Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) hosted a webinar with
College Board President, David Coleman, last Friday. If you were hoping
for a take-down of Coleman it didn’t happen.
The email sent out by HSLDA President Mike Smith before the event gave us a hint at the tone,
At this time, we have not seen any evidence that the
redesigned SAT will harm homeschoolers in any way. David Coleman, the
president of the College Board, and his team have been incredibly
helpful in providing us with comprehensive information about the
redesigned SAT, and we are continuing our review.
How HSLDA can say there is “no evidence” of harm “at this time” is
confusing and misleading. The test isn’t out yet and the “harm” isn’t
just in content, but with the data tracking, and the way exams factor in
the P-20 European style education reforms.
Lindsay Burke at the Heritage Foundation
articulated many of the concerns with the SAT that she believes will
affect “non-Common Core states, private schools, and homeschoolers.”
I talked to an HSLDA representative at length about the webinar on
Monday. In my opinion, HSLDA apears to be listening to Coleman and his
Gates paid hack Mark Rodgers, when they should be listening to Churchill
instead.
‘An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.’ Winston Churchill
HSLDA appears to think that by engaging Coleman they can keep the
test “safe” for homeschoolers. Naive or deceived? I’m not sure which.
But Coleman doesn’t give a “S#@%” what any of us think or feel.
That’s his famous quote. And yet, HSLDA thinks they can work with him to make sure homeschoolers are not harmed.
HSLDA constantly reminds us that they are against the Common Core.
Philosophically that could be a true statement. But the fact that they
have to keep reminding us means that they are doing things that make it
appear to be the exact opposite. The webinar is the latest example in
their confusing history.
The webinar began with Mark Rodgers, a consultant who has done work
for Bill Gates, warmly welcoming Coleman. Rodgers is the head of the
Clapham Group and I was told by HSLDA that Coleman is his client.
Rodgers
put on a symposium at Wheaton College in the Spring of 2013 with
Coleman hoping to convince Christian leaders to find the good in Common
Core. It appears to have worked. Christianity Today proclaimed “
The Good News of the Common Core.” and
in essence declared the Common Core the the coming messiah for bible
literacy. Find common ground and disarm the opposition is their tactic.
Coleman is a slick salesman and with the help of Rodgers it appears
they are using “cobelligerency” as an argument to persuade people to
their side.
In June of 2013, Rodgers wrote a blog post titled,
Cobeligerency and the College Board,
“Wilberforce coined the term “cobelligerency” to describe
his willingness to work with people he disagreed with on specific
causes they shared common concern over. Several years ago, on a project
I worked with for the Gates Foundation, I met David Coleman, currently
head of The College Board. Although we may disagree on a a number of
issues, we did agree on C. S. Lewis’ analysis of the decline in reading
expressed in his book An Experiment in Criticism.”
Farris did not attend the event but he had a cordial conversations
with Coleman a few months later. Has HSLDA or Farris adopted the
“cobelligerency” mindset with the College Board as well?
Farris wrote,
He acknowledged some good ideas that I shared, and I did the same.
I
strongly oppose the Common Core for reasons I shared with him in
detail. But I want to do my best to avoid demonizing those who promote
it. He is motivated by what he truly thinks is best for education and
for kids. I think his plans are unwise, especially when coupled with
government coercion. But I will not question either his motives or his
character.
We
came away believing that each of us is acting in good faith. I think we
make better policy decisions when we avoid the invective and simply
look to the substance. That much, David Coleman and I have in common..
But, but many say they made the movie
Building the Machine.
Doesn’t that count for something? Indeed they did. But it was a
documentary that presented both sides and ended with the charge, “
So, regardless of which side you support in the reformation of America’s schools…Be involved.”
Is that the charge you would expect from a defense attorney trying to
win his case? Not at all. I’m told that even some within HSLDA
believed the movie was weak and a mistake. But at least they presented
both sides and some of our best voices against Common Core like
Joy Pullmann,
Sandra Stotstky, and
Ze’ev Wurman were featured.
The webinar was a a one-hour infomercial for Coleman to spew his
propaganda unchallenged by experts. I’m told by those on the call, (it
was members only) that Coleman actually apologized for not including
homeschoolers in the discussions on Common Core and promised to include a
“founding document.” How humble and gracious of him! Regrettably, the
credibility of HSLDA combined with Coleman’s fork-tongued rhetoric
appears to have worked on some homeschoolers.
After listening to Coleman, one homeschool blogger wrote,
“First of all, I’m hopeful that Mr. Coleman is
honest and forthright about his claims with regard to the new SAT and
its independence from Common Core. Assuming this, I think many
home educators should breathe a sigh of relief about changes to the
SAT. If you are focused on establishing a good foundation for your
students in math, reading and writing, then your student should be
well-prepared for the SAT. “
Blasting homeschoolers with the message that there is “no evidence
that the redesigned SAT will harm homeschoolers in any way.” is
misleading and mitigates one of the strongest arguments homeschoolers
have to fight the Common Core: testing and data. But hey, at least we
found common ground on the founding documents! The case that the SAT
will harm homeschoolers is easily made using the words and actions of
Gates and Coleman.
- Gates said,
“When the tests are aligned to the Common standards, the curriculum
will line up as well.” Does HSLDA know and believe this? They should
they posted that exact quote on the Building the Machine FaceBook page
on May 14, 2014.
- Coleman said
, “”If you put something on an assessment in my view you are ethically
obligated to take responsibility that kids will practice it 100 times.”
And then there’s the harm caused by data collection. Coleman loves data
and how it can will be used in education to drive the reforms he wants
to see.
Why is HSLDA playing the game instead of fighting it? Why are they
blasting the others sides message instead? The pro-cc side has deep
pockets thanks to Gates, the feds and others. HSLDA relies on
membership dues, trusting that the attorneys are representing and
defending their interests. But are they? Does a good defense
attorney present both sides? No! they are hired to represent their
client. Why are homeschoolers paying for this kind of “defense?l?”
I was once told that Coleman doesn’t want to “rile” up homeschoolers.
Thanks to HSLDA he is getting his way. As a homeschool mom of six who
has been in the trenches fighting this for years, the blatant
undermining by HSLDA on this is a betrayal of trust. Are they appeasing
Coleman to protect their interests at the expense of homeschoolers and
educational freedom? It could be their need for approval from College
Board for Advanced Prep distinction at Patrick Henry Prep, the Romeike
case, the Constitutional Convention, the Parental Rights Amendments, or
something else entirely but something appears to be interfering with the
ability to fight the Common Core with clarity and strength. I was
around when School-to-Work was defeated in the 90′s. HSDLA was strong
in the fight. I’m wondering now, where is the HSLDA of old?
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