My 4th grader brought this home today...

This is a letter written by my 4th graders teacher.  I am shocked to see the admission that the district hasn't shared what they will be evaluating for report cards.  Also included was the admission that the class will not be covering social studies, science or health this year.

While looking through my 4th graders homework, I wasn't surprised (but disappointed) to see what was being studied.   White privilege has again reared its ugly head.   I am more than likely going to offend someone with this blog entry and the truth is, I just don't care anymore.  We are so obsessed with being politically correct, that any logical thought is taboo. Yes, slavery did happen.  100+ years ago.  I can understand studying it for historical value.  Yes, it was inexcusable.   Incidentally most people are blissfully unaware that African Americans owned slaves as well.   However a simple acute historical lesson is not what is happening.  It is being used to create racial divide and further drive down  My daughter is caucasian.  She had nothing to do with slavery.  I had nothing to do with slavery.  My parents and grandparents had nothing to do with slavery.   She has no reason to be ashamed because she is a caucasian female, just as any African American should not be ashamed due to the color of his/her skin.  We are all God's children.  I am sick of the "poor me" attitude that is being reinforced with these lessons.  It only drives the entitlement attitude that young people have today (and I am talking about ALL races).  We have all faced adversity and discrimination, it gives you a chance to strengthen and grow.   We all have to take responsibility for our actions, but these are not OUR sins to repent for.  We, whether it be black, white, etc. need to ban together and stop this insanity.  Black lives matter, white lives matter, all lives matter!  There is no shame in being any race.

I ask that people of all colors, races stand with me to demand this type of "programming" stops.  Children are not born hating other races, it is learned.  We need to stand together and empower and support each other and demand better for our children.

"United we stand, divided we fall".

Is this the nail in the coffin for state authority?

Last year I sat with our school Principal and the Assistant Superintendent and told them that this was in the works.  They looked at me and both had a good chuckle.  This is the nail in the coffin for state authority....




From whatiscommoncore.wordpress.com...

https://whatiscommoncore.wordpress.com/2015/08/24/effective-sept-2015-feds-remove-state-authority-over-special-needs-students-and-redefine-who-is-special-needs/


We need to start paying attention and start take action.

Sexual Education Standards for K-12....see for yourself

This post is going to be short today, but I wanted to put information out for parents.

The Sexual Education Standards for K-12.  Because what Kindergartner doesn't need to know about the birds and the bees.


Page 6 is very interesting.  Sexual Education will be worked into English Language Arts and Math.  No permission slip needed.

I urge you to really check this out.

http://www.futureofsexed.org/documents/josh-fose-standards-web.pdf

Read that document, click around some of the resource pages and trust, me you will want to vomit.  I can't fathom having "the talk" with a Kindergartner.  It is a parents place to have that kind of discussion when appropriate (as decided by a parent).  A school is no place to be explaining complex things like same sex families and religion either (and I know I will be called a bigot, whatever.  I don't believe that is the place).  These kids can't spell, they don't know cursive.  Lord help us.

Do you realize that your children's future lies in the hands of special interest?

It is true.  Unelected organizations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Achieve, Inc. (funded by Gates), NGA, CCSSO and MANY more are dictating how and what your children will learn.  None of these organizations are elected or accountable to the public.  What gives Bill Gates the authority to dictate what our children are learning or how they should learn it?  He is obviously brilliant, but has no background in education or child development.

Mr. Gates, (a man that dropped out of college) is calling the shots regarding our children's education.  It's also important to note that he is peddling something he won't subject his own kids to.  A few quotes from Gates:

“It would be great if our education stuff worked, but that we won’t know for probably a decade.”

Our children are Bill Gates experiment in his eyes.  Data.  Profit.  Not children.  He doesn't sit with them and dry their tears and console them while they are doing homework.  He doesn't see them struggle with spelling, despite the fact that these kids are bright.  He doesn't see the weight of the world on their shoulders when they are dropped off at school.  School once was fun and exciting, but now our children are developing anxiety and physical symptoms because of the damage Gates little project is doing to them.

More quotes from Gates...

"This is encouraging—but identifying common standards is not enough. We’ll know we’ve succeeded when the curriculum and the tests are aligned to these standards."

"to create just these kinds of tests—next-generation assessments aligned to the common core. When the tests are aligned to the common standards, the curriculum will line up as well—and that will unleash powerful market forces in the service of better teaching."

"For the first time, there will be a large uniform base of customers eager to buy products that can help every kid learn and every teacher get better."

In an interview, Gates said his role is to fund the research and development of new tools, such as the Common Core, and offer them to decision-makers who are trying to improve education for millions of Americans.  It's up to the Government to decide which tools to use, but someone has to invest in their creation.

It's up to the Government?  What?

There are three federal laws that prohibit federal departments or agencies from directing, supervising or controlling elementary and secondary school curricula, programs of instruction and instructional materials, yet the US Department is taking over education.

So I must ask again, who's children are these?

The Supreme Court of the United States in 2000 declared that “the liberty interest…of parents in the care, custody, and control of their children is perhaps the oldest of the fundamental liberty interests recognized by [the] Court.” Troxel v. Granville, 530 U.S. 57 (2000), at 65. In fact, this right of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children predates the Court itself. It is a right that was already understood and acknowledged long before the United States came to be.

The fundamental theory of liberty upon which all governments in this Union repose excludes any general power of the State to standardize its children by forcing them to accept instruction from public teachers only. The child is not the mere creature of the State; those who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right, coupled with the high duty, to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations.Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 268 U.S. 510 (1925), at 535.

The law’s concept of the family rests on a presumption that parents possess what a child lacks in maturity, experience, and capacity for judgment required for making life’s difficult decisions. More important, historically it has recognized that natural bonds of affection lead parents to act in the best interests of their children...

Most children, even in adolescence, simply are not able to make sound judgments concerning many decisions, including their need for medical care or treatment. Parents can and must make those judgments. Parham v. J.R., 442 U.S. 584 (1979), at 602-3.

The history and culture of Western civilization reflect a strong tradition of parental concern for the nurture and upbringing of their children. This primary role of the parents in the upbringing of their children is now established beyond debate as an enduring American tradition. Wisconsin v. Yoder, 406 U.S. 205 (1972), at 232.

This link is a good source of information on parental right cases.

http://www.parentalrightsfoundation.org/index.asp?SEC={DD7104C6-0EBA-41FF-B528-907D2ABA8FC6}

This interview with Gates speaks volumes with his body language and unwillingness to answer simple questions.  

http://wapo.st/1hGqByl

His network of gate-keepers (no pun intended) is stunning.  He happens to have a lot of former employees and friends in high places (I will make no claim that I cannot back up and will detail this in-depth in an upcoming post).  My own representative, Chad Magendanz, is deeply devoted to the standards, although parents are expressing concerned.   It is a fact that this man worked for Gates for years and has made several appearances with Gates.  He also has campaign endorsements and ties to many of the big time profiteers of Common Core (many being funneled cash by Gates).   I plan to deeply detail this man and others in an effort to expose the true intent and conflict of interest behind this movement in education reform.   These are elected officials that will not budge in spite of parent and voter concerns.  They no longer represent their constituents, they are  special interest puppets.

So, I will get to my point.  These are our precious children that some spoiled egomaniac (in my humble opinion) is using as a science project.  The future of our children and this country is hanging in the balance.  Do we take action or go quietly, allowing our children to be data "cash cows" and give up the right to make decisions in our children best interests.  


More to come soon...

The data mining of your children and family.

Are you aware that schools are collecting invasive information on YOUR child and sharing it with "stakeholders"?  States aligned with Common Core are required to maintain an SLDS or Statewide Longitudinal Data System which tracks just about anything they can find out about your child and family.   Sound a little far fetched?   Illegal?   I will share with you just a fraction of  the information I have come across during my research.  There are a lot of links, but I assure you that you will want to read every bit of what I'm sharing with you.  I urge you to make copies and share because this information tends to get scrubbed from the internet.


You can about the Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems here... https://nces.ed.gov/programs/slds/about_SLDS.asp.

Another good resource to explore on the subject... http://ies.ed.gov/data.asp.  You'll notice that these aren't coming from "second hand" sources...they are coming straight from Government websites.

The National Education Data Model contains around 400 points, including health history, disciplinary history, family income range, voting status of parents, religious affiliation, etc.  More info can be found at this link.  https://ceds.ed.gov

Pressure sensitive seats and mice, classroom FMRI's, facial recognition software and wireless skin conductance sensors that measure response to a student's exposure to subject material are in the works.  Sound like a Sci Fi movie?  This image is from page 44 of a Government document called " Promoting Grit, Tenacy and Perserverance:  Critical Factors For Success in the 21st Century"....

The link to the publication is here.....  http://tech.ed.gov/files/2013/10/OET-Draft-Grit-Report-2-17-13.pdf.

The most important thing you can do is read it, the information it contains is unreal.  I was shocked to see this on page 92.

• "As new forms of measurement emerge, there are important ethical considerations. As always, privacy is a particular concern, especially when leveraging data available in the “cloud” that users may or may not be aware is being mined. Another consideration is that learners and teachers now have the potential to get new forms of feedback about their behaviors, emotions, and physiological responses. Measurement developers must carefully consider the impacts of releasing such information to individuals and incorporate feedback mechanisms that are valuable, respectful, and serve to support productive mindsets.
  These subthemes suggest important general directions for research in the field.
  Conclusion 11: There is a critical need to advance measurement methods for several purposes: (1) practical tools for educators and learners, (2) tools for program design and evaluation, (3) instrumentation for research, and (4) diagnostic indicators to provide early warnings to schools about vulnerable students. New and emerging technologies provide important new opportunities."

New programs for tracking students and their behaviors seems to be cropping up daily on iTunes and Google, Amazon, etc.  I'm not certain of the security of the info collected and how vulnerable it is to hacking.  In my experience, you will not get a straight answer from school Administrators about data collection, so you have to do your own investigating.  I've tried to make it a little easier by adding info about some of the programs I have info on.

The first, TS GOLD (sometimes know as GOLD)   http://teachingstrategies.com/assessment/  A quote directly from a document on their website titled "Teaching Strategies GOLD:  Fast Facts for Decision-Makers"..  Online, Teaching Strategies GOLD offers even more support for assessment of children with disabilities: it is fully aligned with OSEP (Office of Special Education Programs) outcomes. It automatically converts the information entered from Teaching Strategies GOLD to the seven‐ point scale on the Child Outcomes Summary Form (COSF), enabling administrators to generate OSEP‐mandated reports. Plus, for children who have IEPs, Teaching Strategies GOLD online will automatically provide teachers with additional dimensions related to self‐care, including feeding, toileting, dressing, and safety.

 Here is another link from TS GOLD  Birth through Kindergarten product under the "alignments" tab....  http://shop.teachingstrategies.com/page/73190-gold-assessment-toolkit.cfm#alignments

In this screen shot, they are talking about Birth-Kindergarten and the Army and Department of Defense already have requirements.  Why?  This screams "Hitler's youth" to me!

TS Gold also has an app in the iTunes store...so photos/video of YOUR children can be captured and funneled into the SLDS and shared with "stakeholders".  https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/teaching-strategies-gold-documentation/id571518837?mt=8  Here is a link to an instruction video meant for school Admins and Teachers, you can actually see for yourself.  https://vimeo.com/user9054715/review/74935793/4afdfa0043 .   A link to their support page for the product.  http://teachingstrategies.com/support/free-support-curriculum/ .

Pearson (one of the biggest profiteers in Common Core and incidentally tied to the Libyan Government and Guddafi's son) has an app available through iTunes called BOSS (Behavioral Observation of Students in Schools) for educators.   Teachers are able to record and store videos of YOUR children.  These are also funneled into the SLDS and shared with pretty much anyone that thinks they have a stake in education.    Here is a link to the users guide for the system.
http://images.pearsonclinical.com/images/Assets/BOSS/BOSS_UsersGuide.pdf

Another example of YOUR child's invasion of privacy is the iRIS system. This 360 degree camera and microphone system that records every aspect of YOUR child's class, in real time.  The teacher is able to wear an earpiece and listen to feedback and coaching from parties another location.  Here is a link to a user guide for one of the products.  http://www.irisconnect.com/help/Content/PDF/USA_PDF/LiveView_Guide/LiveView_Guide.pdf


We need to, as parents, do our homework and not trust that what is happening today in the schools is being done with the best of intentions.  Our children are being used as test subjects and even worse, we are paying for it.  Schools and Government officials need to see the outrage of parents who are tired of watching as their children are being harmed and their future robbed from them.  Let's them not forget that they are public servants and employed and paid a salary, by us.  We've gotten complacent as a society and are allowing this to happen to innocent children.  Its time to do the work, our children are worth it.

What happened to "family values" or "instilling morals" in your children? When did we lose the ability to choose what we feel is right?

When did American's decide that the government knows best?  Why have we accepted what is happening to our great country?  Have we, through the generations been dumbed down and conditioned to accept that government is all powerful?  That we have no voice?  What will it take for us to put our foot down and remind elected officials that they work for us, not special interest?

America was founded on Judeo-Christian principals.  Our Founding Fathers had amazing foresight.  They knew that if a proper balance wasn't maintained, eventually "human law" would bring us to this point.  We, as citizens would either demand a  just and moral government or the government would become so large and corrupt, it would lead to tyranny.

Today, you cannot pray in class, most schools don't do the Pledge of Allegiance anymore (my 3rd graders class doesn't).  The word God is offensive, but children are making prayer rugs and being forced to pray to Allah, in effect denying their God.  Here is a link to a story of one example...

http://toprightnews.com/common-core-school-assignment-forces-students-to-make-islamic-prayer-rug-recite-islamic-prayers/

My own daughter (11th grade) has collected some disturbing examples of ELA lessons about demons, eating babies, dating the devil, the list goes on and on.

Sexual subjects that young children don't have the capacity to understand are being introduced through the schools as early as Kindergarten!  Sound far fetched?  Here is a link to the National Sexual Education Standards K-12...

http://www.futureofsexed.org/documents/josh-fose-standards-web.pdf

I know I have discussed this with our school Principal and was assured that the only program they had regarding sex Ed was called FLASH and was taught in fifth grade.

The proof is in the fine print.  The last paragraph on page 6 says that these standards are to be incorporated in the ELA and Math lessons.  I urge you to look at your school libraries for books like "It's Perfectly Normal" aimed at ages 10 and up that graphically show sexual acts.  Look for books on alternative families.  Books that graphically describe incest, rape and pedophilia are available for junior high and high school students.

The school is not a place for religious indoctrination,  or teaching that being gay is either "normal" or "abnormal" or other graphic sexual topics..  That is up to a parent to instill the values that they see fit, good or bad.  School needs to go back to teaching legitmate subjects like traditional math, spelling and cursive.  Most importantly accurate history, because slowly we are losing our grip on the very things that made this country great.

Were you aware that there are National Childhood Obesity Prevention Standards?

About two months ago, I sent my daughter to school with lunch and two snacks (her favorite, a Nutella Cracker snack pack for both snacks).  When I picked her up from school, she told me that she had to split one pack for both snacks because her teacher said that it had too much sugar in it.  She is not in any way overweight.  She does not have a problem with hyperactivity.  I was furious!

My husband was as well and sent the letter below to the Teacher, Principal and Assistant Superintendent.

This afternoon my wife and I were informed by our daughter that the snack we provided for her today, Nutella, was deemed nutritionally deficient by you for having too much sugar and she was therefore not permitted to eat it. Instead she was informed that she would be allowed to eat half of one snack during each snack period rather than to eat one (we provided two) at each snack period.

Let me be absolutely clear- at no time have we relinquished our authority as parents in any respect; ever. In this particular instance my wife and I have the sole discretion to decide what is and isn't appropriate for our children to eat; not you, not the principal of the school, not the school superintendent, nor anyone else for that matter.

I am not asking your permission to feed my child how I deem fit. I am not even asking for your blessing. I couldn't care less how you or anyone else in this world feels about the decisions I make with regards to my daughter.

Now I am certain that you are going to explain that you are only following the rules given to you. That someone above you has given guidance as to how you are to police the lunches and snacks provided by parents. And undoubtedly this all ties back to first lady Obama and her drive to improve the nutritional standards for school lunches. My response in short - I Don't Care...

As such we have instructed our daughter that she is to eat her lunch and snacks regardless of what any staff at the school tell her. Please refrain from instructing her otherwise or in any way interfering with her ability to eat what we provide. She has been instructed to be polite if any staff speaks to her about this matter but to ignore any instructions forbidding her from eating. 

We have taken the liberty of including both Dr. Wood and Dr. Hard on this email so that everyone in authority there at Clark Elementary is aware of our position and understands that we are not in any way flexible on this matter. Our daughter is to be allowed to eat whatever we pack for her without exception. If that is at all unclear please feel free to let us know.

We appreciate your compliance in this matter.

We received a phone call from the Teacher that night.  She apologized and said that she didn't know that our daughter had two snacks.  When asked by my husband why she thought our daughter only had one snack (she always has extras in her back pack and at her desk.  I even send boxes of crackers that she has at her desk in case I were to forget one day).  Her response was that she didn't check.  She said that she was merely trying to teach our daughter about nutrition, but we were correct, she had no right to interfere. We received the standard email from the principal saying that there must've been an understanding--there were no rules on snacks.  Only food sold by the school and guidelines for class parties.

My husband responded with this email.

I appreciate you looking into this, and look forward to hearing your feedback. I wish I could say it was a misunderstanding. However, we have another friend with a child in ****** who has had this exact same issue with their teacher. And this is the second time this has happened with ********. We let the first roll of our shoulders hoping it was a one off experience...

If there isn't a policy then clearly many staff have completely misunderstood whatever discussion did take place.

I do understand that there are some legitimate concerns revolving around food allergies and ********* understands that she shouldn't be sharing her food as a result. I wouldn't even be terribly offended if there were a policy banning peanuts, shell fish, and their end products out of an abundance of caution. 

However, telling a student that they can't eat a snack because it crosses some arbitrary limit on sugar content crosses a lot of lines for me. If I want to send my child to school with a Mt. Dew and a Snickers bar that is my choice. You can disagree, think whatever horrible thoughts you want, and even share that with me. I don't mind and won't be offended. But no one gets to over-ride my decision and tell my child she can't eat it. For the record I would never send my child to school with that kind of snack.

What is this world coming to? When I was a kid everyone wanted to eat the school lunch. It was good. And you were made fun of if you brown bagged it; not that I am a fan of teasing. Today, school provided lunch is terrible. I have come to ***** and shared a few meals with ******. Frankly she would be better off with the snickers bar and soda pop. She actually petitions us to make her lunches which I find amusing given my experience at her age. But given the terrible quality of the food served in schools today I find it ironic that anyone would dare question what we send our child to school with to eat. It would be amusing if it weren't so nauseatingly "the government knows best"...

So after being told that that were no rules regarding food, I dug a bit.. It took about 30 seconds to find "Standards for Childhood Obesity Prevention".  Where do we draw the line when it comes to our children?  "Standards for Breathing?, "Bathroom Standards"?  Seriously!
http://stage-linux.governor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/policy_briefs/pb_HealthiestNextGeneration2015F.pdf

http://www.smartstart.org/2010/07/28/new-standards-for-early-care-education-programs-to-prevent-childhood-obesity/

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/physicalactivity/pdf/roleofschools_obesity.pdf

http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12746
 

The CDC's website, I've found is a good source of info too...It also talks about their surveillance programs and data collection.  A simple google search for "Childhood Obesity Prevention Standards" will bring up all sorts of seemingly innocent organizations that just want children to be healthy.

As a parent, I appreciate the concern, but to force your ideas on my children is unacceptable to me.  I might make mistakes and not be an expert, but I am a parent who loves her girls with all her heart.