Philadelphia National Action Network Presents Update on Justice Assesment of Deadly Force in Philadelphia Police Department Part 1

In Philadelphia as in many cities in the United States of America we the citizens particularly in communities of color face a public health crisis due to the Philadelphia police methods of policing our communities and the use of deadly force. Philadelphia National Action Network have been advocating for accountability and transparency within the police department for over a decade. NAN was able to have the U. S. Justice Dept. investigate the deadly force of  our police department.
Out of that investigation came a 91 point assessment with recommendations. September 17th, NAN hosted an update to share the findings with the community and invite more members of our communities to get involved with addressing the recommendations.

We heard from Kelvyn Anderson, Executive Director City of Philadelphia Police Advisory Commission, the official civilian oversight agency of the City of Philadelphia for the Philadelphia Police Department

Police Advisory Commission

990 Spring Garden Street, 7th Floor, Suite 705
Philadelphia, PA 19123

215-685-0891
facebook

Public Participation

All citizens deserve the right to be heard. The Police Advisory Commission's intention is to establish fair and orderly rules that will enable the Commission to deliberate without interruption and allow ample opportunity for those citizens who want to participate and be heard.

Agendas and Minutes

PAC meetings are open to the public and held on the third Monday of each month at its office (990 Spring Garden St, 7th Floor), or at community centers, churches and other locations throughout the city. Recent Meeting Agendas and Minutes. http://www.phila.gov/pac/meetings/Pages/default.aspx

To become a change agent in how the police operate in our city please join the commission, your help is needed. Out of the 91 point assessment came a new use of force continuum and the need for police officers to be trained in other ground fighting techniques, for example the use of pepper spray as an option to shooting. Possibly having citizens on call when a police shooting occurs so that their is non police eyes also on the seen.

There was also a  request to learn the names of police officers involved in shootings and to have those police officers held accountable. The 91 point assessment recommends that police officers be given three days to have their statement recorded. We would like to have that statement video recorded and done within 24 hours of the shooting as would be the case if a civilian was accused of a shooting. The police feel that releasing that information would put the officers in jeopardy which research has proven is not the case. The police labor relations are fighting the recommendations and have support with House Bill 1538.

The policy concerning the use of body cameras is currently being created by the police department with no input from us the citizens who pay their salary. We need to have input on this and other policy created to address the use of deadly force by the Philadelphia police. In part 2 of this blog i will be able to share more info with you. At the moment my grandsons are requesting my attention!!

Please become part of the Philadelphia Police Advisory Commission today!!

Neighborhood Networks Goes To Work On Electing Democrats for Pa. Supreme Court Judges

On November 3rd we'll be electing three members of the PA Supreme Court, almost half the Court. That means after the election the Court could wind up split anywhere from 5-2 Democratic to 5-2 Republican.

If the Court is controlled by Republicans, we'll probably lose a wide range of cases involving:

• full funding for public schools 
• gerrymandering 
• fracking 
• prisoner rights 
• the right of Philadelphia to enact a minimum wage 
• regulate guns

And whether Democrats win these races will depend almost entirely on turnout in Philly because that's where the Democratic voters are.  Yet, most people in Philly don't know this election is even taking place. (Neighborhood Network)

Not often that we get three open seats in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. I've been calling people to get them involved with this very important election. Most are on board but some did not know about the election or who is running. Important for us to get this election information out to as many registered voters as possible, for we must win!! If you or someone you know needs to register to vote you can now do so online at:
http://www.votespa.com/portal/server.pt?mode=2&objID=1174117&open=514&parentid=1&parentname=ObjMgr

10/ 5/2015	Last day to REGISTER before the November election
10/27/2015	Last day to apply for a civilian absentee ballot
10/30/2015	Last day for County Boards of Elections to receive voted civilian absentee ballots
11/ 3/2015	MUNICIPAL ELECTION

www.philadelphiavotes.com/en/voters/important-dates

Donohue's campaign website listed the following themes for the 2015 election:
“ 
Throughout her career, Judge Donohue has had the opportunity to litigate or preside over landmark cases protecting the rights of injured persons, holding corporations accountable for fraudulent behavior, eliminating bias against LGBT parents in custody matters and more. She has been an adjunct professor at Duquesne University and lectured before legal, professional and student audiences. She has served on or led every ethics enforcement body and tribunal established in Pennsylvania to ensure attorneys and judges comply with the highest standards of conduct. Judge Donohue, who represented individuals, corporations and business people throughout her career as an attorney, earned the title of Pennsylvania Super Lawyer and is listed in Best Lawyers in America. [3]
”
—Donohue for Justice, (2015)[4] http://ballotpedia.org/Pennsylvania_Supreme_Court_elections,_2015

As a judge, Dougherty has always made fair access to a fair process one of his top priorities, and has made sure that everyone who comes before him has competent legal representation. Whenever possible, he emphasized treatment and rehabilitation for at-risk youth, rather than placement; however, he never hesitated to send a violent juvenile away for proper treatment and educational services whenever circumstances warranted. When Philadelphia was besieged by “flash mobs” of violent youth attacking random citizens, Judge Dougherty made examples of the leaders by placing them in juvenile detention facilities. These swift and decisive actions were credited with helping to stop the “flash mobs” and restore a sense of safety on the streets. His tough but fair approach has turned countless troubled lives around and significantly improved a justice system that many long considered to be dysfunctional. [3]
”
—Kevin Dougherty for Pennsylvania, (2015)[4] http://ballotpedia.org/Pennsylvania_Supreme_Court_elections,_2015

David Wecht

Campaign themes
“ 
1. Absolute ban on all gifts to judges
The opportunity to serve as a judge is a solemn responsibility and a public trust. It should not include an opportunity to reap profit from others through the receipt of gifts. The exchange of favors has no place in the judicial process. Gifts to judges, be they golf junkets or trinkets, should be banned completely.
2. Tightened Anti-Nepotism Policy; Sunset Employment of Judges’ Relatives
Pennsylvania’s Code of Judicial Conduct was finally revised in 2014 to ban longstanding and shameful practices of nepotism. However, while the Code bans judges from hiring their relatives in the future, it says (and does) nothing about the fact that many judges already have their relatives on the public payroll, and that this nepotism continues unchecked. This has to stop. Our Supreme Court should impose a reasonable sunset period (perhaps five years) to allow judges’ family members to find other work -- work outside the chambers and courtrooms of their judicial kin.
3. Require judges to rule on the record or in writing on all motions for recusal
Pennsylvania’s Code of Judicial Conduct calls for judges to recuse themselves in circumstances where their impartiality can reasonably be questioned. The Code should be revised to require judges whose recusal is sought to state on the record their reasons for granting or denying the motion, so all circumstances can be viewed in the light of day, both by the reviewing court and by the public as a whole.
4. Mandated ethics courses for all judicial candidates
We entrust our judges with tremendous power over the lives of others. Recent events have shown that those to whom this power is granted can go seriously astray. Before further abuses occur, it is critical that all who seek judicial office be required to complete a course in judicial ethics. It is not too much to ask judicial candidates to acquire a basic familiarity with best practices in the essential area of proper conduct.
5. Television broadcast of court proceedings
Citizens have an interest, and indeed a right, in knowing what transpires in the courtrooms that they pay for and where justice is done in their name. All proceedings in every Pennsylvania court are presumptively open, and this openness mandated by our Constitution should include television access so that the openness is real. All Pennsylvanians should have the opportunity to view proceedings wherever they may be. Technology allows for such broadcasting to be performed unobtrusively and without distraction. Judges should be afforded the discretion to close proceedings to television in appropriate circumstances, such as cases involving child abuse, certain sexual offenses, matters requiring a measure of confidentiality, and other special situations. [3]
”

—Wecht 2015, (2015)[4] http://ballotpedia.org/Pennsylvania_Supreme_Court_elections,_2015

Please get involved, we are in need of volunteers starting 9/30 till the election, we'll be having Phone banks every Wed night 6:30-8:30 pm, and Phone Banks/Door Canvass every Saturday & Sunday 1-4 pm. Which of these can you make?

9/30- Wed

10/3- Sat

10/4- Sun

10/7- Wed

10/10- Sat

10/11- Sun

10/14- Wed

10/17- Sat

10/18- Sun

10/21- Wed

10/24- Sat

10/25- Sun

10/28- Wed

10/31- Sat

11/1- Sun

11/3- Election Day, work at the polls

For more information please contact Mr. Stan Shapiro shapsj@comcast.net

Opt Out The Movement What This Means for People of Color

There's a movement to save the resource, public education. all around the country parents, educators, elected officials and concerned citizens are raising their voice to end the teaching to the test madness fueled by business men and women. The crucial state of our concerns for our future is being displayed in Chicago by the Dyett 12 who have been on a hunger strike to save their public high school.

Please join the movement and raise your voice so that our voice unites against teaching to a meaningless test. I attend community events, talk to parents/students i see in passing, post to social media and blog getting the message out about how these test set our communities up to fail. i'm adding fuel to the movement and we could use your support.

i speak to parents and family members who have different experiences with these standardized test. An Aunt told me that she home schooled her nephew before enrolling him into public school. Her nephew was the only student who passed the standardized test. She asked to view the test and was amazed that the other students weren't able to pass the test. Clear example that education starts at home. i had a chance to view Pearson Reading Street Grade 1, Benchmark Unit 2 Communities. Some of these test are giving at the beginning of the school year, and my concern is that not all our families understand the need to read to our youth during the summer. Not every community had State Senator Vincent Hughes "Save Our Skills Read To Succeed Program" over the summer that would have given our youth continued development versus lost of reading skills. Reading at home is so important because family has the influence that assist the students understanding and prepares them for the schoolhouse.

Public schools are life lines for our communities. Our schools need resources such as trained professional caring staff in functioning buildings. We need accountable and transparent systems that follow the laws governing public education. We deserve to have educators create our educational systems not corporation's further exploiting our communities. Parents are frustrated with their students suffering over test that our schools and communities are not equipped to pass. Or are we and those funds are misused. If we need more parent involvement to increase our students achievement then let's question how the school used 1% of the school budget to get parents involved. Parents should be seen as partners and not screened as possible relate to and absolutely not able to relate to. How are parents informed of their rights? By law parents are suppose to be told about their right to opt out, why isn't that information posted in our schools, parent resource rooms and family & community engagement centers.

i joined the opt out movement to give voice for all the parents that i speak to and all the reform information i learn. i'm a product of the Philadelphia School District, school was fun and meaningful when i attended. We still have great schools and programs, what we are in need of is more parent support and involvement, as the Broad and Olney Septa cashier after reading my "Refuse The Test" t-shirt stated "if the parents complain enough and come together things would change".

Join the opt out movement and take a stand against teaching to the test!!

#optoutphilly #phillyparentstrike917 #nationaloptout #getinvolved #wearedyett12 #saveourschools

Building Relationships With Schoolhouse Staff

The schoolhouse is an extension of our homes. For we all know education starts at home and is complimented with professional educators and support staff. When enrolling our youth in a schoolhouse we should be able to build relationships that are productive and share the goal of developmentally appropriate practices. In the best schools these relationships are welcomed because the principals understand the importance of partnering with the family and community. In our stressed schools principals hide from relationship building and tend to discourage the educators, students and parent.

Some principals in stressed schools seem to take the job for the six figures and don't want to get to know the parents or educators. When i was a parent at Germantown high school we had several principals. All were there for the money. They put parents against each other and did not support the educators. Seems that they researched high paying jobs and went to school to gain the lucrative salary not because they wanted to build productive citizens. I met a former Principal of the school who was doing very well at the school and the school was excelling under her direction. She was let go because of the success of the school because some wanted to turn the school into a charter school. Like our police department the sensitive are not hire or they are fired and those who could careless are hired. There is an unspoken mentality that the most vulnerable and under resourced communities are walking mats. Often considered as no human involved.

This is were knowing our rights come into play. Parents are the most powerful in the schoolhouse structure. If there are issues within the schools check the school handbook and learn the process for addressing your concerns. If you go through all the proper channels and get no results, take your concerns to the media, social media and youtube videos. This will give transparency and help develop accountability of the staff to the families and community served.

i have met principals that state that in our first meeting, that the schoolhouse is theirs. When i hear this i know this principal is a control freak and doesn't understand that they don't own the schoolhouse. They own the responsibly of the success or failure of the school. Principals and other schoolhouse employees are servants of the public and should embrace the opportunity to build safe and productive communities. Rather than becoming defensive or closed to the support of parents and community members.

Not all principals and schoolhouse staff are careless, some don't know how to relate to the community they are serving. Be patient when getting know the schoolhouse staff and keep in mind the various personalities of people. Most importantly learn your rights and keep notes on what is going on!!

Title 1 Calendar Philadelphia School District

September 30, 2015

Schools submit date for Annual Title I Meeting to Grants Compliance Monitor (GCM). Meeting must occur by October 3, 2014. Please follow the links below for: -          The mandatory talking points if the Annual Title I Meeting is occurring during Back to School Night. -          The powerpoint template for the Annual Title I Meeting.  In the Notes View are the comments on how to customize the template.

Schools send home Right to Know Qualifications letter with all students. Please follow the link below for: -          The Right to Know letters and their translations.

October
3	Each school must host its Annual Title I Meeting by this date.
10	Schools submit agenda and sign in from Annual Title I Meeting to GCM.
10	Schools submit draft Compacts and Parent Involvement Policies, accompanied by agendas and sign in sheets, to GCMs for review. Also submit Building Capacity form to GCM. Please follow the links below for: -          The template for the School Parent Compact. -          The template for the School Parent Involvement Policy. -          The template for the Building Capacity document.
17	First time Right to Know 4 Week letter sent home with students who have been taught for 4 or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified.  A teacher is not highly qualified if his/her certification does not match his/her teaching assignment. Please follow the link below for: -          The Right to Know letters and their translations. -          Principals should include their own note with this letter.

DINWIDDIE COUNTY, Va. -- A letter to the editor in the local paper and now an online petition -- all targeting the principal at Dinwiddie Elementary School.

"Definitely a bullying situation" says Meagan Wall, a former teacher who left her job, she says, because of the principal. "Someone who is supposed to be a leader, their responsibility is to lead, not to bully, not to harass, not to intimidate."

A few days after the letter to the editor of the Dinwiddie Monitor, an online petition was started by Stacey Hower, whose son goes to Dinwiddie Elementary School.

http://wtvr.com/2015/04/20/parents-teachers-express-concern-about-principal/

#parentseducatorselectedofficialsunite #saveourschools 

Getting Our Public Schools Back For The Public

We are battling over public resources in the United States of America because our government wants to privatize our country and close doors of opportunity to our most vulnerable members of society, much like the Kansas clerk who refused to recognize the rights of gay marriage and insisted on imposing her beliefs on the public. Sad reality of the need to feel superior or maybe pure greed is fueling the battle. Nevertheless, now we are able identify the members of our society who pretend to want to help when there actions prove they are out to destroy through colonialism and prison slavery.

Parents and Educators are raising their voice and fighting our government and corporate America ignorance and greed. We are winning one big battle at a time!! Support and understanding of the need for our public schools to remain public is growing thanks to those of us advocating via social media and public demonstrations. Educators, parents and elected officials in Philadelphia have come together to address the crisis going on in our schools. 

 More and more educators are taking a stand because their profession is under attack with the dismantling of public education. We need our educators to teach and not online, but in person so that they can see the students body language and actions. i was a home school coach for a family who didn't have the time or skills to coach their youth. My first day i observed the students turn their online class on then lay their heads on their desk as if they were not engaged. Online learning is not for everyone, we need professionally trained educators and support staff. Parents and Educators have to come together if we want to save the best resource ever, public education.

In Chicago parents are on a hunger strike to save Walter H. Dyett high school. Their battle exemplifies the sad separation that  happens with citizens get elected. Why does the title elected official create the us and them caste? The elected official comes from our community and is suppose to be representing the best interest of those who elected the official. i don't understand this rite of passage to disconnect with the community they come from.

The Dyett 12 are winning, the mayor has agreed to open enrollment for the currently closed Walter H. Dyett high school, but refuse to recognize Title 1 Section 1118, which states that parents are suppose to help create their public school.

Coalition to Revitalize Dyett High School List of Demands:
1. Green Technology in school name and in school curriculum.
2. Global leadership/ world studies curriculum
3. Duane Turner as the school principal, who was selected by Coalition to Revitalize Dyett
4. Fully elected local school council in year 1.
5. Coalition to Revitalize Dyett represented on design/planning team with 6 members in prominent positions. Those who paid protesters to support closing Dyett cannot be on planning team.
6. The school must retain the name Walter H. Dyett.
7. Vertical curricular alignment with the 6 feeder schools identified in the Coalition proposal.
8. Community school (open till 8pm daily, with programs and resources for parents, students and the community)

The true issue here is the violations of human rights. We will continue to fight and unite by informing our communities of educators, parents, and concerned citizens about our rights.

#parentseducatorsunite #parentstrike #saveourschools #stopcommoncore #fundourschoolsnotprisons #nationaloptout #hungryfordyett #wearedyett #wesupportdyett12  #fightfordyett 

Philadelphia Parents list of demands:

1. to stop teaching to the test
2. allow parents to assist in developing curriculum as we are suppose to according to Title 1 Section 1118
3. we want local control over our school district, no more hiring outsiders who only want to privatize our schools.
4. we want our electives back, art, music, recess, foreign languages ....
5. we also want shop back for everyone is not going to college
6. we also demand schools that are functioning with heat in the winter and cool air in the summer, have professionally trained staff, books and technology for our youth to develop into safe and productive citizens.
7. School district budgets displayed for public notice and comments
8. School budgets displayed at each school for public notice and comments
9. Parental and Students Rights displayed

City of Philadelphia Resolution No. 140997

Introduced December 4, 2014 

Councilmembers Squilla, Quiñones Sánchez and Blackwell

Calling upon the School District of Philadelphia and the School Reform Commission to analyze the financial and human impact of standardized testing, to identify strategies to minimize its use, and to request a waiver of the Keystone Exams from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in order to adopt assessments that better serve local needs and priorities.

 WHEREAS, Standardized testing has dramatically increased since 2002’s No Child Left Behind Act imposed federal mandates requiring the testing of every student in reading and math from 3rd grade to 8th grade and again in high school, implemented in Pennsylvania through the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) tests; and 

WHEREAS, In addition to federally-required tests, states have layered on additional assessments, including in Pennsylvania new requirements for Keystone Exams that will be required for high school graduation as of 2017; and

 WHEREAS, On average, students in large urban school districts take a total of 113 standardized tests between Pre-Kindergarten and 12th Grade, with students in 11th grade forced to devote as many as 27 days or 15% of the school year to testing and yet many more hours to test preparation; and

 WHEREAS, Since 2002 spending on standardized tests has skyrocketed, with the Keystone Exams projected to cost hundreds of millions even billions, without the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania providing any corresponding or dedicated funding to local districts for these costs or for the necessary supplemental education to help struggling students; and

 WHEREAS, The over-reliance on high-stakes standardized testing interferes with educators’ efforts to focus on students’ development in areas such as problem-solving, City of Philadelphia RESOLUTION NO. 140997 continued City of Philadelphia - 2 - creativity, and critical thinking, thus undermining skills needed to excel outside of the classroom; and

 WHEREAS, There are indications that this increase in testing is causing children to experience stress, anxiety, and even in some cases even physical illness; and

 WHEREAS, Minority and low-income students, special-needs students including those impacted by trauma and those with Individual Education Plans, as well as students who do not speak English as their first language, are disproportionately harmed by the overuse of standardized tests, particularly when those tests are used to determine ranking, admission, and graduation of students or to evaluate teachers and school staff as well as overall school performance; and

 WHEREAS, The City of Pittsburgh engaged in a thoughtful process to evaluate how to minimize and mitigate the use of testing, and has adopted a plan that will cut over 33 hours of annual testing for students in certain grades; and

 WHEREAS, Pennsylvania law provides the opportunity for local districts to request waiver of the Keystone Exams as a graduation requirement and seek approval of alternative assessment strategies; and 

WHEREAS, Philadelphia’s ongoing and serious budget crisis as well as its high concentrations of minority, low-income, special-needs, and Limited-English Proficient students, justify the critical examination of state-mandated testing as applied to Philadelphia students and the development of a more streamlined, demographically appropriate, and cost-effective testing structure for the Philadelphia School District; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Respectfully calls upon the School District of Philadelphia and the School Reform Commission to analyze the financial and human impact of standardized testing, to identify strategies to minimize its use, and to request a waiver of the Keystone Exams from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in order to adopt assessments that better serve local needs and priorities. FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be sent to William R. Hite, Jr., Superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia, and the members of the School Reform Commission.

I LOVE MY CITY!! 

What is going on in these Charter Schools?

Parents in Charter and District schools are frustrated with the state of public education and are joining the opt out movement demanding an end to teaching to a test. Exercising Parental Rights to opt their students out of standardized test with out penalty and be part of developing public schools as stated in Title 1 Section 1118.

``Title 1 SEC. 1118. PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT.

``(a) Local Educational Agency Policy.--

``(1) In general.--A local educational agency may receive funds under this part only if such agency implements programs, activities, and procedures for the involvement of parents in programs assisted under this part consistent with the provisions of this section. Such activities shall be planned and implemented with meaningful consultation with parents of participating children.

``(2) Written policy.--Each local educational agency that receives funds under this part shall develop jointly with, agree upon with, and distribute to, parents of participating children a written parent involvement policy that is incorporated into the local educational agency's plan developed under section 1112, establishes the expectations for parent involvement, and describes how the local educational agency will--

``(A) involve parents in the joint development of the plan under section 1112, and the process of school review and improvement under section 1116;

``(B) provide the coordination, technical assistance, and other support necessary to assist participating schools in planning and implementing effective parent involvement;

``(C) build the schools' and parents' capacity for strong parent involvement as described in subsection (e);

``(D) coordinate and integrate parental involvement strategies under this part with parental involvement strategies under other programs, such as Head Start, Even Start, the Parents as Teachers Program, the Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters, and State-run preschool programs;

``(E) conduct, with the involvement of parents, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parental involvement policy developed under this section--

``(i) to determine the effectiveness of the policy in increasing the participation of parents; and

``(ii) to identify barriers to greater participation by parents in activities authorized by this section, giving particular attention to parents who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background; and

``(F) use the findings of the evaluations described in subparagraph (E) in designing strategies for school improvement and revising, if necessary, the parental involvement policies described in this subsection and subsection (b)(1).

``(3) Reservation.--

``(A) Each local educational agency shall reserve not less than 1 percent of such agency's allocation under this part to carry out this section, including family literacy and parenting skills, except that this paragraph shall not apply if 1 percent of such agency's allocation under this part (other than funds allocated under section 1002(e)) for the fiscal year for which the determination is made is $5,000 or less.

``(B) Parents of children receiving services under this part shall be involved in the decisions regarding how funds reserved under subparagraph (A) are allotted for parental involvement activities. https://www2.ed.gov/legislation/ESEA/sec1118.html

Busy and stressed out parents rights are being violated because no one takes the time to inform these parents or have informational session during the day when most families cannot attend. We want to believe that the school house has our best interest and don't inquire about our rights until a crisis surface. Federal law requires schools to inform parents of their rights including opting out of standardized test. i'm hearing rights violations when approaching parents to discuss the opt out movement and have written several blogs on how parents can protect their students information aka data,  and images.

i met and video recorded a parent Tamika Riley who is totally frustrated with public education. Her students attend charter schools that require the students to take an admission test every year they attend the school. These students must also under go mandatory six days of mental toughness. i mentioned this conversation to a parent advocate. She told me that sounds illegal and to have the parent go to Education Law Center. Unfortunately, i didn't get her contact info, but gave her ours. i plan to refer these frustrated parents to Ed Law Center and a few other attorney's i have learned about who are not afraid to take the school district to court and sue them for these violations.

5. Once a student is enrolled in a charter school, must the parent re-apply each year for admission? No. Once a student is enrolled in a charter school, he or she has the right to continue to attend the charter school without having to re-apply for admission.
http://www.stonevalleyccs.org/uploads/Charters_Schools_in_PA_FAQ_Ed_Law_Center.pdf

Opt Out Parent Tonya Bah shared her Opt Out Letter, you can copy and submit to the school principal:

Dear Dr. Hite, Mr. Shaffer and

Principal_____________________           

Pursuant to Pennsylvania Code Title 22, Chapter 4, section 4.4 (d)(5), I hereby exercise my right as a parent to have my child excused from 2015-2016 school year's state standardized testing because of “religious beliefs.”
Per this signed and dated letter and my rights stated above, I expect this letter and my rights, to be honored by (school name)
_________________________School,

its Principal, Mr or Ms._________________________   Dr. Hite, School Superintendent and the School Reform Commission (SRC) of Pennsylvania. I am requesting that my rights be recognized, respected and to not have my decision or my child subjected to any further scrutiny or requirements surrounding this request. I should not be forced, mandated or manipulated to first view, then restate my rights, on what I have already written my child be excused from, on the grounds of my religious beliefs and or might right to refuse Standardized Test.

Respectfully____________________

Parent

of______________________________

dated_______

The Ugly Truth; Common Core Is Part Of The War On People Of Color

Education is the Key To Freedom; know that freedom is being stripped away from the public school system. Before common core people of color were denied educational development that would allow them to become self sufficient. Segregation helped some communities, in others created flight of people who felt they are better than people of color and the allocations of resources. The public schoolhouse is vital for those of us not able or desiring a private education. The resources that create a schoolhouse differ with each demographics, resources such as professional educators, counselors, librarians, nurses, heat, and basic school supplies are needed in every school serving the public. These resources have pretty much been stripped away from today's schools with Common Core, Teach For America and Race to the Top.


The Education of Black folks is in a state of despair, disarray and disgrace.  Many of you are familiar with phrases such as “school to prison pipeline”, “Achievement Gap”, “Education is the civil rights issues of the era”, “high stake standardized assessments that adversely impact Black and Latinos.” However there is a nation-wide 60 year old issue that, except for Chicago and New Orleans hardly any one is addressing.  It’s the issue of removing Black teachers in the Education arena through pseudo evaluations, downsizing, “school turn abounds”, charter schools, demotions, or forced retirements. 

That phenomenon of removing Black teachers in the classrooms started in the South at the onset of 1954 -55 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling.  In a USA Today April 2004, entitled Thousands of black teachers lost jobs, Greg Toppo gave a historical perspective on the declining of Black teachers in the South. By 2015, the process of “structuring out” teachers of African descent has spread all over the country.  In almost every state, one will find a number of tenured veteran black teachers who have been displaced, via demotions, dismissals or forced retirements or phony negative evaluations. Tenured Latino teachers are demoted, but they are not dismissed. WE NEED TO STOP THE REMOVAL OF BLACK TEACHERS FROM THE EDUCATION ARENA.
http://forpubliced.blogspot.com/2015/09/black-educator-teacher-nikky-speaks-at.html

Please don't believe any hype that our students are performing poorly in their educational development based on standardized test and common core. Please know that these test are designed to fail our students. Our schools are under resourced and poorly funded for the sole purpose of creating sweatshop labor. Please know that in May our students were passing those standardized test and in July the Pa. State Board of Education cut the scores. Please also know that standardized test feeds the school to prison pipeline. Our Government has invested in building prison communities consisting of sweatshop labor rather than build safe productive residential communities on meaningful wages or self employed.

Please know that parents are the most powerful in the world of education. There's Title 1, and more resources and laws that protect parents and students.

http://www2.ed.gov/policy/landing.jhtml?src=pn

Lee: Mr. President, my amendment (2162) would clarify that parents, not the federal government, are the primary educators of their children. It would ensure that parents may allow their children to opt out of federally-mandated tests. Now, the gentleman from Tennessee, Mr. Alexander, is right that states should be free to make their own tests mandatory if they so choose. However, that is not what this bill (ECAA) allows. This bill mandates that states give these tests and requires them to get the content of such tests approved by the US secretary of education.

My amendment is silent on the question of state tests. It simply clarifies that the tests mandated by this bill- mandated by this Congress- are in fact voluntary in that parents- not politicians or bureaucrats- will have the final say in whether individual children take federal tests. It also ensures that the federal government cannot punish states by restricting federal funding for education should parents choose to opt out their children from these tests.Moreover, Senator Isakson’s second opt-out amendment to ECAA, SA 2194 (approved by a vote of 98-0 on July 14, 2015), requires districts to inform parents of state or district opt-out policies:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mercedes-schneider/the-senate-debate-on-lees_b_7829878.html

At the beginning of each school year, a local educational agency that receives funds under this part shall notify the parents of each student attending any school receiving funds under this part that the parents may request, and the agency will provide the parents on request (and in a timely manner), information regarding any State or local educational agency policy, procedure, or parental right regarding student participation in any mandated assessments for that school year…. 

https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2015/07/17/both-house-and-senate-esea-bills-allow-for-opt-out-without-penalty/

Common Core and Standardized Test Fuel School To Prison Pipeline

“Standards-based” exams that test high school level content are associated with a decline in the graduation rate of about one percentage point. In addition, this decline is only partially offset by an increase in the number of students obtaining a GED. We also find that in some specifications, standards-based exams that replace existing minimum competency exams have small and insignificant effects on graduation rates, while standards-based exams that were implemented from the ground up have a much larger negative effect. 

 In addition, we find a robust adverse effect of standards-based exams on the institutionalization rate. The exams increase incarceration by about .2 percentage points or about 12.5 percent. As for graduation rates, we find that the effect of these exams is greater when they start from the ground up rather than replace a minimum competency exam. 

"The Effect of High School Exit Exams on Graduation, Employment, Wages and Incarceration" © 2013 by Olesya Baker and Kevin Lang. All rights reserved NBER Working Paper No. 19182 June 2013

Living the nightmare of common core and standardized test is the result of the integrity of our country developing into Profit Over People which creates Slave Masters seeking ways to legalize slave labor. The Slave Masters being our U.S. Government and Corporate America. 

Example: 

Amplify is owned by Rupert Murdoch of Fox News. Mr. Murdoch has been quoted as saying the United States Educational System is worth over $500,000,000,000 (500 BILLION) in untapped profits.

Note: The Smarter Balance Assessment Consortium paid Amplify $12,000,000 to write practice tests. Have teachers had the chance to look at the scoring guides? Do teachers realize they will now be scoring performance tasks and entering in the data to track children’s progress? Do teachers and parents understand how the data is being used and where it is going? Start asking these questions and start digging.

http://divinesparkignites.com/2015/08/30/lets-get-curious-where-is-all-the-money-going/

Parents we need to unite and learn what is really going on in our public schools. i advocate with several grassroots organizations that offer support in advocating for our schools.

 APPS attend every SRC meeting. We meet biweekly to breakdown and discuss SRC resolutions.  Parents can become members of AAPS and gain support when trying to understand the SRC resolutions and testifying before the SRC about the resolutions. APPS  currently is a group of educators both retired and active, parents and concerned citizens. APPS also does great research on public education!! http://webgui.phila.k12.pa.us/offices/s/src/schedule

 The Caucus of Working Educators is the group that i go hard for, because these educators risked their livelihood by informing parents of their right to opt out of these meaningless test. If you go to war for me, I'M Going To War For You!! 

Robert Valiant Here are a few of the things that impact validity that are totally ignored in high-stakes testing: 

Factors That Impact Validity
It is important to understand how external and internal factors impact validity.

A student's reading ability can have an impact on the validity of an assessment. For example, if a student has a hard time comprehending what a question is asking, a test will not be an accurate assessment of what the student truly knows about a subject. Educators should ensure that an assessment is at the correct reading level of the student. (This is ignored in high-stakes testing.)

Student self-efficacy can also impact validity of an assessment. If students have low self-efficacy, or beliefs about their abilities in the particular area they are being tested in, they will typically perform lower. Their own doubts hinder their ability to accurately demonstrate knowledge and comprehension. (This is ignored in high-stakes testing.)

Student test anxiety level is also a factor to be aware of. Students with high test anxiety will underperform due to emotional and physiological factors, such as upset stomach, sweating, and increased heart rate, which leads to a misrepresentation of student knowledge. (This is ignored in high-stakes testing.)

And what about the language of the student? And what about disabilities? And ..... http://study.com/academy/lesson/validity-in-assessments-content-construct-predictive-validity.html

High Stake Test Increase Incarceration Rates