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$HY
with our public school systems
and the officials who are elected and appointed
to oversee our children's education
AND WE DON'T LIKE IT!!!
We are watching.
We will be voting.
We will elect leaders that support our children and public education.
FI$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.
