To: Marie Blistan, Vice President, Sean Spiller, Secretary-Treasurer, Ed Richardson, Executive Director, Kim Altomare, Delegate Assembly, and Wendell Steinhauer, President
Educators need union protection to advocate for test refusal
As educational professionals, and the people who really stand as the last line of defense for our students and children, we see the need for the people within our profession to be able to use our voices as major stakeholders in these decisions that are affecting our schools and our students. Yet, educational professionals have had their voices silenced in these matters. A person does not give up his or her right to free speech as a result of becoming a public employee. Teachers do not forfeit the right to comment publicly on matters of public importance simply because they accept a public school teaching position. Teachers cannot be fired or disciplined for statements about matters of public importance unless it can be demonstrated that the teacher’s speech created a substantial adverse impact on school functioning.
As the rank-and-file members of this union, we see the need for our union to take a stance and define the protections that you will uphold to support us as we further our commitment to upholding the true value of assessments that provide timely and applicable data that can be used to guide our teaching practices and directly impact our classrooms instead of poorly designed standardized assessments that offer merely a snapshot picture of what our students are truly capable of.
We ask that you:
Support teachers who are also parents as they exercise their rights to excuse their own children from standardized tests while creating a venue for other teachers to be capable of doing the same without fear of retribution from administration.
Support teachers who wish to refuse to administer these standardized tests within the definition of being conscientious objectors against the harmful practices of test prep and administration, speaking to the fact that neither of these further a child's educational growth.
Support teachers as they speak to parents within their district and provide resources to these parents that will assist them in making their own informed decisions about standardized testing practices.
Provide teachers with guidance about how true communication can occur between educators and parents as we strengthen our partnerships to protect the one true and most important stakeholder of these educational decisions, the children.
Give us the assurance that our union, as our body of protection against unfair retaliation, will utilize resources to support us as we work to further our collective goals and work towards the instillation of validated educational practices that will best serve our students.
As the rank-and-file members of this union, we see the need for our union to take a stance and define the protections that you will uphold to support us as we further our commitment to upholding the true value of assessments that provide timely and applicable data that can be used to guide our teaching practices and directly impact our classrooms instead of poorly designed standardized assessments that offer merely a snapshot picture of what our students are truly capable of.
We ask that you:
Support teachers who are also parents as they exercise their rights to excuse their own children from standardized tests while creating a venue for other teachers to be capable of doing the same without fear of retribution from administration.
Support teachers who wish to refuse to administer these standardized tests within the definition of being conscientious objectors against the harmful practices of test prep and administration, speaking to the fact that neither of these further a child's educational growth.
Support teachers as they speak to parents within their district and provide resources to these parents that will assist them in making their own informed decisions about standardized testing practices.
Provide teachers with guidance about how true communication can occur between educators and parents as we strengthen our partnerships to protect the one true and most important stakeholder of these educational decisions, the children.
Give us the assurance that our union, as our body of protection against unfair retaliation, will utilize resources to support us as we work to further our collective goals and work towards the instillation of validated educational practices that will best serve our students.
Why is this important?
As professionals in the field of education, we are held responsible to high standards in the classroom. We must ensure that we provide excellence and results for our students. We are held accountable not just by supervisors and districts, but by parents who rely on us for honest assessments of their children’s progress and classroom choices that are in the best interest of their children. Fundamentally, our primary responsibility is to our students and as such we must be able to speak freely about what is in their best interest.
Since the introduction of high stakes standardized testing, it is even more critical that we are protected to speak honestly about what is happening in our classrooms.
If teachers believe, based upon their professional expertise, that high stakes standardized testing and preparation are not in the best interest of their students, they must be allowed to say so. They cannot be asked to support something that their professional expertise informs them is not useful and is in fact detrimental.
But teachers currently fear retaliation if they share their professional opinion. Teachers are being told they are not allowed to speak about their concerns regarding PARCC or to engage in discussions with parents who wish to refuse the tests. Concerns are compounded because there is no formal policy coming from many districts, and because many teachers are also parents.
There is no more important time for the teachers union to be at the forefront of protecting the freedom of speech and academic freedom of their members. Without that protection, teachers will have to choose between being honest to their professional responsibilities and remaining silent in fear of retaliation.
Since the introduction of high stakes standardized testing, it is even more critical that we are protected to speak honestly about what is happening in our classrooms.
If teachers believe, based upon their professional expertise, that high stakes standardized testing and preparation are not in the best interest of their students, they must be allowed to say so. They cannot be asked to support something that their professional expertise informs them is not useful and is in fact detrimental.
But teachers currently fear retaliation if they share their professional opinion. Teachers are being told they are not allowed to speak about their concerns regarding PARCC or to engage in discussions with parents who wish to refuse the tests. Concerns are compounded because there is no formal policy coming from many districts, and because many teachers are also parents.
There is no more important time for the teachers union to be at the forefront of protecting the freedom of speech and academic freedom of their members. Without that protection, teachers will have to choose between being honest to their professional responsibilities and remaining silent in fear of retaliation.