GEM Testing Comm 8/15 and GEMers in the News

GEM Members have two great articles out this week on Tenure and Seniority Rights:

Peter Lamphere in Gotham Schools discussing the importance, and the truth about, tenure: http://gothamschools.org/2011/08/01/our-experience-proves-tenure-is-not-obsolete/#disqus_thread

Norm Scott in the “Informed Debate” section of Costco Magazine discussing seniority rights:  http://www.costcoconnection.com/connection/201108#pg19

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GEM High-Stakes Testing Committee Meeting
Monday, August 15, 5pm
CUNY Graduate Center Room 5414
5th Ave and 34th St.
1/2/3 [to 34th St.-Penn Sta. (at 7th Av.)] B/D/F/M/N/Q/R to 34th
St.[-Herald Sq. (at 6th Av.); PATH to 33rd St. (at 6th); #6 to 33 St.
(at Park); M34 bus or M16 bus both via 34th St.; avenue buses.]

After an inspiring Saturday at the Save Our Schools march in which
the hypocrisy and disturbing effects of high-stakes testing were
front and center, it is as clear as ever that we must do something
here in New York to reverse the trend of continuing to raise the
stakes on standardized tests. Check out a video of Matt Damon’s
speech that crystallizes the damage created by the new climate of
high-stakes testing and even alludes to the possibility of building a boycott.

At the first meeting of GEM’s high-stakes testing committee we began
the process of democratically building a campaign to expose these
tests for what they are: unreliable, racist, resource-draining tools
of the corporate reformers that undermine good teaching and learning
and are then used as justification for closing schools, holding
students back and firing teachers. Something must be done, and one
lesson learned from the march is that there is a critical mass
forming across the country of groups who are trying to do something
to expose high-stakes testing for what it is. In New York the work
that we do can be a model for the rest of the country, and for that
reason and many more you should join us and become a part of building
this campaign.

This next meeting will include a focused strategic planning session
where we will be finalizing our goals and developing a calendar for
how to build during the coming school year. We will then breakout
into various action-groups focused on a range of next-steps including
literature creation, building a boycott, community engagement and
envisioning alternatives to our current test-based education models.
We hope you will join us.