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In this Discussion
- AnthonyCody November 2012
- Barbara_Madeloni7 November 2012
- bvaliant March 5
- DMace8 May 2012
- GrumpyEducators May 2012
- Horace_Mann July 2012
- KellyFlynn December 2012
- MatthewWBrooks May 2012
- PegRobertson May 2012
- Phyllis August 2012
- Val March 3
Who's Online (0)
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It was suggested that we start an education activist registry thread by Sandra Brevard, so here it is. I will kick it off with the groups and blogs I am involved with. Note: I am listing the name of the group/blog, I copied and pasted the "About" information for each, and I included the url for the group/blog. It would also help if you could indicate if this is a local, state, regional, or national effort and the location if it is not national. All of this is necessary to be included in a directory I will begin putting together. Please pass this around to everyone you know who is involved in education activism and fighting current efforts to privatize public education through high-stakes testing, charters, vouchers, etc. We would like to build a directory of groups and blogs, from tiny to huge, in an effort to build community.
http://dumpduncan.org/forum/discussion/33/education-activist-registry
KSDC
KSDC is an independent community resource for issues
concerning the KSD and public education in general. Come join in.We believe that current education policy at the national,
state, and local levels is not consistent with what is known about learning,
instruction, assessment, and the needs of children.yes"> We are concerned about corporate influence on public
education and about over-dependence on standardized testing as a means of measuring
student achievement, teacher quality, and success of schools and school
districts.Our central purpose is to provide patrons of the Kennewick
School District a source of research-based information on teaching, learning
and assessment to better inform their decisions regarding the district and its
programs. It is hoped that this
website can also provide a forum for citizens to submit opinion pieces, ask
questions, and make comments about programs affecting children in the district.Local, Kennewick, WA
Valiant, etc
This site, provided by VALIANT, ETC., is for educators,
trainers, and others who have an interest in improving instruction. We will
provide articles of current interest as well as links to a wide range of topics
that we feel are related to the goal of improving learning for all, especially
the disenfranchised.National
Dump Duncan
This is a grass-roots initiative that grew out of the Dump
Duncan group on Facebook in January 2012.Dumpduncan.org is non-partisan, non-affiliated, and accepts
NO donations of any kind!The future of public schools is in jeopardy. Thanks to
federal initiatives like No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top, schools are
being deluged with high stakes tests. Private interests, aided by the Federal
Government, are attempting to supplant local control, inhibit parental
involvement, and to transfer public funding to the hands of corporate
interests. Public schools, locally controlled, are a cornerstone of our democracy.
Relegating them to corporate-owned test prep factories places our nation at
risk and steals our children’s future.National
Dump Duncan (Facebook)
Help ensure the long-term survival of the greatest public
education system on Earth by signing this open letter to President Obama:National
Kennewick School Dostrict Citizens
We are a group of Kennewick School District residents who
believe current education policy at the national, state, and local levels is
not consistent with what is known about learning, instruction, assessment, and
the needs of children.Local, Kennewick, WA
http://www.facebook.com/KSDCitizens
School District Citizens (Facebook)
LOCAL CONTROL NOW!
Description
SDC brings together grass-roots efforts that address local
public school district policy and management. SDC advocates local control for
public education.SDC welcomes groups and individuals that are:
- focused on improving public education at the local level.
- engaged in challenging the status quo.
SDC is non-affiliated, non-partisan, and faith neutral. We
wish to support grass roots organizations who seek a voice in public education
for their own various reasons, whatever they may be.SDC accepts NO donations, NO contributions, and NO
endorsements!National
http://www.facebook.com/pages/School-District-Citizens/129808317079224?ref=ts
Parents Across America - Tri-Cities
Regional affiliate of Parents Across America
Regional, Tri-Cities area of SE WA
http://www.facebook.com/groups/listemail/
Public Schools: Seeking Common Ground
This group was formed in an attempt to build a site where
the multitude of education activist groups could come together to share
resources, discuss strategies, and seek common ground.National
http://www.facebook.com/PublicSchoolsSeekingCommonGround
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Opt Out Indiana:
We are an Indiana branch of United Opt Out. We seek nothing less than the complete end of the terror brought upon our communities by high-stakes-testing.
https://www.facebook.com/OptOutIndiana
OptOutIndiana@gmail.com
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Parents Across America
www.parentsacrossamerica.org
Affiliates increasing. See website for full list. Florida affiliate instrumental in Florida push back.
Fund Education Now
www.fundeducationnow.org
Grassroots parent organization advocating for equity and increasing parent, community member, and taxpayer awareness.
Testing is Not Teaching (TNT)
Palm Beach County group with FB presence and engaged in making change in that county. Palm Beach School Board is the first in Florida to sign the national resolution against high stakes assessment.
Truth In American Education
www.truthineducation.org
Non-educator friendly research-based information site on all things Common Core - national standards, assessment, and database. One stop location for facts. Excellent FAQ. -
United Opt Out National
The movement to end corporate education reform
www.unitedoptout.com
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Peggy Robertson - www.pegwithpen.com
A blog about the truth. Today, it's important for all of us to
find our own way to share the truth. Mainstream media and the
billionaires will not silence our voices.
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Wear Red for Ed
About
A grassroots movement started by parents and teachers as a way to stand up for Public Education.MissionTo connect, enlighten, and stand strong for Public Education in America.DescriptionThe guiding principles of the Save Our Schools March and Call for National Action were originally developed by one of the founders of this page.
For the future of our children, we demand:
Equitable funding for all public school communities
Equitable funding across all public schools and school systems
Full public funding of family and community support services
Full funding for 21st century school and neighborhood libraries
An end to economically and racially re-segregated schools
An end to high stakes testing used for the purpose of student, teacher, and school evaluation
The use of multiple and varied assessments to evaluate students, teachers, and schools
An end to pay per test performance for teachers and administrators
An end to public school closures based upon test performance
Teacher, family and community leadership in forming public education policies
Educator and civic community leadership in drafting new ESEA legislation
Federal support for local school programs free of punitive and competitive funding
An end to political and corporate control of curriculum, instruction and assessment decisions for teachers and administrators
Curriculum developed for and by local school communities
Support for teacher and student access to a wide-range of instructional programs and technologies
Well-rounded education that develops every student’s intellectual, creative, and physical potential
Opportunities for multicultural/multilingual curriculum for all students
Small class sizes that foster caring, democratic learning communities -
Important activism by parents. This developing effort will lead to a national complaint so that parents can exercise their rights to opt out and all bullying, threats, and harassment stop. The announcement below was posted on Facebook. United 4 Kids has a FB presence too.
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Parents Across America has affiliates across the country. Here is their listing:
Parents Across America invites existing local or statewide education groups who share our overall goals of progressive, positive education reform
and more parent input in education policymaking to affiliate with us.
The more of us there are, the stronger our voice will be at every level.We are also looking for parents who are interested in forming chapters of PAA in their states and/or local communities. Be
advised, however that as a chapter of PAA, you cannot endorse
candidates for elective office. You can do so as an individual, as long
as you emphasize you are not speaking on behalf of the organization.We collaborate with our affiliates and chapters to coordinate our
national activities, promote events and do outreach to potential
members in your area, offer you space on our website and/or on our blog,
send out alerts about key legislative issues, share policy and research
resources, and work in coalition on our common goals.If you are interested in having your existing group become a PAA
affiliate, or you would like to form a new chapter of PAA, please write
us at: info@parentsacrossamerica.orgCurrent PAA Chapters and Affiliates (in formation)
Arizona
Voices for Education; contact info@voicesforeducation.org for more information.
California
Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education ; contact klenox@earthlink.net for more information.
Delaware
Communities 4 Education ; contact aekbladh@verizon.net
District of Columbia
Parents Across America -DC contact miriamc@parentsacrossamerica.org for more information
Florida
Testing is not Teaching; contact ritas@parentsacrossamerica.org
Illinois
Parents United for Responsible Education (Chicago) contact pure@pureparents.org for more information
Parents Across America Rockford/Stakeholders United (Rockford )
Louisiana
Parents Across America- Baton Rouge
contact dcollins76@gmail.comParents Across America – New Orleans
contact karranr@parentsacrossamerica.orgNew Jersey
New Jersey Parents Against Governor Christie’s Budget Cuts
Parents Unified for Local Education (Newark)
New York
Class Size Matters Contact info@classsizematters.org for more information
Community Education Task Force (Rochester)
Parents Across America – Central NY
North Carolina
Great Schools in North Carolina
Great Schools in Wake Coalition (Raleigh)
Mecklenburg Area Coming Together for Schools (Charlotte)
Oregon
Oregon Save Our Schools; for more information contact
oregonsosinfo@gmail.comPennsylvania
Parents United for Public Education – Philadelphia
Parents Across America – Central Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Charleston Area Community Voice for Education
contact: cvedu20@gmail.com; also Peter Smyth at psmyth20@gmail.comTexas
Coalition SAUS (Strengthen Austin Urban Schools); contact CoalitionSAUS@gmail.com for more information.
Washington
Kennewick School District Citizens
Parents Across America, Seattle For more information, contact dorat@parentsacrossamerica.org and suep@parentsacrossamerica.org
Parents Across America, Spokane For more information, contact gowerlin@hotmail.com
PAA-Tri Cities chapter, Eastern Washington (Kennewick, Pasco and Richland) For more information, contact rvaliant@clearwire.net
Parents Across America, Tacoma for more information, contact paatacoma@gmail.com
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BuildBetterSchools
A Colorado group, local effort to improve education in the Greeley-Evans District 6.
http://www.buildbetterschools.com/ -
Uniting4Kids is dedicated to promoting practices, policies, and publicity that elevate the fulfillment of the needs of children.
www.uniting4kids.com
This group has a FB and Twitter presence. -
This wiki spaces invites discussion and sharing of information and experiences regarding opting out of standardized testing in an open community format for parents, students, and educators. The site is a supportive community as families negotiate the complicated decison-making with regsrd to their unique situations. All are welcome.
http://optoutofstandardizedtests.wikispaces.com/ -
Education Mew York and Information Poicy Watch
One-stop information site on state and federal information policy and privacy. One of a kind run by an expert.
http://www.educationnewyork.com/about.html -
Can you please add my blog: Western New Yorkers against High-stakes tests. Thanks, Chris http://nystoptesting.blogspot.com
Chris Cerrone
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I am posting this for Nina Bishop:
******ACLU Multi Family Complaint******
Please send your letter of parental rights violations regarding high stakes standardized testing to:
Nina Bishop
3065 Windward Way
Colorado Springs, CO 80917
719-233-1508 Mountain Standard Time
Please
send copies of threatening school/district mail, denials to school
activities, grade advancement or diploma, your contact information and
your request to join the complaint. Please focus your letter on the
Supreme Court rulings below and 14th Amendment.
Parental rights
are broadly protected by Supreme Court decisions (Meyer and Pierce),
especially in the area of education, so why not in our state statutes?
The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that parents posses the
“fundamental right” to “direct the upbringing and education of their
children.” Furthermore, the Court declared that “the child is not the
mere creature of the State: those who nurture him and direct his destiny
have the right coupled with the high duty to recognize and prepare him
for additional obligations.” (Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 268 U.S.
510, 534-35) The Supreme Court criticized a state legislature for trying
to interfere “with the power of parents to control the education of
their own.” (Meyer v. Nebraska, 262 U.S. 390, 402.) In Meyer, the
Supreme Court held that the right of parents to raise their children
free from unreasonable state interferences is one of the unwritten
"liberties" protected by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth
Amendment. (262 U.S. 399)
In recognition of both the right and responsibility of parents to control their children’s education, the Court has stated,
“It
is cardinal with us that the custody, care and nurture of the child
reside first in the parents, whose primary function and freedom include
preparation for the obligations the State can neither supply nor
hinder.” (Prince v. Massachusetts, 321 U.S. 158)
Can
you help? I am also affiliated with Build Better Schools, The Coalition
for Better Education, and Uniting4Kids; all Colorado groups. -
The Coalition for Better Education, http://thecbe.org
Started by a group of aspiring educators from the University of Northern
Colorado, and has expanded to include teachers, parents and students
across the state. Our goal is to expand awareness of the costs and
limitations of the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP now known
as TCAP) and "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB), and to empower parents and
teachers. -
http://communityeducationtaskforce.rocus.org/
The Community Education Task Force (CETF) is a coalition of Rochester City School District (RCSD) parents, grandparents, educators and community activists, which was formed January 2010 for the purpose of defeating efforts to establish mayoral control of the RCSD.
With regard to the defeat of mayoral control, the Task Force has since developed a plan to help produce widespread, fundamental, systemic change and academic improvement within the RCSD. The plan is embodied within eight (8) Guiding Principles For Educational Change.
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Indiana Citizens for Public Education The Battle for Indiana Public Education
Indiana Citizens for Public Education represents a collection of educators, parents, and community members deeply concerned about the state of public education in Indiana and the larger United States. Important to note is that we are NOT: affiliated with a union; anti-charter school; defenders of the status quo; or uncritical of existing public schools. We are pro-public education, anti-school privatization, pro-teacher, pro-democracy, and, at the core, invested in supporting good public schools that help all of our children. -
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Restore-Oklahoma-Public-Education/116011401766695
Restore Oklahoma Public Education (R.O.P.E.) is committed to educating tax-paying citizens and parent stakeholders on the ways in which the methods and philosophies used in public education today affect them. From budgetary allotments to curricula, ROPE attempts to make Oklahomans aware of how every dollar spent and every idea taught can actively influence the future voters enrolled in Oklahoma Public Education today. -
http://teacherunderconstruction.com/2012/07/10/list-of-2012-u-s-teacher-protests/
This is a list of actions taken by teacher groups around the nation. Thanks to "Horace Mann" for finding it.
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http://www.facebook.com/HoosierMomsSayNoToCommonCore
Indiana Moms who oppose the CCSS.
Thanks to Horace Mann
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Northeast Indiana Friends of Public Education is a group of citizens, teachers, administrators, and parents united by our support for public education and by concerns for its future. Recent federal and state reform measures have created an over-emphasis on testing and have turned over public education to private interests. We believe that these reforms threaten the well-being of our children and jeopardize their futures. Our goal is to inform ourselves and to start community discussion about the impact of these measures on our public schools and, more importantly, on our children.
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Teachers' Letters to Obama is a Facebook group that has existed for three years, and has been active in gathering teachers to discuss and advocate for real education reform. We sent more than 100 letters to President Obama back in 2009, and representatives had a phone meeting with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in May of 2010. The group continues to be a place where news and perspectives are shared.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/166176941518/
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Strong Schools Strong Communities is a non-partisan movement dedicated
to informing and engaging Ohioans at the community level to understand,
appreciate and support our system of common public schools.Visit our
website at www.strongschoolsohio.com. -
Can't Be Neutral (www.cantbeneutral.org)
Western Massachusetts university, school, community organization fighting against the corporatization of education and fighting for education as liberation. Our goals are to organize resistance across k12 and higher education, and to form alliances with other activist groups resisting the neo-liberal assault on the commons.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cantbeneutraleducation
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I have been advocating on behalf of teachers and public education since 2002. For seven years I wrote a weekly newspaper column about education. The column ran on the Sunday op-ed page of The Flint Journal, and also in the Jackson Citizen Patriot. As a former teacher, the opportunity to write about education in two large, mainstream newspapers was huge. Time and again I was able to educate the general public about life in a public school classroom. I also covered education policy and the politics of education.I am the author of The Teachers' Lounge (Uncensored): A Funny, Edgy, Poignant Look at Life in the Classroom. The book includes a Foreword by Nancy Carlsson-Paige.I am also the author of Kids, Classrooms, and Capitol Hill: A Peek Inside the Walls of America's Public Schools.Column Archive: http://www.mlive.com/opinion/flint/index.ssf/kelly_flynn/
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Aiming to chronicle the massive opposition to
the Michigan EAA, Selective Enrollment Schools, & Parent Trigger
bills.
Please join us on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/SaveMIPublicSchools -
In Minnesota? Join Public Education Justice Alliance of Minnesota!
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Indiana Groups Supporting Public Schools:
This is a list
of websites, facebook pages, and blogs across the state who support
PUBLIC education. If you know of another that should be added to the
list, please email hoosiervoices@gmail.com and we will get it on the list.
Facebook Pages
Hoosier Voices for Public Education
Northwest Indiana Friends of Public Education
Indiana Friends of Public Education
Northeast Indiana Friends of Public Education
Indiana Bipartisan Support of Public Education
Just Let Me Teach
Republicans for Glenda Ritz
Indiana Coalition for Public Education
Indiana Government Exposed
Support Indiana Teachers
Parents & Educators against the Daniels & Bennett Educational Reform
Citizens Against Tony Bennett
