High stakes common core developed tests are still in the experimental phase of development as they are being currently used on special education students, as well as every other child in public schools in the nation.

Evidence strongly suggests that the above-named testing consortia and developers, supported by tax payers’ dollars, may in fact be in the midst of the largest, most comprehensive experimentation –as defined by the Ethics Code of the American Psychological Association— on American public school children, in our nation’s history.

(See APA Ethics Codes 8.02 “Informed Consent to Research” & 8.07 “Deception in Research” & 9.03 “Informed Consent In Assessments”

The basic foundational purpose of conforming assessment and research practices to ethics codes is to ensure that vulnerable populations, such a special education students, are not exploited and/or harmed.. We know what worked well in the past.  We have no idea what this new idea pulled from the hat, will do to our children.

Particularly at issue is Arne’s claim number 8

Claim Number 8: “Parents and teachers have the right and need to know how much progress all students, including students with disabilities, are making each year toward college and career readiness. That means all students, including students with disabilities, need to take annual Statewide assessments.”  Arne Duncun.

Research cited:  none.

Scope & Limitations of Cited Research: none because there was none….

it would be reasonable and proper for parent so know how their child was doing academically. The USDOE, however, insists that parents and teachers need to know about students’ “career and college readiness.” What exactly is “career- and college readiness” and how does such a confusing and undefined standard apply to children and teens with diagnosed learning disabilities?  Bottom line is that we don’t know.  How is it possible to know if a ten year old disabled child, is on track to be college or career ready?  For example, in an independent study funded by he Florida legislature over their standardized tests on disabled students, they questioned how on earth could a verbal reader reading the test to a blind child, describe this to a student taking the test ?Blind leading the blind

Is this fair to compare that blind student given a graph to one who can readily see well with both eyes?  How does one even describe geometrical graphs, with three axis, and points and parabolic shapes which some equations make when asking a question to one who cannot see?

If there is one exception, or one child who gets hurt by Arne’s ruling… shouldn’t it be the governments position to not enforce it? Is it really our government’s right to hurt children?  Perhaps if we were ruled by kings, I suppose,… But if there are thousands, millions who will be assessed incorrectly by this action, shouldn’t parents be the ones making all the decisions, and not a well intentioned federal government?

We have heard repeatedly in the opt out movement from our state officials that the federal government gives them no leeway on letting parents opt out…  They have no choice but to conform to the Federal guidelines or else their schools will be unfunded… Yet, these very same people are the ones who in support of common core, say almost with the same breath that these tests are parent and teacher developed state led test and do not represent any Federal intrusion of what should be a local issue, local education….

Say one thing, then say another…

We get it.

This is the federal takeover of all education and all words to the contrary are lies whose intent is merely to deceive us.

Now… when the Federal Government told our great grandparents and grandparents it was against the law to drink alcohol… what did they do?  They disobeyed….

When the Federal Government told our highway commissions we needed to lower all interstate speeds to 55 mph, what did most of the population do?  They disobeyed……

When the every state government told us we need to stop texting and using our hand held cellphones in our cars while driving… what do we still do?  What does every police officer himself do when he gets a call on the road?  We disobey…..

Why?  Because there are some things that are too private to us and are too unenforceable because so many of us want to do them….

Now…. the Federal Government is telling you that your child must be rated by this test which 100% of child psychologists have agreed will destroy your child’s chances at having a decent education at all…. And especially if your child is a special educational student… too bad… you should have aborted him when you found out his deficiency…….

So are you going to just let your child get in line to get slaughtered by people who don’t even know his capacities or capabilities?  Who think only those who do well on the arbitrary standardized tests they made up, are worthy?

Or are you going to opt out and persuade everyone you know to do the same and that way like Prohibition … People override their government and the bad things goes away and we can all get on with our lives?

It is your choice… It has always been your choice… and the sooner all opt out… the sooner real changes that help our children get implemented, because all the damn money is no longer going to this test….