Opt Out

Opt Out Chronicles: School Boards Opting Out?

Timothy D. Slekar | Posted 05.17.2012

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.

Opt Out Chronicles: Why and How

Timothy D. Slekar | Posted 04.24.2012

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?

Opt Out Chronicles: Fighting Sabotage

Timothy D. Slekar | Posted 04.01.2012

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."

Opt Out Chronicles: Politicians Are Not the Answer

Timothy D. Slekar | Posted 02.28.2012

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?

Opt Out Chronicles: Losing My Religion

Timothy D. Slekar | Posted 02.14.2012

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 ...

Opt Out Chronicles: Organizing and Bullying

Timothy D. Slekar | Posted 01.28.2012

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.

Can Teachers Opt Out?

Timothy D. Slekar | Posted 11.24.2011

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?

Laura Stampler

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

HuffingtonPost.com | Laura Stampler | Posted 10.30.2011

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...

Kerry, McCain, and Your Online Privacy

Ioana Rusu | Posted 06.13.2011

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.

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

Jules Polonetsky | Posted 06.07.2011

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?

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

Posted 05.25.2011

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

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

The Huffington Post | Catharine Smith | Posted 05.25.2011

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

On Securing Communities in New York

Arlene M. Roberts | Posted 05.25.2011

Arlene M. Roberts

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

POLL: Will You 'Opt Out' Today?

Posted 05.25.2011

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

Lieberman Lies About the Public Option

Bill Scher | Posted 05.25.2011

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.

Sam Stein

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

HuffingtonPost.com | Sam Stein | Posted 05.25.2011

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

Sam Stein

Two-Thirds Of States Would Offer Public Option: CBO

HuffingtonPost.com | Sam Stein | Posted 05.25.2011

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

Friday Talking Points: Is Opt-Out The Answer?

Chris Weigant | Posted 05.25.2011

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.

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

Miles Mogulescu | Posted 05.25.2011

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.

Friday Talking Points [99] -- Misdirection

Chris Weigant | Posted 05.25.2011

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.

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

M.S. Bellows, Jr. | Posted 05.25.2011

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.

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

Richard (RJ) Eskow | Posted 05.25.2011

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.

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

Richard (RJ) Eskow | Posted 05.25.2011

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?

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

Katie Halper | Posted 05.25.2011

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.

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

Tom Matzzie | Posted 05.25.2011

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.