For Christ's Sake, Turn the World Upside Down Initiative
March 2010: News from the Conference Public Education Initiative
We assessed our progress and developed a plan of action for 2010 to “Make a Memory With a Child.” We created an example of an experience party that can be implemented by individuals or by units. In March of 2010, “A Blueprint for Reform,” the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was sent to Congress for ratification. This act, if ratified, will replace the “No Child Left Behind” legislation. In its current reading this act, while holding schools and students accountable for growth and performance, looks to be less punitive. We do not know what the outcome will be. We are in hopes that we will know the results by Annual Meeting in September.
Click here for...
2010 Public Education Initiative
Brochure [PDF]
[Publisher]
Public Education Initiative Experience Ideas [PDF]
October 2009: News from the Conference Public Education Initiative
Western North Carolina Conference United Methodist Women are participating in a two year initiative on “For Christ’s Sake Turn the World Upside Down” for public education. During 2008, a massive letter writing campaign, designed to let local, state, and national legislators know of our concerns about the federal “No Child Left Behind” law was very successful. Due in part to these efforts, the Department of Education in Washington is taking another look at public education in America and as of this writing, the “No Child Left Behind” law has not been reauthorized.
The 2009 initiative takes a more personal approach. WNCC-UMW are embarking on “Make a Memory With a Child”. Research shows that children learn through experiences and that these experiences are a basis for learning to read and write. Children have difficulty relating to things they have not experienced.
As a community of women, WNCC-UMW have given opportunities to the many children in our lives. We ask now that you give some of these same opportunities to children who may not have experienced the things we take for granted. Many children have never been to a public library, baked cookies, or flown a kite. Memories are made from simple time-sharing experiences.
WNCC-UMW has prepared a brochure outlining this initiative and also a handout about hosting an “Experience Party”. We ask that you take these to your local unit meeting and present a plan for “Making A Memory” with children in your community. There is also a YouTube video on our YouTube page from the presentation at Annual Meeting. The brochure and handout have been distributed through district newsletters and at events. It is also available here on our website. Thank you in advance for your participation.
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Brochure - Public Education Initiative [PDF]
Idea Sheet - Host an Experience Party [PDF]
YouTube video -
Western North Carolina Conference United Methodist Women -
Public Education Initiative
May
2009: News from the Conference Public Education Initiative
Committee
As you are aware, the 2009 Conference priority is to implement the “For
Christ’s Sake, Turn the World Upside Down Initiative” in the area of
public education – a continuation of our priority for last year.
Many of you will remember the letter writing campaign which we launched
last year on the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. The law was up for
reauthorization in 2007, but that reauthorization has not occurred as of
this date. We believe that our efforts have contributed to the continued
examination of the law. We have made a difference. Our representatives
are doing their homework and learning more about the law and asking
questions.
OUR WORK IS NOT FINISHED. There are new senators and
representatives and a new secretary of education. We need to revisit the
letter writing campaign information, and if you are so inclined, you can
write more letters.
See information below. You can find out who your US senators and
representatives are as well as state legislators. Arne Duncan is the new
Secretary of Education and his mailing address is US Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202.
Learn as much as you possibly can about what is happening. A free email
subscription to Public Education Network (PEN) is available by going to
PEN's website at
http://www.publiceducation.org and following the instructions in the
lower left-hand section of the homepage. Review
http://www.boldapproach.org.
This initiative insists that Congress improve schools and also address
three of the mass of issues in the lives of poor children that make it
harder for them to learn: the need for enriched early care and
pre-school; the need for healthcare for all families; and the need for
enrichments outside the school day that most of us take for granted but
which are missing in the lives of children in poverty. After you submit
your name, it will take a week or so, but the staff of this initiative
will soon get the list updated to include you. Once you have signed-on,
encourage other people to follow your lead and support the Broader,
Bolder Approach to Education.
Recently the Civil Rights Project published a powerful new report: “Why
High Stakes Accountability Sounds Good But Doesn't Work—And Why We Keep
on Doing It Anyway.” You may view this report which questions the
validity and workability of test-and-punish, accountability-based school
reform at
http://www.civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/research/esea/study_nclb_sanctions_2009.pdf.
Many of you are already aware that the NC State Department of Public
Instruction Report Card is available for your examination. You can find
testing information from 2001 – 2008 for any public school in North
Carolina by visiting
http://www.ncreportcards.org/src/
Last but not least, look for more to come about how we will continue our
efforts to find more opportunities to support public education.
| Participate in our Letter Writing Campaign on the No Child Left Behind Act |
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Greetings
United Methodist Women of the Western North Carolina Conference, The Conference Public Education Initiative Committee has put together information for your use in a proposed letter writing campaign regarding the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act, the law that is sometimes referred to as the "test and punish" law. The reauthorization of the law was not achieved in 2007, but it is expected that attention will be redirected to this law immediately after the election of the new president. The Public Education committee wants to get this material in the hands of as many UMW members as possible. Please consider carefully the information and become involved in making a difference in the lives of the children in our state. þ Read a Letter from our Conference President about the Letter Writing Campaign (PDF of Conference President Letter) þ Click here for PDF of Complete Letter Writing Campaign Packet Letter Writing Campaign: (NOTE: It is still ok to send letters...the Congress will take up the No Child Left Behind act in 2009.) 1st Letter - Send to US Senators
Hagan and Burr |
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SAMPLE LETTER - NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND - TURN THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN PUBLIC EDUCATION INITIATIVE Click here to download a Word file of this sample letter that you can use to adapt or personalize your letter(s). [Date] Dear _______________________________: I am a member of United Methodist Women in the Western North Carolina Conference, an organization of 33,485 members. In the past year, we have contributed through monetary gifts, school supplies, and volunteer time more than $1,071,646.38 to the public schools in North Carolina. As you can see, we are committed to helping our schools be the best they can be. I am aware that the No Child Left Behind law is up for reauthorization. I am advocating significant changes in the law and have outlined those below:
I ask that you give serious consideration to my proposed changes to the No Child Left Behind law and use your influence to address the law’s injustices. Sincerely,
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Who represents you in the United States Congress, and the North Carolina General Assembly? - Use these helpful links to find out who your representatives are in the United States Congress and the North Carolina General Assembly.
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Another Available Resource:
Study Guide for Tested: One American School Struggles to Make the Grade for Congregational Adult Education, Justice Committees, and Reading Groups - An Exploration of Injustice in the Federal Public Education Law, the No Child Left Behind Act”, by the National Council of Churches Committee on Public Education and Literacy |
In August of 2007, Sherry Sink and Tonya Lanier represented the Western North Carolina Conference UMW at the National Seminar in Nashville, Tennessee. The National Seminar is held every four years with special emphasis on a social justice issue. This year, there were several social justice issues targeted: Economic Justice; Community Food Security; Public Education; Health Care; Militarism, Peace and National Security; Immigrant and Refugee Rights; and Environmental Justice. Each conference was asked to determine how they would implement this program upon their return.
The Western North Carolina Conference UMW Executive Committee approved at the November 2007 meeting to make PUBLIC EDUCATION our Conference priority for 2008. It will continue to be our Conference Priority for 2009.
While all of the social justice issues are worthwhile, we felt that it is better to focus on one issue rather than try to spread ourselves too thin in trying to cover all of them. The work that we do should not be just a “band-aid fix” but a movement to effect change in our communities. The Conference UMW Mission Team has pledged to work diligently to implement this initiative. The Conference UMW will model ways that local units can be involved and work for change at all of the Conference events as well as provide related materials in the Conference Gram and here on our web site.
Why Public Education?
But Jesus, aware of their inner thoughts, took a little child and put it by his side, and said to them, “Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least among all of you is the greatest.” Luke 9:47-48
On an average day in the United States, one-fifth of all citizens are in school. Current educational policy trends emphasize using testing to judge the performance of students, teachers and entire systems. Disparities in the quality of education reflect the reality of racial and ethnic inequalities within U.S. society. Taxpayers in many areas consistently reject calls for increased funding for schools. Parents organize to home school, or create schools where they have a larger say in the content of their children’s education, or place their children in charter or private schools in order to avoid what they consider negative influences of the public schools. Other parents watch helplessly while their children fall further behind. We envision a world where public education names core values that serve individuals, communities and the nation in the future – a system that serves the needs of all children.