The Port Jefferson Station Teachers Association is proud to have recently joined the New York State Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE).

From their website…

NYS ALLIES FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION ARE PARENTS AND CONCERNED COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO FIRMLY BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF PUBLIC EDUCATION AND ITS FUNDAMENTAL LINK TO THE SUCCESS OF A THRIVING COMMUNITY AND DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT.  WE ARE CLASS MOTHERS & FATHERS, COMMUNITY ADVOCATES, PARENTS AND NEIGHBORS OF GRADUATES, TEACHERS, PROFESSORS, AND UNRELENTING SUPPORTERS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION WHO BELIEVE EXCESSIVE TESTING AND INAPPROPRIATE SHARING OF PRIVATE STUDENT DATA WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT THREATEN THE FUTURE OF OUR STUDENTS, OUR SCHOOLS, AND OUR STATE. 

WHILE MEANINGFUL ASSESSMENT IS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF A WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION, THE NEW NYS STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENTS ARE ALIGNED WITH UNPROVEN REFORMS NEITHER SUPPORTED BY RIGOROUS RESEARCH NOR VETTED BY EDUCATORS AND PARENTS.

and their mission…

NYS ALLIES FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION EXISTS TO ADDRESS MANY ISSUES INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING:

1.)  EXCESSIVE STANDARDIZED TESTING IS CONSUMING 25% OF OUR CHILDREN’S ACADEMIC YEAR. IT FORCES TEACHERS TO “TEACH TO TEST”, COSTS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, TEACHES CHILDREN THERE IS ONLY ONE RIGHT ANSWER, TAKES THE JOY OUT OF LEARNING, AND CREATES MAJOR CHEATING IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

2.)  OUR CHILDREN’S PRIVATE, PERSONAL INFORMATION IS BEING STORED IN LARGE DATABASES AND IS BEING PROVIDED TO PRIVATE COMPANIES WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF PARENTS, AND WITHOUT PROVIDING AN OPT-OUT PROVISION TO BE REMOVED FROM THE DATABASE.

3.)  UNITING REGIONAL GROUPS FROM ACROSS NYS IN ONE LOCATION WHERE WE CAN WORK TOGETHER FOR THE BETTERMENT OF EDUCATION IN NYS.

You can find them on Facebook here and follow them on Twitter, @NYSAPE.

To see the rest of the allies click here.