Choice means: You are not in control of your child's education.

Come meet Parents Across America and Karran Haper Royal

http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=2a7464fbd013f3ccc705d32cf&id=95e485cf84&e=0d8bda2f6a

Imagine if parents no longer have the right to send their children to local schools. Welcome to the world of Race To The Top. Imagine you do win the school lottery, and your child gets in! It's Hallelujah time. You are dancing in the streets, but then they discover that your child has special needs. They start doing everything they can to make you and your child uncomfortable. Welcome to the world of "push outs." 
You see the word "public" in "privatized public education" means these schools do not have to educate your child. In the "Choice world" schools do not have to keep your child. If your child's has low test scores, or if they require special services school administrators may just start to make you and your child feel uncomfortable enough to leave. This is the world of push outs!   
Choice means parents have the right to be in the lottery. Those lotteries always end up with less special needs & ESL students.  Choice means parents don't vote for school board members. So much for empowering parents. There is no democracy in the world of choice schools, but there are CEOs.
Think of it like this "Choice" works like that old Outer Limits TV Show: There is nothing wrong with your school set. Do not attempt to adjust your school. 
"We are controlling transmission. If we wish to make it louder, we will bring up the volume. If we wish to make it softer, we will tune it to a whisper. We will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical. We can roll the image, make it flutter. We can change the focus to a soft blur or sharpen it to crystal clarity. For the next hour, sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear. We repeat: there is nothing wrong with your television set. You are about to participate in a great adventure. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to — The Outer Limits." (The Control Voice naaration) 
You parents are not in control of your schools under Race To The Top. You are in the Outer Limits of school choice. 
Perhaps Realtors should begin their listings with your children may or may not be able to attend the local schools in this neighborhood. 
This one is dedicated to Parents Across America and Karran Harper Royal! 
Go tell it on the mountain next week, With love and the deepest respect.
Yours truly,
The Walking Man Jesse 


Want to know the truth?

Dear Friends: · Feeling overwhelmed by all the negative legislation and education policies being imposed by corporate reformers on your school or district? Next  Monday night, Feb. 20 at 8 PM, Parents Across America will be sponsoring a conference call, open to all parents and concerned citizens, to brief you on strategies you can use to fight back against the damaging tide of privatization wreaking havoc our public schools. When: Monday, Feb. 20 at 8 PM EST. Conference Dial-in Number: (424) 203-8075   Participant Access Code: 1037540# First, hear from Karran Harper Royal, a PAA founding member, about what’s happening in New Orleans, where about 75% of the schools are charters and before too long, they may all be privatized.  Rather than the idealized picture portrayed by Sec. Duncan and the corporate reform crowd, this has led to nightmarish experiences for many children, who no longer have the right to attend their neighborhood school, and are often forced to travel hours each day on buses which their parents have to pay for, especially if attending higher-performing schools.  Discrimination is especially fierce against students with disabilities. This is the future that children in many parts of the country may face if the privatizers get their way.  Hear what Karran and other parents are doing to fight back, and about the lawsuit they have filed with the help of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Then, Dora Taylor and Sue Peters, founders of PAA- Seattle, will describe how the state of Washington is experiencing the fourth push in 15 years to authorize charter schools.  Washington is one of only about ten states in which charter schools are still not legal. Though the research doesn't support charters, the backers of this campaign have deep pockets -- including the Gates Foundation and the operations they fund, including Stand for Children, Inc. DFER, and the League of Education Voters.  Parents are also facing a barrage of potentially damaging "teacher evaluation" bills in the legislature. The corporate reformers' strategy is to bypass the voters and push these bills through, inundating the session with multiple bills in 'whack a mole' tactics. Sue and Dora will talk about how they are organizing other parents throughout the state, working with other stakeholder groups, and helping to disseminate the truth about charters and teacher evaluation to prevent these bills from being passed – in Bill Gates’ own backyard. When: Monday, Feb. 20 at 8 PM EST.  Conference Dial-in Number: (424) 203-8075   Participant Access Code: 1037540# If you have a question in advance, please send it to info@parentsacrossamerica.org  Thank you and  Happy Valentine's Day from Julie, Leonie and the rest of us at Parents Across America! Go tell it on that mountain Parents Across America! If you are wondering what the Walking Man is listening today on his walk it's Joan Baez singing "We Shall Over Come" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkNsEH1GD7Q&feature=player_embedded

Secretary Duncan the status quo is you

On Secretary Arne Duncan's Facebook page he states: "Let's stop defending the status quo when it hurts children. Let's wage the right education battles. Together, let's work collectively to advance achievement and a love of learning in America."
Well, well, well, Mr Secretary let me understand this the US DOE has run the show for 12 years now, and spent nearly a trillion exactly their way mandates, and you don't call that the status quo?
Well let me show what Democracy looks like in NYC at the PEP School closings:
http://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2012/02/video-of-protests-at-pep-meeting-last.html

Above is a picture of the status quo:

Above is a picture of someone opposing the status quo:


So to keep it simple and sweet Secretary Duncan you are the Status Quo!

Our children are not your profits, or your data they are our children

Salutations Readers, A little news from Michigan. check this link out:

When education reform is about politics, not children (column)

http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/02/post_66.html

This blog is for the ones standing up to this madness

NCLB/RTTT has never been about our children. When you turn your nation's public schools into for profit ventures our children, parents, teachers, and our local communities lose. Public education should be something noble. An imperfect dream at best, but a dream worth fighting for in a democracy. Notice I said fighting for not selling! Schools for profit are just schools for profit. In schools for profit children become capital to be squeezed for profit. Lets all get something straight from the start- NCLB no matter how-well intentioned people claim it is ends up selling our children, our teachers, and our schools to the highest bidder. The currency use is test scores, and the profits come from a one trillion dollar slush fund allocation of federal dollars. People became rich off the misery of our children. I demand a full accounting of where, and to who every single dime went to. I demand a full disclosure of all political donations, and consultant fees paid to policy makers, lobbyists, and political campaigns as well. Anyone who spends time in our nation's classrooms and talking to students understands that our obsession with testing has brought nothing, but misery to the lives of America's children.

America is waking up. We smell the the phony education reform coffee that places for sale signs on our children, our teachers, and our schools all over our country. Children are more than test scores, and are certainly not capital to be squeezed. 

There are many battles being fought against NCLB/RTTT's Status Quo policy makers/profiteers these days. The amount of news about these battles is dizzying. Even MNBC's Education Nation can't cover it up any longer. Even Emperor Bloomberg in New York's is under siege these days. I find myself smiling proudly as I read about the efforts of parents, teachers, and community activists from sea to shinning sea that are fighting this madness that reduces our children test scores. SOSers are there at every battle as well. Bravo SOS Chicago, Washington, and Colorado you are rocking the nation. I am so very proud of all the parents and teachers showing up at every New York City, Boston, and Chicago mayoral controlled board of education meetings. You can see it all on Robert Lamothe's Teach documentary. Robert was out there documenting it all in from Boston to Wisconsin to DC. http://www.robertlamothe.net/rl/   Robert is a truth teller in our mists.  


I remember a time when I felt alone in this battle. When I spoke out against NCLB a decade ago I was one of the only voices in the room. The only real person fighting NCLB in those days was Susan Ohanian. She lit the only real beacon of resistance in the night for us all to follow on the very first night of darkness. Susan is a blessing. Anytime you think you are alone, or lost in this struggle go to http://susanohanian.org/  Susan Ohanian is truth leading us from the mists. 


I remember a decade ago thinking how can so many good people be buying this idea that testing our children more will save them...What I missed back then was the term "buying."  NCLB is not just snake oil school reform it is about placing a big for sale sign on our public schools and children. The good news, and yes there is good news everyday~ we are winning. I can see it on policy maker's faces, hear it in their voices, but most of all you can see it in the room at every public forum. I am not saying the battle is over. Actually I am saying the battle is only really beginning. Forgive me using a sport metaphor here, but like Muhammad Ali our jabs are wearing them down. Ali took the early blows from the mighty George Forman, and then use his jabs to bring the giant down. Keep Jabbing Michigan,
New York, 
Colorado, 
Arizona, 
Florida, 
California, 
Texas, 
Chicago, 
Indiana,
Washington state,
Washington DC,
Chester Pennsylvania, 
Connecticut,
Georgia,
New Jersey, 
Wisconsin, 
Luisiana, and 
Georgia keep jabbing brothers and sister keep jabbing. 


On Tuesday I gave public testimony at the Connecticut Department State Department of Education at the ESEA Waiver Hearings. It was my usual children are more than test scores. Assessment is a photo album of performance, and is about time we start valuing the voices of teachers and students in the data. Want the turth go ask a child about how they feel about all this testing? On Tuesday I saw the first sign of winning in Connecticut. Policy makers shifted from Race To The Top to ESEA terminology. Policy makers and politicians are learning the old slogan "No Child Left Behind" kills anything they have to say, and so does using "Race To The Top" as well. Now we are far from victory here, but we are winning. 
I said you can see in the room. Well 10 years ago I stood alone in a room like that one at a Connecticut Reading Association conference session that presented NCLB as the word of god. Speaking out against NCLB meant standing alone. Momma always said it's not who your standing with, but what your standing for that counts. Back then I spoke alone. Last Tuesday everyone spoke out against NCLB/RTTT, new teacher evaluations schemes, new standards, and new assessments. We did not win any battles that day, but man we like Ali we "floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee," and we are jabbing so fast they don't know left from right, or up from down. 
We are at the tipping point, and their scams, their lies, and bullying are coming  an end. The NCLB Status Quo Walls are tumbling down on them. 
If you want to see what democracy looks like check parents and teachers at the NYC PEP meeting last night 2/9/12: http://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2012/02/video-of-protests-at-pep-meeting-last.html
Can someone let Secretary Status Quo Arne Duncan know I'm coming to DC?

Still jabbing,
Jesse

One for my old school brothers:

If you are wondering what the Walkingman is listening to today on his walk...it's Des"ree's You Gotta Be Strong: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8Vdw0hZk20&feature=related

"Listen as your day unfolds,
Try to keep your head up to the sky...
Challenge what your future holds,
Lovers they may cause you tears,
Go ahead release your fears,
Stand up and be challenged
Dont be ashamed to cry..

You gotta be, you gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser,
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together,
All I know all I know is love will save the day.
You gotta be hard you gotta be tough you gotta be stronger,

Herald what your mamma said,
Read the books your father read,
Try to solve the puzzles in your own sweet mind,
Others take a different view,
Some may have more cash than you,
My oh my, hey hey hey,
you gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser,

You gotta be hard you gotta be tough you gotta be stronger,
All I know all I know is love will save the day.
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together,"

 you like I said we gotta keep jabbing,

Jesse