Check out this blog written by a smart Mom & Teacher in Louisiana who sensed danger and is protecting her children. Her blog is a message to other Momma Bears to be aware:
Phone Blitz to Gov. Haslam  July 8-12, 2013 Contact Governor Haslam's Office and ask him to remove Commissioner Huffman (who he appointed as our TN Commissioner of Education). Ask Governor Haslam to put a REAL educator in charge of our children's education... one with an education degree and experience in a Tennessee classroom, one with a commitment to public education, and one who supports our teachers, administrators, and support staff. Call, email, write a letter, send a fax, visit the state office: Office of Governor Bill Haslam 1st Floor, State Capitol Nashville, TN 37243 PHONE: (615) 741-2001 FAX: (615) 532-9711 EMAIL: Bill.Haslam@tn.gov Twitter: "@BillHaslam" Use any of these hashtags on Twitter & Facebook: #GetRidofHuffman #ListenToUsGovHaslam #OurPublicSchoolsAreNotForSale #StrongPublicSchools  It is VERY EASY to call! Here's how one person said her experience calling the Governor went on Monday:
I jotted down what I wanted to say, in case I got nervous. Then I dialed 1(615)741-2001. It rang twice, and then a very nice receptionist answered, "Governor Haslam's office, how may I help you?" (Her voice reminded me of Vanna White's from Wheel of Fortune). I said, "I am a Mom in TN who voted for Governor Haslam. I am calling to ask him to get rid of Kevin Huffman as our TN Commissioner of Education, and fill that position with a qualified and experienced educator. Huffman is hurting our public schools." The receptionist kindly said, "Thank you very much. I will give your message to the governor. Have a nice day." That was it. Done. It took less than 2 minutes of my time, and was really easy to do. In hindsight, I wish I'd said something about all the expensive and excessive Standardized Testing, but I might just call back today and tell them how those tests are stressful and harmful for our children, not to mention a huge waste of our tax money that could be spent on more teachers and smaller class sizes. (Our school district is desperately starved for money right now... teachers and staff have been cut to the bone, and teachers will have too many students in their class to teach next year... but yet they are spending even more money and class time on testing our children next year!) No, sir, priorities are not in order in TN. We need a Commissioner of Education who will prioritize our children over profit!  We smell something awful
FI$HY with our public school system when... ...when we notice that teachers & support staff are cut from our public schools, but yet more money is spent on Standardized Testing. ...when Art & Music programs are unfunded or cut from public schools, but yet more money is spent on Standardized Testing. ...when class sizes are too large to effectively teach, but yet more money is spent on Standardized Testing. ...when our kids tell us they took a survey at school that asked them personal questions, and parents ask to see these surveys, but we are told that we cannot view them. Why did they ask our children: How many TV's do you have in your home? Do you have a TV in your bedroom? Who lives with you? (mark all that apply: parents, grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, other) How many books are in your home? How much exercise do you get every day? What is your parent's highest education level? ...when our kids are stressed over Standardized Testing so much that they: have headaches and/or stomach aches around TCAP time, show signs of stress or anxiety related to these tests, throw up on the test at school, cry because they didn't think they did well on the End of Course exams, or their college options are affected because of their scores which count toward their final grades on their report cards. ...when our children are confused by a "new Common Core way" of doing fuzzy math that doesn't make logical sense to educated adults. ...when we notice our children's reading assignments are biased toward certain political, social, or global views. ...when we can't see what our children are learning because it is all done on computers at school and there are no papers or books sent home to see. ...when our locally elected school boards tell us they cannot control or change: the Common Core Standards, State mandated over-testing, or state approved textbooks. ...when public schools are closed, and charter schools pop-up in their place. ...when we find out who is operating these charter schools, and where the money comes from (our tax dollars). ...when we find out that charter schools have no accountability to taxpayers or parents of students. ...when we find out that these charter schools can expel students to public schools before Standardized Test time to inflate their charter school's overall score and rating. ...when we find out that these charter schools can create their own discipline policies and spank students in front of their peers to embarrass and humiliate children. ...when we realize that charter schools are just like private schools for selected public school students, except paid for with our tax dollars, and without accountability to taxpayers. ...when we realize and are dumbfounded that some charter schools in TN and the USA are operated by a radical Islamic extremist from Turkey (Gulen), who receives lucrative tax breaks, incentives, and immigration visas to teach our poorest, inner-city students by male Turkish teachers who do not fluently speak English, paid for with our tax dollars. ...when we find out that politicians are opening their own charter schools to make money off of. ...when we find out that "non-profit" education "reform" groups (such as Stand For Children, Students First, & Chiefs for Change) which are generously funded by corporate executives who give a whole lot of money to fund campaigns of elected: School Board members, Mayors, Representatives, Senators, Governors, and Presidents who support their education "reform" which generously profits their corporations and organizations. ...when we find out that there are uncertified, unqualified, inexperienced "teachers" in the poorest, underfunded schools of our district paid for with our tax dollars through contracts with Teach For America, TNTP, and Education Pioneers, yet meanwhile there are highly effective and qualified teachers who are unemployed. ...when we are told that Common Core is not mandatory, but we have no control over opting out. ...when we find out that corporations are behind Common Core, and not teachers and professional educators. ...when our district spends money on Common Core aligned materials instead of funding our public schools. ...when our children's personal information is collected and shared with corporations contracted with the government. ...when we hear of laws being passed that revoke and trump our locally elected school board's authority to approve charter schools in our area, ...when our public schools are not given our State education $ by the TN Commissioner of Education because our local school board did not approve the Charter Schools the Commissioner's friends wanted. ...when we realize that statistics are being manipulated to create an education crisis that doesn't exist, and the solution is to spend more money on even more standardized testing, unproven and unfair teacher evaluations, and expensive contracts with corporations. ...when we find out that our elected and appointed school leaders don't send their children to public schools, but instead to elite private schools or magnet schools that have rich Art & Music programs, state-of-the art facilities, nicely paid and fairly evaluated teachers, small class sizes, no excessive standardized testing, and no Common Core. ...when parents and educators are left out of decision-making. WE SMELL SOMETHING VERY FI$HY with our public school systems and the officials who are elected and appointed to oversee our children's education AND WE DON'T LIKE IT!!! We are watching. We will be voting. We will elect leaders that support our children and public education. |
Photo used under Creative Commons from mrsdkrebs
