As was reported earlier on @THE CHALK FACE, the delegates at the #aftconv12 successfully passed a resolution that essentially says “high stakes testing is bad and we all agree.” As Shaun pointed out, the resolution will change absolutely nothing about how schooling will be carried out next year because the resolution promises that AFT members will do nothing to stop or even decrease high stakes testing.
And now we hear from Stephen Sawchuk at Ed Week that delegates from the Chicago Teachers Union attempted to attach an amendment that would have at least required some action.
CTU delegates had proposed a second resolution on testing that would have required AFT to help affiliates pressure state legislatures to produce analyses of the cost and scope of standardized testing and the amount of instructional time spent preparing students for the exams. It was approved by the union’s educational issues committee, but it was not one of the top three resolutions reported out. (Only the top three are guaranteed to go to the convention floor.)
So, on the floor, a CTU delegate made a motion to combine this second resolution with the first one.
“Yesterday, the [committee] was unanimous in its support, we all recognize that this is needed. The problem was that it wasn’t prioritized. We all recognize how important this language is, it gives teeth to [the first testing resolution],” said CTU delegate Adam Heenan.
This amendment didn’t pass, however.
WHY? What the F@#k was so damn controversial about “helping affiliates pressure” the education reformers that are destroying public education?
I know. I know. I just don’t get it. Asking for help to find out how much all this testing costs taxpayers and knowing how much time is wasted on these bullshit exams is just a little too much to ask for after spending the last 10 years ruining students intellectually, deprofessionalizing teachers, and defaming schools.
Here’s an amendment from the @THE CHALK FACE.
Where as and where by and blah blah blah, all the delegates that suppressed this motion must wear a t-shirt to school daily next year that reads “Got Balls? I Don’t!”
Follow Timothy D. Slekar on Twitter: www.twitter.com/slekar
I have to wonder– Have we been brain-washed for so long that we no longer recognize what is (and what isn’t) a strong, declarative statement or a powerful speech?
Many of the people who have moved up the ranks in the national union have done so based on a specific skill or background (law, marketing, education). They may be experts in their field, but they may never have studied in depth those historical social events that would guide them today. Do those with the responsibility of supporting public education have a strong background in union history (the good, the bad, and the ugly) or have studied speeches that have motivated the masses and changed the nation? I am a huge union supporter, but only if they understand and act to support their ultimate mission. I know how hard many, many of the local unions work on accomplishing the impossible. They have stamina, edge, and the willingness to push hard and speak up- never mincing words. The national leaders, however…
I question whether the national leadership even understands how they are failing those who the supposedly represent. From my perspective, not even recognizing that one is failing can be even scarier than understanding the failing, but feeling helpless to act…You can’t change what you don’t realize needs changing. And, in your ignorance, you can do a lot of harm.
I see a lot of harm occurring in the act of finding common ground without drawing firm lines in the sand. I don’t see those lines being drawn. And if I don’t see them, you can be sure the opposition doesn’t either.
Yes, I saw Rita posting how Randi WEingarten’s speech was her best most toughest ever! (said in my best valley girl voice). And All i could think was “now where have I heard tough pretty speeches before that ended with absolutely no action and started with just the opposite”…..
I’m not sure why everyone is so upset. What’s wrong with constantly saying, “I really don’t like what you are doing to me, but I am not going to tell you that you HAVE to stop or even ask you to explain why you are hurting me. Instead, I am going to keep saying, ‘I really wish that you would hit me less often and not as hard.’ If you don’t hurt me as much, I promise to only wear the clothes that you pick out for me, never tell you ‘no’, and never say anything negative about you in public or to my friends. If I do all of that, I think you will value me more as a partner…” Yeah…right! And I have land in the everglades for sale… Tex, don’t give up. We can’t.
When you are tied to a railroad track and a freight train is coming at you, do we really need a study to know that it’ll to do damage? Even the second resolution is too weak.
We’ve got HUGE, Texas-sized balls and they’re scraping the ground! Unfortunately, we’re a little bit lonely in our crusade against testing. 10 years is a long time to be indoctrinated with the NCLB high-stakes testing bullshit and we know quite a few parents, teachers and administrators who need to be deprogrammed. Swear to God, the system has beaten most of these teachers into submission. Administrators seize up whenever we talk about instruction and curriculum. They can’t seem to talk about anything other than data and test scores.
Careful with those.
Several years have passed since I lived in the Lone Star State but I am relieved to hear the old motto still holds true….”Don’t mess with Texas.” Scrapin’ the ground….whoa.