Why the pushback?
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| SC Department of Education COO, Betsy Carpentier speaking at the SCASA meeting April 17, 2015 |
In the last few weeks, Opt Out South Carolina parents have been trying to figure out why they have received such extreme pushback from their schools when they refuse state testing for their children, and they now know why. On Thursday, April 17, 2015, the SC Department of Education (SCDE) addressed approximately 80 people at an Instructional Leaders’ Roundtable Discussion hosted by the SC Association of School Administrators. SCDE Chief Operating Officer Betsy Carpentier gave some pretty intense guidance to our school district leaders. According to this account and this account of what was said, here are some highlights from the presentation on how school districts should respond to Opt Out parents:
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If parents try to opt out of tests, school
districts should not allow it. Instead,
they should just refer parents to this letter from SCDE Deputy Superintendent
Nancy Busbee. Hanging up on parents who
call was also mentioned as a tactic. (No need for an actual conversation.)
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School districts should make sure these
opt out kids are in the testing room, because then maybe they will give in and
take the tests. (You know, against the written refusal of the parent.)
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If any of these kids act up or refuse the
test, schools should deal with them as a behavior problem. (“But
my mother said…”)
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In some “you didn’t hear this from me”
remarks, if students miss test days, parents could spend an automatic 30 days in jail. (yes,
JAIL) In fact, if a student misses
just one test day, he can be reported for truancy. This all goes back to the public school contract
that parents sign. (Uh…contract?) In addition
to that, if any of these “crazy parents” or groups suggest that a parent keep a
child home on test days, they can be charged with aiding and abetting. (Okay, now
I’ve lost count of the number of threats.)
The audience was also reassured that the SCDE was handling and
controlling the Opt Out problem. The SCDE will get ahead of the parents by
going to the media with their spin, making parental concerns "null and void."
And Just to be Clear...
On the day after this
meeting, every public school in South Carolina received this memo from the SC DOE. The language in the
memo is tamer than what was said at the meeting, but it is easy to connect the
dots and fill in the blanks.
We Want Answers
What was not said and what
continues to be withheld by the SCDE is the answer to Opt Out parents’
question: "Can you show me a state or
federal law that requires my child to take these tests or denies me the right
to refuse these tests?"
With one week until testing and no one knowing who will be tested, disciplined or jailed, I wrote our governor and state legislators this letter. Stay tuned for updates.
With one week until testing and no one knowing who will be tested, disciplined or jailed, I wrote our governor and state legislators this letter. Stay tuned for updates.
We MUST stand for our rights and take back public education! #OptOut #whyirefuse
ReplyDeleteShare this far and wide so all parents will know about it and can take action.
DeleteThis is solid proof that we must remain strong. Parent rights are protected by the Constitution. #OptOut #whyirefuse
ReplyDeleteHaving survived Arne Duncan's reign in Chicago (I'm now a retired Chicago teacher and union delegate for retirees; my wife is a member of the Chicago Teachers Union executive board and delegate from Steinmetz High School), we've been in resistance mode for a long long time. (You can check us out at www.substancenews.net or my at George N. Schmidt). Both my younger sons are veteran Opt Out guys. Sam is now finishing eighth grade, and Josh is in fourth. Opt Out for our family has always meant the book the boys bring to read (we don't tolerate Sit and Stare here) while others take THE TESTS (of which there have been a half dozen since Sam began school back when Arne was still "CEO" of Chicago's schools). You know how it is: THIS TIME WE'VE GOT IT RIGHT!!! whether the test if the old ISAT, or the ITBS, or the IGAP, or currently the PARCCs. The objective of corporate "reform" is to put all of us -- and our children -- into a straight jacket they can view through their spreadsheets and other fantasies. But now we are looking at which book(s) to read during the next Opt Out, and after reading this South Caroline stuff I'm going to recommend that both of them do some Civil War study, and read, maybe, Sherman's Memoirs. As I once said in a speech at the NCTE in Atlanta, Margaret Mitchell was one of the most odious racist propagandists in history -- and Sherman was right about Atlanta. For the boys this year, I will add that maybe Sherman's soldiers were a little too easy on South Carolina.
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