BC Teachers step up battle over testing

BC teacher groups sponsored a full page advertisement in the yesterday’s Vancouver Sun urging parents to opt their kids out of the provincial FSA testing.

FSA (Foundation Skills Assessment) test scores are used by the neoliberal Fraser Institute to rank all elementary and secondary schools in British Columbia.

The ad urged parents to “Withdraw you child from FSA testing!” and described out teachers are concerned about the negative effects of FSA tests on student learning. The ad included a form parents can complete asking their school’s principal to excuse their child from FSA testing.

Today’s Vancouver Sun reports on the ad and reaction from parents and Shirley Bond, the BC Minister for Education.

…Education Minister Shirley Bond said she doesn’t like the Fraser Institute’s rankings either and would be willing to discuss that issue with the BCTF. But she said she won’t drop the FSA because it provides valuable data that can guide school improvements.

“We do think it’s an important tool,” she said in an interview. “Having that snapshot at two points in 10 years in a student’s life is not overly onerous.”

BCTF president Irene Lanzinger said teachers would be satisfied if government would change the FSA so that it did random sampling of student performance — as is the case with international assessments — rather than testing every student. Results from such a sampling would be too small to be used to rank schools.…

The BCTF is also encouraging its members not to mark the tests and late Monday sent out an alert stating that the B.C. Public School Employers’ Association has a legal opinion saying FSA scoring is not teachers’ work. But the association sent out its own release minutes later, saying it has no such legal opinion.

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Tuesday » January 22 » 2008

Teachers step up battle over skills testing
Instructors oppose tests because ‘they consume valuable time and money’

Janet Steffenhagen
Vancouver Sun

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Teachers have intensified their campaign to win public support in their battle against a provincewide test that is used by the Fraser Institute to rank B.C. elementary schools.

In a full-page advertisement Monday in The Sun, teachers urged parents to use any excuse to pull their kids from the Foundation Skills Assessment when it is delivered next month to test reading, writing and math in Grades 4 and 7.

The government insists the tests are not optional and students may be excused only if they have special needs, low-level English, a family emergency, a lengthy illness or “other extenuating circumstances.”

But the locals of the B.C. Teachers’ Federation that sponsored the ad say “other extenuating circumstances” can mean anything, including parental objections to standardized tests, concerns about tests in general or frustration over the way results are used to rank schools.

“We think that is broad enough to encompass all kinds of legitimate reasons a parent might have,” said Linda Watson, president of the North Vancouver Teachers’ Association, one of a dozen teacher locals sponsoring the advertisement.

Teachers say they oppose the tests because they consume valuable time and money and do not improve learning. They also object fiercely to school rankings — produced by the Fraser Institute using government data — which they say pressure schools “to pump up test scores” rather than focus on student learning and teacher assessment.

Education Minister Shirley Bond said she doesn’t like the Fraser Institute’s rankings either and would be willing to discuss that issue with the BCTF. But she said she won’t drop the FSA because it provides valuable data that can guide school improvements.

“We do think it’s an important tool,” she said in an interview. “Having that snapshot at two points in 10 years in a student’s life is not overly onerous.”

BCTF president Irene Lanzinger said teachers would be satisfied if government would change the FSA so that it did random sampling of student performance — as is the case with international assessments — rather than testing every student. Results from such a sampling would be too small to be used to rank schools.

Lisa Cartwright, head of the North Vancouver district parent advisory council, said government needs to take another look at the tests to ensure they are worth the annual tug-of-war that leaves parents stuck in the middle. “We really need to ask somebody to look at this situation that is causing angst on all sides of the community,” she said.

“It doesn’t make sense to be doing this in an environment where everybody is uptight about it,” added Cartwright, who has a child in Grade 4 who will be writing the FSA next month.

Bond said she hates the fact that parents are caught in the middle but has a responsibility to ensure there are achievement measures in the system.

The BCTF is also encouraging its members not to mark the tests and late Monday sent out an alert stating that the B.C. Public School Employers’ Association has a legal opinion saying FSA scoring is not teachers’ work. But the association sent out its own release minutes later, saying it has no such legal opinion.

jsteffenhagen@png.canwest.com
© The Vancouver Sun 2008

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Rouge Forum Update

Dear Friends,

Nearly all of us are back to school now. Here is to all those hard-working and persevering school workers who are proving that kids, curiosty, and reason can be reclaimed from No Child Left Behind.

As we await the opening of the financial markets on Tuesday, let us take note of James Baldwin’s speech to teachers, linked here.

The Rouge Forum No Blood for Oil page is updated here.

Below is a note from Dr Adam Renner about the upcoming Rouge Forum Conference, March 14 to 16, in Louisville. It will be our biggest and best ever. Please plan to join us in building a social movement for equity and justice, in schools and out. Whatever the state of the economy, whatever the state of the wars, it is clear that justice demands organization.

That organization will need to go well beyond unionism. We note that the boss of the United Federation of Teachers, the AFT’s New York bellweather local, hid from her members the fact that individual New York educators are being monitored on their kids’ test scores. See the link here It’s an incident that should worry every teacher in the USA.

Earlier, the California Teachers Association shut down the Eliminate NCLB web site that was initiated by Visalia eductors. The site remains down.

You can help the test resistance and the struggle for peace. Subscribe to Substance News (www.substancenews.net) and pass along a sugestion to sign on with the Rouge Forum to a friend.

Thanks to Adam, Sean, Bonnie M., Jean and Jennie, Amber, Kerry, Sarah, Wayne, Perry, Steve, Sharon A., David, Colleen, Tallie, Nancy S and T, Susan, George and Sharon, Dr K, Bill, Greg and Katy, Doug, Jill, Dan H., Bob, Tommie, Linda, Sue W., Michael, Hallie, Jakmet, Victoria, and all those who worked hard to build our work at NCSS.

All the best in the New Year.

r

In my ear late 2007 (catching up on last year)

Even though I did post a best of 2007 entry a couple of weeks (BTW I think I’ve already changed my mind on many picks as I am just now catching up on my late 2007 CDs/MP3s), thought I’d fill you in on what I was buying and listening to the final quarter of the 2007.

In October and November I took my GbV/Robert Pollard obsession to the next level and started filling in the gaps of my collection. Pollard is so prolific if I’ve become a completist my financial health is in jeopardy, maybe it already is! Here goes:

October 2007
2084.jpgRobert Pollard, Not in My Airforce
A minor classic from 1996

2083.jpgRobert Pollard, Silverfish Trivia
First of three solo albums Bob released in 2007, short and sweet. I like this one.

2077.jpg Robert Pollard, Coast to Coast Carpet of Love
One of two albums Bob released on the same day in October, this is solid power-pop Bob.

2076.jpgRobert Pollard, Standard Gargoyle Decisions
Glam-rock Bob

2071.jpgRobert Pollard With Doug Gillard, Speak Kindly of Your Volunteer Fire Department
“Pop Zeus” and “Slick as Snails” are classics

2069.jpgGuided by Voices, Under the Bushes Under the Stars
From 1996: hooks, hooks, and more hooks as usual. “Cut-out Witch”!

2046.jpgMexican Institute of Sound, Pinata
Trippy Mexican electronica

2042.jpgMem Shannon, Live: A Night at Tipitina’s
Solid blues from former New Orleans cabbie

2078.jpgRadiohead, In Rainbows
Best $2 I ever spent, super album

2075.jpgBruce Springsteen, Magic
Doesn’t work it’s magic for me, but it grows on you.


November 2007
Dwight%20Sings%20Buck.jpgDwight Yoakam, Dwight Sings Buck
Dwight finally does the album of covers everybody’s been waiting for and does his hero proud, makes my heart skip a beat!

Under%20the%20Influence%20of%20Buck.jpgDerailers, Under the Influence of Buck
Can’t get too much Buck!

Get%20Out%20of%20My%20Stations.jpgGuided by Voices, Get Out of My Stations
Originally released in 1993, this edition, from 2003, includes live versions of ‘Motor Away’, ‘Hot Freaks’, ‘Weed King’, ‘Postal Blowfish’ all from the early 1990s

Isolation%20Drills.jpgGuided by Voices, Isolation Drills
Brilliant! Chasing Heather Crazy’, ‘Glad Girls’, ‘Skills Like This’ (featuring Elliot Smith) and ‘The Brides Have Hit Glass’

Selective%20Service.jpgGuided by Voices & Airport Five, Selective Service
Side project between Robert Pollard (GBV) and his long time friend Tobin Sprout (ex-GBV) from 2001

Vampire%20on%20Titus.jpgGuided by Voices, Vampire on Titus
1997 release: “Melodies materialize out of ominous white noise, shamble about for a few seconds, then dissipate again”

December 2007
Cease%20to%20Begin.jpgBand of Horses, Cease to Begin
“There’s a ghost in my house!” And I’m pretty darn sure it’s My Morning Jacket!

Dona%20Got%20a%20Ramblin%20Mind.jpgCarolina Chocolate Drops, Dona Got a Ramblin Mind
A group of youngsters resurrect the old timey African American string band tradition.

Emotionalism.jpgThe Avett Brothers, Emotionalism
“Echoes of influence from the Band, the Burritos, the Everlys, and beyond, but the music of this North Carolina family band refuses to be pigeonholed”

Armchair%20Apocrypha.jpgAndrew Bird, Armchair Apocrypha
Unconventional (violin and whistling) Bird’s 10th album, pretty much covers a waterfront of genres–“across the great chasms and schisms and the sudden aneurysms”

Boxer.jpgThe National, Boxer
Iron & Wine, The Shepherd’s Dog
Paste Magazine says it’s the best album of 2007. Don’t know about that, but it’s mighty forelorn and a good ‘un.

Bad%20Football.jpgThe Takeovers, Bad Football
No it’s not an album about Ohio State’s play in the BCS championship game, but it is an album by Buckeye fan Robert Pollard and Chris Slusarenk. So let’s see, Pollard released at least 4 albums this year (I’m sure I’ve probably missed a few). “Calling on likeminded bedfellows like Stephen Malkmus (Pavement), Tad Doyle (Tad), John Moen (The Decemberists) and Dan Peters (Mudhoney) to help follow their tuneful and psychedelic hearts,” The Takeovers don’t disappoint.

Blktop%20Project.jpgBlktop Project, Blktop Project
The musical experiment known as Blktop Project first came about when skateboard magazine Slap organized a tour in the summer of 2002 for Ray Barbee, Tommy Guerrero and Matt Rodriguez–three accomplished skateboarders ever who also happen to love making music.

Scene%20of%20the%20Crime.jpgBettye LaVette, Scene of the Crime
Northern soul queen goes south to record at Muscle Shoals’ Fame Studio with Drive-By Truckers. Maybe the best album of the year. Deep soul!

Washington%20Square%20Serenade.jpgSteve Earle, Washington Square Serenade
Home in NYC with his partner Allison Moorer, Earle writes of all things NY, but his personal contentment doesn’t dampen his rage against the system.

Stockings%20By%20the%20Fire.jpgVarious Artists, Stockings By the Fire
Pleasant xmas tunes from Starbucks.

Mothership%20-%20The%20Very%20Best%20Of.jpgLed Zeppelin, Mothership – The Very Best Of
Okay, I know…

100%20Days%2C%20100%20Nights.jpgSharon Jones & the Dap Kings, 100 Days, 100 Nights
Retro-soul/funk from Staten Island. Great!

Andorra.jpgCaribou, Andorra
“Caribou is one Don Snaith, formerly known as Manitoba (he switched names after threat of lawsuit by ex-pro wrestler Richard “Handsome Dick” Manitoba. No joke).…an exhausting slab of avant-pop. ’60s grab-bag comparisons here are inevitable.”

Back%20to%20Black.jpgAmy Winehouse, Back to Black
No she’s not going to rehab. Lot’s of great soul music this year and this is one of the best, from the neo-soul queen of the gossip columns.

Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga%20Ga.jpgSpoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Stupid title, but the Beatlesque power-pop is on the mark.

Reunion%20Tour.jpgThe Weakerthans Reunion Tour
Manitoba quartet records best tunes ever about curling (and best song ever about Gump Worsley). I’ve been playing this one a bunch.

Very%20Ping%20Pong%20Christmas%3A%20Funky%20Treats%20From%20Santas.jpgShawn Lee, Ping Pong Orchestra, Very Ping Pong Christmas: Funky Treats From Santa’s Bag
Electronic funk for the holidays.

Raising%20Sand.jpgRobert Plant & Alison Krauss, Raising Sand
Unlikely pair produce beautiful album.

Rouge Forum Update

Dear Friends,

The Rouge Forum web page is updated at www.rougeforum.org

Of special interest is our upcoming Rouge Forum Conference in Louisville, March 14-16, 2008. Check out the web page to see the many presenters addressing the question, “Education Reform, or Revolution?”

Substance News, the hard-copy voice of the education resistance in the US and North America covered the Bush press conference in Chicago on Monday, claiming “mission accomplished,” on NCLB. Subscriptions to Substance are just 16 dollars a year, perhaps 5% of what many people pay in union dues, to unions that do not represent the rank and file.

We need to write letters to editors of the corporate press, articles in journals, books, for magazines, online, but we also need a commonly understood hard copy voice not controlled by profiteering where the many views of the education resistance can find a space to unite and debate.

Please, subscribe to Substance and help connect reason to power. www.substancenews.net

The wars continue. Even if NCLB is stalled, it is re-authorized in effect if nothing is done. In California, we plan a meeting on February 2 2008 to help build direct action resistance, opt-outs, to the high-stakes exams that strangle freedom in education now. Please try to join us.

Good news. The Rouge Forum motion opposing the Iraq war passed the k-12 section of the National Council for the Social Studies assembly. Wayne Ross has the details, and a great cartoon on the Price of Your Soul, on his blog at
http://migrator.rab.olt.ubc.ca/ross

There is resistance everywhere: 70,000 uprisings in 2007 in China, requiring repression from the “Red” Army. A two week sit-down strike in Leningrad’ Ford Plant was settled just before the holidays, and in another strike in Siberia in BEK plants workers have erected blockades around the factories, demanding an end to privatization and workers’ control of the work place. Mutinies, while limited, began in the US Armed Forces. The direct action of workers in San Diego finally won the right, or reaffirmed it, to picket and hand out literature in San Diego. Iraq War veterans plan to duplicate the 1971 Detroit “winter soldier” investigation in Washington DC in March.

Cultural resistance is alive. Here is our colleague Chalmers Johnson, author of the Nemesis Trilogy, discussing Charlie Wilson’s War: http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/174877/chalmers_johnson_an_imperialist_comedy

The education resistance, meaning our lives and the lives of our kids, depends on us.

Utah Phillips, troubadour against tyranny, needs our help. His health fades and his insurance is very limited. Perhaps you could buy a Utah CD, or attend a benefit concert.

And remember, you can join the Rouge Forum discussion list here.

Next week, a discussion on capitalist democracy and the fetish of democracy on the left.

“It is not because things are difficult that we don’t dare….it is because we don’t dare that things are difficult.”…….. Seneque

Thanks to Susan, Amber, Cindee, Candace, Nancy, Sue W., Greg and Katy, Bill, Wayne, Beau, Ron, VP, Sherry. Marc and Bonnie, Tom S, Bob, Wayne, Marc, Curry, Dave H., Perry, Kevin, and to all those who helped out at NCSS.

All the best in the new year,

r

Welcome to my listening world 2007

I was worshiping at the altar of Robert Pollard/Guided by Voices for most of the year—even reading books about the GbV album “Bee Thousand” and the heavily GbV influenced, indie rock memoir, Perfect From Now On: How Indie Rock Saved My Life (by John Sellers)—but I did manage to work in other listening this year. So hear goes my Top Ten Favorite albums of the year (in no particular order)

Neon Bible, Arcade Fire
My Name is Buddy, Ry Cooder
Traffic and Weather, Fountains of Wayne
Live from Austin, TX, Guided by Voices
Kala, M.I.A.
Sweet Warrior, Richard Thompson
Icky Thump, The White Stripes
At My Age, Nick Lowe
Era Vulgaris, Queens of the Stone Age
Dislocation Blues, Chris Whitley and Jeff Lang

My Top Ten list would not be complete without more that ten, so on a different day my list might include:

The Story, Brandi Carlile
Scene of the Crime, Bettye Lavette (with The Drive-By Truckers)
Reunion Tour, The Weakerthans
Back to Black, Amy Winehouse
100 Days, 100 Nights, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
Raising Sand, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Dwight Sings Buck, Dwight Yoakam
Pinata, Mexican Institute of Sound
Time on Earth, Crowded House
In Rainbows, Radiohead

Lastly here’s the track listing on my “Wayne’s Favs 2007” complication cd. (Ironically, not all of the 20 albums in my Top 10 list are represented, this is fault of the outdated cd technology that would only let me squeeze in 80 or so minutes of music and the fact that my comp cd has favorite individual tracks from album that didn’t make the harsh standards that I apply in choosing my favorite 20 albums in my Top 10 list.):

“Failsafe” The New Pornographers
“Needle And Thread” Richard Thompson
“Turnin’ On The Screw” Queens Of The Stone Age
“Paper Planes” M.I.A.
“Black Mirror” The Arcade Fire
“All I Need” Radiohead
“Unforgiven” John Doe
“Two Hearts” Ryan Adams
“Late Morning Lullaby” Brandi Carlile
“A Better Man” Nick Lowe
“Silent House” Crowded House
“When I Paint My Masterpiece” Chris Whitley & Jeff Lang
“Push Comes to Shove” John Hammond
“Red Cat Till I Die” Ry Cooder
“Rag & Bone” The White Stripes
“Still Want To Be Your Baby (Take Me Like I Am)”Bettye Lavette & Drive-By Truckers
“Guitar” Prince
“Strapped for Cash” Fountains Of Wayne
“Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson” Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
“Tournament of Hearts” The Weakerthans
“Gold Star For Robot Boy” Guided By Voices