BATs HAD AN AMAZING 2015! HERE WE COME 2016!
àBATs Teaceher Congress this summer in D.C. which included 60+ appointments on Capitol Hill
àBATs filed an Amicus Brief in the Supreme Court for Friedrichs vs. CTA http://www.scotusblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/14-915_bsac_Brittany_Alexander.pdf
àBATs Quality of Work Life Team research project with AFT Research is now written into ESSA Section 2301 N of Title II. This requires Title II money to be used to study school workplace conditions.
à BATs heralded as a prominent educator activist group by Yahoo News this year http://news.yahoo.com/no-child-left-behind-dead-happens-standardized-testing-214447919.html
àWe appear on The Rick Smith Show every Monday on #BATsRadio, The Jeff Santos Show every Tuesday for #TeacherTuesday, Just Let Me Teach, and every fourth Thursday of the month of We Act Radio Education Town Hall. Please head over to our website and locate the Radio Shows tab for links to these amazing radio stations http://www.badassteacher.org/
àNY BATs helped to organize an Education Justice Conference in NYC.
àNY BATs help to expose “Deskgate” in the Bronx. http://nypost.com/2015/10/18/principal-forbid-teachers-to-sit-so-she-threw-out-their-desks/
àThe BAT NEA caucus had amazing accomplishments this summer at NEA RA in Orlando, FL. Read about it here http://badassteachers.blogspot.com/2015/07/bat-caucus-reflections-by-becca-ritchie.html
àBATs continue to form and join coalitions around the country that range from education to social justice issues.
àMany BATs and BATs main twitter feed got blocked by Campbell Brown's Twitter account
àHaving our comments deleted by TFA and then reposting them elsewhere.
àBATs became a 501c4 and restructured so that we can mobilize more quickly both at the national and state levels. http://badassteachers.blogspot.com/2015/10/big-bat-surprise-month-bats-became-501c4.html
àA successful Fall Fundraising Campaign that raised double what was needed (and funded our Amicus Brief and ad in the Washington Post Express due to come out Jan. 14th)
àCalling out the NEA and AFT for early endorsement of Hillary Clinton without rank and file input
àHosting and presenting on panels all over the country including at NPE in Chicago, TEACH in DC, NYCORE in NYC, and RootsCamp in DC.
àOutreach – Startup of some new regional groups like Broward BATs and open fan pages like New York BATs Open Facebook page, NJ BATs Open Facebook Page. BATs also has twitter feeds in every state and will be launching a new surprise in 2016 on social media!
BATs in the News-2015!
BATs Respond to Arne’s Retreat on Testing
How to get 100% Passing Rate on a Test – Backfill
Tonight I am informing you that I am a conscientious objector to this test
Response to Arne Leaving Office
Four Seattle Teachers Declare: “We Refuse to Give the Tests”
Teachers union demands apology from Chris Christie
New York BATs Outraged Over Cuomo Education Reforms - See more at:http://progressive.org/news/2015/04/188081/new-york-bats-outraged-over-cuomo-education-reforms#sthash.m6DuA5CG.dpuf
Can we interest you in Teaching?
Oregon BATs Protest Pearson
Teacher-led protest against Common Core testing picks an unlikely target
FL BATs Protest Jeb Bush
Florida teachers plan to protest Jeb Bush's education summit
Following 'testocracy uprising,' White House issues call for limits on time taking tests in classrooms
Using the Restroom: A Privilege—If You’re a Teacher
John Kasich's teacher problem
Pauline Liu: New education chief has her hands full – New York
Campaign for America’s Future: We Won’t Get Great Teachers By Treating Them Badly
How The Big New Education Law Could Cut Testing Time
National teachers union wants feds to study stresses of teaching
The Global Search for Education: Teaching in a Global World
Teachers's organization rallies against over-testing – Washington State
The Teachers Unions Savior?
Survey Reveals That America’s Teachers Are Seriously Stressed Out
How The Big New Education Law Could Cut Testing Time
Are Cleveland schools 'manipulative bullies' over test opt-outs? Or just making sure parents are informed?
Arne Duncan’s Departure: Education Reporters Dig In – National
New York Activists Organize a RoboCall for Opting Out
Parents fight back against PARCC testing by opting out in Ohio
OP-ED: ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL TESTING ISN'T WHAT OUR KIDS NEED TO SUCCEED – New Jersey
For Every Nonprofit: A Labor Day Agenda and Challenge - National
Badass Teachers Association Opposes Common Core - Arizona
Jeb Bush to raise money, discuss education in Tallahassee
Why education activists are furious at ExxonMobil’s CEO