Laura Flanders Show Video: The privatization of public schools & the biggest uprising against high-stakes testing in U.S. history

I recently was a guest on the Laura Flanders Show to discuss the factors contributing to the mass opt out movement that has developed around the nation, now the largest uprising in U.S. history against high-stakes, standardized testing (see the below video). I have been traveling around the country on my book tour for More …

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Garfield High School Teacher Heather Robison’s Conscientious Test Objector Declaration

Today marks the first day scheduled for Common Core testing, such as it is, at Seattle's Garfield High School. As I reported last week, Garfield educators were debating about how best to oppose the new deeply flawed Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) Common Core tests, when the parents spoke and opted out hundreds of students …

Continue reading Garfield High School Teacher Heather Robison’s Conscientious Test Objector Declaration

Common Core Testing Meltdown in Seattle: Teachers speak out on technological breakdowns, loss of class time, & civil rights violations

Before the testing season began, educators in Seattle knew that because of the lack of proper preparations, IT support, technological upgrades, and training - and due to the outlandish number of tests administered this year - testing pandemonium would ensue. Last week the Social Equality Educators (SEE) put a call out for teachers to share their …

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“Opt out now”: The Seattle NAACP revives the legacy W.E.B Du Bois, demands an end to Common Core testing

“…the Opt Out movement is a vital component of the Black Lives Matter movement and other struggles for social justice in our region. Using standardized tests to label Black people and immigrants ‘lesser,’ while systematically under-funding their schools, has a long and ugly history in this country.” -Gerald Hankerson, current President of the Seattle/King County …

Continue reading “Opt out now”: The Seattle NAACP revives the legacy W.E.B Du Bois, demands an end to Common Core testing

Garfield High School educators thank Nathan Hale High School for their resistance to Common Core testing

Below is the thank you letter that educators at Seattle's Garfield High School wrote to Nathan Hale High School for their courage in taking the lead in the movement to oppose the new "Smarter Balanced Assessment," Common Core Tests.  Their example helped inspire Garfield to win a major victory against the SBA test, and has …

Continue reading Garfield High School educators thank Nathan Hale High School for their resistance to Common Core testing