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SOS March on Washington gives thousands a chance to shout the truth

Sharon Schmidt - August 03, 2011

'Fired' tee shirts told a dramatic story of the teacher bashing policies of the Obama administration. George and Annie Mclaughlin taught at Central Falls High School in Central Falls, Rhode Island, until they were fired along with every teacher in the school in February 2010. President Obama praised the firing, although he didn't know any of the teachers or the students, as part of Obama's Secretary of Education's "turnaround" policy. Some of the teachers were eventually brought back after a natioinal outcry (the Mclaughins found positions in another district), but the damage by Obama and Duncan had been done, with Central Falls High School gaining a national reputation as a "failing school" according to officials in the U.S. government. Although there was no national outcry because of the fired teachers of Chicago, there have been continual community protests throughout the city for the thousands of Chicago public school teachers (most of them black) who lost their jobs due to the more than 50 schools closed or consolidated or subjected to turnaround under the leadership of Arne Duncan. Substance photo by Sharon Schmidt.After years of suffering test-based education policies that include school closings, job losses, student pressure and grade retention over test scores and loss of valuable education opportunities — teachers, parents, and students from throughout the nation came to Washington D.C. to protest on July 30, 2011.

Northside Learning Center teacher Paula Jacko (right) came to the march with other Chicago Teachers Union members. She marched with Deanna Vaughn, a Washington D.C. public school teacher. Although Chicago teachers had many of the signs that have been used in Chicago protests, many told Substance that a large banner, such as was utilized by other teacher unions, would have helped Chicago establish itself at SOS. Substance photo by Sharon Schmidt.We needed to march, to yell, to chant, to share our reality. After two days of the SOS conference workshops and movies — and the hours of inspiring speeches, poetry, music, and baking in the sun at the pre-march rally — it felt great to march.

New York public school teachers Sasha Dos-Czarnocka, Genevieve Davis, and Rebekah Adams (as well as thousands of other marchers), take their message to the White House. Substance photo by Sharon Schmidt.We marched with others from all over the country who also get it. We were no longer isolated. We marched in solidarity with thousands, demanding the end of corporate, test-based school reform. And we marched, as one speaker, Matt Damon put it best, on behalf of millions.

Warning that the politicians' perfect scenario of unlimited charters with little community or union interference is a complete failure. Retired New Orleans principal Raynard Sanders, third from right, along with Walter Goodwin, New Orleans Principal Association, retired teacher Lee Barrios, and Parents Across America's Karran Harper Royal, came to the SOS march on Washington to share his message. "How could I not be here?" According to Sanders and hundreds of teachers and parents who are speaking out against the racist attack on public schools in New Orleans, the Duncan administration destroyed public education in Louisiana's largest city to implement a "Chicago Plan" of unlimited charter schools under the leadership of Chicago's Paul Vallas (who was head of New Orleans schools until recently) and with the advice of Chicago's more anti-union charter operators, like UNO, which consulted for New Orleans as the city was busting the teachers' union and undermining the city's real public schools following Hurricane Katrina. Sanders told Substance about what had been done to public education in New Orlean. See Sanders' piece on New Orleans' charter schools on the August homepage of Substancenews.net: http://www.substancenews.net/articles.php?page=2487§ion=Article

Penn State professor and parent (who opts out her child from the Pennsylvania state tests) Terri Vescio, Park Forest school principal Donan Stoicovy, parents Tim and Michelle Slekar, who also opt our their child from excessive standardized tests. Tim Slekar, a former second grade teacher now in higher education, writes for Huffington Post and is beginning a national opt-out movement for parents. Stoicovy informs the parents in her Pennsylvania school of their right to opt out. "I'm just doing my job," she told Substance. As part of the opt-out process, parents sign a confidentiality form and read through the test before submitting their letter to opt-out.

Substance editor and Chicago teacher Sharon Schmidt with sons Sam Schmidt and Josh Schmidt, who attend Chicago public elementary school O.A. Thorp and regularly opt out of Chicago's excessive testing program (see http://www.substancenews.net/articles.php?page=2085). Chicago Teachers Union staffer John Kuglar with James and Alexander, two of his four sons, at the pre-march rally. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.The march — with its variety of sign, chants, and diversity of people — was an energizing display of love, strength and honesty. As a reporter/participant I am deeply grateful to the people who organized and sponsored the SOS conference, rally and march. Following a partial list of sign slogans observed at the march is a very long list of SOS endorsers. As Diane Ravitch asserted in her pre-march speech: “We are many, they are few.”

Some of the creative sign slogan we observed:

I’m a fan of public education

I’m a kid, not a test score

Students before bankers

I’ll teach for food

Standardized testing takes imagination out of learning

Shared sacrifice? Tax receipts — Corporations: 7 %, Us 93%

Charter schools — Private profit

The AFT and NEA were sponsors of the march, both national education labor unions donating $25,000 to the conference and march. Many teacher union locals, including Boston, St. Paul, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., carried banners. Above, members of the famous Boston Teachers Union (AFT) march behind their banner. Substance photo by Sharon Schmidt.

Among the Chicago Teachers Union members and activists at the rally and march were Lee White (retired from Chicago Vocational), veteran teacher Suzanne Dunne (fired from her teaching job at Prescott Elementary by a "New Leaders for New Schools" principal in June 2010 due to the Chicago Board of Education dubious budget cuts), and Substance's George N. Schmimdt (fired from his teaching job in September 2000 for publishing six of 22 CASE tests, Chicago Academic Standards Exams, in Substance). Despite the obstacles, all promised to continue the struggle. Substance photo by Sharon Schmidt.

Teacher activists from New York, Baltimore and Chicago — Brian Jones, Alan Rebar, and Ed Hershey — meet at the SOS March on Washington. All of them veteran teachers, some, like Brian Jones, have been working overtime on things that brought everyone to the conference, rally and march. Jones is one of the teachers who brought "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman" to audiences in all 50 states and across the world since it was debuted in New York City three months ago. The showing of the movie at the SOS conference the night before the rally and march brought a standing ovation from the more than 250 teachers and others who screened it at American University. Substance photo by Sharon Schmidt.

Chicago teacher James Klock marched with his suitcase (just prior to leaving town) after hearing about the SOS March at the National Board Certified Teacher (NCBT) conference he attended in D.C. during the days prior to the rally and march. Many NBCT teachers have participated in the work that led to the SOS conference, rally and march, especially in Chicago. Substance photo by Sharon Schmidt.

Chicago teacher Kathy Murry joined CTU members on the bus from Chicago. Although she didn't know anyone on the trip when the odyssey began, she joined the group because going to the SOS march "is an important thing to do," she told Substance. Substance photo by Sharon Schmidt.

Newly retired Steinmetz high school teacher John Muhr (left) joined fellow Chicagoans (including Sam Schmidt and Josh Schmidt, who attend Chicago's O.A. Thorp public school) at the SOS rally. The rally participants ranged in age from one or two to retired teachers in their sixties, seventies and eighties despite the heat. Substance photo by Sharon Schmidt.

Chicago teachers Robert Pollard and Anne Hopkins with their son Jack Pollard. Substance photo by Sharon Schmidt.

Children from Lansing, Michigan and Brooklyn, NY. Hannah Oslunch and Ivan Henwood are holding the signs. Substance photo by Sharon Schmidt

Chicago teachers spend time in the shaded areas outside Washington D.C.'s Elipse where the rally was held. Substance photo by Sharon Schmidt.

Chicago teachers MaryBeth Brandt and Rachel Mayer. Substance photo by Sharon Schmidt.

Durham, N.C. teachers Dov Rosenberg and Hanna Kraus-Friedberg. Hanna told Substance she feels "really, really strongly that my students are great, but they're getting the short end of the stick." Substance photo by Sharon Schmidt.

Washington D.C. teacher Laura Fuchs with dog Pan. Substance photo by Sharon Schmidt.

"I'm with the cause," said Roy Williams, who was handing out waters at the rally. "I'm promoting solidarity." Substance photo by Sharon Schmidt.

New York City teacher D.J. Hogan with his son Paul Hogan. Substance photo by Sharon Schmidt.

Newark, NJ students at the SOS march, July 30, 2011.

To Hell with Al Qaeda, Protect us from Republicans

Tax the rich, educate our children

Stand with Wisconsin

Improve public education — Finance, support, respect

Life is not a multiple-choice test

Less testing, more learning

If you read this, thank a teacher

Profiteers: Hands off public schools

Public schools = Foundation of democracy

Stop test and punish

NCLB does not work, but we do. Ask us how to make our schools better

Fix Our Public Schools, Don’t privatize

No more sticks and carrots. We need a paradigm shift

God is still speaking

Support public school teachers

Share

I AM a teacher

There is no such thing as a standard child

Arne Duncan: In Need of Improvement

Accountable to kids, not shareholders

Parents: Our first and finest teachers. Hear our voices

Public education matters in Arizona

Care about educators like they care for your child

“Educate and inform the whole mass of the people. They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.” Thomas Jefferson

Those who can, do. Those who can do more, teach.

A charter school is not superman. The real heroes are public school teachers.

David Guggenheim never went to a public school. Neither did his children.

Proud public school teacher.

Public schools teach all students. Charter schools turn the difficult ones away

Don’t believe the hype

Public schools over private interests! Tax the rich

Every kid deserves a chance. Fund public schools

Choose the best answer: test, • teach

More money for charter schools means less money for public schools

Proud to be an educator

Philanthro-Pirates: No corporation left behind

First meet their needs, then they achieve (1. Food and shelter, 2. Safety, 3. Belonging, 4. Achievement) #Arne meet Maslow

Down with high-stakes testing

Capitalism is failing, socialism is the alternative

Do not standardize students

All I am saying is teach the whole child

Less test prep, more life prep

Kids are not data

I am more than a test score

Stop using our children’s education to fatten corporate profits

Empower teachers, not tests

High-stakes testing = child abuse

Kids need teachers not tests

NCLB: Just say no

It’s time to trust teachers to teach

Turn around the testing

Those who can, teach; those who cannot, pass bad laws about teaching

Keep public education public, stop the onslaught on the poor

Teachers have solutions and knowledge

It’s easier to build strong children than to fix broken schools

Public school teachers: For progress, not for profit

Stop apartheid education, eat the rich

An injury to one is an injury to all, defend our unions

Get Wall St. greed out of public schools

Schools get closed, banks get paid, Obama gets a failing grade

A child is not a test score

In a race there are many losers. Education is not a race

I love my public school

Absurdity: Asking teachers and nurses to solve budget crisis

Charters = privatization and inequity

Fight back. Say no to budget cuts, health care cuts, class size increases

Big business and our kids = epic fail

Stop bullying educators

“Why is education expensive? It equalizes the conditions of men.” Horace Mann

Public school = democracy

Tahrir here? Yes!

Our schools are not for sale. Save our Schools.

Children are more important than test scores

Students are our special interest

Kids are not commodities

I survived NCLB. My students shouldn’t have to!

Excellent education for all children everywhere. No matter what

Public education is a civil right

I teach. What’s your superpower?

Can your job be reduced to a test score?

Real change: No child left in poverty.

My students are people, not numbers

The rich pay more for cars, houses, purses, bad behavior, but whine about equitable taxes. Share the wealth among Americans

Education cuts never heal

Fire tests, not teachers

Arne Duncan’s to do list: Promote bad educational policy, close public schools, privatize public education

Save our schools: Marching to end injustice in education. National rally and march. I was there. July 30, 2011. Washington D.C. (Fan compliments of WTU).

Defeat bipartisan capitalist war on public education

U.S. public schools teach all children

I am 100% more than a test score

I love my school

If you don’t help the children, who will

Poverty is the problem

New Orleans = National model of failure

“CHOICE” Schools choose, kids lose

Hey Arne! No teacher supports the status quo

Schools should not be gated communities

Parents against NCLB

SOS Endorsers

See the SOS website for more information on the SOS organization: www.saveourschoolsmarch.org

National and local teachers unions

The American Federation of Teachers

The National Education Association

AFSCME Retired Public Employees Council, Chapter 23 (Port Angeles, WA)

Albuquerque Teachers’ Federation (Albuquerque, NM – AFT)

Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 587 (Seattle, WA)

The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA)

Baltimore Teachers Union (Baltimore, MD – AFT)

Bedford Teachers’ Association (Bedford, NY – AFT)

Broward Teachers Union (Broward County, FL – AFT/NEA)

Boston Teachers Union (Boston, MA – AFT)

California Teachers Association (NEA)

California School Employees Association

Cambridge College Employees Federation (Cambridge, MA – AFT)

Chicago Teachers Union (Chicago, IL – AFT)

Citrus Belt UniServ (Southern CA – NEA)- comprised of NEA Jurupa, Redlands Teachers Association, Redlands Educational Support Professionals Association, Rialto Education Association, and Yucaipa-Calimesa Educators Association

Classroom Teachers Association of Palm Beach (Palm Beach County, FL – NEA)

Cleveland Heights Teachers Union (Cleveland Heights, OH – AFT)

Coalition of University Employees-International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 2010- UC Berkeley Chapter (Berkeley, CA)

Collie County Education Association (Marco Island, FL – NEA)

Colorado Education Association (NEA)

The DC Metro Labor Council

Education Austin (Austin, TX – AFT/NEA)

Escondido Elementary Educators Association

Florida Educators Association (NEA)

Forest Grove Education Association (Forest Grove, OR – NEA)

Highlands County Education Association (Sebring, FL – AFT/NEA)

Professional and Technical Employees Local 17 (Seattle, WA)

Kansas National Education Association (NEA)

Kansas City Federation of Teachers (Kansas City, MO – AFT)

Louisiana Federation of Teachers (AFT)

Maryland State Education Association (NEA)

Milwaukee Teachers Education Association (Milwaukee, WI – NEA)

Missouri Education Association (NEA)

National Education Association – Retired

Nebraska State Education Association (NEA)

Newark Teachers Union (Newark, NJ – AFT)

New Jersey Education Association (NEA)

North Carolina Association of Educators (NEA)

North Dakota Education Association (NEA)

Oakland Education Association (Oakland, CA – NEA)

Prince George’s County Educators’ Association (Prince George’s County, MD – NEA)

Ramapo Teachers Association (Suffern, NY – AFT/NEA)

Renton Education Association (Renton, WA – NEA)

Retired Public Employees Council, Chapter 3 (Seattle, WA – AFSCME)

Roseville Federation of Teachers (Roseville, Michigan – AFT)

St. Paul Federation of Teachers, Local 28 (St. Paul, MN – AFT)

San Francisco Community College District Federation of Teachers (San Francisco, CA – AFT)

Savannah Federation of Teachers (Savannah, GA – AFT)

Seattle Education Association (Seattle, WA – NEA)

Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County (Anne Arundel County, MD – NEA)

United Teachers of Dade (Dade County, FL – AFT/NEA)

United Teachers Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA – AFT/NEA)

University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE-CWA) 9119, Local 1, Berkeley, CA

Virginia Education Association (NEA)

Washington Education Association (NEA)

Wisconsin Education Association Council (NEA)

Noted Educators, Education Authors & Policy Experts

Dr. Richard Allington, professor at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Former President of the International Reading Association, and author of books including What Really Matters for Struggling Readers

Dr. Lawrence Baines, Chairman of Instructional Leadership & Academic Curriculum, University of Oklahoma

Lee Barrios, 2004-2005 Louisiana State PTA Educator of Distinction

Vicki Bartolini, Dorothy Reed Williams Faculty Chair in the Social Sciences, Wheaton College

Jonas Basom, founder of The Drama Education Network

Dr. David Berliner, emeritus professor of education at Arizona State University and author/co-author of books including The Manufactured Crisis, Putting Research to Work, and Collateral Damage

Dr. Emmanuel Bernstein, psychologist and author of The Secret Revolution

Gail Boushey and Joan Moser (“The Sisters”), literacy education authors

Marion Brady, longtime educator, administrator, author, and curriculum expert

David Bloomfield, Professor of Education Law and Policy at Brooklyn College, CUNY, and the CUNY Graduate Center as well as former General Counsel to the NYC Board of Education and author of American Public Education Law

Dr. Nancy Carlsson-Paige, longtime educator, professor of education at Lesley University and author of books including Taking Back Childhood

Sam Chaltain, educator, author, organizational change consultant and former Director of the Forum for Education & Democracy

Linda Christensen, Bill Bigelow, Bob Peterson, and Stan Karp of Rethinking Schools

James Crawford, author and leader of the Institute for Language Education Policy (ILEP)

Dr. Antonia Darder, professor of education policy and Latino/a studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond, Charles Ducommon Professor of Education at Stanford University and author of books including The Flat World and Education: How America’s Commitment to Equity Will Determine Our Future

Michael Deshotels, retired Louisiana educator and former Executive Director of the Louisiana Association of Educators

Dr. Peter DeWitt, educator and author

Francis M. Duffy, Professor of Change Leadership at Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C. and Co-Director of FutureMinds: Transforming American School Systems

Todd Farley, standardized testing professional and author of Making the Grades: My Misadventures in the Standardized Testing Industry

Dr. Barbara Ferguson, Louisiana school administrator, first female superintendent of New Orleans Public Schools, and holder of titles including Superintendent of the St. John Public Schools, Assistant Superintendent of Research and Development in the Department of Education, Deputy Secretary in the Department of Labor, and Attorney to the Workforce Commission in the Office of the Governor

Kelly Flynn, teacher and author of Kids, Classrooms, and Capitol Hill: A Peek Inside the Walls of America’s Public Schools

Drs. Kenneth & Yetta Goodman, professors emeritus at the University of Arizona, College of Education, Department of Language, Reading, & Culture

Dr. Steven Jay Gross, Professor Educational Administration in the Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Department, College of Education, Temple University

Anne Goudvis, teacher educator and author of books for educators including Strategies That Work and Non-Fiction Matters

Dr. Jim Horn, professor of education at Cambridge College and author at Schools Matter

Dr. Sherick Andre Hughes, Professor of Education at the University of Maryland, College Park and author of books including What We Still Don’t Know About Teaching Race: How to Talk About It in the Classroom

Dr. Michael Klonsky, longtime educator, civil rights activist, and director of the Small Schools Workshop at the University of Illinois, Chicago

Alfie Kohn, human behavior & education expert and author of books including Punished By Rewards and The Schools Our Children Deserve

Gerald W. Kohn, Ed.D., 2009 National Superintendents Roundtable Superintendent of the Year Award, 2007-08 National President of the Suburban School Superintendents, co-author of The Mission is Possible: Urban School Reform That Works, due out Winter 2012

Jonathan Kozol, educator and author of books including Savage Inequalities and Ordinary Resurrections

Dr. Stephen Krashen, linguist and professor emeritus at the University of Southern California

Dr. Bruce E. Levine, clinical psychologist and author of books including Get Up, Stand Up: Uniting Populists, Energizing the Defeated, and Battling the Corporate Elite.

Ann Lieberman, teacher leadership and development expert, emeritus professor at Teachers College, and Senior Scholar at the School Redesign Network at Stanford University

Deborah Meier, acclaimed educator, MacArthur Fellow, and author of books including The Power of Their Ideas and Playing for Keeps

Dr. Peter McLaren, professor of urban education and critical pedagogy, University of California Los Angeles

Dr. Ernest Morrell, associate professor and Associate Director for Youth Research at the Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access (IDEA) at the University of California at Los Angeles

Dr. Pedro Noguera, urban sociologist and professor of Teaching and Learning at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development

Susan Ohanian, longtime educator and author of books including Why is Corporate America Bashing our Public Schools and What Happened to Recess and Why Are Our Children Struggling in Kindergarten?

Dr. Don Perl, President of the Coalition for Better Education and professor of Spanish and Hispanic Studies at the University of Northern Colorado

Dr. Diane Ravitch, education historian and author of books including The Death and Life of the Great American School System

Jill W. Saia, NBCT, Faculty Member of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and Professional Development Specialist in East Baton Rouge Parish Public School System

Dr. Eric Schaps, President and Founder of the Developmental Studies Center

Jeannie Schellin, Lecturer in Education, Lake Forest College; Supervisor of Student Teachers, Northwestern University

Dr. Milton Schwebel, Dean and professor emeritus, Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University and author of books including Who Can Be Educated and Remaking America’s Three School Systems: Now Separate and Unequal

Dr. Patrick Shannon, professor of language and literacy in the College of Education at Penn State University

Dr. Joan Poliner Shapiro, Professor of Educational Administration in the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Department, College of Education, Temple Universisity

Dr. Joel Shatzky, English professor and author of works including The Thinking Crisis

Dr. Alan Singer, professor of education at Hofstra University

Dr. Joel Spring, education professor and author of books including Education and the Rise of the Global Economy and The Universal Right to Education: Justification, Definition, and Guidelines

Dr. Yvonne Siu-Runyan, longtime educator and President of the National Council of Teachers of English

Dr. Gary Stager, Executive Director of the Constructivist Consortium and Constructing Modern Knowledge and longtime teacher educator, education journalist, teacher and speaker

Lynn Stoddard & the Educating for Human Greatness Group

Dr. Jesse Turner, Professor of Language Arts at Central Connecticut State University and creator of “Children are More than Test Scores”

Dr. Robert Valiant, longtime educator, administrator, and curriculum, instruction, facility planning, and education management expert

Dr. Cornel West, professor and public intellectual at Princeton University, author of books including Race Matters, and co-host of the weekly public radio show, Smiley & West

Ron Wolk, Chairman of Big Picture Learning and Founding Editor, Education Week and Teacher Magazine

Dr. John Womack, Jr., Robert Woods Bliss Professor of Latin American History and Economics (emeritus), Harvard University

Dr. Joanne Yatvin, longtime K-12 and teacher educator, Former President of the National Council of Teachers of English, member of the National Reading Panel, and author

Dr. Victoria Young, veterinarian, active public school parent and author of Education’s Missing Ingredient: What Parents Can Tell Educators

Dr. Yong Zhao, distinguished education professor and author of books including Catching Up or Leading the Way: American Education in the Age of Globalization

Colleges, Universities, & Higher Education Organizations

The Brandeis Education Program, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA

Hofstra University, School of Education, Health & Human Services, Long Island, NY

Lesley University, Cambridge, MA

Teachers College, Department of Curriculum and Teaching, Columbia University, New York, NY

Education Writers & Bloggers

Kenneth Bernstein, National Board certified government teacher, writer, and advocate

Anthony Cody, National Board certified science teacher, founder of Teachers’ Letters to Obama, and author of the Teacher Magazine blog “Living in Dialogue”

Our Schools NYC

Rachel Levy, public school parent, teacher, author of All Things Education and contributor to So Educated

Dr. Marilyn Price-Mitchell, parent, developmental psychologist, and author of Roots of Action: How Parents, Schools, and Communities Help Kids Thrive

Sarah Puglisi, parent, elementary school teacher and author of A Day in the Life

Sabrina Stevens Shupe, urban elementary school teacher & creator of the Failing Schools Project

Teachers of the Year

Nancy Flanagan, National Board Certified Music teacher, 1993 Michigan Teacher of the Year, and author of the Teacher Magazine blog “Teacher in a Strange Land”

Danielle Kovach, 2011 New Jersey Teacher of the Year

Renee Moore, National Board Certified English teacher, 2001 Mississippi Teacher of the Year, and author of the Teacher Leaders Network blog, TeachMoore

Ann O’Halloran, 2007 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year (History)

Nancy Schoen, 2005 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year (Music)

Bob Williams, math teacher and 2009 Alaska Teacher of the Year

Maryann Woods-Murphy, 2010 New Jersey Teacher of the Year

Michael Yell, National Board Certified Social Studies teacher and 1998 National Social Studies Teacher of the Year

Education Organizations & Organization Leaders

Alliance for Childhood

Association for Childhood Education International

Dr. Renate Caine, teacher, professor, and Director of Research and Professional Development of the Natural Learning Research Institute.

The Campaign for the Future of Higher Education

The Center for Expansion of Language and Thinking (CELT)

Citizens for Public Schools (MA)

The Coalition of Essential Schools

CEASE—Concerned Educators Allied for a Safe Environment

Communities for Public Education Reform

The Council for Opportunity in Education

Mona David, Founder of the New York Charter Parents Association

the Florida School Board Association

Jenifer Fox, The Strengths Movement

Lisa Goldman and Testing Is Not Teaching

Grassroots Education Movement

The Green Rainbow Party of Massachusetts

Leonie Haimson, Executive Director of Class Size Matters and co-director of the Northeast Region, Parents Across America

Jane Hirschmann, Martha Foote, Don Freeman of Time Out From Testing

Charlotte K. Hummel, Esq., President of the William Penn School District Board of Directors

The Institute for Learning and Teaching

The International Association for Learning Alternatives

The International Reading Association

Kansas Families for Education

Dr. Martin Krovetz, Director of Leading for Equity and Achievement Design (LEAD), a regional center of the Coalition of Essential Schools

Mary Levy, public school activist; civil rights, DC school finance, and labor lawyer

Karen Lewis, President of the Chicago Teachers Union

Horace Lucido, Educators and Parents Against Testing Abuse (EPATA)

Deb Mayer, founder of Great Schools for America

Samuel Meisels, President of the Erikson Institute

Edward Miller, Executive Director, Alliance for Childhood

Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs

Albert Mitchell II, Executive Director of New Jersey Minority Educational Development

The National Association of Secondary School Principals

The National Center for Fair and Open Testing (FairTest)

The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)

National ParentNet Association

Dr. Monty Neill, Executive Director of the National Center for Fair and Open Testing

Jenny Nelson, Student Multiethnic Action Research Team (SMART) and D.C. Language Access Coalition

Donna Nevel and Ujju Aggarwal, Center for Immigrant Families

New Jersey County Teachers of the Year (NJCTY)

New Jersey Minority Educational Development (NJMED)

The North Dakota Study Group

Christopher Nye, Director of The Whole Child Initiative

Parents Across America

Promise the Children

Cathy Reilly, Director of SHAPPE (Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals, and Educators)

Richmond Teachers for Social Justice

The Sakin Foundation

San Francisco Teachers for Social Justice

Rita Solnet, corporate training and organizational consultant, member of Testing is Not Teaching and founding member of Parents Across America

Donna Stern, East Coast/Midwest Coordinator of By Any Means Necessary

Students for a Democratic Society

Laura Thomas, Antioch Center for School Renewal

United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministry

The Virginia School Boards Association

Whole Language Umbrella, a conference of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)

Julie Woestehoff, Founder of PURE (Parents United for Responsible Education) and founding member of Parents Across America

Civic and Political Organizations

Bailout the People Movement

By Any Means Necessary

Democracy for America

Freedom Socialist Party

The National Voting Rights Museum & Institute (Selma, AL)

Organized Workers for Labor Solidarity

People’s Organization for Progress

The Plessy and Ferguson Foundation

Progressive Democrats of America – Tucson Chapter

Radical Women

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom – Tucson Branch

Authors, Entertainers & Filmmakers

Vicki Abeles, Founder of Reel Link Films & Director of Race to Nowhere

Phil Bildner, best-selling author of children’s books including The Hallelujah Flight and the Sluggers series

Tom Chapin, Grammy award-winning musician and arts education advocate

Matt Damon, award-winning actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist

Richard Dreyfuss, Academy Award-winning actor

Dave Eggers, author of books including A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, screenwriter , and publisher

Yvonne & Robert Flame Lamothe, independent filmmakers and creators of TEACH: Teachers are Talking, is the Nation Listening?

Victor Rivas Rivers, anti-domestic violence advocate, actor, and author of A Private Family Matter

Amy Valens, educator and co-director of August to June

Public Officials & Governmental Organizations

The Baltimore City Council

Doug Christensen, Former Nebraska Commissioner of Public Education

Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA)

Scott Folsom, Los Angeles parent leader and elected neighborhood councilmember of the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council in Northeast LA

Anne Geiger, former school board member and author of Public Policy Blogger

Congressman Raul Grijalva (D- AZ)

Marko Liias, Washington State House of Representatives (D-District 21)

Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D- WI)

The Oakland, CA Board of Education

Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona State Senate (D-District 15)

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