Dr. Teresa
Bergeson
Office of
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Dear Dr.
Bergeson;
Two weeks
ago, one of our members brought to my attention a set of survey questions that is
to be attached to this year’s WASL tests. Parent Empowerment Network board
members and I have examined all questions for all grade levels and found them
to be inappropriate, invasive, and harmful, so much so, that we are calling on
you to remove the survey from the test and withdraw any plans of administering
these questions to students.
All
questions on the survey breach the rights of both students and parents in the
area of confidentiality. They also ignore the rights of parents to guide their
children in important matters, including future plans for education.
Particularly alarming is the question which asks sixth graders whether they
plan to complete high school. In essence, OSPI is asking 11-year-olds to
predict their own academic failure!
Asking
students to respond to personal questions requires prior written consent from
the parent or guardian. We have reviewed the statement to parents regarding the
student survey included in the 2006 “Aiming High” booklet. Parents have not
necessarily received this latest version of “Aiming High.” In fact our members
inform us that they have received the 2005 version. Regardless, the notification
did not include the specific questions that are on the survey, nor did it provide
parents with a consent form.
Should you
and/or your staff refuse to prevent the distribution and administration of this
survey, Parent Empowerment Network will initiate legal action, calling for an
injunction against your agency’s administration of the survey and the WASL to
which it is attached.
On behalf
of PEN, I am demanding that you respond to our petition by
Sincerely,
Juanita
Doyon, Director
Parent
Empowerment Network
cc Secretary
of Education Margaret Spellings, Governor Christine Gregoire,
Attorney General Rob McKenna