Parents, They are Your Children, Right?

Filed in Uncategorized by on February 26, 2014 5 Comments

Why is this Parents Rights Bill so important?

Just read this anonymous message I received from an Idaho teacher.

 Received from an anonymous source (someone who fears his/her job of course! What sort of country are we living in??) PLEASE share this email!

The testing coordinators for our district went to a training yesterday, and we were told today that parents are not allowed to opt their kids out. Apparently, during the state training, they made a big point of telling every district that parents COULD NOT opt their kids out. I talked to our coordinator afterwards, and he/she understands my point-of-view but says the district has to give all kids the test. He/She did tell me to turn in the papers for Opting out that I have and he/she would see what happens.

The only option is to keep them home on every test day and every make-up day. That is more than two weeks. I would do it if I had an option, but I don’t. They know that most parents don’t. Any parent who would choose to opt out would just choose homeschooling if it were a possibility. I just can’t do that so I can’t just keep them home either, for the same reason.

Really, really upset right now…

Parents should be totally upset. They made a point of telling every school in Idaho NOT to follow a parent’s wishes. I will be contacting my Senator tonight.

 

 

As I’ve mentioned before, Supt.  Luna has told parents that they can opt their children out.  Now that it might be happening in large numbers that tune is changing.  (If any one else has been told this by the SDOE I would really like to hear from you.)

 

You need to be aware that your schools star rating will be affected if we reach the 5% opt out level.  But really, do you want your school’s rating dependent on a high-stakes assessment?  My guess is you already know how good your school is without some stupid test.  (Also know that the star rating is a requirement of the Common Core education reform package.)

 

Parents, they’re stomping on your rights.  Are you going to let them?

OPT OUT!  (Yes, I’m shouting.  Sorry.)  Read this link to get some ideas for how to respond when they tell you you can’t opt out.

See our Take Action Page to find your legislators contact info.

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Comments (5)

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  1. Anna Fine says:

    My daughter and a good friend’s daughter will both be homeschooled next year. We neither one are happy with Common Core.
    I’m telling everyone I know about Common Core and the downsides of it but a lot of people tell me they are happy with what their kids are learning and how great the teachers are, etc. Obviously these people haven’t done any research on what exactly Common Core is about or they’re so ignorant they don’t understand what’s going on!

    • Keilani Ludlow says:

      Anna, one of the best things you can do is ask for specifics. When I ask people, teachers and parents, what specifically they like about CC, the answer is generally something that isn’t CC – the school just calls it that. I talked to a friend in the Boise district who teaches 5th grade reading. She described how they were correlating between subjects (if they are doing civil rights in history they read To Kill a Mocking Bird in ELA and talk about something similar in social studies) and teachers. That’s great! Not really CC, but a great way to teach. A math teacher told me that he loves how CC math will get students to really dig in and get interested in the math. What? Sorry but if a kid hates math, odds are that receiving even less instruction (because the teacher told me he no longer presents so much as facilitates – the students do a lot more to try and figure it out on their own without instruction) is not going to make them suddenly love math. He also said that a problem will be in going from grade to grade because what each teacher teaches will not necessarily link up with what the student learned the year before or will learn the next year. A grade school teacher told me she love the math because now she can teach math however she wants to teach it! What? That isn’t CC either. So far, the best way I’ve found to educate people is to ask for specifics about what they like and then discuss how it isn’t CC or such. Also, pointing out little things like the fact that CC takes time and money, foundational math skills, out of 1st grade. Multiplication table mastery is moved to 6th grade (should be 3rd, 4th at worst) and still the ability to memorize multiplication facts is really downplayed. Anyway, I’m sure you’re doing a ton of this also, I’ve just found that it helps to exchange experiences and ideas so we’re all better prepared.

  2. Ruth Burnes Merrill says:

    My husband and I just submitted in person to each principal at our daughters school the opt out forms.
    We live in Coeur d Alene and the Coeur d Alene District of Curriculum and Assessment is already reaching out to us telling us we can’t opt them out. My husband and I are ready and willing to fight this right now as testing starts tomorrow but need some hand- holding direction. Please HELP!

  3. boandbria says:

    I sent in our opt out form this morning and got a call from the elementary principle saying that it has no merit because the school board passed a policy that states that all 3rd through 11th graders are required to take the standardized tests. He says this over rides any state law that has to do with parental rights. I am very frustrated! Since when are my parental rights subject to a school board?!

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