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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>George,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks! I agree that the arguments
(excuses--whatever) are ancient and tired and do not truly address the
issue! And, unfortunately, I fall into that old trap when I feel totally
exasperated and at wit's end! I hope the dialogue we started on Saturday
will continue and that many will truly reflect on present practices and use this
site and many more to search for interventions and solutions--not
excuses.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Darlene</FONT></DIV></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=oktoy1997@cox.net href="mailto:oktoy1997@cox.net">George Abshire</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=sweinand@osrhe.edu
href="mailto:sweinand@osrhe.edu">Weinand, Stacey</A> ; <A
title=vivkiv@putnamcityschools.org
href="mailto:vivkiv@putnamcityschools.org">vivkiv@putnamcityschools.org</A> ;
<A title=eugene_hobbs@okbu.edu
href="mailto:eugene_hobbs@okbu.edu">eugene_hobbs@okbu.edu</A> ; <A
title=celia.nippert@wosc.edu
href="mailto:celia.nippert@wosc.edu">celia.nippert@wosc.edu</A> ; <A
title=gosouth@attglobal.net
href="mailto:gosouth@attglobal.net">gosouth@attglobal.net</A> ; <A
title=pdarbj@sbcglobal.net
href="mailto:pdarbj@sbcglobal.net">pdarbj@sbcglobal.net</A> ; <A
title=lucasj@adacomp.net
href="mailto:lucasj@adacomp.net">lucasj@adacomp.net</A> ; <A
title=iva_owens@mail.sde.state.ok.us
href="mailto:iva_owens@mail.sde.state.ok.us">iva_owens@mail.sde.state.ok.us</A>
; <A title=pcact@onenet.net
href="mailto:pcact@onenet.net">pcact@onenet.net</A> ; <A title=fleener@ou.edu
href="mailto:fleener@ou.edu">fleener@ou.edu</A> ; <A title=jbennett8@aol.com
href="mailto:jbennett8@aol.com">jbennett8@aol.com</A> ; <A
title=morganj@colbert.k12.ok.us
href="mailto:morganj@colbert.k12.ok.us">morganj@colbert.k12.ok.us</A> ; <A
title=jowens@elreno.k12.ok.us
href="mailto:jowens@elreno.k12.ok.us">jowens@elreno.k12.ok.us</A> ; <A
title=klease@ossm.edu href="mailto:klease@ossm.edu">klease@ossm.edu</A> ; <A
title=lgoeller@yahoo.com
href="mailto:lgoeller@yahoo.com">lgoeller@yahoo.com</A> ; <A
title=LJimison@ucok.edu href="mailto:LJimison@ucok.edu">LJimison@ucok.edu</A>
; <A title=nwarden@usao.edu
href="mailto:nwarden@usao.edu">nwarden@usao.edu</A> ; <A
title=ncochran@norman.k12.ok.us
href="mailto:ncochran@norman.k12.ok.us">ncochran@norman.k12.ok.us</A> ; <A
title=Sumwhre@aol.com href="mailto:Sumwhre@aol.com">Sumwhre@aol.com</A> ; <A
title=hendeq@poncacity.k12.ok.us
href="mailto:hendeq@poncacity.k12.ok.us">hendeq@poncacity.k12.ok.us</A> ; <A
title=rsensminger@okcps.org
href="mailto:rsensminger@okcps.org">rsensminger@okcps.org</A> ; <A
title=snicholas@ou.edu href="mailto:snicholas@ou.edu">snicholas@ou.edu</A> ;
<A title=sfoster@altusschools.k12.ok.us
href="mailto:sfoster@altusschools.k12.ok.us">sfoster@altusschools.k12.ok.us</A>
; <A title=Tthur760819@aol.com
href="mailto:Tthur760819@aol.com">Tthur760819@aol.com</A> ; <A
title=young@woodward.k12.ok.us href="mailto:young@woodward.k12.ok.us">Talitha
Young (E-mail)</A> ; <A title=womackcm@hotmail.com
href="mailto:womackcm@hotmail.com">Christine Womack (E-mail)</A> ; <A
title=mathjh@hotmail.com href="mailto:mathjh@hotmail.com">Jane Hammontree
(E-mail)</A> ; <A title=strande@fullnet.net
href="mailto:strande@fullnet.net">Karen Strande (E-mail)</A> ; <A
title=Ousoonr89@aol.com href="mailto:Ousoonr89@aol.com">Kelli Ball
(E-mail)</A> ; <A title=lhesler@stillwater.k12.ok.us
href="mailto:lhesler@stillwater.k12.ok.us">Larry Hesler (E-mail)</A> ; <A
title=lknox@okc.cc.ok.us href="mailto:lknox@okc.cc.ok.us">Linda Knox
(E-mail)</A> ; <A title=pejohnson@juno.com
href="mailto:pejohnson@juno.com">Patricia Johnson (E-mail)</A> ; <A
title=johnson@ou.edu href="mailto:johnson@ou.edu">Sandy Johnson (E-mail)</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Cc:</B> <A title=octm@lists.onenet.net
href="mailto:octm@lists.onenet.net">octm@lists.onenet.net</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, December 07, 2003 6:25
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Fair Test</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=Palatino>Re: OCTM Board meeting on Saturday,
December 6, 2003 and Algebra EOI response.<BR><BR>Much of the discussion in
the OCTM board meeting focused on the ineptness of algebra students and their
parents. I am not surprised to hear mathematics teachers verbalize their
reasons for the suspected low-test scores and substandard student
performance--this excuse has been used ad nauseam for ages. However as
it relates to the anticipated release of the Algebra EOI test scores and the
potential OCTM response, maybe those who will be writing the response might
find the ideas, views, and goals of the Fair Test organization to be useful in
helping to construct an informing response that will generate reflection and
dialogue. This effort might be more productive at bringing meaningful
change to the system, an alternative that might prove more beneficial than
simply blaming the student and encouraging parents to get involved in their
childıs education.<BR><BR>The web site for Fair Test is:<BR><BR><A
href="http://www.fairtest.org/">http://www.fairtest.org/</A><BR><BR>The
National Center for Fair & Open Testing is an advocacy organization
working to end the abuses, misuses and flaws of standardized testing and
ensure that evaluation of students and workers is fair, open, and
educationally sound.<BR><BR>We place special emphasis on eliminating the
racial, class, gender, and cultural barriers to equal opportunity posed by
standardized tests, and preventing their damage to the quality of education.
Based on four Goals and Principles, we provide information, technical
assistance and advocacy on a broad range of testing concerns, focusing on
three areas: K-12, university admissions, and employment
tests.<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></BODY></HTML>