Dear Gov. Haslam,

I am writing to let you know that my fourth-grader will not be taking the TCAP test. This is unfortunate for her school because she scores in the advanced range every time.
Auria is in fourth grade at Northfield elementary in Murfreesboro, TN. This is our fourth year at this school, and between her and her sister, I have fallen in love with numerous teachers there. Murfreesboro has the best school system in the state (according to Google), and I have been highly impressed with the people and their level of care for my children.

Third grade changed, though. My highly-intelligent, confident kid became a wreck - early in the year - over the pressure associated with the TCAP. I was confused, as I took the TCAP every year as a child and have nothing but fond memories of bubbling in the little circles. I started to notice the growing intensity leading up to the test, and I became a little disgusted. That was last year. This year it was worse. The teachers I have had the pleasure of working with are so wound up that I feel sorry for them. The teachers, the staff, the administration...everybody.

These are obviously brilliant and creative people, and this test has taken over like a life-sucking monster. Teaching isn't an exact science, just like parenting. Every child is different, and this terrible system is stifling all the joy and creativity that is required to really make an impact. 

Now, if I love this school and staff so much, and I know her test scores would attribute to an average boost ($$$), why would I pull her from this?  She wants to be a teacher when she grows up. These teachers are already being grossly underpaid for such an important role.
 "Pearson is America's largest corporate maker of standardized testing. It has a multiyear contract with our Department of Education: For creating and implementing the TCAP and the end-of-course tests for high schoolers, we pay more than $150 million.  (That's three times what it would have cost to give Tennessee teachers a 2 percent raise.)  The deepest cut of all? Teachers aren't able to preview the test. They are neither editor nor author of the single most influential test of the whole year. It's the educational equivalent of a slap in the face." 
- David Cook (Times Free Press)

Auria can already make better decisions than this.

My child's job is to learn. The teacher's job is to teach. But my role as her parent is more complicated. I also have to teach her when standing up for something is necessary. This system is stupid and unfair. She will be accepting a 0 as 15% of her grade for the year. But she will also be standing up for teachers and students all over the state. She will be taking steps toward bettering her future right now, and I think that's better than just a memory of all those bubbles.

Thank you for your time reviewing this matter,

Alicia Maynard
Murfreesboro, TN

The above letter has been shared on Facebook over 1,140 times in the past 48 hours.  Here are some of the many comments on it:

• Amen!
• As a teacher in metro, I love you!
• Wow! Seems I'm not alone about my TCAP feelings! Kuddos to this mom!!!
• The pressure for students, teachers, and parents is so unfair. It makes me so sad.
• This is so beautiful. It's a must read for all parents and students.
• Maybe more parents should jump on this bandwagon!!! I would love to shake her hand and meet her in person!
• Incredible parent and letter! Hope someone listens! Something to think about where we are heading for the future of education for the little ones. Lets put Common Sense back in Education and worry bout the little ones not which pocket is getting thicker!!!!
• How many letters like this will it take to change things?
• Simply the truth. I am forbidden by law from seeing, asking or being told what is on the test my kids take. Ever. We never see the old tests. We cannot challenge bad questions...and trust me, the practice tests have bad questions. Parents can also never see the tests. Just try and ask, even after it is given. I have yet to have a teacher's edition grammar book that did not have a wrong answer or horribly confusing practices. It happens, but now who is double checking? My kids will do well...they always do me proud in a pinch, but this is beyond ridiculous. Pearson controls education in Tennessee. Get over the outrage over the feds/Common Core (for now) and ask why in the Hell a private company gets to determine kids' grades and teachers' fates with ZERO oversight.
• May do this next year. Zac is flipped out about TCAP.
• This sums up my feelings on standardized testing word for word!!!!!!!
• I love how you just stand up for things that are unjust without ANY hesitation and I respect the heck out of that! TCAP tests and the like are the reasons why I did not complete my certification as a secondary educator. It's an unfair system that pigeon-holes children into measurable data. You, Alicia Maynard, are a beautiful soul and a wonderful mother. Thank you for standing up for teachers and for teaching your children to stand up for their generation of learners.
• I applaud this mother and think it would be awesome to boycott this stupid standardized testing

This issue is not going away.  This movement will to continue to grow in TN, as it has in other states as parents realize that their children are being needlessly and expensively over-tested.

Common Core and the inseparable requirements of the Race to the Top contract require even MORE testing, including benchmark tests and probably the PARCC (which is a much more difficult, time-consuming, and stressful test than TCAP is).


Legislators:  Parents need a law that gives us the legal option to protect our children by Opting-Out of standardized tests.  Other states have this law.  Tennessee needs it, too.  Parents should be able to decide what is best for our children.  Private school and home-school students don't have to take these tests, so why are our public school children forced to do them?

School Board members & Superintendents:  Some districts in TN (like Metro Nashville) allow parents to refuse standardized tests for their children without penalizing the child, teacher, or school.  Even though TN does not yet have an Opt-Out law, the state, at this time, allows districts to decide without penalty (See this document and see how the Metro Nashville School District handles parents who wish to refuse testing for their children).  Locally elected school boards have the authority to set policies regarding testing and the rights of parents to refuse these tests for their children.  Please, listen to the parents.  

Parents know what is best for their children.  We know better than the Pearson corporation, better than the government, and better than any standardized test ever created.  We trust our children's teachers to fairly assess our children's progress.  

The Bradley County School District is in Cleveland, TN (east of Chattanooga).  Bradley County ranks above-average on test scores and above-average on graduation rates compared to other school districts in Tennessee.
 

Click HERE to download the Bradley County Resolution

My son has autism, and you wouldn't believe the hoops we have had to jump through over the years. He has terrible test anxiety. When he took the PLAN test as a sophomore, they called me from school to pick him up.  They said he had a petit mal seizure! He went through 8 months of scans and tests to determine no seize activity, just completely disoriented due to anxiety!  He HAS to take the ACT soon, and I have worked for 18 months to get him to deal with that.  Now, it's DEA testing all the time!  He's tested out!

I am also a level 5 teacher with 25 years of experience, and the things that I have seen done to SPED kids in the name of testing has been appalling...but I am bound by confidentiality. School systems are listening to testing consortium rather than IEPs. The best interest of the child is lost in favor of doing whatever it takes to score well. What our system is too stupid to see is that this is an impossible task which has been placed before us. Our kids are being set up to fail so that the county will fail, and then the state will take over and farm out much in the same way correctional facilities do now. It just seems that nobody cares! TEA has been neutered, and the media and public are extremely hostile towards teachers. Common Core is being forced down our throat as are DATA walls and testing out the wazoo!

(This was posted anonymously to protect her child and her job.  This teacher did not feel safe in publishing her school district, but would say that it is a small, rural district 50 miles outside of Nashville.)
 

All children have special needs. Excessive testing of students is robbing the joy, time, and funding from their education.

TN parents and teachers are seeing the un-piloted results of reform implementation at the classroom level:

The mismanagement...
the inappropriate and excessive testing... 
teaching to the test...
the disconnect between top down mandates and classroom instruction...

     ...all of these things are disrupting real learning.  

The plight of the learning disabled is just one example where parents and teachers should have been brought to the discussion at the beginning of the reform process.  The disconnect between reform ideas and real world implementation is a canyon that seems to grow wider each day in our Tennessee public schools.  

How can you, as an elected or appointed official, help improve the classroom experience of our disabled students?   We are weary of the dismissive attitude of our State Board of Education on these issues.  Some are saying that lawsuits are the only option, but we would much rather see the money spent on helping students instead of paying lawyers.  Wouldn't you?

A judge in Douglas County, Colorado, recently ruled that their school board violated the state fair campaign practices law by hiring two "scholars" to write 2 papers praising the district’s privatization agenda.  One biased paper was produced by Frederick Hess of the American Enterprise Institute.  Hess was paid $30,000 for his paper.  

Hess' name should sound very familiar to Tennesseans.  One of Hess' reports has been the single-most popular report for reformers to gloat about in our state since 2007.  Hess, (with a nice paycheck from the Chamber of Commerce) wrote a report that gave our fair state a big, fat "F" for Truth in Advertising.  (Ironic, isn't it?).  But how many people have actually read that report and the fine print?  These Moms did, and they saw some huge red-flags:

"The F sounds really bad, doesn't it???  But check out the actual report and you'll see a few things that SCORE doesn't want you to know about... 

1.  This disclaimer regarding the Truth in Advertising category:  "This category does not evaluate state tests nor does it grade states on the performance of their students. Instead, the evaluation looks at how truthfully a state reports student proficiency."  Get it?  This was a problem with the STATE not reporting accurately, not with our students.  Of course, SCORE doesn't publicize that Tennessee fared better in other categories of this report, they only point out that big, fat F and use it to further their agenda.  
 
2.  This fine-print disclaimer buried in the report:  "The authors acknowledge that this is an imperfect measure of state transparency because there is some debate about using NAEP alone to benchmark state tests. However, this method is currently the only one available when comparing the transparency of reporting from one state to the next."
 
3.  Manipulated letter grades:  The results were rated on a pre-determined, weighted curve, so the differences between state scores are not as major as one thinks... This method of grading means there would be a pre-determined # of grades.  (Only 5 states "earned" A's, 5 got B's, 20 received D's or F's, and the rest got C's).
 
It is true what our high school statistics teachers taught us, you really CAN manipulate data to show whatever you want.  Momma Bears gives that report a big fat F minus for Truth in Advertising!"

(click HERE to read their entire article)

Tennessee Parents are questioning...  Who is this Rick Hess, and why are people trusting his opinion?  We found this description from a teacher:

"Rick Hess’ classroom experience? A grand total of two years as a social studies teacher in Louisiana, about 21 years ago, according to his official website. It must have been pretty tough, if he quit teaching so soon. I’m sure he’s making much, much more money now as a spokesman for the billionaires who have taken over our educational system, and he doesn't have to worry about teaching 150 students every single day and grading papers and filling out useless forms and memos until he can’t see straight at night, with no administrative support at all… Life’s pretty cool if you are a 40-something with a million-dollar portfolio schmoozing at conferences all over the place instead of actually teaching in the classroom any more…  All it takes is the ability to show those with deep pockets that you are on their side and are an effective mouthpiece for them. You can be very rich and very powerful, very soon in your career."

Tennessee Parents hope our elected officials are not so gullible.  We hope they dig deeper and question these reports for themselves.

Description of video:  Petrilli pretends to kidnap Hess to give him a "makeover" before an exclusive awards gala for education reformers.  Apparently, Hess' wardrobe was not up to snuff for Petrilli and his friends, so Petrilli kidnaps Hess and takes him, via chauffeur by a fellow reformer, to Brooks Brothers where he tries on an assortment of outlandish clothing choices before finding an appropriate outfit to wear to the fancy event.
Tennessee parents can't help but notice that the wide gap between Brooks Brothers clothing store (which is un-affordable for most Tennesseans) and the students that Petrilli and Hess claim to advocate for.
Also worth noting: Petrilli's comments at 2:03 stating he has a 2:30 conference call with Gates that he doesn't want to miss.  "Big money on the line, baby, big money!" 

Have you heard the Blueberry Story?


"If I ran my business the way you people operate your schools, I wouldn’t be in business very long!” 
 
I stood before an auditorium filled with outraged teachers who were becoming angrier by the minute. My speech had entirely consumed their precious 90 minutes of inservice. Their initial icy glares had turned to restless agitation. You could cut the hostility with a knife. 
 
I represented a group of business people dedicated to improving public schools. I was an executive at an ice cream company that became famous in the middle1980s when People Magazine chose our blueberry as the “Best Ice Cream in America.” 
 
I was convinced of two things. First, public schools needed to change; they were archaic selecting and sorting mechanisms designed for the industrial age and out of step with the needs of our emerging “knowledge society.” Second, educators were a major part of the problem: they resisted change, hunkered down in their feathered nests, protected by tenure, and shielded by a bureaucratic monopoly. They needed to look to business. We knew how to produce quality. Zero defects! TQM! Continuous improvement! 
 
In retrospect, the speech was perfectly balanced - equal parts ignorance and arrogance. 
 
As soon as I finished, a woman’s hand shot up. She appeared polite, pleasant – she was, in fact, a razor-edged, veteran, high school English teacher who had been waiting to unload. 
 
She began quietly, “We are told, sir, that you manage a company that makes good ice cream.” 
 
I smugly replied, “Best ice cream in America, Ma’am.” 
 
“How nice,” she said. “Is it rich and smooth?” 
 
“Sixteen percent butterfat,” I crowed. 

“Premium ingredients?” she inquired. 
 
“Super-premium! Nothing but triple A.” I was on a roll. I never saw the next line coming. 
 
“Mr. Vollmer,” she said, leaning forward with a wicked eyebrow raised to the sky, “when you are standing on your receiving dock and you see an inferior shipment of blueberries arrive, what do you do?” 
 
In the silence of that room, I could hear the trap snap…. I was dead meat, but I wasn’t going to lie. 
 
“I send them back.” 
 
She jumped to her feet. “That’s right!” she barked, “and we can never send back our blueberries. We take them big, small, rich, poor, gifted, exceptional, abused, frightened, confident, homeless, rude, and brilliant. We take them with ADHD, junior rheumatoid arthritis, and English as their second language. We take them all! Every one! And that, Mr. Vollmer, is why it’s not a business. It’s school!” 
 
In an explosion, all 290 teachers, principals, bus drivers, aides, custodians, and secretaries jumped to their feet and yelled, “Yeah! Blueberries! Blueberries!” 
 
And so began my long transformation. 
 
Since then, I have visited hundreds of schools. I have learned that a school is not a business. Schools are unable to control the quality of their raw material, they are 
dependent upon the vagaries of politics for a reliable revenue stream, and they are constantly mauled by a howling horde of disparate, competing customer groups that would send the best CEO screaming into the night. 
 
None of this negates the need for change. We must change what, when, and how we teach to give all children maximum opportunity to thrive in a post-industrial society. But educators cannot do this alone; these changes can occur only with the understanding, trust, permission, and active support of the surrounding community. For the most important thing I have learned is that schools reflect the attitudes, beliefs and health of the communities they serve, and therefore, to improve public education means more than changing our schools, it means changing America. 

Printed with permission ~ Jamie Robert Vollmer © 2011 
Jamie Vollmer is a former business executive and attorney who now works to increase public support for America’s public schools. His new book, Schools Cannot Do It Alone is available at www.jamievollmer.com 
________________________________________

Tennessee parents want the best for every "blueberry" in our state.  Every single child is unique and special, and each one of them deserves a quality public school education.  

Tennessee parents really like the Beliefs that  the Stewart County School System have listed on their website: 
• Education is the most essential service a community can provide.
• All children can learn.
• Every child has the right to an equal education.
• Children deserve good facilities.
• Schools should employ the best teachers and staff possible.
• Schools should provide for children of varying abilities.
• Employees salaries should be competitive to surrounding counties.

And we think their Vision Statement is pretty awesome, too:
"The vision of the Stewart County School District is to inspire in all the desire to learn and succeed.  Our schools will be safe learning communities that celebrate our achievements and encourage active partnerships with families and the entire community.  We will empower students to embrace the challenges and opportunities of the future."

Why did I get this email? TN Legislators have been receiving our emails from Tennessee parents over the past few months, and many of them said how much they appreciate the information we share with them.  We realized that School Board members & Superintendents need to hear from Tennessee Parents, too!  It took us awhile to find every Superintendent and school board member's email address in TN on 158 different district webpages (there are a LOT in TN), but with the new year, we are excited to send our emails to even more leaders in education in our State.
     
If you ever have any questions about our emails, just reply and ask us. 
 
Why do we send these emails?
because
you were elected by the citizens of Tennessee
OR
you were appointed or hired by someone
who was elected by the citizens of TN

Why is it important for me to read these emails?
Because parents in Tennessee want you to hear what we have to say.
We can't afford lobbyists.
We can't host fancy luncheons or cocktail parties to woo you.
We don't have the money to print glossy books full of smiling children, buzz words, and manipulated pie graphs.

BUT

We are aware of what is happening with our children and our public schools, and we are concerned.  That is why we are sending these emails to you.  We want you to hear our concerns.  We want you to understand and take action.


Who are we?
We are volunteers (and everyone knows that Tennessee Volunteers are a force to be reckoned with!).  We seek to make a positive difference for children and public education in our state.  We do this because we believe in public education, and we believe in TN.  Our group is growing stronger every day from across the State from east to west and in-between. We have organized, dedicated parents and teachers who are committed to children, and not corporate profits. We aren't paid a single penny for our time or work with this group.  In fact, the web hosting fees come out of our own pockets.  Please, listen to our voices.  What we tell you is important.

You can see who we are and read our past emails by visiting our website:  www.tnparents.org 

(Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to our TN Parent emails)