Tilden Fights Back
Here is the text of the resolution adopted by Tilden Middle School's PTSA on May 10. Tilden was going to be one of the pilot test schools for the new curriculum. I think the document is self-explanatory.
I wonder if those Liberty Counsel guys are still around to get Ex-Recall out of this one.
Final Resolution
Adopted May 10, 2005
WHEREAS the Tilden Middle School Parent Teacher Student Association compiles and publishes annually a student directory that includes potentially sensitive information such as the name, street address and telephone numbers of all students whose parents have agreed to have such information included, and
WHEREAS by common knowledge and accepted practice this directory is intended exclusively for the private use of the Tilden community to facilitate communication within the Tilden community, and is not intended to be used for any other purpose, and
WHEREAS an organization calling itself the Citizens for Responsible Curriculum (CRC) has conceded that it surreptitiously obtained a copy of the student directory and used the information in it to develop a mailing list for a purpose inconsistent with the intended or appropriate use of the directory, and
WHEREAS the President of the Tilden Middle School PTSA has formally asked the CRC to describe how it obtained the list and with whom they have shared it or to whom they may have sold it, and the CRC has declined to reply,
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Tilden Middle School PTSA objects in the strongest terms to the misuse of the directory by the CRC, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the PTSA demands that the CRC respond promptly and completely to the questions raised by its President about the source and intended use of the directory information, specifically identifying any instances in which this information may have already been sold or otherwise made available to another individual or entity, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the PTSA demands the CRC agree in writing to cease using the information obtained from the directory, and to return to the PTSA all copies of the directory information now in the possession of CRC, in whatever form the information may exist, or certify in writing that this information has been destroyed.
I wonder if those Liberty Counsel guys are still around to get Ex-Recall out of this one.
posted by JimK at 8:37 PM
6 Comments:
Well, according to the violaters or the letter their secretary wrote- it doesn't matter that they violated the use of the directories- they are above the normal rules that the rest of MCPS parents know and use. They make no apologies for violating the privacy of students and families- because what they had to say was "so important" . And I thought they were all about respect and family values and caring about the "kids".
Andrea
The referenced article :
Dear Editor,
Concerning Sean Sedam’s article, “Letter raises objections from some curriculum supporters”, I would like to correct some of the misinformation about what CRC did in mailing letters to parents at the 6 pilot schools. Our primary objective was to inform parents about the content of the pilot since the parent meetings and the permission forms failed in that regard.
Parents in each of those schools offered us their directories in order to communicate with all the affected parents, and even assisted with the mailings. There has been a 10 to 1 ratio of letters thanking us for our actions. We feel that we needed to do what the schools would not do: honestly communicate to the parents what was in the pilot program, and that is what was sent out – salient parts of the curriculum itself.
We make no apologies, and defend our actions as the right thing to do in light of the Judge’s clear ruling on the pilot.
Sincerely, Theresa Rickman
CRC Secretary
www.mcpscurriculum.com
Oh of course, we understand. CRC's mission is so important that they have the right to break any rules necessary to accomplish it. Of course, sure. The ends justify the means, we understand.
Funny but MCCPTA Admin. has talked with all pilot schools and PTAs and nothing that Ms. Turner said or Ms. Rickman said was ever verified on their justifications over sending the unwanted letters.
PTAs went so far as to say that they never requested a thing from Exrecall (CRC) and never asked for more information about them.
So I guess even unwanted mailings happen when a organization using PTA directories without permission decide they know better.
Looks like ExRecall (CRC) scored a resounding dud on this move.
Kay R
I love this one! Ex-Recall-CRC claims to be about parents rights, against the "abuse" by the BOE for, they say, stepping over the line of the parents decision on what to teach the children -never mind that most parents in fact signed the permission slip to allow their children to take the course, but who's counting?-, and a long etc.
But then they abuse the children information, they go over the line, they lie about how they got their hands on the stuff -because if so many parents help them, and they have so many letters in support, why don't they show them,with the same promptness they had to show their petitions, for instance.
And, they made no apologies because they are on the side of the truth... I guess a good MCPS lawyer could make a case out of it...
But, what is even more interesting is that, althought the letter they sent promise heavens to begin falling as soon as the first pilot class started, -would you mind, Jim, if I use a couple of caps here?- MOST PARENTS STILL SIGNED THE PERMISSION SLIP AND WERE OK WITH THE PILOT.
I love it when parents rights and desires are respected like this.
Parents GAVE the CRC the directories. How you can call informing parents 'a dud' is beyond me. Stop you whining. "ooh -- I got unsolicited 'junk mail' from the CRC -- make them STOP!' just rings like poor losers. If ya don't like the mail you get, put it in your circular file. That's what I do everyday.
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