 |
| Sam - who has never taken a standardized test |
Dear ---,
My name is Peggy Robertson and my son, Sam, will be
attending --- High School tomorrow as a freshman. He is beyond excited!
We are equally as thrilled to have Sam become a part of the --- HS
family. I was so impressed at orientation with the focus on community as well
as academics. I feel very lucky to have Sam at a school which allows him to
express himself in so many ways. He will be in the orchestra and is gearing up
for his first cross country meeting tomorrow.
I wanted to let you know that I am one of the founders of
United Opt Out National, the movement to end corporate education reform. We
focus intensely on supporting parents in opting out/refusing any high stakes
and low stakes tests that are used to privatize public education. Sam will not
be participating in any of these tests. I know that --- has the TCAP this
year as well as MAP. I wasn't sure if there were any other tests being used,
any test prep, and/or any surveys. I also wasn't sure if --- HS has a
program similar to Reading Counts, which Sam opted out of at --- last year
and completed book reports for his teacher instead. Sam will have a copy of
this letter in his backpack to share with teachers if needed. Are there any
other tests that Sam and I need to be aware of?
I refuse to allow Sam to participate in these tests for many
reasons. Foremost, I refuse because they are using these tests to fail
children, teachers, schools and communities all over the country, and
ultimately, they are being used to dismantle the public school system. I also
refuse these tests because I believe Sam's teachers are professionals who are
able to determine Sam's strengths, attempts and next steps. These tests are
unnecessary. I trust --- High
School teachers and know that they will be able to support Sam every step of
the way. I do ask that Sam be allowed to read or engage in other learning
activities during testing times.
I am also a public school teacher and I have a deep
appreciation for all that you do for --- High School students. Have a
wonderful school year.
Peggy Robertson
www.pegwithpen.com
www.unitedoptout.com
Love it.
ReplyDeleteThank you James Boutin! Hope all is well with you. Have a great school year.
DeleteSolidarity,
Peg
Totally stealing parts of this for my opt-out letter! I love how upbeat your message is, and that's what I want to get across to the principal at my son's school: "It's not you, it's them!". Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAwesome!
ReplyDeleteSteal away Megaroonie!!!!
ReplyDeleteBest,
Peg :)
So thoughtful and strong. May I use some of your words?
ReplyDeleteMichelle,
ReplyDeleteYes - use whatever you wish!!!
Best,
Peg
You are an inspiration. I'm honored to count you as my friend.
ReplyDeleteLove, Marilyn
Respectful and to the point. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYour words navigate what many consider tricky waters with confidence. Thanks for sharing with me!
ReplyDeleteThis letter is amazing. I thank you so much for posting. I am new to this and have a question. When/If I get push back on a letter like this one, what would your reply be? Is this my right? Will they threaten to expel a child from school for this? My daughter is in 1st grade at a public school in Louisiana. We can not afford a private school. Thanks in advance.
ReplyDeletePeg, Thank you! I followed the link here from http://unitedoptout.com/state-by-state-opt-out/louisana/. How do I find (in writing) something that explicitly says I have the "right' to opt out of this testing? I really want hard evidence in my hands, in my files, and saved somewhere to access later. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI am new to this as well, but the blinders have finally come off as I have watched my fifth grader try to keep his head above water. I had never heard of Common Core until this year, but I understand that Louisiana betrayed it's citizens by adopting this wretched governmental education takeover without asking any parents or the educators of this state! Just like Cheryl Wilson, I too worry about backlash against my son if I opt out. What recourse do I have if the school does this?
ReplyDeleteDryCreekChic...it's not really a governmental takeover. It's a corporate takeover of the government and all the public service sectors funded by taxpayer dollars...schools, prisons, hospitals, etc. They (corporatists) haven't taken over police or fire departments yet because they haven't figured out how to guarantee large scale service coverage that they themselves actually value. But don't be surprised when you someday have to pay directly for emergency services and you can't afford it either.
ReplyDelete