ personal information,) what I found most riveting was the testimony of John King, acting Commissioner of Education. 

Those of you from New York State know him as the leader of the recent “education reform” in our state.  Those measures included an ill-advised rush to implement unproven new standards, and the even more damaging implementation of unproven, untested, and developmentally inappropriate new assessments to determine teaching and learning effectiveness for all teachers and students in New York State, grades 3 – 8.  He left a wake of disruption and destruction in our schools which led to, among other things, a 20% Opt Out rate last Spring and Governor Cuomo reversing his own public position to say he believes the implementation of the new standards was “deeply flawed,” and he urged a full “re-boot” of the process.  That deeply flawed process was the brainchild of none other than John King, the current acting Secretary of Education of the United States, (and soon-to-be approved Secretary?)  He was recruited by President Obama last spring to replace out-going Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. 

John King is now THE leading educator in the United States of America.  From his own testimony at the hearing he states:

“I firmly believe that providing our children with a great education is not just about subject matter knowledge, but also about instilling the values that will help them become faithful contributors to our communities and democracy. That is why throughout my career in public service I have always expected myself, then my students, and later, my colleagues and employees, to adhere to the highest standards of ethical conduct, and I will continue to expect the same of the Department under my leadership in the year to come.”

What he says and what he's saying do not actually match, though.  

I believe the most interesting (and unsettling) part of the Congressional hearing on February 2^nd is John King’s testimony.  He so clearly demonstrates exactly how dangerous he can be as a leader of anything. His style of unwaivering adherence to his internal script (which contains no real answers) in the face of pointed questioning by many members of Congress, is exposed.  Congressman Chaffetz’s, Chair of the Committee, frustration is palpable.  Mr. King neither responds directly to most questions posed, nor does he raise his voice, get ruffled, nor goes off-script.  He doesn’t answer the questions posed to him, and he doesn’t appear to see any conflict nor issue with his responses.  The man in charge of the path an entire nation’s school children is clearly someone to question further and to wonder about.

How can you claim that your goal is to instill values in children so they can become faithful contributors to our democracy, yet remain ignorant of or dismissive of or just plain indifferent to the enormous negative impact of his decision-making?

We must share our extreme concerns (shock? dismay? outrage?) about John King leading the Department of Education. New Yorkers know first-hand the damage he can cause.  And he makes no apologies, sees no conflicts, and allows for absolutely no differences of opinion.  He is a man blindly (absurdly?) dedicated to his own agenda.  And that agenda harms kids.  Period.

Sample letter to be posted soon…

But you can write your own right now!  :-)

Proposal for Action

After watching the riveting three hour Congressional hearing of the accusations leveled against the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Education, I am completely convinced that we need a mass mobilization of efforts beyond the pages of articulate blogs and well-written books.  We know what we see and experience in our classrooms and with our kids. But there are still way more people that still don’t understand what’s going on in the name of "education reform."

I get most of my information these days from Diane Ravitch's brilliant blog and all the incredibly informative links she shares with her viewers.  But my involvement is mostly passive.  I read, get even more incensed at the latest outrage, and then maybe I write a comment back.  But none of this feels like real action.  And I'm literally desperate for action.  Action to inform and stir people beyond blogs and our little world of those-who-know-from-the-inside what's going on in pubic schools across this country.  I'm continually stunned that so few of my politically astute friends and family just don't understand what's really going on.  And when I say "It's nothing short of corporate take-over of a common good," I know I sound a bit over the top.  I don't seem to be getting too far writing my single letters and talking one-on-one to anyone who'll listen.  I know there has to be a better way.

So, I would like to propose a weekly or bi-weekly Day of Action for all interested parties.  Many of us do our own letter writing and phone calling to political representatives and policy makers.  If you're like me, though, you rarely, if ever, hear back from the people you write to.  But maybe, working together to focus our letter writing and calling on specific people with a particular message may cause more of an impact.

My proposal is to choose a topic (education-related) each week (or every other week) and to write and/or call specific people with one clear message.  As I teach my fifth graders about The Children's March in Birmingham in 1963 and the farm workers Grape Boycott of 1965, I'm reminded of the power generated when average people join together to create a common message with laser-like precision.

Let's harness the power of our collective voices and speak out as one outraged but still passionate union of educators, parents, and concerned citizens.

I will have something articulated for Action #1 by Wednesday.

Please share your own ideas for whom to write and what specific message to send.

Thanks, and hope to hear from you!

Let's speak out with one voice. Any one else interested?

Have you seen this video of the Congressional grilling of the U.S. Department of Education’s Chief Information Officer Danny Harris and Acting Secretary of Education John King?

To quote the inimitable Diane Ravitch: "The entire discussion is startling. I won’t say anything more. Just watch it. If you stay for ten minutes, you won’t want to stop."

 I had only intended to watch a little bit, but I was completely riveted to my screen. If you haven't seen this and you have a little time to spend, I highly recommend it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxswF6d-CQY&spfreload=10&app=desktop

It’s been hours since I watched the hearings and my head is still spinning.

I may be naive. I may not realize how often hearings of this kind occur. But I am absolutely stunned that this can be made public, and then nothing happens as a consequence.

I’ve witnessed first hand the robotic, script-reading responses of John King when he worked in NYS. Seeing it on film in front of a Congressional committee was truly amazing.

If this hearing does speak the truth about impropriety, bad judgement, mis-management, heads-turned-the-other-way, etc. in the DoE, then what can we do about it? We must act in the face of this information. So much of what’s being foisted on American public school students and teachers is integrally connected to increasing the use of technology, data-based assessments, and on-line everything. We can’t let this get buried.

Can we speak as a united voice? Can this contribute to the wider discussion of how far afield the DoE has strayed from the true interests of America’s school children and their families? Does it help to seek further response?

I would like to propose a weekly “Day of Action.”  Days devoted to writing or calling our representatives and other important people with a focused attention on a particular issue.

For example, we could begin by writing our State Representatives thanking them for participating in this hearing that exposes serious concerns in the Department of Education.  Further, we could together, as one voice, urge continued questioning of Department of Education practice and intent.

Is anyone out there interested in participating?  I would be happy to put more time into organizing this effort, if there are interested parties.

Leave me a comment below if you’re interested.

Another letter to the New York State Department of Education (to date, unanswered...)

Dear Mr. ______,

Thank you for responding to my inquiry.  I teach 5th grade in a NY State public school.  I've been anxious to see what would result from the information that has been gathered in recent months from teachers, parents, students and administrators around the state in response to the implementation of the CCSS and the new tests.  

It's possible there's been some mis-understanding about what was meant when concerns were raised about the length of the test and the stress the time spent on tests causes, though.  I think many(all?) of us were hoping there would be a reduction in the number of days of testing, as well as a reduction in the amount of reading passages and questions students are faced with.  It is the cumulative impact of day after day of lengthy testing that causes much of the stress students encounter.  Shortening the tests by a few questions and then allowing students to sit in an un-timed setting for longer than the 70-90 minutes previously allotted, over the course of six days, doesn't seem to address those concerns.

I want to support my students in an appropriate manner.  I'm not sure, though, I understand how I will be administering six days of un-timed tests.  What will the SED be recommending for protocol under the new recommendations of un-timed tests?

I also read, with interest, that teachers are being invited to help write test questions.  Will the Standards be modified before that process begins, so they'll be writing questions for developmentally appropriate standards, or are the standards remaining the same?

Additionally, is it possible there will be further adjustments made in response to concerns, or is this the final response?

I welcome feedback and open dialog, if that is possible.  I am a veteran elementary educator and continue to have passion for my job as a teacher.  I'm interested in helping New York return to sensible education policy that supports all students in their learning journeys.

I look forward to hearing back from you,

Sincerely,