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HUDSON ISD: FBI RESPONSIBLE for US TERRORIST ATTACKS……SERIOUSLY?

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Our country’s political landscape has been transforming before out very eyes and you can thank our public education system for the vast majority of it. The progressive ideology running rampant through our our government and education system will more than likely solidify the destruction of the United State’s freedom. Texas’s own Hudson’s superintendent Mary Ann Whitaker is a proponent of transforming our Texas Education System into a progressive one.

Image result for mary ann whitaker

 

Mary Ann Whitaker thought one students article on “Presidential Candidates Positions on Syrian Refugees” was so news worthy they have posted in on the school’s website. You can read it for yourself below. All I can add is “LORD HELP US”.

 

Presidential candidates positions on Syrian refugees

By: (I have removed students name)

 

Time’s 2015 Person of the Year award was given to Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany. Merkel has many accomplishments qualifying her for the title, including her handling of European economic crises and her response to the terror activities occurring too frequently in the region. By far, her most outstanding act has been Germany’s acceptance of nearly one million – 964, 574 to be exact – refugees from Syria and other unstable regions of the Middle East. Merkel’s ability to see migrants as who they actually are – innocent families fleeing religious and social persecution – rather than who the Islamic State wishes for them to be – terrorists – not only makes her an outstanding leader on a global scale but a champion of tolerance and humility second to none.

There are skewed responses to the refugee crisis around the world, the United States being the center for such confusion. With ten popular Republican presidential contenders and three popular Democrats all professing different opinions and solutions, it’s no wonder Americans have a difficult time taking a stance on the issue. Even more upsetting is the fact that the responses of most Republicans are discriminatory based on race, religion, or gender and the actions suggested by Democrats are not nearly enough.

Donald Trump, America’s favorite presidential contender and human being in general, is the epitome of bigotry and ignorance. Trump has announced, and defended, his stance on the ban of Muslim migration to the United States. Two comments. First, this idea senseless as a vast majority of Muslims condemn Islamic extremism, those fleeing IS especially exhibiting disapproval of radicalization. The people running from the terrorists are not the terrorists! Second, this action would be unconstitutional as it violates the First Amendment. Americans have the right to “freedom of religion,” and prohibiting people of a particular religion from entering and practicing their beliefs in this country grossly defies this basic liberty.

Freedom of religion can also be defined as freedom from religion. Ted Cruz and Jeb Bush have both proposed an idea in which only Christians from Syria and the Middle East would be allowed to enter the United States. The first flaw with this reasoning is the belief that Christians will be less violent than Muslims. As mentioned earlier, the Muslims in the region are not terrorists and will not behave in a way more threatening than the Christians of the region. The second flaw is that there is no guarantee those migrating are actually Christians. How does one prove he’s a Christian? A relationship with God is on a personal level and as a result there is no possible way for screening agencies to determine who is and is not Christian. In addition, it is ridiculous, inhumane, and even unChristian to value a particular group over another and leave the less valuable one helpless and ready to die. Let me point out the most obvious issue at hand: this would be unconstitutional. It is ironic that these “Republicans,” who supposedly value strict adherence to the constitution which is evident through their call to abolish Obamacare and defend the rights of gun owners, would so easily damn the very document and its influence to protect those following America’s religion – Christianity.

Marco Rubio has suggested to only allow women, children, and the elderly to enter the United States. This is offensive on so many levels. First is the fact that the sentence reads women then children as if the two are equally incapable of taking care of themselves. These dependents most definitely need a brave, religious man like Mr. Rubio to step in and save them from the Muslims. Rubio’s statement is a gross display of benevolent sexism. Mr. Rubio is willing give women “special” (by that I mean unequal) treatment if women embrace their subordination. The tragic reality is that so many women would accept this offer, at the expense of their husbands, sons, and dignity, to continue their lives. It’s this rhetoric that holds back females and forces them to embrace their current social standings rather than strive for equality.

Ben Carson and Donald Trump both advocate increased surveillance. Islamophobic Trump has called for separate databases for Muslims. Ben Carson says, “In the larger capacity, we should monitor anything – mosques, church, school, you know, shopping centers – where there is a lot of radicalization going on.” There is a commonality between the two stances: both call for increased surveillance of American Muslims, who do not support terrorism in the slightest. The few that may have in the past likely did so only because an FBI informant illegally tricked them into committing a crime. Pursuing American Muslims increases distrust in the government and alienates an essential ally in stopping terrorism.

All of these stances are hypocritical. The true Republican party, the one I would identify with if it existed, believes that a limited government is necessary for the maintenance of individual liberties. This party would condemn a national endorsement or ban of a particular religion as this is unconstitutional, would never pass legislation which subordinates women and potentially limits their rights, and would be an adamant advocate of decreased government surveillance. Unfortunately, none of the candidates above share these values. Maybe the Democrats have a better stance…

Martin O’Malley, Hillary Clinton, and Bernie Sanders have all called for the acceptance of 65,000 refugees. This may be the figure suggested by the U.N. but it is not nearly enough. There are an estimated 4 million people displaced by the chaos in Syria. Democrats suggest we take 65,000 while Germany is accepting 964, 574. This acceptance rate is extremely disproportionate and unfair to Germany and other European countries attempting to support the refugees. John Kerry, the current Secretary of State, has suggested that the U.S. should take a minimum of 100,000 refugees, and this figure is likely a better starting point. At least these candidates don’t exhibit intolerant or even hostile, in Trump’s case, sentiment toward the refugees.

The Islamic State wins when America does not have an adequate response. Innocent Syrian and Iraqi families continue to be slaughtered, Muslims around the globe begin to despise American leaders for their lack of response as Islam adherents face these atrocities, and Islamophobic sentiment grows in America, alienating a crucial ally and cultural benefactor. It is important for the public to know and understand the values of presidential candidates, as their beliefs impact legislation and action in the future. An improper character perception could be the difference between the tragic outcome listed above and the endurance of American ideals.

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Open Letter to the Argyle ISD School Board- TRANSDISCIPLINARY (Updated)

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By Alice Linahan

Voices Empower

 

As a Mom with a student in Argyle ISD, I am very concerned about the direction our school district is heading.  As our schools embrace 21st Century Learning and the College and Career ready standards, we must ask ourselves as parents and adults; are our children being harmed by this?

As Moms and Dads, we need to step back and start asking “ourselves”…….

1. If our children graduate from high school or college with the attitudes, values, beliefs, behaviors and a worldview that we oppose and we know it is because their teachers have been trained to believe it is their responsibility to be the devil’s advocate and teach our children ‘Critical Thinking’ and to question and even oppose the foundational beliefs of our family; is that really a solid academic education that will serve our children and their future well?

2. Is our child getting college credits in high school more important than protecting our child’s mind and their soul?

3. If your child graduates from college, gets a great high paying job but no longer respects, much less believes, they are worthy of a strong marriage, a free and prosperous country, and that by the grace of God anything is possible; have we done our best to give our child a strong foundation for a happy joy filled life?

Let me give you a personal story from right here in Argyle ISD. This is what “21st Century Learning” also known as getting students “College and Career Ready” looks like in the classroom.

For a little background, my daughter is the only student in her class whose parents have refused to allow her to use a district issued chrome book or google student account.

One day she texted me screen shots of a quiz her AP/Dual Credit English 3 teacher asked the class to take. Because my daughter did not have a chromebook her teacher told her to take the quiz from her cell phone. The lesson plan for the class shows that they were working on group presentations on philosophy (in an English Class) and these quizzes were a part of the research each group was to do. Each group was assigned a Philosophy and after their research, each group gave a presentation to the class. The Philosophy’s the groups were assigned were….

1. Utilitarianism

2. Objectivism

3. Civil DisobedienceIMG_8005

4. Existentialism

5. Categorical Imperative

6. Hierarchy of Human Needs

7. Social Contract

Parents!! Would you want your child taking a quiz called ‘Philosophy Experiments,’ in high school, much less on their district issued Chromebook, that grades their answers, compatibility, and then gives the student a “tension score” on a bar graph. Whatever two answers contradict, it plays devils advocate and makes the student question their beliefs.

Here are just some of the questions asked:

 

* There are no objective moral standards; moral judgements are merely an expression of the values of particular cultures. Agree or Disagree 

* So long as they do not harm others, individuals should be free to pursue their own ends. Agree or Disagree

* It is always wrong to take another persons life. Agree or Disagree 

* The right to life is so fundamental that financial considerations are irrelevant in any effort to save lives. Agree or Disagree 

* Homosexuality is wrong because it is unnatural. Agree or Disagree 

* It is quite reasonable to believe in the existence of a thing without even the possibility of evidence for its existence. Agree or Disagree 

* There exists an all-powerful, loving and good God. Agree or Disagree

* The second world war was a just war. Agree or Disagree 

* There are no objective truths about matters of fact; “truth” is always relative to particular cultures and individuals. Agree or Disagree 

* Atheism is a faith just like any other, because it is not possible to prove the non-existence of God. Agree or Disagree 

* To allow an innocent child to suffer needlessly when one could easily prevent it is morally reprehensible.  Agree or Disagree 

* The holocaust is an historical reality, taking place more or less as the history books report. Agree or Disagree

 

As I said, where there is a conflict with two answers, it analyzes the two and scores the student.

Here is an example……

 Statements 5 and 29: Can you put a price on a human life?

28% of the people who have completed this activity have this tension in their beliefs.

You agreed that:
The right to life is so fundamental that financial considerations are irrelevant in any effort to save lives
But disagreed that:
Governments should be allowed to increase taxes sharply to save lives in the developing world

If the right to life is so fundamental that financial considerations are irrelevant when it comes to making decisions about saving human lives, then that must mean that we should always spend as much money as possible to save lives. If it costs £4 million to save a cancer patient’s life, that money should be spent, period. But if this is true, then surely the West should spend as much money as possible saving lives in the developing world. You may already give $100 dollars a month to save lives in the developing world. But if financial considerations are irrelevant when it comes to saving lives, why not $200, or $1000, or just as much as you can afford? If you do not do so, you are implicitly endorsing the principle that individuals and governments are not obliged to save lives at all financial cost – that one can spend ‘enough’ on saving lives even though spending more, which one could afford to do, would save more lives. This suggests that financial considerations are relevant when it comes to making decisions about saving lives – there is a limit to how much one should spend to save a life.

______________________________________________

28% of the people who have completed this activity have this tension in their beliefs.

You agreed that:
There exists an all-powerful, loving and good God
And also that:
TransdisiplinaryTo allow an innocent child to suffer needlessly when one could easily prevent it is morally reprehensible

These two beliefs together generate what is known as ‘The Problem of Evil’. The problem is simple: if God is all-powerful, loving and good, that means he can do what he wants and will do what is morally right. But surely this means that he would not allow an innocent child to suffer needlessly, as he could easily prevent it. Yet he does. Much infant suffering is the result of human action, but much is also due to natural causes, such as disease, flood or famine. In both cases, God could stop it, yet he does not.

Attempts to explain this apparent contradiction are known as ‘theodicies’ and many have been produced. Most conclude that God allows suffering to help us grow spiritually and/or to allow the greater good of human freedom. Whether these theodicies are adequate is the subject of continuing debate.

 

Do you realize these responses and their data can legally be tracked for research purposes by 3rd party contractors? President Obama changed the regulation on the FERPA law? A student’s private data can be collected without parental consent in the name of “Education Research”. Here is a link you can take the quiz yourself.  http://www.philosophyexperiments.com/health/Default.aspx

After taking this quiz herself, Clinical Mental Health Counselor Joan Landes stated….

“It’s a classic psychological deconstruction technique to put a person in a double bind and collapse his cognitive framework. Then the “leader” picks up the pieces and reassembles them to order. This is an inappropriate use of psychological force on impressionable minds and unformed identities.”-

Now, you might say, what public high school teacher would think this is a good quiz to give and blame it all on the teacher, but…..

That local superintendent is ultimately  in charge of curriculum, and you the locally elected school board are ultimately in charge of approving funding for the professional development of both the teacher and the superintendent. In addition, you are in charge of funding technology used in the classroom that allows for our student’s data to be collected. It has been stated to me that this is an AP/Dual Credit class, therefore it is a college level course and okay. To that I have to ask. Why is this okay in college? It is certainly not appropriate for high school age students.

The challenge with 21st Century Learning/Common Core/College and Career Ready Standards transformation of education, is how teachers are being re- trained to teach. It is their professional development. In addition, administrators are being trained, through their professional development, how to deal with parents who complain. It is actually the teacher who is in danger, because they are many times used as the fall guy. Education is no longer about reading, and writing in a 21st Century English classroom.  It is about the 4 C’s Creativity, Communication, Critical Thinking and Collaboration.

In Texas we said NO to the Common Core National Standards, but we’ve said yes to our teachers being re-trained for 21st Century Learning using the InTASC Model CoreTeaching Standards; Learning Progressions for Teachers.  The Copyright for these standards is owned by the Council of Chief State School Officers, who as you will remember own the copyright to the Common Core National Standards. They are all aligned to a collectivist philosophy of education. Check out standard #5. When you begin to research what is happening, you will see, this is NOT 21st Century Learning it is simply another push for OBE (Outcome Based Education). 

“The teacher understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues.” 

Clearly worded in the InTASC paper is states; “these standards differ from the original standards in one key respect: These standards are no longer intended only for “beginning” teachers but as professional practice standards.”  

Have you heard the term Transdisiplinary ?

The College Board’s SAT and AP (Advanced Placement) assessments and conceptual frameworks can be described as “Transdisiplinary” in their purpose.

Transdisiplinary is when the function of the subject matter, concept themes in the syllabus, and course frameworks are all used to guide how a student views the world. The technical term most commonly used is lenses. Effectively these lenses become the values, attitudes, and beliefs the students are to be taking away from the curriculum.

Therefore my question is, are you okay with this? As parents are you okay with your child in Argyle ISD being taught using these learning theories and teaching strategies?

Argyle ISD is not an isolated incident. Nor is it isolated to AP/Dual Credit classes.  This is happening in school districts across Texas. (RISD) Richardson ISD held a meeting for angry parents speaking out against (PBL) Project-based learning. In the audio clip below you will hear Tabitha Branum, Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education (formerly Coppell ISD) describe how teachers are no longer teaching as they did in the past and are being re-trained. She goes on to explain that the STAAR exams no longer ask questions about facts, such as “can you identify this organ” and or “what is the function of this organ?” Then the biology lead teacher explains why they are shifting away from learning facts in exchange for building “social skills”.

I would also like to let you know that my children are NOT allowed to take any surveys online or for the school district, state or federal government. If their grades suffer because of this I would like to let you know about this federal law.

Limits on Survey, Analysis, Evaluations, or Data Collection (United States Code, Title 20 1232h)

(b) Limits on survey, analysis, or evaluations

No student shall be required, as part of any applicable program, to submit to a survey, analysis, or evaluation that reveals information concerning—

(1) political affiliations or beliefs of the student or the student’s parent;

(2) mental or psychological problems of the student or the student’s family;

(3) sex behavior or attitudes;

(4) illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;

(5) critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family relationships;

(6) legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians, and ministers;

(7) religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or student’s parent; or

(8) income (other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under such program), without the prior consent of the student (if the student is an adult or emancipated minor), or in the case of an unemancipated minor, without the prior written consent of the parent.

 

 

UPDATE

In preparation for the Argyle ISD school board meeting on Tuesday Jan. 19th, 2016. Here is a link to my public testimony at the Jan. 19th meeting.

 

 

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Gov. Abbott Makes Bad Choice for Texas Commissoner of Education

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Mike-Morath

 

“Gov. Abbott Makes Bad Choice for Texas Comm. of Education”

By Donna Garner

12.14.15

 

 

As a conservative, I appreciate Gov. Greg Abbott for the many courageous positions he has taken for Texas; but he really missed it on this one!

 

I cannot think of very many people whom Gov. Greg Abbott could have appointed who would have been a worse choice than Mike Morath as Texas Commissioner of Education. (12.14.15 — Press release- “Gov. Abbott Appoints Mike Morath As Texas Education Commissioner — http://gov.texas.gov/news/appointment/21773 )

 

 

Mike Morath is supporting almost everything bad in education – the same Type #2 philosophy of education that opens the door to subjective, digitized curriculum and assessments found in Common Core/CSCOPE;  the same “innovative” school model pushed by TASB and TASA with their 21st century transformational “visioning” approach to education; and the greedy consultants, lobbyists, and vendors who make a fortune off education’s “Golden Goose” of public dollars. 

    

 

Gov. Abbott had previously appointed Mike Morath as the chairman of the Texas Commission on Next Generation Assessments and Accountability (NGAA).  It seems clear to me that the purpose of this commission is to recommend to the Texas Legislature that they replace the traditional public school classroom (where teachers teach fact-based  curriculum directly and systematically while face-to-face with their students) WITH the 21st century transformational model where students receive all their instruction through digitized curriculum.  Grading is done through subjective assessments  (e.g., portfolios, projects, group work); and curriculum focuses on students’ feelings, emotions, and opinions – not on hard facts with right-or-wrong answers. Students graduate through online and dual credit courses with wishy-washy accountability standards and unsecure testing procedures.     

 

Obviously if Mike Morath was chosen as the chair of this NGAA commission, he intends to implement this same Type #2 philosophy across Texas as the newly appointed Commissioner of Education.

 

America has hundreds of years of historical data to prove that the traditional Type #1 philosophy of education produces success.  Americans became the leader of the world because of the many scientists, inventors, technicians, entrepreneurs, engineers, writers, historians, and businessmen who used their Type #1 education to elevate themselves to great heights. They were educated on a Big Chief Tablet.

 

Where is the proof that the Type #2 digitized “global citizen of the world” approach will make America great?  In fact, there is no long-term, independent, peer-reviewed research to prove that that method of education works. 

 

To be very honest, we see just the opposite when we look around our society and see the ever-growing numbers of people educated through the Type #2 philosophy of education who are sorely lacking in the most basic knowledge and skills. 

 

THE LAUGHABLE PRESS RELEASE

 

I do not mean to be unfairly critical, but it is almost laughable for the Governor’s office to try to boost the confidence of the public in Mike Morath by mentioning his less than one year of teaching experience (computer science) after a teacher had unexpectedly resigned. 

 

My hint to Governor’s office:  “One year or even less of teaching experience doth not a teacher make.”

 

Another laughable part of the Governor’s press release is the emphasis on Mike Morath’s years on the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees. Anyone who has been following education in Texas very long knows that DISD is one of the worst functioning public school districts in Texas as shown by mountains of hard, verifiable data, including numerous articles published by the Dallas Morning News.  Here are but a few of them:

 

7.7.15 – “Dallas ISD’s Imagine 2010 Effort Fails To Prop up Troubled Schools” – Matthew Haag – Dallas Morning Newshttp://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20150707-dallas-isd-s-imagine-2020-effort-fails-to-prop-up-troubled-schools.ece

 

“Results from the latest STAAR exams show that most of the initial 21 schools in the Imagine 2020 program are worse off than before it started…Among the 14 elementary schools, a majority of them have lower passing rates on the five STAAR exams since Imagine 2020 began.”

 

6.28.15 –  “Fact Check: Was the DISD Miracle Real?” – by Jeffrey Weiss, Matthew Haag – Dallas Morning News –http://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20150627-fact-check-was-the-disd-miracle-real.ece

 

“Evaluation: The claim that minority students in Dallas are twice as likely to pass Advanced Placement exams than anywhere else in the nation is not supported by evidence. The data used did not include many urban districts, and at least one urban district beat Dallas.”

 

 

5.22.15 – “Little Progress Seen on Dallas ISD’s STAAR Results” – by Jeffrey Weiss, Matthew Haag, Holly K. Hacker – Dallas Morning Newshttp://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20150522-little-progress-seen-on-dallas-isds-staar-results.ece

 

“STAAR test results released Friday by Dallas ISD offer little evidence of systemic progress…Compared with last year, the passing rate dropped for eight of 11 exams in grades three through eight…Similarly, compared with results from 2012 — a higher percentage of students failed this year in eight of 11 exams.”

 

========

 

MIKE MORATH’S FAILURE WITH HOME RULE

 

Even the home-rule initiative in Dallas ISD that Mike Morath championed ended up as a total failure.  Morath helped start a group with the misnomer of a name — “Support Our Public Schools.”  In reality this group wanted to turn Dallas ISD into a home-rule charter district that would have been run by a handful of high-level people with no real accountability and no elected school board members to whom the public could have turned with their concerns. 

 

These two articles chronicle Morath’s failed attempt at home-rule: 

 

1.21.15 – “Dallas ISD Home-Rule Commission Votes Against Writing Charter” – by Matthew Haag – Dallas Morning Newshttp://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20150120-dallas-isd-home-rule-commission-votes-against-writing-charter.ece

 

“The effort to overhaul the way Dallas ISD operates began with a bang a year ago but ended with a whimper Tuesday…The home-rule initiative launched in March with a petition drive and support from influential politicians and wealthy backers. But the public’s enthusiasm never matched their fervor…a home-rule district could undermine people’s democratic rights.”

 

5.14.14 –  “Group Pushing Home Rule for Dallas ISD Ready To Move Forward” – by Matthew Haag and Tawnell D. Hobbs — Dallas Morning Newshttp://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20140514-group-pushing-home-rule-for-dallas-isd-ready-to-move-forward.ece

 

Mike Morath, who helped start Support Our Public Schools and is the only DISD trustee who backs the effort…Some opponents don’t trust the home-rule leaders, including its chief funder, Houston billionaire John Arnold…Support Our Public Schools spent 10 weeks collecting signatures and paid people to get them…Some fear the effort is about taking control of DISD’s $1.2 billion annual budget.”

 

WHY WAS MIKE MORATH CHOSEN?

 

In a nutshell, “It ain’t what you know but who you know.” 

 

Mike Morath is cozy with Houston billionaire John Arnold (of former Enron fame).  John Arnold established The Arnold Foundation that is pushing school choice. The Arnold Foundation works closely with Julie Linn of Texans for Education Reform.  Linn, who used to work for an education company that designed online courses, became an education advisor to Gov. Perry and then to Gov. Abbott. 

 

Both Mike Morath and Julie Linn seem to have had no real teaching experience, yet we are supposed to accept both as “experts” on how and what should be taught to help students become well-educated citizens.  I find this extremely hard to believe after having taught for 33+ years myself.

 

As I and other people have said many times before, “We are not against school choice; but when every school in America is following the same Type #2 philosophy of education, then there really is no choice for anyone.” 

 

Mike Morath is not the right person for the Texas Commissioner of Education. He will not support whole-heartedly the Type #1 curriculum standards that the elected members of the Texas State Board of Education have worked so hard to adopt.  Morath’s philosophy of education is very closely attuned to that of the Obama administration’s Type #2 Common Core.  I am terribly disappointed in Gov. Abbott’s choice of Mike Morath as the Texas Commissioner of Education.  

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College and Career Readiness Scam

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TEXAS COLLEGE SCAM
BY JANICE VANCLEAVE
TEA keeps dreaming up new ways to disrupt the focus of the core curriculum: reading, writing, math, science, and social studies.
TEA and the 20 Texas Education Service Centers have more than 80% of the Texas School Districts indoctrinated with the progressive common core education philosophy –AKA– Discovery Learning. This method of education puts the student in charge of his/her education. The teacher just present problems and the students on their own discover the necessary facts to solve the problem. Discovery learning  is successful with gifted and talented students, but only if they are self-disciplined and self-motivated.Thus, discovery learning is unsuccessful with the majority of students.
Discovery learning  is a method where students take charge of their education and teachers are only to be  “guides on the side.”
What is the point of requiring teachers to have college degrees if students are to take charge of their own education?
The discover learning method depends on students coming to school with a desire to learn and information that they can share with other students. The idea is that each student has something different to contribute, thus by brain storming students can solve problems themselves. I started my teaching career in 1966. Teachers were expected to be in control of their classes. Teachers were expected to be knowledgeable about the subjects they taught and they were to provide students with the basic facts necessary to solve problems. During my teaching career I taught many different sciences at different grade levels and in different school districts. I started out with one if not the best mentor ever, Ms. Marcille Hollingsworth, who wisely taught me that a teacher must have control of the class in order to present the concepts necessary for problem solving. That was 49 years ago and now veteran teachers like Ms. Hollingsworth are encouraged to leave the teaching profession. They are considered trouble makers because they do not agree with what is being called the “Twenty First Century Progressive Discovery Method” of teaching.
How is the 21st Century Progressive Discovery Method working out?
I recently volunteered to mentor a new 8th grade science teacher and help create a science lab room. To say that I was shocked at the behavior of the students doesn’t come close to describing my experiences. Teacher friends had told me that students were difficult and the new teaching philosophies made it next to impossible to maintain order in the classroom. You cannot come close to imagining how the progressive discovery method has destroyed the learning environment of our public schools.
Some of these 8th grade students must have their tests read to them. Yes, there are 8th grade students who cannot read well enough to read their tests and are in regular class rooms without any particular assistance. The idea is that by being in regular classes these non-readers will learn more than if in a small class with teachers trained to help them. It is really sad to see a student making every effort for other students not to know they cannot read. By working in groups non-readers have learned to copy the work of other students even though they cannot read and understand what they write. Some are behavior problems. Some misbehave instead of doing any work because they cannot read and their writing skills are so poor. They would rather be viewed as being disobedient instead of thought of as being dumb.
Mixing students of different abilities is called Inclusion and is hailed as a system to provide equal education to all students.
I do understand that parents want their children to have the best education. Parents of students who have learning disabilities have fought for the rights of their children. They won the right for their children to be in the same classes with children having no specific learning disability. Now, instead of their children being in small classes with several specially trained teachers to help overcome and/or learn in special ways, children with learning disabilities have less special assistance. All inclusive classrooms move at the same pace.  Administrators promote the idea that teachers are able to provide individual assistance to students who need extra assistance. Teachers are to prepare lessons for students with different abilities, thus gifted students and students with learning as well as emotional disabilities all receive lessons designed especially for them.

STOP!

First of all students are suppose to be taking charge of their own education–working in groups and sharing ideas with teachers not giving them facts—remember teachers are to be guides on the side. But with inclusion there are students who are not capable of taking charge of their education. The truth is that no student can do this in elementary and few in upper grades. When questions about students with learning disabilities, administrators “craw-fish” and put the responsibility of providing special lessons for these students.

Public education is a mess.

Some of the 8th graders I work with can read but have little comprehension. Most of the students have little self-discipline. None of the students have the skills to design a science investigation to discover the answer to a problem. This is because all of the students have very little science knowledge to draw on. They have been in charge of their own education for so many years that many have such a poor education they could not apply for the most basic jobs.
The teachers are also trained to use the Fundamental Five Steps of teaching taught by “Lead Your School.” This requires teachers to have students working in groups among other things, such as having the perform critical writing at the end of every class period. I read the book for this course and it gives no clue what is considered critical writing. Basically students are to summarize what they learned during the class period.
 Students do not have textbooks that they bring to class. Instead, a worktext is issued and it remains in the classroom. The pages in this book are perforated so they easily tear out. These books were originally developed for common core standards. The publisher had a group of Texas educators to revise some of the sections so that these worktexts can be said to align with Texas standards called TEKS. These hodgepodge revised worktexts have students doing mindless busy work. A few students who are either self-disciplined enough to want to learn and/or have parents who encourage them to learn do the work and those in their group copy the answers.
In Waco ISD, students who want to learn are allowed to attend classes with other students of the same mind set. Waco ISD has a special school for these students. I’ve had the honor of being invited to work with these students. It was like stepping back a few years when teachers were in charge of their classes. Yes, traditional education, which has been described by our Texas Educational service systems as old fashion, not acceptable in our modern 21st century technology education systems. What a joke.
In classes where  teachers are not in charge, students often tend to be loud and not focused on the lesson. .Why are teachers being blamed for the failure of our education system when those at the state level force teachers to allow students to be in charge of their own education. The 8th graders that I work with would not have a clue how to behave in the event of a true emergency. During one of the labs, I tripped and fell on the floor hitting my head on the edge of a cabinet. There were students near me but none made an effort to help me. I was not badly injured and purposely remained on the floor as I screamed–
“I’ve fallen, will someone help me.”
The teacher in the adjoining room came in immediately, but most of the my students never acknowledged my cry for help because they were loudly talking to each other. I cannot control the behavior of these students. I ask the administration for help and was told to have a discipline plan–rules for students to follow and consequences. There are no consequences that these students fear.
Are is there? I recently observed something I’d never seen in the school before.
A substitute teacher who has never been indoctrinated with all the CSCOPE and Lead Your School nonsense monitored classes for one of the 8th grade teachers. For the first time I saw 8th grade students sitting quietly as they did their individual work. The substitute was busy assisting the teacher by grading papers. Had the teacher been there, he would have been reprimanded for sitting at his desk and grading papers.
It appears that only substitute teachers are allowed to have a quiet classroom. Only substitute teachers are not allowed to sit at their desks. Regular teachers must be walking around the room guiding and encouraging students who are working nosily in groups or making poster board projects etc…… Students are to appear to be enjoying the class. A quiet class with students doing individual work is only to be observed during the multitude of testings.
All the TEKS are to be taught before the STAAR tests in April
I am discovering that there is really not enough time to teach students the content of the TEKS before the assessments (STAAR/EOCs) are given.
Think about it:
     Some days are cut short so that teachers can be trained to encourage students to go to college. This is called “No Excuses University.” Teachers are given a book to read so they can better encourage students to go to college. This book has nothing to do with the content that each teacher is hired to teach. I read the book—It would be good for teachers training to be teachers. Those in the professions should know everything in the book. But, since our 20 Education Service Centers are now training people to be teachers, principals, and even superintendents, maybe they do not know how to teach–or lead.
Think about this:
The 20 ESCs are forbidden to write and sell lessons to schools because of the faulty, antiAmerican, anti-Christian CESCOPE lessons. Yet, these same people who purposely created instruction materials that were never reviewed are in charge of training people to teach our children; training people to be principals and superintendents as well as training school board members. In other words, the 20 ESCs have more control over Texas Public Education than TEA, the Commissioner of Education, and all the legislative education committees.
Since many students cannot read well and have little comprehension of what they read, TEA has solution for these problems:
1. Make the TEKS and STAAR/EOC tests more rigorous.
2. Add more for teachers to present as they guide from the side.
Now teachers are to incorporate College and Career Readiness into their “lessons.”This is another education scam–meaning that more material can be sold to schools–more programs sold to schools for college and career readiness when time needs to be spent teaching students to read.

DUH! WILL SOMEONE IN AUSTIN LISTEN?

MANY OF OUR CHILDREN CANNOT READ AND WRITE. MAKING THE TESTS HARDER DOESN’T IMPROVE THEIR READING SKILLS.

 

I WANT SENATORS AND STATE REPRESENTATIVES TO SPEND TIME IN CLASSROOM. I INVITE YOU TO VISIT THE CLASSES THAT I WORK WITH.  CONTACT ME HERE

WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM IN TEXAS?

PEOPLE WHO DO NOT CARE AND LOVE OUR CHILDREN HAVE TAKEN OVER EDUCATION. IT IS ALL ABOUT MONEY AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH EDUCATION.

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TEXAS STUDENTS MATH SCORES at 22 YEAR LOW

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failing

[10.7.14 — I wonder when reporters such as Terrence Stutz are going to try to investigate exactly why Texas’ public school students have lost ground on the SAT.  Could it be (duh?)  that leading up to this last round of SAT testing, at least 893 ISD’s, charters, and private schools in Texas have been using the Texas version of Common Core called “CSCOPE”? 

 

CSCOPE was sold to Texas educators as being the answer to all problems!  It was started in 2006; and in 2013 alone, the Education Service Centers collected over $15,000,000 ANNUAL fees from taxpayers for CSCOPE license fees.  

 

With that huge amount of funding and the large numbers of schools using CSCOPE, Texas should have seen dramatic academic results on the SAT if CSCOPE (now referred to as the TEKS Resource System) were really working. 

 

Obviously, CSCOPE (a.k.a., Common Core Standards) is not raising students’ SAT scores but instead is causing them to drop.

 

Texas has good Type #1 curriculum standards (TEKS).  That is not the problem. The problem is that CSCOPE and Common Core are Type #2; and the subjective, constructivist philosophy of education is causing chaos in our schools and decreasing students’ academic results.

 

Taxpayers and parents should demand that their tax dollars not go to pay for CSCOPE, TEKS Resource System, Common Core, or any other Type #2 curriculum (progressive).  Not only is that money down the drain, but students’ academic achievement is suffering because of the wrong-headed Type #2 philosophy advocated by those products.   – Donna Garner]

 

 

10.7.14 – Dallas Morning News

 

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/local-news/20141007-texas-sat-math-scores-hit-a-22-year-low.ece

 

Texas’ SAT math scores hit a 22-year low

 

Excerpts from this article:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By TERRENCE STUTZ

Austin Bureau

tstutz@dallasnews.com

Published: 07 October 2014 05:37 AM

Updated: 07 October 2014 05:39 AM

 

AUSTIN — Texas high school students slipped to their lowest SAT math scores in more than two decades this year, while reading scores on the college entrance exam were the second lowest during that period.

 

Results being released Tuesday by the College Board, which administers the exam, showed that the average score on the math section of the SAT dropped four points from last year to 495. That was the lowest figure since 1992, when Texas students recorded an average score of 493. A perfect score is 800.

 

In reading, the Class of 2014 in Texas scored an average 476. That was down slightly from last year but still two points better than their worst showing in the past two decades. That occurred in 2012.

 

In writing, Texas students registered an average 461 for the third year in a row.

 

Students across the U.S. saw their scores in math drop slightly. But the long-standing achievement gap between Texas and the nation grew significantly this year. In reading, the average score nationwide increased slightly and remained well above the average in Texas.

 

State education officials have attributed the declining SAT scores in Texas to an increase in the number of minority students taking the exam. Minorities generally perform worse than white students on standardized achievement tests like the SAT and ACT, the nation’s two leading college entrance exams.

 

However, California students outperformed Texans by big margins this year — 15 points in math and 22 points in reading. Demographics of the student populations in the two states are similar: California is 52.7 percent Hispanic and 25.5 percent white, while Texas is 51.3 percent Hispanic and 30 percent white.

 

In addition, more than 60 percent of seniors in both states took the SAT. School districts have in recent years encouraged students to take either the SAT or ACT to get them thinking about what to do after high school.

 

The drop in SAT math scores is likely to rekindle debate over the state’s recent decision to no longer require that all high school students take Algebra II. Over the objections of business and minority-rights groups, the Legislature and State Board of Education dropped Algebra II as a requirement except for students in advanced graduation plans.

 

Among those groups were the Texas Association of Business and Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

 

Bill Hammond, a former Texas House member who leads the influential business group, said at the time that the state’s retreat on Algebra II and other more challenging courses “dooms generations of students to a mediocre education and low-wage jobs.” Hammond also pointed out that research shows students who skip the course get lower scores in math on the SAT and ACT and are less prepared for college.

 

Officials for the College Board said an analysis of this year’s results shows that too many students missed opportunities that would have helped them do better on the exam and be better prepared for college-level classes.

 

Foremost is a more challenging lineup of courses that includes four or more years of English, and three or more years of math, science and social studies.

 

“The latest SAT results reaffirm that we must address the issue of preparedness much earlier and in a more focused way,” said Cyndie Schmeiser, chief of assessment for the College Board. “Students in the Class of 2014 missed opportunities that could have helped more of them make successful transitions to college and career.”

 

The College Board reported that just over a third of the 179,036 Texas students who took the SAT met its college and career readiness benchmark, which requires a score of 1,550 out of a possible total of 2,400. That was well under the national average of 42.6 percent who hit the benchmark.

 

Most minority students, as in the past, fell far short of the benchmark. Only 19 percent of Hispanic and 14 percent of black students in Texas met the college readiness standard. Both percentages trailed the national averages for those groups.

 

…In Texas, about 61 percent of high school seniors who took the SAT were minorities, compared with a national average of 47.5 percent.

 

Follow Terrence Stutz on Twitter at @tstutz.

 

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TRADITIONAL EDUCATION vs PROGRESSIVE COMPARISON CHART

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BIG CHIEF

 

“MAN GOT TO THE MOON USING A BIG CHIEF TABLET”

 

Please make copies of the following chart and distribute throughout your community. You will find every school district is radically transforming the way students are taught. This transformation is filled with various lingo, progressive, 21 Century Learning, Project Based Learning, Student led, outcome based, common core, Cscope, rigor, collaborative, etc….

Along with this transformation is a radical collection of your CHILD’S PERSONAL data. Texas has set up a Longitudinal Data System, funded by the federal government.

LINK TO COMPARISON CHART.

 

PBL COMPARISON

 

 

 

 

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TEXAS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ….IRRESPONSIBLE

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sCHOOL BOARD

Sadly, the education system in Texas is no longer about educating  children. It is all political and the powers at be are working overtime establishing a progressive/centralized education system throughout the state. During the last legislative session a curriculum used in over 800+ school districts by the name of  CSCOPE/TEKS Resource System Curriculum was exposed, not only for its controversial lessons but concerns in regard to their financials. Senator Dan Patrick then requested a state audit and  Texas State Auditor John Keel released his report this month. The report was telling of how shaky our Texas Education Service Centers (ESC’s) handle our tax money.

The Texas Education Service Centers (ESC’s) that created CSCOPE which has renamed their product TEKS Resource System were found to be incompetent in handling millions of taxpayers dollars and lacked internal and external financial controls. The auditors were not a able to determine the actual revenue and expenditures of the taxpayer funded organization (ESC’s).

CSCOPE has requested that teachers sign a non-disclosure statement stating they would not release the contents or say anything negative about it or face legal action. Seriously!

Despite the controversy and the state auditors report Texas School Boards continue to show irresponsibility in voting to continue leasing the CSCOPE product and funding the entity (ESC’s) deemed incompetent in their accounting practices.

This past week Grand Prairie ISD’s school board voted unanimously to throw more taxpayer funds at this faulty product and incompetent organization. Public input was given at the beginning of the meeting voicing concern in regards to the curriculum and the financials and those concerns were ignored once again.  School Board members no longer represent the people who have put them in office they are brain washed through the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) that is funded with our tax dollars and they have become more of rubber-stampers of the superintendents agenda.

During the Grand Prairie ISD school board member Steve Pryor steve   made final comments insinuating that the concerns surrounding CSCOPE are a myth. So let me get this right. The original CSCOPE lessons are removed, the name is changed to re-brand their image, the managing company disbands and regrouped with a new name, the state auditor releases a bad report in regard to the financials surrounding CSCOPE and Mr. Pryor calls it a myth? Seriously?

Mr. Pryor also made a comment that none of Grand Prairie teachers have used any of the controversial material that was in CSCOPE. 1) Mr. Pryor I am sure isn’t in every classroom monitoring what is and isn’t used 2)  In light of all the controversy Mr. Pryor deems it acceptable to throw money at it none the less.

Parents and taxpayers once again have got to take control of their local schools boards once again. The rubber stamping taken place is unacceptable and it will not change without the involvement of the grassroots.

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Education 101

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EDUCATION 101

“Education 101”

by Donna Garner

6.9.14

 

http://www.educationviews.org/education-101/

 

Where should concerned parents and the public start when it comes to understanding the educational jargon used by the schools? Having taught for more than 33 years, I know the confusion that abounds as people attempt to enter the world of education acronyms!

 

I receive frequent queries from people who make this type of statement: “Donna, I am so worried about my child. I know he is not learning what he should, but I do not know what to do.  I feel inadequate to talk about Common Core/CSCOPE to the teacher and/or administrators, yet I believe I should be fighting to protect my child.”

 

EDUCATION 101: LESSON #1

 

First, we have to understand the two education philosophies – Type #1 vs. Type #2:

http://www.educationviews.org/comparison-types-education-type-1-traditional-vs-type-2-cscope-common-core/

 

EDUCATION 101: LESSON #2

 

Second, we need to understand the realities of those who are involved in the education world that surrounds Common Core/CSCOPE.  I call it “the RED, YELLOW, and  GREEN” people.  

 

The “RED” people working in the background are using the “YELLOW” and the“GREEN” people as pawns to make sure that America is dumbed down so that future voters and the destiny of our country are completely changed from the Great American Way.  

 

The “RED”  people know exactly what they are doing. They have long-term goals to change America, and they realize that the best way to do this is to indoctrinate this and succeeding generations of school children into the Common Core philosophy.    

 

Into the “RED” group fall the proponents of the Common Core Standards/CSCOPE, Obama, Arne Duncan, Bill Gates, Linda Darling-Hammond, Bill Ayers, liberal-left politicians, the drive-by media, national education organizations, and many other left-leaners.   

 

The YELLOW people are those who are driven by greed, money, power, and fame. Many of these people are vendors, lobbyists, or school employees who overlook the egregious content of their products so long as they themselves are benefitting.  Into this group fall Bill Gates, Pearson, U. S. Dept. of Education employees, Jeb Bush, Mike Huckabee, Common Core/CSCOPE/Education Service Centers/TEKS Resource System employees, Thomas Ratliff (Texas State Board of Education member), TASA, TASB, the Ratliff and Moses clans, Achieve, Inc., Fordham Institute, etc.  

   

The “GREEN” people (many of whom are educators)are those who go-along to get-along; they follow the status quo and are content to go along with whatever teaching fad is in vogue at the present time. These people are not bad people but are easily deceived by those who have ulterior motives (i.e., the “RED” and “YELLOW” people). 

 

Politicians can come in all different colors – RED, YELLOW, or GREEN.

 

Those politicians whose aim is to change America from a capitalistic, free-market Republic into a Socialist, Communist, Marxist country are “RED” people. 

 

Those politicians who seek fame, fortune, and/or control for themselves are YELLOW” people.

 

Those politicians who choose to be blind followers are “GREEN” people.

 

EDUCATION 101: LESSON #3 FOR TEXANS– TEKS

 

We here in Texas should be very pleased with our Type #1 TEKS (Texas’ curriculum standards). We realize the new TEKS (adopted since 2008) in ELAR, Science, Social Studies, and Math are not perfect; but at least a high percentage of the elements are intentionally explicit, knowledge-based, academic, clearly worded, grade-level specific, and measurable. That is more than can be said of the Common Core Standards and of the other states’ standards that are built upon Type #2.  

 

Because our Texas law requires the state-mandated tests to follow the TEKS, then our STAAR/End-of-Course Tests (EOC’s) are largely Type #1 tests.  Type #1 State Board of Education members have taken the STAAR/EOC’s and have affirmed they are aligned with the Type #1 TEKS. 

 

Pearson, who normally is totally in league with Type #2, has the Texas contract for the STAAR/EOC’s; but Pearson has been monitored very closely by the past Texas Commissioner of Education (Robert Scott), the present Texas Commissioner of Education (Michael Williams), and by Type #1 SBOE members to make sure the Pearson test bank is aligned with the Type #1 TEKS. 

 

We have been told that even though Pearson had to create a different test bank for Texas from that of the Type #2 test bank used in other states, the Pearson staffers actually found it was much easier to create good test questions for the STAAR/EOC’s because of the explicit/grade-levelspecific/measurable Type #1 wording in the new TEKS.

 

EDUCATION 101: LESSON #3 FOR TEXANS– STAAR/EOC TESTS

 

The STAAR/EOC’s are not perfect, but they are built upon the best Type #1 curriculum standards in the entire U. S. 

 

We are telling parents IN TEXAS NOT TO OPT THEIR CHILDREN OUT OF THE STAAR-EOC’S because it is those Type #1 tests that are the only way we have to force Texas educators (many of whom are “GREEN” people) to follow the Type #1 TEKS.

 

How will parents know whether their child’s teacher has actually taught the new Type #1 TEKS and taught them well if there is no objective measurement (e.g., STAAR/EOC’s) at each grade level/course except for the teacher’s own grading system?

 

What if a huge number of Texans opt out their children from the STAAR/EOC’s, and the state testing data from the Texas Education Agency is no longer valid?

 

What if the child’s teacher taught Type #2 curriculum materials instead (e.g., Guided Reading, CSCOPE, Safari Montage, TASA iCLOUD, Lead4Ward, Pat Jacoby’s AuthenticLearning.com, Expeditionary Learning, etc.), and the parents opted out their child from the STAAR/EOC tests?  How will parents know before it is too late and their child has been indoctrinated and/or “dumbed down”?

 

What if parents find out too late that their Suzy Q. had teachers in several untested STAAR/EOC grade levels/courses who taught Type #2 lessons instead of the Type #1 TEKS?  Example:  Type #2 — no systematic teaching of phonemic awareness/phonics, no systematic teaching of grammar/usage/correct spelling/cursive writing, no emphasis on learning the four math functions to automaticity  –

 

Now Suzy Q. is in Grade XXX and is several grade levels behind in her pre-requisite skills because her Type #2 teachers have been passing her right along because of their subjective evaluations.  Suzy Q.’s parents have opted to keep her out of STAAR/EOC testing, and they have not had an objective “measuring stick” to help them to know that Suzy Q. is academically being left behind.  Now it is almost too late, and it will be close to impossible to go back and help Suzy Q. to learn the Type #1 skills that she should have been learning all along.

 

This same scenario could happen if the grade-level-specific STAAR/EOC’s are not required yearly and/or if parents opt out their children from taking them. The way to get teachers to teach the Type #1 academic knowledge and skills mandated by the Texas Education Code at each grade level/course is to hold them and their students publicly accountable on the STAAR/EOC’s.  “What gets tested gets taught.  What gets measured gets treasured.”     

 

HB 5 passed by the last legislative session decimated the high-school STAAR/EOC tests (reducing the number of EOC’s from 15 to 5), but the Grades 3 – 8 STAAR tests are still in place.  If we lose the leverage that those tests give the public, Texas teachers (many of whom are the “GREEN” people) will go right back to their Type #2 curriculum units that the old 1997 TEKS/TAKS utilizedWithout the STAAR/EOC test results, parents will have no way to prove whether Suzy Q. was taught Type #1 or Type #2. 

 

Sadly, Texas was right on the cusp of authentic education reform with all students K – 12 moving into the new TEKS/STAAR/EOC’s and the rigorous but doable 4 x 4 graduation plan when our legislature dominated by “YELLOW” people (and by powerful “RED” people) dumbed things down with HB 5. The vendors and lobbyists (“YELLOW” people) got their way which suited the “RED” people perfectly. 

 

EDUCATION 101: LESSON #4 FOR COMMON CORE STATES

 

On the other hand, people WHOSE CHILDREN ARE IN THE COMMON CORE STATES SHOULD DEFINITELY OPT OUT THEIR CHILDREN FROM THE PARCC/SMARTER BALANCED ASSESSMENTS AND FROM THE ACCOMPANYING COMMON CORE NATIONAL AND PERSONALLY INTRUSIVE DATABASE. Those assessments are meant to indoctrinate children’s minds, and there are over 400 data points of personal information that are set to be collected by the national database if the Common Core roll-out is allowed to go forward. 

 

EDUCATION 101: LESSON #5

 

Type #2 CSCOPE (the Texas version of Type #2 Common Core Standards) came slithering into Texas under the radar and captured 845 school districts during the time that the rest of us were fighting to get the Type #1 TEKS passed(2008 – 2012).

 

The reason CSCOPE successfully infused itself into so many Texas schools is because 20 of the 19 Education Service Center (ESC) directors formed a corporation (TESCCC) and then began selling CSCOPE and its curriculum management system through the ESC’s. These are mostly “YELLOW” people.

 

Administrators (mostly “GREEN” people) fell for the “YELLOW” people’s plan and took their local taxpayers’ dollars and poured them into CSCOPE.  

 

SB 6 was passed in 2011 by the Texas Legislature, and SB 6 made it possible for locals to purchase instructional materials (IM’s – digitized curriculum, textbooks, etc.) such as CSCOPE by utilizing the Permanent School Funds. 

 

SB 6 took away the authority over IM’s from the elected members of the SBOE.  SB 6 basically set up a “work around” so that locals no longer have to purchase the IM’s that have gone through the SBOE public hearing process. The SBOE public hearing process catches factual errors that are documented, and publishers have to correct them or else pay a monetary penalty. 

 

SB 6 provides for no such SBOE public process, and the IM’s that are sold to schools under SB 6 (e.g., CSCOPE) have not been through careful public scrutiny. In fact, CSCOPE materials could not be viewed by the public because teachers had to sign agreements saying that they would not show CSCOPE materials to Texas parents.

 

Once we were sufficiently able to publicize the Texas law (TEC Title 2, Subtitle E, Chap. 26, Sec. 26.006http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/ED/htm/ED.26.htm ) which requires parents to be able to see all curriculumtheir children are taught (even digitized materials), then the TESCCC shut itself down.

 

Many Texans thought the problem was resolved only to find out a few months later that the TESCCC had rebranded itself as the TEKS Resource System. The “YELLOW” people put CSCOPE lessons into the public domain, but districts who purchase the TEKS Resource System are basically using the Type #2 CSCOPE lessons and making sure teachers utilize them by forcing their students to take the assessments sold by the TEKS Resource System.

 

EDUCATION 101: CONCLUDING LESSON

 

The reason that Texas public school students are struggling on the STAAR/EOC tests is that they have not been taught the Type #1 TEKS at each grade level/course during the years leading up to the first administration of the STAAR/EOC tests. How do we force the “GREEN” people to start teaching the Type #1 TEKS?  It is to use the “measuring stick” – the Type #1 STAAR/EOC tests – to pressure the “GREEN” people through public disclosure of those test scores to teach children Type #1 curriculum.

 

By doing this, we will divest ourselves of the “RED” people with their Type #2 indoctrination and the “YELLOW” people who are involved because of greed, money, power, and fame.

 

Parents in Common Core states must opt their children out of the Common Core assessments to protect their children from the indoctrination of the computer-adaptive tests. Parents in Common Core states must battle to keep their own family’s personally identifiable data from being poured into the Common Core national database which can be shared with third parties without parental permission.  

 

EXCITING NEWS

 

6.6.14 — “We Have the Answer: #CANiSEE Solutions Conf. On Demand for a Year” — by Donna Garner — http://www.educationviews.org/answer-canisee-solutions-conf-demand-year/

 

 

 

Donna Garner

Wgarner1@hot.rr.com

  

  

 

 

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Obama, Texas, K-12 School Transformation.

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On the US Dept of Education you will find a Fact Sheet Titled” Redesigning America’s High Schools.   Through the use of Federal grants (Obama’s stimulus package) a massive progressive/liberal transformation is taking place across America, and Texas is not immune from it. Texas school districts have been working for sometime transforming from a traditional education to a Marxist philosophy based on the collective.  This new philosophy goes by a series of different names, but we know a rose by any other name is still a rose. I have heard this philosophy called by the following: (STEM, Common Core, Cscope, Project Based Learning, CRISS, Student Led Learning, Collaborative, etc). All are based on the collective where Absolute Truth and American Exceptionalism is not taught. Cursive, Multiplication facts are becoming a thing of the past.

redesign

 

I wrote and earlier article highlighting Texas School district Manor ISD and their implementation of Obama’s agenda with Manor New Tech High . Pleased with their transformation President Obama paid them a visit. Obama and the New Tech Network.

More on the New Tech Network. 

 

 

manor

Coppell ISD now has a New Tech School. Superintendent of Coppell, Dr. Jeff Turner has been working for years to transform Texas Education. You can read more on Dr. Jeff Turner and his agenda, HERE. 

 

Other Texas New Tech Schools.

 

Belton New Tech

A. Maceo Smith New Tech High

Akins New Tech

Decker Middle School

Legacy Preparatory Charter Academy @ Dallas

Legacy Preparatory Charter Academy @ Mesquite

New Tech Odessa

New Tech SanAntonio

ATEMS

 

For information on T-STEM

T-STEM Blueprint

 

Terms you will here in the from educators in this radical transformation:

21st Century Learning

Critical Thinking Skills

Authentic Learning

Project Based Learning

Authentic Assessments (real life test ex: changing a tire).

Student-Driven

 

 

 

Link to Document Below written by radicals, Science Czar John P. Holden & others.

2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

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TEXAS…Engage2Learn… Warning!!

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Consulting firm Engage2Learn has partnered with Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) in promoting their progressive/liberal agenda of transforming Texas Education. This new program is called Creating a New Vision for Public Education in Texas.   Texas superintendents have been actively working in creating the new vision and now they are hiring Engage2Learn to come into their school districts to hold community “consensus” meetings. They already have their agenda and plan in place and want the community to have the impression that their input is needed. With the use of the DELPHI TECHNIQUE public input is controlled. These meeting are a waste of time and taxpayers money.  Learn how to diffuse the Delphi Technique here. 

 

Now who runs Engage2Learn. Husband and wife team Shannon & Clark Buerk. Shannon worked for Coppell ISD and worked with Keith Sockwell @ Cambridge Strategic Services. More on Mr. Sockwell HERE.

Shannon’s goal is to transform Texas Education to a progressive/liberal one with Project Based Learning (PBL). PBL implement a collaborative learning style where absolute truth and American Exceptionalism isn’t taught. Students work on computer and in collective groups.

 

Be on the look out for Engage2Learn community meetings in your local school district

 

 

engage2learn

 

The following slide is from a powerpoint presentation that Shannon had used at a conference pushing her agenda.

students say

 

 

texas supers

future ready

engage2

PBL RHC

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Texas Taxpayers paying for a Party in Austin Next Week!!!!

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PARTY TIME

tasanet

Educators across the state of Texas will be paying their way (tickets, hotels, food, etc)  to Austin for the 2014 TASA Midwinter Conference with taxpayers money. Those attending from school districtS pay huge amounts to attend. Those that work for Texas Education Service Centers go FREE? Wow.. The ESC are making millions off of our local school districts state-wide and then get a free pass to the conference?

tasanet conference

There will be many progressive exhibitors at the conference. I would like to highlight one. That is Globaloria. Globaloria is one of many progressive online educational sources used by Texas educators to promote diversity, equity and globalization based on Constructionist theory of education. THE COLLECTIVE! Manor ISD and their New Tech High School are partners with Globaloria. Obama made a personal visit to Manor New Tech to congratulate them on their progressive education transformation that you can read HERE!

globalaria

PHOTO

It will be the activism of moms and dads across the state of Texas that will be able to STOP the radical transformation of Texas Education that is actively in progress. 

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Texas Education Service Centers Welcome Common Core!

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download

 

 

 

 

Texas supposedly did not adopt the national Common Core Standards, in fact it was made illegal during the 83rd Texas Legislature through Texas Education Code 39.023 which states the following.

(a-3)  The agency may not adopt or develop a criterion-referenced assessment instrument under this section based on common core state standards as defined by Section 28.002(b-1).  This subsection does not prohibit the use of college advanced placement tests or international baccalaureate examinations as those terms are defined by Section 28.051.

But that has not stopped school district across the state from implementing them in their schools. Parents continue to come forward with worksheets students are bringing home based on Common Core standards. It doesn’t stop  there though. With the implementation of the controversial Curriculum CSCOPE, common core is in full force across the state of Texas. Cscope like Common Core has much more to do with a teaching philosophy based on the collective (project based learning)  and student data collection with assessments. Who is working non-stop on implementing common core in the Texas? The Texas Education Service Centers (ESC’s). The directors of the ESC’s are the ones who formed the bogus non profit that owned CSCOPE. The ESC’s are have held and continue to hold conferences which focus  Common Core Standards.

 

Texas has 20 Education Service Center that have remained some obscure business entity until the CSCOPE discovery. Parents need to wake up. These ESC’s have created numerous business operating within the facilities and are still funded by the Texas tax payers.

 

 

The following is from ESC 11

 

common core 2

 

 

 

The following is from ESC 7

esc 7

12-6-2013 12-16-12 PM

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Progressive Type 2 Philosophy in Texas Schools… Where is Gov Perry?

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With the implementation of the Texas Curriculum CSCOPE and the teaching philosophy of  Project Based Learning  a radical Transformation has taken place in your local Texas school district. Where is our Texas Governor on this issue? Perry is no where to found and has made zero comments on the issue. Our children and ultimately our country will suffer from this.

A traditional education (Type 1) has been eliminated by the progressive education establishment (TASA, TASB, Superintendents, RATLIFF’s, ESC’s, etc) and the progressive Type #2 philosophy has been implemented. Please view the comparison between the two philosophies below.

TRADITIONAL (TYPE #1) vs. CSCOPE AND COMMON CORE STANDARDS (TYPE #2)

Symptoms-Slide1

 

Chart produced by Carole H. Haynes, Ph.D. – chaynes777@gmail.com – 469–867-3086

 

 

 

 

Traditional Type #1Classical Learning CSCOPE Type #2Progressivism/Radical Common Core Standards   Type #2Social Justice Agenda
Instruction Direct instruction by teacher Self-directed learning, group-think Emphasis on subjectivity, feelings, emotions, beliefs,
Curriculum Academic, fact-based, skills, research Social concerns, project-based, constructivist, subjective, uses unproven fads and theories multiculturalism, political correctness, social engineering, globalism, evolution, sexual
Teacher’s role Authority figure, sets the plan for the class, academic instruction Facilitator freedom, contraceptives, environmental extremism,
Student’s role Learn from teacher, focus on factual learning, develop foundation skills for logical & analytical reasoning, independent thinking Students teach each other; focus on feelings, emotions, opinions; group-think global warming/climate change, victimization, diversity, acceptance of homosexuality as normal, & wealth redistribution.
English, Language Arts, Reading(ELAR) Phonics; classical literature; cursive handwriting; grammar; usage; correct spelling; expository, persuasive, research writing Whole language, balanced literacy, Guided Reading; no cursive writing instruction so can’t read primary documents of Founding Fathers  De-emphasis onDeclaration of Independence, Bill of RightsConstitution, Founding Fathers, national sovereignty, & American exceptionalism
Math “Drill and skill,” four math functions learned to automaticity Fuzzy math, rejects drill and memorization of math facts, dependent on calculators  
Social Studies Focus on American heritage/exceptionalism, national sovereignty, Founding Documents Diversity, multiculturalism, globalization, revisionist history, political correctness  
Character development Pro-faith, self control, personal responsibility, self-discipline, solid work ethic Secular, moral relativism, anti-faith, victimization  
Equality Equal opportunities Equal outcomes

 

Assessment Students evaluated by earned grades, objective tests Inflated grades, subjective assessments, evaluated based upon the value-system of the grader 

 

Outcomes Objective tests (right or wrong answers), emphasis on academic skills and knowledge Subjective assessments; emphasis on holistic, “feel-good” scoring
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Students Hate Project Based Learning aka PBL

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pblThe progressive radical transformation of education today is called Project Based Learning. It is a teaching philosophy where the teacher is no longer as the progressives say “a sage on the stage” She/He becomes more like a coach, facilitator, and friend within this learning environment.  PBL is being implemented in Common Core states as well as those that did not adopt common core such as my home state Texas.  Project Based Learning is a  Marxist teaching philosophy based on the collective. Texas Parents need to wake up as to what is going on in your local school. Texas school districts have been implementing PBL with the use of CSCOPE and other curriculum tools for some time.

 

Students are not beginning to voice criticism about Project Based Learning on Social Media. We need more parents and students to voice their criticism of PBL as well using the hashtag #HATEPBL.

 

ramon

 

 

 

gun pbl

today

Comparison Chart between a Traditional Education and Project Based Learning

PBL COMPARISON

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Texas STEM Academies contribute to the Decline of American Sovereignty

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america 

 

“21st Century Learning Skills” has become the  “MANTRA” of progressive educators in hopes of implementing a total transformation in how students are taught with the end result being globalization, diversity and equity. WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!!! Watch the video below and see what our educators have in mind when it comes to teaching you child…America will not last under this transformation which has a foothold in our Texas Schools.

 

America’s sovereignty is being torn apart at the seams and the Texas Education Agency is contributing to its demise. Through State, Federal and Grant funding the Texas Education Agency has set up Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Academies across the State of Texas. STEM Academies work to transform the way students are educated with the use of a Marxist teaching philosophy of Project Based Learning (PBL). PBL is based on the collective and not individual achievement. Absolute truth is not taught and everything is up for debate within a collective group.

The idea of project based learning is to create diversity and equity; with the United Nations is backing the agenda. IRINA BOKAVA, the Director General of  UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations, (UNESCO) was quoted as saying….

 

unesco

It does not take long with a little research to see the tie to Obama’s agenda, global organizations and STEM. Don’t get me wrong I love the STEM disciplines but the STEM flag being waved here takes on a whole new agenda than just educating your children… the goad is a total transformation

Texas STEM Funding

 

t-stem funding

Texas STEM Centers

stem centers

 

Below is ESC REGION 13 Summer Schedule for their STEM Transformation Institutes.

9-10-2013 5-39-42 AM

 

About-STEM-Results-How-To

ESC #1 STEM Workshops for 2012/2013

tstem esc1

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THOMAS RATLIFF HAS LOST IT!!

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RINO thomas (1)

TEXAS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBER THOMAS RATLIFF APPEARS TO HAVE LOST IT. Thomas Ratliff is a RINO and could care less what students are taught or that Great teachers have quit their jobs over CSCOPE. No, Ratliff cares about his progressive liberal agenda and his pocket-book. Ratliff is a paid lobbyist for Microsoft and should not be on the State Board of Education. It is illegal! Does he care? No! He has not respect for the rule of law.

I have never seen such outrage over a controversial textbook or any curriculum as I have with  CSCOPE. Below are remarks by Ratliff in regard to Sen. Patrick as well as parents and taxpayers who are standing up against the progressive takeover of Texas Public Education.

 

Thomas Ratliff has lost it

Ratliff is the “book burner” here. He and his educational cronies have been and are working on removing Text Books and replacing online learning. Would that not benefit a “Microsoft lobbyist”? Link to original article. 

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WARNING Crosby ISD Students Receive Progressive Education

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WARNING PARENTS AND TAXPAYERS IN CROSBY ISD.

Patricia Kay

 

CROSBY ISD assistant superintendent of Instruction, Patricia Kay was selected as the ESC 6 CSCOPE Outstanding Assistant Superintendent for the 12-13 school year. What did Ms. Kay achieve for this wonderful accomplishment? Use your tax money to purchase the progressive CSCOPE curriculum. Congrats Ms. Kay on this accomplishment.

Ms. Kay posted the following tweet on Twitter in regard to my fight against the progressive/Marxist curriculum CSCOPE. I find it unbelievable how many Texas administrators who are responsible for educating our children have no problem with a Curriculum System that promotes a positive view of Islam and Communism, negative view of Christianity, not to mention demonizes parents and calls the Boston Tea Party a Terrorist Act.

patricia Kay

 

Though Ms. Kay’s tweet was meant as ridicule I am honored to be called an “EXTREMIST” when it comes to protecting Texas School Children from these radical progressive views. These radical views are supported by Texas organizations TASA, TASB, National Education Agency and the United Nations.

Crosby ISD is in the process of working with Texas Association of School Administrators in TRANSFORMING the districts education system. On Crosby ISD website you will find documents supporting their agenda of this transformation.

crosby isd

 

One document under Planning Committee Documents is titled 21st Century Curriculum Skills and Instruction outlines they goal of changing the education 3 R’s from reading, ‘riting, ‘rithmetic to Rigor, Relevance and Respect all for the common good.

common good

Crosby ISD Superintendent Dr. Keith Moore

follow  https://twitter.com/DrKMoore

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Texas Association of School Administrators Support a Progressive Education

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texas flag

Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA)  which is funded with your tax dollars through you local school district is behind a progressive global education for all Texas Students. TASA holds conferences throughout the year with various break out sessions speaking on different topics. This years TASA/TASB conference had a sessions where Global Encounter presented their progressive curriculum/learning technique. Here is the powerpoint slide show they presented. The following is an excerpt from that powerpoint. You will see they are promoting the progressive ideology of  Project Based Learing/Self Directed Learning. Below you will see a comparison between a Traditional Education and Project Based Learning.

global experience

 

 

 


PBL COMPARISON

Most Texas schools  are moving to a un-vetted online learning with the use of laptops/ipads, with the help and influence of TASA/TASB.  They are working on removing textbooks and creating a learning where the teacher is nothing more than a facilitator. Absolute truth is not taught and students create their own learning. American Exceptionalism will become a thing of the past. CSCOPE was setting the foundation for Project Based Learning that is why numerous school district despite the controversy of lesson are holding on the “management” system of CSCOPE. Here is CSCOPE’S Primer on Project Based Learning

Parents & Taxpayers need to get involved in your local school districts.  We all pay taxes and your school officials need to be held accountable as to where they are spending our tax dollars and what they are teaching our children.

 

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To Pray or Not to Pray?

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praying hands

I have been warning you about the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) and their agenda of Transforming the Texas Education System. School Administrators across the state of Texas are spending millions of tax dollars that could be utilized to hire teachers or help students but instead they are funding this  liberal/progressive organization. It is imperative that YOU (children or no children in the school district) get involved  and find out the amount of money your district is spending on TASA and Texas Association of School Boards (TASB).

 CSCOPE, unfortunately laid the foundation for project based learning (PBL) in our Texas schools. TASA now has lessons on I TUNES to help teachers further implement PBL.  The first I Tune lesson I read is titled “A  Question of Faith” which was developed with The Learning Network of the New York Times. (YIKES). The lesson is out of the High School Government course and instructs students to discuss and ultimately decide individually and collectively if prayer should be aloud at an upcoming school event. They also are to engage in other questioning which put students on the spot as to their faith and beliefs.

Below is an excerpt from the lesson where students are perform a school-wide survey regarding other’s opinion on school prayer.

Students are also asked to tasa math

I find this totally unacceptable! GET INVOLVED NOW!!

 

Below is a snap shot from TASA’s website on their I TUNES online lessons. Believe me this group is not about children they are out to implement and agenda and indoctrinate our kids. They want to TRANSFORM TEXAS EDUCATION with a progressive/marxist ideology.
(more…)

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Teacher Punished for Telling Students About Constitutional Right

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teacher

An Illinois high school teacher was punished by a local school district after he warned students about their Constitutional rights before answering a school-mandated survey about emotional and at-risk behavior.

John Dryden, a social studies teacher at Batavia High School, was issued a formal reprimand and docked a day’s pay. The punishment was doled out during a closed-door school board meeting.

The controversy started when the school district directed students to complete a survey about at-risk behavior – including past drug, tobacco and alcohol usage.

“I advised my students that they had a Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate themselves,” Dryden told a local newspaper. “It was not my intention for them not to take the survey.”

 

read more:

http://townhall.com/columnists/toddstarnes/2013/05/30/teacher-punis…

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