May 11, 2015

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing you as the President of the Baldwin Teachers Association. I am asking you to support the Baldwin School District by voting YES for the proposed school budget on Tuesday, May 19th. The passage of this school budget is critical because it maintains staffing at the current level, adds 5 ESL teachers as required by Part 154 regulations, adds 13 high school college-credit courses through higher education institutions, expands Career Academies to include communications arts, and expands Fine and Performing Arts and ESL/Foreign Language administrative

The test-and-punish model simply hasn't helped our schools. Unfortunately, too few in the media and government are willing to honestly look at the problem that this system has created.

On May 3, comedian John Oliver took on the tests on his show. Watch the segment, and sign our Thank You to John Oliver to let him know we appreciate his work!

http://action.aft.org/c/44/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=10224

PLEASE CLICK ON LINK BELOW AND WATCH.

Fourth grade student sounds off on state testing

Sydney Smoot, a fourth grader at Brooksville Elementary, shared her concerns on testing in schools with members of the Hernando County School Board at their regular meeting on March 17, 2015.

https://youtu.be/ogBuz4dU5Ew

Padres en Nueva York se unen a un movimiento nacional que rechaza los exámenes estandarizados bajo el nuevo estándar académico conocido como Common Core.

Click on Link Below to View:

https://youtu.be/94LQQz18MbI

This is a pretty funny video.

Please Watch.

https://youtu.be/7CvLKIUDEvA

"Gov. Walker, when you compared peaceful protestors to radical terrorists, you disrespected the service and sacrifice of the men and women who serve in our armed forces, and you insulted the citizens of Wisconsin who stood up to take part in our democracy.

As a veteran of the Iraq War and one of those protestors, I am asking you to publicly apologize for your callous and dishonorable remarks."

Will you sign this petition?

Click here:

http://petitions.moveon.org/aft/sign/scott-walker-veterans?source=s.em.mt&r_by=12010762

Thanks