Teachers march on Washington

[proud2BlibKansan]

There are many reasons thousands of teachers traveled across the country to protest in front of the White House on Saturday — including to oppose charter schools, to fight for equal funding for poor schools, and to have more say in public education policies.

But at a noisy rally starting at noon under soaring temperatures, their message boiled down to one point, which was summed up by the sound check before the first speaker took the stage.

Tap. Tap. “No testing, no testing, 1-2-3.”

The assembled teachers, education advocates and parents vented a frustration they said has been building since the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2002, which made standardized testing the centerpiece of a school reform agenda championed by George W. Bush.

More . . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/teachers-march-on-washington/2011/07/30/gIQAz48zjI_story.html?hpid=z4

[HockeyMom]

1. I have seen special needs kids cry and thrown themselves

on the floor, when they have to take these state tests. "I cannot do this." "I don't know what they are talking about." "I want to go HOME." Those are the direct quotes I heard from one special needs 10 year old when she had to take the FCAT. She was technically a 5th grader who could hardly master 2nd grade work. Yet, now her teacher's job will be on the line? Lose, lose situation for everyone.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. It's insane that they have to take them

The testing we gave sped kids before NCLB was MUCH better. It's very frustrating that we no longer give those tests.

[dkf]

2. I bet the kids would chant the same thing.

It's hilarious that the adults are the ones doing it.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Oh yeah, just hilarious

:eyes:

[dkf]

8. Yeah back in the day the kids were the ones stressing on the tests while the teachers

Seemed to love giving them. How the times have changed.

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. How the TESTS have changed

And the frequency has drastically increased.

[LWolf]

5. You were there, weren't you?

Tell us more. :D

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. Yes I was.

It was amazing, wonderful, enlightening and very hot.

The best part was beyond the march itself. There was a 2 day conference before the march that was wonderful and a congress following it to develop future plans.

[LWolf]

7. I look forward to hearing more.

:hi:

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. Check your email

:hi:

[MineralMan]

9. Good turnout and good for those teachers.

Unfortunately, it turned out to be a poor choice of a day to do it. Everyone in DC's attention is pretty much completely tuned to the debt ceiling stuff. I know it wasn't planned that way, but it's unfortunate.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. Surprisingly we got quite a bit of media coverage

CNN did quite a few interviews and we saw the story several times. The local stations also covered it as did the Wash Post.

Much better than we expected.:)

[certainot]

10. maybe if they want to get noticed they could go to the local limbaugh station where they have been

lied about and insulted every day for 20 years

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. Too true