Big Education Ape: The Battle 4 SEATTLE: Seattle Schools Under Siege Part 2

SEATTLE EDUCATION

Chief Sealth Resolution Concerning the MAP Test

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 3 hours ago

Chief Sealth High School teachers just issued the following resolution: Whereas, the students, parents, teachers & staff find the MAP test to be negatively costly in the amount of educational … Continue reading →

New look

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 18 hours ago

Life is a series of actions and reactions, adjustments and readjustments, and so it is with our blog. When I posted the first post on this blog four years ago … Continue reading →

The Weekly Update: Seattle teachers stand firm, testing push back around the country, a parent offers ideas for those opt-out days and Yong Zhao on testing and standardization

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 1 day ago

The Weekly Update for the news and views you might have missed. It’s been quite a week in our fair city. Many of us here in Seattle have watched the … Continue reading →

An eloquent letter of support for the MAP test boycott from the teachers at Roosevelt High School

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 1 day ago

Wednesday/January 23, 2012 This We Believe: Teachers, parents, students, school board members and the administration of Seattle Public Schools owe Garfield High School teachers their gratitude and thanks for speaking … Continue reading →

How to opt your student out of the MAP® test

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 2 days ago

There has been a request for information on how to opt out of the MAP test in Seattle. To follow is an update of a post that Sue wrote in … Continue reading →

Seattle Superintendent threatens punitive actions against boycotting teachers: A Seattle teacher responds, others around the country write letters in protest

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 2 days ago

Yesterday a letter was sent to all of the public schools in Seattle from Paul Apostle, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, requiring that the letter be read to all teachers … Continue reading →

Teachers at Chief Sealth International High School join the MAP test boycott

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 2 days ago

Several teachers on staff at Chief Sealth International High School in Seattle signed the following letter: Be it resolved that we, the undersigned educators from Chief Sealth International High School, … Continue reading →

Superintendent’s Special Education Advisory and Advocacy Committee supports MAP test boycott

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 2 days ago

SEAAC (Superintendent’s Special Education Advisory and Advocacy Committee) and concerned parents stand with the Garfield High School staff in opposing the MAP test for any use in high schools. The … Continue reading →

18 CITIES CONVERGE IN WASHINGTON D.C ON “JOURNEY FOR JUSTICE,” CALLING ON DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO END DISCRIMINATORY CLOSINGS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 2 days ago

National Movement Forms In Wake Of Mass School Closings & Turnarounds That Violate Civil Rights & Promote Divestment In Low-Income Communities Of Color WHAT: Students, parents and advocacy representatives from … Continue reading →

Scrap the MAP! Rally Tomorrow

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 4 days ago

Scrap the MAP! Rally Tomorrow, January 23rd Educators, parents and students are opposing the MAP test at many Seattle schools at this time. Why? · The test isn’t based on … Continue reading →

The MAP test boycott has spread through Seattle

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 5 days ago

In a press conference that was held this morning at Garfield High School, it was announced that additional schools and the SEA Substitute Association have joined the teachers at Garfield … Continue reading →

Leading Educators Support Garfield High School Teachers’ Test Boycott

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 5 days ago

In a public statement released today, more than sixty educators and researchers, including some of the most well-respected figures in the field of education, pledged support for the boycott of … Continue reading →

Schmitz Park Elementary School in Seattle joins in support of Garfield High School teachers.

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 6 days ago

This is the third school to join in support of Garfield High School teachers. To follow is the letter from the teachers at Schmitz Elementary School: Dear Superintendent Banda, The staff of Schmitz Park, by a unanimous vote, joins in … Continue reading →

Garfield High School teacher Heather Snookal and Sue Peters with Parents Across America on Chalk Talk Radio today

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 6 days ago

In case you missed it, you can listen to the radio show here. Sue Peters, Founding Member of Parents Across America and co-editor of this blog spoke with Tim Slekar and Shaun Johnson on Chalk Talk Radio about the Garfield … Continue reading →

The Weekly Update: AFT supports the Garfield High School teachers, armed janitors in Ohio (?) and the rich get richer off of charter schools.

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 1 week ago

The Weekly Update for the news and views you might have missed. From the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Facebook page: Today AFT President Randi Weingarten sent a message of support to the teachers at Seattle’s Garfield High School who … Continue reading →

Sanislo Elementary School stands with Garfield High School: It’s a “Kafkaesque situation”

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 1 week ago

The following letter was sent to Seattle Schools’ superintendent Jose Banda from the teachers at Sanislo Elementary School in Seattle. January 17, 2013 Dear Superintendent Banda: We the staff at Sanislo Elementary, by a unanimous vote, write to express our … Continue reading →

Wayne Au on His Alma Mater Garfield High School

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 1 week ago

This article has been reposted in full with permission by the author. Proud to be a Garfield Bulldog The growing support for Garfield teachers’ resistance to the MAP test is a testament to just how much the collective action of teachers … Continue reading →

Orca K-8 teachers refuse to give the MAP test

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 1 week ago

According to the Seattle Times: Teachers and instructional assistants at a second Seattle school are refusing to give exams known as the Measures of Academic Progress, or MAP — district-required tests that are given two or three times year. The … Continue reading →

A webcast with Fair Test Monty Neill, United Opt Out’s Tim Slekar and Shaun Johnson with special guest Garfield High School teacher Jesse Hagopian on high stakes testing and opting out

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 1 week ago

The term “high stakes testing” refers to standardized tests that are taken by students and used to evaluate a teacher and/or principal’s performance or that of a school. Many times these tests have been used more as a weapon rather … Continue reading →

Part 5: High Stakes Testing and Opting Out: The Push Back

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 1 week ago

The Push Back: Opting Out (A continuation from Part 4: High Stakes Testing: The Consequences.) Parents, teachers, principals, school board members and education administrators are beginning to understand that this excessive focus on testing has hurt their schools and their students. … Continue reading →

Parents Across America Seattle supports Garfield High School teachers’ principled opposition to the costly and inaccurate MAP® test

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 1 week ago

Parents Across America, Seattle, fully support and applaud the Garfield High School teaching staff in their refusal to administer the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP®) test to their students. The teachers at Garfield, one of the district’s most respected high … Continue reading →

The Seattle Education Association’s response to the Garfield High School boycott of the MAP test

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 1 week ago

For the record, from the teacher’s union in Seattle, the Seattle Education Association. The Seattle Education Association (SEA) supports all of our teachers in wanting to provide the best learning environment for Seattle’s students. Garfield teachers want to do just … Continue reading →

The Weekly Update: What can I say…Seattle teachers rock!!!!

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 1 week ago

As you might know by now, teachers at Garfield High School in Seattle held a press conference on Friday and announced that they were not going to give the Measurement of Academic Progress (MAP) test to their students for a … Continue reading →

Seattle Ballard High School teachers issue letter in support of MAP boycott

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 2 weeks ago

This just in: 25 teachers at nearby Ballard High School signed a letter today stating support for their Garfield colleagues. Dora Taylor Whereas The MAP test is a resource expensive and cash expensive program in a district with very finite … Continue reading →

The letter from the teachers at Garfield High School regarding the MAP test

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 2 weeks ago

December 21, 2012 To Whom It May Concern: We, the Garfield teachers, respectfully decline to give the MAP test to any of our students. We have had different levels of experiences with MAP in our varied careers, have read about … Continue reading →

Letter of support for Garfield High School teachers from Diane Ravitch

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 2 weeks ago

To the Teachers of Seattle: Congratulations on taking a stand against the misuse and abuse of standardized testing. Congratulations for defending the ethics of genuine education. Congratulations on supporting your students’ right to good education, not just endless testing. Congratulations … Continue reading →

Garfield High School teachers say “NO!” to high stakes testing

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 2 weeks ago

In an unprecedented move, and hopefully the first of many around the country, Garfield High School teachers have taken a stand against high stakes testing which in Seattle is the MAP test. Here is a portion of the press release: … Continue reading →

The Washington Policy Center, or should I say ALEC, and the future of our children

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 2 weeks ago

From the same people who state that any efforts made in our state to address climate change are a waste of time and that our schools don’t need any additional funding, who post reports from ALEC and have ties to … Continue reading →

Brian Jones in Portland Friday evening

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 2 weeks ago

This will be an opportunity to meet Brian Jones, co-narrator of The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman and meet other concerned and active parents, teachers and students. Friday, January 11th, 5-6:30PM Public Forum with Brian Jones: Real VS. Phony … Continue reading →

Heads Up Seattle! “Charter School Moguls Scam Oregon Out of Millions”

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 2 weeks ago

At first I thought I would post this article as part of the Weekly Update but because it is so close to home and with charter franchises and their corporate bellhops [1] chomping at the bit to get a piece … Continue reading →

The Weekly Update: Charter schools: Public or private? Brian Jones in Portland, teachers rally in Illinois and a petition to Obama: Stop privatizing our schools!

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 2 weeks ago

The Weekly Update: For the news and views you might have missed First up, more Facebook pages are popping up on the subject of education: Our Village Our Schools Public Education Crusaders Long Island Chapter Save Our Schools March 350 … Continue reading →

Your Student’s Privacy

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 3 weeks ago

This is a very real issue. We saw a horrifying hand off of student data in Seattle two years ago. See: Should the School District Be Allowed to Give Our Kids’ Phone numbers, Addresses and Photos to Every Tom, Dick … Continue reading →

I love you Seattle. Happy New Year!

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 3 weeks ago

Well, I did it… my very first video. This one, my love song for Seattle. There was so much more that I wanted to show but it couldn’t fit in one video. Happy New Year Seattle. Dora Taylor

Cory Booker and the $100M gift to Newark Public Schools

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 3 weeks ago

This goes into the OMG category because that is what I kept saying to myself as I read this article. From FireDogLake: ACLU Wins Lawsuit Against Cory Booker, Forcing Release Of Emails with Facebook Executives By: DSWright, posted on Wednesday … Continue reading →

The FBI coordinated the crackdown of Occupy with big banks

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 3 weeks ago

From the Guardian, posted on 12/29/2012: Revealed: How the FBI coordinated the crackdown on Occupy By Naomi Wolf There is a new twist: the merger of the private sector, DHS and the FBI means that any of us can become … Continue reading →

The Weekly Update: Teachers Speak Up

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 4 weeks ago

The Weekly Update for the news and views you might have missed. This week has been a slower news week than usual for obvious reasons but the internet is burning up with announcements of new Facebook pages sprouting up started … Continue reading →

Tec-9’s for Teachers? Arming Educators Gets a Failing Grade

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 4 weeks ago

by Jesse Hagopian This was originally posted on Common Dreams. Chalk in one hand and a handgun in the other. As a high school history teacher with a Masters in Education, I never imagined some politicians and other cultural “leaders” … Continue reading →

For KIPP charter schools, more computer time, less class time

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 4 weeks ago

With the Race to the Top (RTTT) funds dwindling, charter schools are having to balance their books and keep their CEO’s well paid by cutting out face-to-face class time with teachers and instead, placing those students in front of computer … Continue reading →

THE YES MEN FIX THE WORLD : The Movie

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 4 weeks ago

For your holiday viewing pleasure.

The Man Who Saved Christmas

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 4 weeks ago

This was originally published in the Oregon Encyclopedia. Alfred Carlton Gilbert (1884-1961) A.C. Gilbert—the inventor of the Erector Set and other educational toys—was born on February 13, 1884, in Salem, Oregon. As a young boy, he was very athletic and … Continue reading →

A holiday wish list for education

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 4 weeks ago

An Education Wish List Posted from the Nation Listen up Bill Gates, et al. A Broader, Bolder Christmas: Top Ten “Gifts” for Under the (Education Policy) Tree 10. A Roof Over Every Student’s Head: Children who lack stable homes are … Continue reading →

A Race to the Top Winner. Really?

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 5 weeks ago

There are more questions than answers as it pertains to how the Race to the Top money will be spent by the districts in our state that “won” Race to the Top funding. The Puget Sound Educational Service District, which … Continue reading →

Part 4: High Stakes Testing: The Consequences

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 5 weeks ago

High Stakes Testing: The Consequences There is the narrowing of focus to math and reading and less focus on history, social studies, the arts, foreign languages, writing, physical education, or developing research and critical thinking skills. The emphasis on test scores precludes looking more carefully at the cause of low test scores which include poverty, [...]

The Heroes at Sandy Hook

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 5 weeks ago

I am reposting several articles as a composite of the heroes of Sandy Hook. America’s Teachers: Heroes or Greedy Moochers at the Public Trough? I’ll be brief here. Let’s just note that the heroic teachers who died while courageously trying … Continue reading →

A Time to Reflect

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 5 weeks ago

“Violence is a disease, a disease that corrupts all who use it regardless of the cause.” Chris Hedges After going through the emotions that a parent goes through hearing about a child being hurt or killed, I began to think that the children in Newton, CT should not die in vain. It was ironic that [...]

Over $1B and counting for TFA, Inc., de facto discrimination in charter schools, the failed Microsoft model hoisted onto our educational system and Maryland superintendent says “Stop the insanity”

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 1 month ago

The Weekly Update for the news and views you might have missed. “Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them.” Frederick … Continue reading →

Equitable staffing of our Seattle schools demanded by Nova High School

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 1 month ago

It has been brought to my attention that four of our schools in Seattle have been chronically underfunded and therefore understaffed. The schools are Nova High School, the Center School, South Lake and the World School. There has been no … Continue reading →

An Open Letter to Superintendent Randy Dorn Regarding Initiative 1240

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 1 month ago

Dec. 5, 2012 To Superintendent Dorn: Parents Across America of Washington State, the local chapters of the national organization dedicated to the preservation of public education, has concluded that Initiative 1240 is in violation of the Washington State Constitution on … Continue reading →

Introducing the Edu$hysters of the week and they all hail from the great state of Michigan

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 1 month ago

The Edu$hyster ring in Michigan Utica Community Schools, as the second largest district in Michigan, has always been a leader in education. Students have always had a high rate of success. In comparison to districts across the nation, Utica has … Continue reading →

Teacher Sabrina gives ALEC a reality check

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 1 month ago

From Teacher Sabrina: On November 30, 2012, I had the rare and deeply disturbing experience of witnessing part of the American Legislative Exchange Council’s Education Task Force meeting: a closed-door policy-shaping session open only to the state legislators who help … Continue reading →

Henry A. Giroux: War On Youth

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 1 month ago

Something to think about this wintry day. The critically acclaimed public intellectual Henry A. Giroux discusses the state sponsored assault being waged against young people across the globe, especially in the United States. For Giroux, what is no longer a … Continue reading →

Weekly Update: K12, Inc. tanks with parents and Wall Street, how “non-profit” charter school$ fleece taxpayers, a school to prison pipeline, literally, and much, much more.

seattleducation2011 at Seattle Education - 1 month ago

The Weekly Update for the news and views you might have missed Helen Barkin writes a thorough review of what happened state by state on November 6, 2012 in this article. What Happened to Public Education on Election Night? An … Continue reading →