Talk Out of School

Wed, Jan 20, 2021 10:00 AM

Info

Hosts: Leonie Haimson

Topics:

COVID - 19
Testing -
Opting - Out

Synopsis: After a brief introduction about the beginning of the Biden administration and the new President's appointments to run the US Department of Education, Leonie spoke to Akil Bello, Senior Director of Advocacy of the national organization FairTest, Lisa Rudley, Executive Director of NY State Allies for Public Education and President of the Ossining School Board and Jeanette Deutermann, who leads Long Island Opt out. They discussed the campaigns here in NY State and nationally to urge the US Department of Education to provide waivers to states so they could cancel the administration of the federally-mandated 3rd through 8th grade exams this spring, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She also spoke to Akil about the controversial NYC gifted exams, and the perplexing decision of NYC Mayor de Blaio and Chancellor Carranza to administer these exams again this spring, to children as young as four years old, perhaps for the last time. We also discussed the highly flawed record of Pearson, the corporation that produces these exams.

Guests:

Jeanette Deutermann - Leader of Long Island Opt Out, and co
Akil Bello - Senior Director of Advocacy and Advancement of FairTest
Lisa Rudley - Executive Director of NYS Allies for Public Education & Ossining School Board President

Playlist:

Info / Links:

The contract with Pearson to renew their contract for the gifted exam is to be voted upon on January 27 by the Panel for Education Policy; people who would like to speak on this contract can register here, starting at 5:30 PM.
NYSAPE petition urging the State Commissioner to cancel the Regents high school exit exams and to ask the US Department of Education for a waiver from having to administer the 3rd-8th grade exams this spring.
FairTest petition to the US Department of Education and State education policymakers to suspend all high stakes testing this year.
Fact sheet on what’s wrong with the Regents graduation exit exams.

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