Please see the exciting press release below. Here at DEY we are happy to help spread this news from New York!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 17, 2014
More information contact:
Eric Mihelbergel (716) 553-1123; nys.allies@gmail.com
Jeanette Deutermann (516) 902-9228; nysallies@gmail.com
NYS Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE) – www.nysape.org
NYS Parents Fight to Reclaim Student Education from Excessive Testing and Data Collection:
250,000 High-Stakes Test Boycotts Planned Statewide
Parents throughout the Empire State demand valuable student classroom learning time be returned to their children and that elected state and federal representatives rein in Education Departments obsessed with vast expansion of testing and unauthorized data collection. New York parents have had enough and declare “No More!”
“In 2014 roughly 60,000 parents boycotted NYS testing. We believe strongly in appropriate assessment of our children, but the high-stakes nature of testing and unauthorized data collection must stop. Our children are subjected to a one-size-fits-all system that focuses more on test scores and data collection than on student learning and overall growth. Parents are committed to a plan for 250,000 students to boycott NYS tests,” says Eric Mihelbergel, Erie County Public School parent and founding member of NYSAPE.
Accelerating dramatically over the past five years, public education is being stripped of quality student-centered learning in order to devote excessive time, money and focus on high-stakes tests that feed corporate and political interests.
NYS parents demand that U.S. Congress, New York State Legislators, and President Obama act immediately to do the following:
- Roll-Back Federal/State Annual Testing Requirements from 9 Hours to 3 Hours for Grades 3-8: Evaluation of a third-grader’s test taking ability can readily be done with 90 minutes of tests in English and Math. Requiring more testing is simply a mandate to drive profits for technology and data storage companies.
- Pass Student Data Privacy Legislation that Requires Parental Consent: If elite private schools do not educate children through speculative collection of large volumes of student profile data into statewide and national databases shared with multiple government agencies, public school parents don’t want it either.
- Remove Student Test Scores From Teacher Evaluations: There is no evidence that massive student testing and data collection does anything to improve student learning. Student-score based teacher evaluations are merely a flawed attempt to make shoddy firing practices stand up in court while meaningful student learning time is discarded.
- Stop Assaulting Students with Special Needs: The U.S. Department of Education must be put in its rightful place and stop bullying states into educational practices that are inflexible and do not allow states to address the needs of Special Education students in an appropriate and challenging way meeting their individual needs.
- Cease and Desist from All Punitive Actions Against Parent Test Refusals: Schools should not be punished for supporting the fundamental right of parents to support their child’s education.
“Parent permissions slips are required for a school trip to the police station next door, yet the government collects personal data on children and shares it with private companies and other government agencies without a parent’s knowledge or sign off? Collection of the most personal student data in national and statewide databases without Parental Consent is an affront to all Americans and our liberty. Our representatives in Congress need to stand up for parents and strike back against government agencies far too cozy with business interests and profiteers,” said Lisa Rudley, Westchester County public school parent and founding member of NYSAPE.
“NYS Commissioner of Education John King’s failure to comply with the recent NYS privacy legislation passed in April is unacceptable. In August, NYSAPE along with Class Size Matters sent a letter (http://www.nysape.org/letter-to-king-and-regents-nysed-failed-to-implement-state-law.html) to the Commissioner, the Board of Regents, and elected officials demanding that the New York State Education Department comply with the law. John King’s casual and dismissive attitude towards the law in NY only reinforces the need for strict parental consent legislation,” said Anna Shah, Dutchess County public school parent.
“Parent commitment to restoring quality education in our schools by removing the high-stakes nature of testing is never ending,” says Jeanette Deutermann, Nassau County public school parent and founder of Long Island Opt Out. “We won’t stop until our children’s education system returns to a focus on learning rather than test scores and data collection, and we have a plan to accomplish this.”
On its website, NYSAPE details actions that parents everywhere can participate in to help reach 250,000 boycotts. These include: 1. Educating the public through continuous informational forums across New York State. 2. Coordinating regional parent liaisons in each school district across the state to lead parents in boycotts in that district. 3. Spreading the word through flyers, PTA groups, lawn signs, bumper stickers, book covers, and local events.
Chris Cerrone, Erie County public school parent, middle school educator, and Springville-Griffith Institute CSD Board Member, says, “We intend to reach out to both state and federal legislators through a tactical campaign. While we already have many legislators supporting us, we have a plan to help parents across the New York State reach out to legislators specifically asking for their assistance in removing the destructive high-stakes nature of testing from our classrooms. As state and federal legislators see a substantial increase in test refusals, they will be forced to act or be voted out.”
NYS Allies for Public Education consists of over 50 parent and educator advocacy groups across New York State. More details about our education positions and advocacy can be found at www.nysape.org.
