Opt Out

Opt Out Chronicles: School Boards Opting Out?

Timothy D. Slekar | Posted 05.17.2012

Read More: Long Island Principals, Pennsylvania, Opt Out, School Boards, Value Added Measurement, Corporate Education Reform, Education News
Timothy D. Slekar

What does it mean to opt out? The simple answer, in the context of the public school reform movement, is when a parent pulls their child from state mandated high-stakes testing.

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Opt Out Chronicles: Why and How

Timothy D. Slekar | Posted 04.24.2012

Read More: Pssa, Nclb, Opt Out, Education News
Timothy D. Slekar

We need to take back our public schools. After ten years of No Child Left Behind and PSSAs, are you ready for a change? Have you had enough with high stakes testing?

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Opt Out Chronicles: Fighting Sabotage

Timothy D. Slekar | Posted 04.01.2012

Read More: Public Schools, Teachers, Education Reformers, Pssa, Opt Out, Parents, Nclb, Pennsylvania, No Child Left Behind, School Reform, Education Reform, Education News
Timothy D. Slekar

We want the end of punitive high stakes testing that labels children, teachers and schools as failures. We do not want our tax dollars going to the pockets of testing and data companies. We refuse to allow our community-based public school be labeled as "failing."

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Opt Out Chronicles: Politicians Are Not the Answer

Timothy D. Slekar | Posted 02.28.2012

Read More: High-Stakes Testing, Politicians, Pssa, Opt Out, Public Schools, Standardized Testing, Standardized Test Opt Out, No Child Left Behind, Education News
Timothy D. Slekar

How do we allow our children to take part in a system imposed by political operatives, lobbyists, and think tanks that only want to get at the money tied up in public schools and declare the public system a failure?

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Opt Out Chronicles: Losing My Religion

Timothy D. Slekar | Posted 02.14.2012

Read More: Religion, Pennsylvania, Pssa, Opt Out, Education News
Timothy D. Slekar

In case you've forgotten, I have been waiting patiently for the superintendent of schools in my district to respond to my email explaining the parent ...

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Opt Out Chronicles: Organizing and Bullying

Timothy D. Slekar | Posted 01.28.2012

Read More: High-Stakes Testing, Pennsylvania, Pssa, Opt Out, Nclb, Education News
Timothy D. Slekar

Parents are the only ones with the power to stop high stakes testing and take our schools back from the corporate reformers.

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Can Teachers Opt Out?

Timothy D. Slekar | Posted 11.24.2011

Read More: High-Stakes Testing, Teachers, Opt Out, Standardized Testing, Public School Testing, School Testing, High Stakes Testing, Education News
Timothy D. Slekar

How do teachers resist the culture of high stakes testing and the continued participation in a system that is clearly not pedagogically sound and is purposively destructive to children, teachers, schools and communities?

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Laura Stampler

Working Moms: Work-Life Balance Affected By Language Used, Kellogg Study Finds

HuffingtonPost.com | Laura Stampler | Posted 10.30.2011

Read More: Women in the Workplace, Women's Empowerment, Choice Rhetoric, Choice Framework Scale, Time Off Work, Working Women, Mommy Track, Work-Life Balance, Kellogg School of Management, Opt-Out, Stay at Home Mom, Working Moms, Video, Women News

Very few employers have figured out how to make work -- and life -- manageable for working mothers, but what if it's not just our work-life policies t...

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Kerry, McCain, and Your Online Privacy

Ioana Rusu | Posted 06.13.2011

Read More: Consumers Union, John McCain, Do Not Track, Online Advertising, John Kerry, Online Marketing, Opt-in Marketing, Opt-Out, Online Privacy, Privacy, Technology News
Ioana Rusu

In their comprehensive online privacy bill, Senators Kerry and McCain have laid out a plan that could give consumers a clear way to opt out of having their information shared indiscriminately with advertisers or other businesses.

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Are Do Not Track Browser Options and Industry Self Regulation Programs Compatible?

Jules Polonetsky | Posted 06.07.2011

Read More: Online Tracking, Online Privacy, Do Not Track, Ftc, Future of Privacy Forum, Congressional Internet Caucus, Advertising, Opt-Out, Technology News
Jules Polonetsky

Whether or not you support Do Not Track legislation, the success of the industry self-regulation program is vital. What credibility will any industry effort in this area have if one that has received so much focus doesn't succeed?

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Inspired By HuffPost Blogger, Pa. Mom Stands Against Standardized Testing

Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Standardized Testing, Opt-Out, Testing in Schools, Testing Opt Out, Michele Gray, Parenting, Video, Education News

Sunday marked the first day of spring -- the season of rain showers that bring flowers, daylight saving time and standardized testing. Of course, cont...

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New Law Requires Sites To Have 'Explicit Consent' Before Tracking

The Huffington Post | Catharine Smith | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Cookies, Do Not Track, Internet Advertising, Online Privacy, Opt-Out, Eu, Privacy Online, Opt Out, Privacy, Technology News

Europe is cracking down on websites that monitor visitors' browsing activities. Starting May 25, a controversial new European law will require site...

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On Securing Communities in New York

Arlene M. Roberts | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: African Services Committee, Arab American Association of New York, Breakthrough, Casa Esperanza, Center for Constitutional Rights, Centro De Derechos Laborales, Committee Against Anti-Asian Violence (CAAAV), DRUM (Desis Rising Up & Moving) Families for Freedom, Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition, Hispanic Resource Center, Hudson Valley Community Coalition, Immigrant Defense Project, Latin American Workers Project/Proyecto De Trabajadores Latino Americanos, Long Island Immigrant Alliance, LULAC Syracuse Chapter, Make the Road New York, National Lawyers Guild - NYC Chapter, National Network for Arab American Communities, Neighbors Link, New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE), New Sanctuary Coalition of NYC, New York Civic Participation Project (NYCPP), New York Immigration Coalition, New York Working Group Against Deportation, Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights (NMCIR), New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), The Opportunity Agenda, Pax Christi Metro New York, Peter Cicchino Youth Project, Queens Community House, SEIU Local 32BJ, St. Simon Stock School, Streetwise & Safe, Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA), United Community Center of Westchester, Wayne Action for Racial Equality (WARE), Westchester Hispanic Coalition and World Can't Wait, Adhikaar, Secure Communities, Opt Out, Ndlon, National Day Laborer Organizing Network, Migrant Support Services of Wayne County, Mrny, Mss, New York News
Arlene M. Roberts

Coming soon to a nabe near you: the Secure Communities program, courtesy Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). But introduction and implementati...

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POLL: Will You 'Opt Out' Today?

Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Tsa Opt Out, National Opt Out Day, Poll, Opt Out, Travel News

Today, the day before Thanksgiving, is officially being called "National Opt Out Day." Millions of Americans will take to the skies to head somewhere ...

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Lieberman Lies About the Public Option

Bill Scher | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Opt-Out, Health Care, Harry Reid, Senate, Joe Lieberman, Health Insurance, Aetna, Politics News
Bill Scher

Lieberman announced today he would filibuster the health care bill because it contains a public option compromise. Why does he want to do this? I don't know (*cough* -- Aetna -- *cough* *cough*) exactly.

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Sam Stein

Opt-Out Public Option Gains Steam Among Dems, But Questions Remain

HuffingtonPost.com | Sam Stein | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Democrats Public Option, Joseph Lieberman, Democrats Compromise Approach, Sherrod Brown, Lieberman Opt Out, Approach Health Care, State Option, Ben Nelson, Nelson Lieberman, Opt-Out, Opt-Out Public Option, Politics News

With Reporting By Jeff Muskus Democratic senators were largely caught off-guard on Thursday as a compromise approach to health care reform -- emergin...

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Sam Stein

Two-Thirds Of States Would Offer Public Option: CBO

HuffingtonPost.com | Sam Stein | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: State Governments, Public Option, Public Plan, Cbo Senate Bill, State Opt Out, Congressional Budget Office, Opt Out, Politics News

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that roughly 33 states -- or two out of every three -- would offer a national, government-run insurance opti...

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Friday Talking Points: Is Opt-Out The Answer?

Chris Weigant | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Tax Code, Blue Dog, Progressives, Ways and Means, Compromise, Reform, Charles Schumer, Howard Dean, Tripled Down, Midotw, Nancy Pelosi, 60 Vote, Most Impressive Democrat of the Week, Health Care, Nationwide, Public Option, States Rights, Democrat, Congress, Democrats, Barack Obama, Im in My Place, Nobel Prize, Schumer, Progressive, Mddotw, Put Her in Her Place, Health, Opt Out Plan, Blue Dogs, Americas Next Great Pundit, Healthcare, Senate, George Bush, President Obama, Teddy Roosevelt, Cloture, Senator, Dr Dean, Public Plan, State, Filibuster, Obama, Democratic, Charlie Rangel, Woodrow Wilson, Friday Talking Points, Bush, Dean, Republican, Pelosi, Double Down, Simpsons, Co-Op, Triple Down, Doubled Down, Most Disappointing Democrat of the Week, Taxes, Trigger, Tax Laws, House, Nobel, Marge Simpson, Playboy, Nobel Peace Prize, Opt Out, Tenth Amendment, Rangel, Chris Weigant, Clockwork Orange, Afghanistan, Politics News
Chris Weigant

The plan isn't going into effect until 2013. Think you're tired of TV ads and screaming folks at town hall meetings now? Picture a more local version of that for the next four years -- not a pretty sight.

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America-stan: The Progressive Movement Neuters Itself by Supporting "States' Rights" to Opt Out of the Public Option

Miles Mogulescu | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Public Option, Health Care Reform, Schumer Public Option, Opt-Out, Healthcare Reform, Health Care, Healthcare, Health Care Public Option, Politics News
Miles Mogulescu

In a modern society, certain economic regulations, social safety net provisions, and basic civil rights protections must be national in scope to be effective.

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Friday Talking Points [99] -- Misdirection

Chris Weigant | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: White House, Pentagon, Troops, Medicare for All, Rumor Mongering, Guantanamo, Monopoly, Reform, Alan Grayson, Dscc, Pentagon Budget, Roger Ailes, Nixonian, Charles Schumer, President, Magic, Military, Bailout, Emanuel, Midotw, Nancy Pelosi, Ailes, Most Impressive Democrat of the Week, Health Care, Reid, Public Option, Olympia Snowe, Democrat, Congress, Playing the Victim, Close Gitmo Now, Rumor, Stage Magic, Democrats, Barack Obama, Rage Against the Machine, Executive Compensation, Calls, Schumer, Mddotw, Rahm Emanuel, Wasted, Health, Weiner, Harry Reid, Nixon, Healthcare, Senate, Orchestra Pit Theory, President Obama, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Fox, Obama, Democratic, Media, Grayson, Friday Talking Points, Republican, Pelosi, Snowe, Enemy, Organizing for America, Misdirect, Guantanamo Bay, Most Disappointing Democrat of the Week, Orchestra Pit, Victim, Robust Public Option, Anthony Weiner, Trigger, Trust Busting, House, Tom Morello, Victim Card, War, Ad, Opt Out, 1000 Hours, Defense Appropriations, Enemy of America, Misdirection, Wall Street, Chris Weigant, Health Insurance, Health Insurers, 300000, Fox News, Medicare, Chuck Schumer, Executive Pay, Torture, Morello, Politics News
Chris Weigant

The real head-scratcher for serious media-watchers right now is what the "war" between the White House and Fox News was meant to distract us from this week. The "war" itself is laughable, for a number of reasons.

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How Lieberman Stole Reid's Candy and Drank Snowe's Milkshake

M.S. Bellows, Jr. | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Trigger, Snowe, Public Option, Hcr, Olympia Snowe, Harry Reid, Joe Lieberman, Obama, Opt-Out, Healthcare Reform, Health Care, Reid, Healthcare, Lieberman, Politics News
M.S. Bellows, Jr.

Forty-eight hours ago, Snowe could have extracted almost anything from the Democratic leadership. Then 24 hours ago, Snowe became irrelevant -- and two hours ago, Lieberman seized his opportunity.

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Health 'Opt-Out': Brilliant Maneuver or Crippling Compromise?

Richard (RJ) Eskow | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Health Insurance Monopolies, Nate Silver, Public Option, Sherrod Brown, Medicare, Lbj, Opt-Out, Lyndon Johnson, Chuck Schumer, Health Reform, Politics News
Richard (RJ) Eskow

The opt-out is a hard blow to the public option, and potentially a crippling one. When a solution sounds too good to be true -- we can compromise and still get everything we want! -- it probably is.

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Health Reform: Look How Far We've Come. Now Where the Heck Are We?

Richard (RJ) Eskow | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Wyden Amendment, Harry Reid, Joe Lieberman, Health Reform, Opt Out, Mandates, Politics News
Richard (RJ) Eskow

Putting Sen. Lieberman aside for a moment (and who wouldn't want to?), what can we expect to see if the final health reform bill conforms to Sen. Reid's outline?

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Best Political Halloween Costumes: Put Your Costume Where Your Mouth Is

Katie Halper | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: George Bush, Blue Dog, Public Option, Rush Limbaugh, Manuel Zelaya, Too Big to Fail, Manuel Zelaya Honduras, Pope Benedict, Roe vs Wade, Sarah Palin Wolf Hunting, Pope Benedict XVI, Catholic Church, Hitler Youth, Roe v. Wade, Astinence Only, Nancy Pelosi, Sarah Palin, Anglican Church, Blue Dogs, Honduras, Anti-Choice, Opt-Out, Public-Option-Opt-Out, Anti-Choice Movement, Blue Dog Dems, Blue Dog Democrats, Halloween, Comedy News
Katie Halper

Wear a fancy suit with a top hat and a cane. Stuff yourself with pillow so you look as bloated as possible. Wear a dollar sign around your neck (you can make it out of tin foil.) You're... Too big to fail.

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Take the "Opt Out" Public Option--Good Policy, Politics

Tom Matzzie | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: House of Representatives, Senate, Public Option, Health Care Reform, Tom Matzzie, Opt-Out, Democrats, Health Care, Barack Obama, Republicans, Politics News
Tom Matzzie

Progressives should see in the "Opt Out" an opportunity to win their policy proposal and create a political bulwark of public support behind the Public Option.

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