Man's Inhumanity to Man (and Children)

We have seen it throughout history... Man's Inhumanity to Man (and Children)

In a recent manifestation of this disease we have the Florida legislature creating laws that punish people and communities.  It is done simply for greed of corporations and hedge fund managers of wealth investors.

This is how it works... Test makers, are handsomely rewarded for using our students as child labor! Corporations sell tests our Broward students are forced to take at school, whether they like it or not. Each test is bought and paid for by our taxes under the guise that this will determine the worth of a student... a teacher... a school... a community.  "Student growth" they call it....  "The tests will determine 'student growth'."  Actually. the tests determine investment growth and profits measured in sales. That is the real reason why we are being sold the "idea" that standardized tests are so desperately needed... suddenly more than real teaching and learning.... Have you noticed?  Think about it!

Child Labor?  Hmmmmm.  Even if these children get sick, or scared or anxious... and they do... they must take the test!  Even if teachers disagree with the testing mania that has befallen Broward... they must give the test.  It's state law, you see.

Lobbyists are very generous with politicians who buy the "student growth" propaganda and sell it to their communities.  Many campaigns are funded this way!  The propaganda is easy to sell.  Everyone will agree that it is important to determine "student growth."  Right?

Once the law is in place... Cha Ching... the money train begins.

Students... millions of students... representing billions of dollars... pile into classrooms and labor over these tests, free of charge, so that the corporations, sometimes foreign entities, can profit.  Neither they, nor their family is given a kick back for laboring over the test, which often takes an inhumane amount of time, concentration and restrictions stunningly unnatural to a child.

No kick backs are given to the teachers or support staff who labor extra hours to learn how to administer the test and are then also forced to perform tasks stunningly unnatural to teachers. These tasks include spending long hours watching usually inquisitive and active children sit still, unable to communicate or even ask questions. The kick backs are saved for the politicians who push the tests on the children in the name of evaluating their worth as learners.... that ever important, "student growth."

Let's forget that the tests are often poorly written, developmentally inappropriate, not aligned with the coursework, useless to teachers' and students' daily practice, and otherwise flawed and inaccurate. Let's forget all that and assume they are valid.  They are still a for profit business forced on the backs of our young people

Mans Inhumanity to Man.  Wake up Florida and follow the money train.  Choo Choo!

Terry Preuss, NBCT
Career Public Educator
SBBC Advisory Council
BTU Executive Board Member
Author, Voices in the Hall.

Sleeping in Class - Article in Sun Sentinel Accuses teachers

I said this to the Sun Sentinel Editor... It was hard keeping to 250 words!

As a hard working teacher for 25 years who has always been involved in union leadership, and who presently sits on the Broward Teachers Union Executive Board, I take great offense to the article, "Sleeping in Class" by Brittany Shammus. It created anecdotal scenarios based only on hearsay from administrators and SBBC officials. It reflected absolutely no input from the accused teachers, whose characters were clearly defamed... Guilty until proven innocent!! I do not know the details of the specific teachers or incidents in this article, but I do know that teachers are wrongly, and falsely accused often. I know that the local courts overwhelmingly support the teachers over the decisions of SBBC, and often find SBBC punishes their teachers unreasonably, and as I have witnessed, with little or no tangible evidence. I know for a fact that any allegations against teachers are considered true, even when they may be false. I personally know of teachers and union representatives who are vocal about their rights, who end up being charged with allegations that lead to loss of employment. I personally witnessed a teacher removed from his job due to accusations he tore a student's shirt, later dispelled via videotape proof of a student tearing his own shirt on camera. Considering all of this carefully, it would be wise if we take more care when writing about our teachers. Wrong doing must be exposed at all levels, once the wrong doing is proven. Writing about allegations as facts serves no one!

To this recent article with accusations of teacher misconduct...

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fl-broward-teacher-complaints-20160204-story.html