EDUCATORS STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH CHICAGO TEST REFUSERS
In a public petition released today, more than fifty educators and researchers, including some of the most well-respected figures in the field of education, pledged support for the boycott of the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) by teachers at two elementary schools in Chicago, Saucedo Scholastic Academy and Drummond Elementary School and called on Chicago’s mayor and schools chief to rescind threats of punishment for those who participated in the action.
Among the signers of the statement are former US Assistant Secretary of Education Diane Ravitch, Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, and activist and educator William Ayers.
Today, Monday March 10, the Chicago Teachers Union is calling for a Day of Action to support the boycotting teachers. The CTU is encouraging members and supporters to wear red and attend a rally in Chicago at 4pm. Supporters outside of Chicago can call the Board of Education at 773-553-1600 and say:
“I’d like to leave a message for all members of the Chicago Board of Education. I support families boycotting the ISAT and there should be no retaliation against teachers who stood up for their students on the ISAT.”
To add your name to the petition, send an email to educatorsolidarity@gmail.com.
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PETITION TO MAYOR RAHM EMANUEL & CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS CEO BARBARA BYRD-BENNETT:
CELEBRATE CHICAGO’S TEACHERS OF CONSCIENCE, DON’T PUNISH THEM!
Teachers at two public elementary schools in Chicago, Saucedo Scholastic Academy and Drummond Elementary School, have refused to administer the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT). By taking this bold action at great personal risk, these teachers are standing up for authentic teaching, learning, and assessment. We believe that these teachers are heroes who are worthy of praise and thanks, not punishment and censure.
The teachers at these schools believe that boycotting this test is in the best interest of their students. Hundreds of parents and students agreed. At Drummond, 112 students out of 178 students refused to take the test. At Saucedo, roughly 450 of 1200 students refused also. For teachers who declined to administer the test, this was not a day off — they were able to conduct actual lessons with students who opted out. Threatening to punish teachers who prefer to teach rather than give standardized tests is not in the best interest of students.
The ISAT test is being phased out, and will not be given next year. The results from this test will not be used to improve teaching and learning, to determine grades or promotion in Chicago Public Schools. It’s only purpose is to satisfy the accountability requirements of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation. NCLB demands that schools raise test scores every year, pressure which has led to an abusive over-emphasis on standardized test preparation nationwide.
Like early participants in the Civil Rights Movement, the teachers at Saucedo and Drummond who have refused to administer the ISAT have taken an enormous risk for what they believe is right. And like those early Civil Rights protesters, they are facing intimidation and threats that they may be fired or lose their teaching licenses.
We, the undersigned, call on Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett to stop all threats and punishments directed at the teachers of conscience at Saucedo Scholastic Academy and Drummond Elementary.
Signed*:
Curtis Acosta Founder Acosta Latino Learning Partnership, Tucson
Wayne Au Associate Professor of Education University of Washington, Bothell
William Ayers Retired University of Illinois
Bill Bigelow Curriculum Editor Rethinking Schools
Stephen Brier Professor Ph.D. Program in Urban Education The Graduate Center, City University of New York
Phyllis A. Bush Northeast Indiana Friends of Public Education, Fort Wayne
Alex Caputo-Pearl Teacher Frida Kahlo High School, Los Angeles
Julie Cavanagh Teacher Public School 15, Brooklyn
Sumi Cho Professor of Law DePaul University College of Law
Linda Christensen Rethinking Schools
Anthony Cody Co-Founder Network for Public Education
Tammy Oberg De La Garza Assistant Professor of Language and Literacy College of Education Roosevelt University, Chicago
Bertis Downs Board Member Network for Public Education
John W. Duffy Retired Illinois Education Association
Lisa Edstrom Barnard Education Program Barnard College, Columbia University
Stephanie Farmer Assistant Professor of Sociology Roosevelt University, Chicago
Judith Gouwens Professor of Elementary Education College of Education Roosevelt University, Chicago
Helen Gym Asian Americans United/Parents United for Public Education Rethinking Schools
Jesse Hagopian Teacher Garfield High School, Seattle
Leonie Haimson Executive Director Class Size Matters
Nini Hayes University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Julian Vasquez Heilig Associate Professor of Educational Policy and Planning University of Texas, Austin
Robin Hiller Executive Director Network for Public Education
Brian Jones PhD Program in Urban Education The Graduate Center, City University of New York
Denisha Jones Assistant Professor of Education Howard University
Stan Karp Rethinking Schools
Bill Kennedy Urban Teacher Education Program University of Chicago
Karen GJ Lewis National Board Certified Teacher President Chicago Teachers Union
Barbara Madeloni Educators for a Democratic Union
Eleni Makris Associate Professor Northeastern Illinois University
Morna McDermott Associate Professor Towson University
Deborah Menkart Executive Director Teaching for Change
Nicholas M. Michelli Presidential Professor Ph.D. Program in Urban Education The Graduate Center, City University of New York
Mark B. Miller School Board Director Centennial School District Pennsylvania School Boards Association
Isabel Nuñez Associate Professor Concordia University Chicago
Dani O’Brien College of Education University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Bob Peterson President Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association
Anthony Picciano Executive Officer PhD Program in Urban Education City University of New York – Graduate Center
Bree Picower New York Collective of Radical Educators
Amira Proweller Associate Professor DePaul University, College of Education
Diane Ravitch Research Professor of Education New York University
Mary Cathryn D. Ricker National Board Certified Teacher President Saint Paul Federation of Teachers, Local 28
Karyn Sandlos Assistant Professor of Art Education School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Mara Sapon-Shevin Professor of Inclusive Education Syracuse University
Nancy Schniedewind Professor State University of New York, New Paltz
Tim Slekar Dean School of Education Edgewood College, Madison
Simeon Stumme Associate Professor Center for Policy Studies and Social Justice Concordia University, Chicago
Daiyu Suzuki Doctoral Student Teachers College, Columbia University
Peter M. Taubman Professor Brooklyn College
Dora Taylor President Parents Across America
Angela Valenzuela Professor University of Texas, Austin
Lois Weiner Professor New Jersey City University
Randi Weingarten President American Federation of Teachers
Barbara Winslow School of Education Brooklyn College
*organizations are listed for identification purposes only