High Stakes Testing

SILENT NO MORE: Why this Former Teacher Opted Out of the AzMerit

Anita Christy

Those of us in the anti-Common Core/AzMerit/High Stakes testing movement have long explained why teachers don’t speak out against the insane nationalization of our K-12 Education System.  Mostly, it’s because they don’t want to risk losing their jobs.  Even former teachers don’t speak out, for fear they will never work again in the public school system.  Ms. Debra Jo Borden, a former Arizona teacher, bravely went public in late April 2016 .  She is silent no more about the gagging of teachers, AzMerit, the data mining and psychoanalysis of our children, and much more.   Please read what she has to say: 

1) I disagree with the contracts teachers are required to sign that force them to remain silent.

2) I can be brave and I will speak up.

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Beautiful Letter from an Arizona Teacher to Her Students

Anita Christy

Among the horror stories of teachers and local school administrators who intimidate, lie to, and bully their students are stories like this one.  Rusdon Ray shared the following letter that his young son received from his teacher.  According to Mr. Ray, "This letter was written by his good teacher who clearly recognizes and is doing her best to combat the psychological damage to her students by too much high stakes testing in schools with tests such as the AZ Merit. You can feel the love and concern this teacher has for her 3rd grade students and her desire to help them even though teachers’ hands have been tied. Take a moment and read it." 

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Cowardly AZ Legislators Fret over “maybe” Losing Federal Money: Courageous NY Children Refuse Tests!

Anita Christy

The Arizona Legislature has adjourned Sine Die.  The Fifty-Second Legislature, Second Regular Session ended May 7,  2016.  Unfortunately, the majority of legislators (including all Democrats) refused to respect parents’ rights in voting Nay to SB1455 (parental opt out) . Yet, in liberal left New York, young school children happily joined together to stiffen adult spines against statewide (nationalized) assessments.  

 

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The Schools’ War on Arizona’s Children: Part 3 Emotional Child Abuse

Anita Christy

As stated in Part 1 and Part 2, even though Arizona legislators are ultimately to blame for causing the ugliness, humiliation, undue stress, and mental anguish experienced by parents and their children who dare to reject AzMERIT, it is the teachers, principals, and administrators who are inflicting the pain.  As you will see from these parent comments, some local school "leaders" seem to take delight in emotionally punishing children for their parents’ actions. Local school authorities are willing to suspend their own consciences and actually harm children under their care, all in the name of standardized testing.  The comments you will read below aren’t unusual.  They are representative of what’s happening all over Arizona.  These parents will never again trust the "public school system." 

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Sen. Allen calls for schools to respect parents over assessment concerns

Anita Christy

(Phoenix, State Capitol)—Senator Sylvia Allen today urged local school leaders and administrators to work with parents, be respectful and not retaliate against a student for choices that parent may make.

It is that time of year again when Arizona schools are administering the statewide assessment to our students, also known as AzMERIT.  Unfortunately, another legislative session is coming to an end where a parent’s right to make educational decisions for their children are not being recognized in our state laws. Senator Allen sponsored SB 1455, which would have allowed parents to opt their children out of the AzMERIT assessment. This year Congress reauthorized the federal education law that gave states the flexibility to develop their own opt-out policies, but Senator Allen was unable to get it through the legislative process this session.

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The Schools’ War on Arizona’s Children: Part 2 Online Charter Schools

Anita Christy

Some Arizona parents, disgusted with the diabolical determination of their local schools to bully their children into taking the highly controversial AzMERIT exam, are considering online education for their children.

Think again.  Online charter schools are worse.  The extra harsh treatment is completely legal, based on ARS 15-808(B). The online charters are merely "following orders" as dictated by Arizona’s legislators.  "If a pupil fails to comply with the testing requirements and the school administers the tests pursuant to this subsection to less than ninety-five percent of the pupils in Arizona online instruction, the pupil shall not be allowed to participate in Arizona online instruction."

According to Facebook comments from several parents who refused to allow their children to take AzMERIT, their children were "locked out" of learning.  They couldn’t log on to their computers.  

April 5.  This parent posted:  "Received a call from K12 (Arizona Virtual Academy, where ‘students come first’) at 3:10 pm -she said if we did not call her back before 3 pm today..AND if we did not show up tomorrow at the testing site- they would lock our account. Meaning student could not do his work..meaning they are dropping us from the school. IS THIS legal?"

The parent did not call, nor did she and her 3rd grader make the long drive to the remote testing site.  The trip would have required her to take off work, over a period of 3-4 days, for a few hours each day.  (NOTE:  The "online" school doesn’t administer AzMERIT "online."   One parent stated that she would have to drive 120 miles to the testing site nearest her home.)

April 6.  Parent received the following email: 

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The Schools’ War On Arizona’s Children: Part 1

Anita Christy

Even though Arizona legislators are to blame for causing the ugliness, humiliation, undue stress, and mental anguish experienced by parents and their children who dare to reject AzMERIT, it is the teachers, principals, and administrators who are inflicting the pain.  Unless you have pushed back against this unvalidated, secretive, Common Core-based "high stakes test," you have no idea what it feels like to see the ugly Truth behind the "friendly teacher" mask that pretends that educating your child is the school’s number one priority.  The Truth is that the best interests of your child isn’t in the best interests of the dysfunctional school system.  If your child doesn’t "take the test," the schools are afraid that: 1) They are violating Arizona law; 2) They will lose Title 1 money from the federal government; 3) They will get a poor ranking from the Arizona Education Department;  4) The teacher will get a poor evaluation.  

Your child is merely a pawn being used to serve the bureaucratic nightmare that our state’s education system has become. 

We’ve been reading facebook posts and emails from parents and even some high school students telling us their experiences in dealing with their schools.  The stories you will read below are not unique.  They are legion.  They are representative of how the schools are treating kids whose parents opt them out of insane testing.  

Theoden:  I will not risk open war.

Aragorn:  Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Voices from the School Battlefield:

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Dear Senators: “About your decision to disregard parental authority…..”

Anita Christy

The following email was sent to Arizona’s senators.  It is published with permission of Ms. Lisa A. Hudson (LD23), member of the Mommy Lobby.  NOTE:  The best response to threats to the test resistance movement is to focus your efforts, as Ms. Hudson has done, on policy makers. See These are the Senators Who Sneer at Parental Authority

Dear Senators,

As a follow-up to Ms. Christy’s earlier email attaching a response to baseless threats by the Secretary of Education, John King, I would like to add a few more comments.  First, I’ve attached another link to the press release issued by Senator Tom Reed’s office.  The content of the press release is very important to this discussion and I am confident all of you will take the time to read it.

Reed Stands with Students, Parents

Several other facts should be noted.  First, there was some concern at the Senate Education Committee hearing that the Federal Government would withhold funding if states failed to meet the 95% threshold.  That is simply not true.  Pursuant to ESSA, the decision to render punitive measures for failing to meet the threshold is left entirely to the states.  States decide how to deal with particular schools, including making the decision to do nothing.  Note, also, under NCLB mandates, the Federal Government has NEVER withheld funding from any school.  It is extremely unlikely the state would deviate from that path.  Withholding education funding from Title 1 kids would be political suicide for any official hoping to survive an election cycle.  

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