Latest News and Comment from Education

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Students Call For Action! Save Our Schools

Students Call For Action!:


Students Call For Action!

Students call for action!



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: March 14th, 2013
WHAT: Students standing up for our education
WHERE: West Steps of the Colorado State Capitol
TIME: 11:00 AM to 3:00PM

Students call for action!

To Download Flyer Walkout In-Between Tests Action Flyer
On February 23rd, students gathered to discuss what is wrong with the current education system and how they could get their voices heard. From there, the students developed an action plan to have their voices heard.
We, the students, are standing up for our education. We no longer want to be part of the cookie-cutter system where everyone is taught the same and forced to take a standardized test that we memorize answers to, making us products of the public education assembly line.
In the past few years, the Colorado State Legislature has passed bills to change how our schools are evaluated. In result, schools have been labeled “Turnaround status” or have been shut down. Students have been confined to their desks to learn certain knowledge for the sake of the test, while putting aside classes for life-skills.
Teachers have to comply to the standardized test instead of teaching real-world experiences because if the school has low test scores it could result in them getting fired or their school shutting down. Starting next year, teacher salaries will be tied into students’ results on the TCAP.
March 14th is Defend Public Education Day. Students will participate by walking out of their classes or test on this day to make a stance and get their voices heard. Students will be gathering on the west steps of the Colorado Capitol to begin a peaceful protest to defend our education and ask for a better one. We believe that education should be a democracy not a dictatorship.
We encourage all students, parents, teachers, and citizens to join us as students stand up for our education. This will be the start of a revolutionary time where students will have a say in their educational rights.
For more information:
Alex Kacsh
akacsh@students4ourschools.org
720.232.1918
Bailey Lammon
brlammon@students4ourschools.org
719.440.2388


From Seattle to Chicago; The Case Against High Stakes Testing



From Seattle to Chicago; The Case Against High Stakes Testing

Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at 7:00 PM
Mount Carmel MB Church
2976 South Wabash Avenue
With Jesse Hagopian, teacher at Garfield High School in Seattle and leader of MAP test boycott and Karen Lewis, Chicago Teachers Union president
The well-publicized efforts of teachers, parents and students in Seattle in boycotting the MAP test there has brought the issue of the overuse and misuse of high stakes standardized testing to the national stage.
Join teachers, parents and students to understand the role high stakes testing is playing in undermining great teaching and learning in our schools.
Test scores are a key component of school rankings and closings, student tracking and promotion, principal evaluations, teacher evaluations, and all too often result in a limited and narrow curriculum in our classrooms. Tests unfairly discriminate against schools with low income students, students of color and students with disabilities.
We will discuss the many options for becoming involved in the growing movement against excessive standardized testing in our schools.
Download a printable flyer here: http://bit.ly/Yl1Jvg
Childcare will be provided
Sponsored by
More Than A Score
Chicago Teachers Union
CReATE
www.morethanascorechicago.org


Occupy DOE 2.0: The Battle for Public Education

Occupy DOE 2.0: The Battle for Public Education



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: United Opt Out National
Email: unitedoptoutnational@gmail.com 
Website: http://unitedoptout.com

OCCUPY THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 2.0

The Battle for Public Schools
Administrators of the public education advocacy group UNITED OPT OUT NATIONAL are hosting the second annual event on the grounds of the US Department of Education in Washington, DC on April 4-7, 2013. We ask all of those in support of teachers, students and public schools to attend. The third day will include an organized march to the White House.
The event is a four-day gathering of progressive education activists endeavoring to resist the destructive influences of corporate and for-profit education reforms, which began in previous administrations and persist with the current one. We cannot and will not stand silent as the threats to dismantle our system of public education continue. These threats include the erosion of the teaching profession, excessive use of standardized testing, mandated scripted curriculum, the absolute disregard of child poverty, and reforms which disproportionately impact minority communities.
We ask that you join us, stand tall, and meet your responsibility as citizens to be heard above the din corporate influence. You will have the opportunity to hear speakers and converse with public school advocates from across the country, including Diane Ravitch, Nancy Carlsson-Paige, Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis, Stephen Krashen, Brian Jones, Deborah Meier, and many other students, teachers, and community members (visit the link below for full schedule details1).
Do not miss this free and unique opportunity to connect with like-minded public school advocates. Come gather information and strategies that can be used to fight corporate education reform in your own community. Join us and make your voice heard.


If you require more information about the event, or to schedule interviews with the Administrators of United Opt Out National, please contact Peggy Robertson at (720) 810-5593 or via email writepeg@juno.com.

Dr. Raynard Sanders; Imperative Radio Introduces Save Our Schools



Dr. Raynard Sanders, Imperative Radio Introduces Save Our Schools

New Orleans Imperative 2 25 13
The New Orleans Imperative, which began broadcasting in March 2009, focuses on public education in New Orleans. It airs every Monday at 10:00 AM CST
Bess Altwedger and David Greene of Save Our Schools discusses the organization’s mission and concerns about the present state of public education. Save Our Schools is a national organization dedicated to public education as the cornerstone of a democratic society who are committed to education policy and actions shaped by diverse voices.
To Listen to The Show… New Orleans Imperative 2 25 13 Rebroadcast