New York City Teachers Told to Keep Opt-Out Opinions to Themselves.
'Since the revolt by parents against New York State’s reading and math tests last year, education officials at the state level have been bending over backward to try to show that they are listening to parents’ and educators’ concerns.
The tests, which are given to third through eighth graders and will begin this year on April 5, were shortened, time limits were removed, and the results will not be a factor in teacher evaluations, among other changes.
On Monday, Betty A. Rosa, the newly elected chancellor of the Board of Regents and the state’s highest education official, even said that if she had children of testing age, she would have them sit out the exams.
The message, clearly, is: We hear you.
But in New York City, the Education Department seems to be sending a different message to some teachers and principals: Watch what you say.
At a forum in December, Anita Skop, the superintendent of District 15 in Brooklyn, which had the highest rate of test refusals in the city last year, said that for an educator to encourage opting out was a political act and that public employees were barred from using their positions to make political statements.'>>>
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/25/nyregion/opt-out-pressuresopen-rift-between-new-york-education-officials.html?
