A controversial school curriculum management system in Texas that once included a description of the Boston Tea Party as terror, and has referenced Islamic terrorists as freedom fighters, now has been found to be trying to charge parents hundreds of dollars to see the instructional materials being used by their own children, officials said.
However, under Texas Education Code Chapter 26, all parents have the undisputed right to see any and all instructional materials used in state classrooms.
The program is CSCOPE, and Amy Zimmerman, a mother in the Collinsville Independent School District, asked to see the 7th grade CSCOPE science lessons used between September 2012 and May 2013, citing her “parental right” under state law.
However, instead of the materials, what she got was a letter from an attorney for the district requiring the payment of $770 so see the materials.
Gerry Miller, an attorney with expertise in education law, said that doesn’t appear to align with the law.
“Suffice it to say the statute is mandatory because of the use of the word ‘shall,’ it is therefore incumbent on the school to comply with the parent’s request. No provision is made for payment by a parent as a ‘condition precedent’ to obtaining the teaching material,” Miller said.
“If a school district demands fees, especially exorbitant fees, to review teaching material, such action has the effect of invalidating the statute’s intent,” he said. “I would fully expect a judge to apply the statute as written and order the school to provide the information without charge.”
Miller also explained an added complication would be that property taxes have been used to support CSCOPE, which has faced heavy criticism by parents, teachers and legislators, culminating in hearings that revealed serious academic deficiencies in the areas of math, science and English, as well as what many critics believe is an agenda-driven bias in social studies content that promotes a negative view of America.
WND has reported on lessons claiming the Boston Tea Party was a terrorist act, and lessons requiring students to design flags for a new communist country.
Teachers also have told WND:
- Lessons are not matched to grade level; a ninth-grade lesson asks students to circle capital letters in a sentence.
- One social studies lesson teaches that capitalism is obsolete and communism is the best economic system, using a diagram that shows a man climbing a ladder towards communism.
- A third-grade lesson defines American “equality” as “fair share.” Competing definitions that include “equality under the law” or “equal opportunity” are not discussed.
- Muhammad is portrayed as a social justice crusader. There is no mention of his marriage to a young girl or his beheading of indigenous population groups.
- Political parties are taught from what critics claim is a subjective and left-leaning perspective, e.g. Democrats “benefit each individual” while Republicans “favor big business.”
WND has also recently acquired lessons covering the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, teaching students that “medicine” and “food” are “rights,” and not a matter of personal responsibility.
Students who do not answer that “medicine” and “food” are “rights” have their answers marked as incorrect, sources report.
Other controversial lesson content includes a science lesson that instructs students to set things on fire in the middle of class and also lessons that promote anorexia and mercy death, according to Mary Bowen, a curriculum expert and teacher of 30 years who corresponds with WND.
CSCOPE also has come under fire for its secrecy and lack of transparency, forcing teachers and districts to sign “user agreements” – what whistleblowers say amount to “gag orders.” Teachers are exposed to legal liability if they share lesson content or other class materials with the general public, and threats of termination have been reported by teachers who attempt to engage parents about controversial CSCOPE content.
One result of legislative hearings was the suggestion for changes in user agreements, but sources have told WND that existing users are not included in any changes; they are only for new groups who want to sign up.
A CSCOPE program advising on the privacy requirements for the content notes users are required to not allow “unauthorized users to have online access … or gain permanent possession of … content.”
Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2013/05/parents-told-to-pay-to-see-school-curriculum/#V7em4VhJWiQE1v5W.99
The one thing the public indoctrination centers that masquerade as public schools don’t want to get out to the public is what they are up too.They try to make any parent or citizen that is aware to look like they are crazy and demonize them.This country is in deep trouble and pretending it isn’t so isn’t going to make it go away. All we get from all levels is lies and deception from the beast!
The whole purpose of charging money to see CSCOPE materials, and
an exuberant amount indeed, is to instill defeatism. Parents have
a responsibility to be involved in their children’s education and look
out for signs of indoctrination. More liberal blackmail.
SYSTEMIC INSANITY. The Government is totally INSANE and should be institutionalized for It’s (and OUR) safety. The Government is an IMMANENT DANGER to Earth’s Humanity.
Google or Bing evil Jesuit oath.
Another reason how I can see the reason for them to charge fees to see the curriculum is that the schools (being run like a corporation) don’t want people showing their curriculum to their competitiors and having them get the one up on them and lose students. So they use the fees to make up for it. Schools in China have this logic and manner, but they don’t charge a fee for people to see it. They simply will just refuse to show it until they register with their school.
So basically, schools in America aren’t schools anymore, but are institutions being run by corporations for profit, rather than by educated teachers and people who educate the children of our future. So sad.
I spent 5 years in China trying to get that through the schools head, but all they cared about was the money. I told them it wasn’t always about the money and that it was about the students future and the principles of it all. It shouldn’t always be about the money. But of course, being a Communist country, despite some of my chinese co-teachers who agree with me, with most of everyone else it was ALWAYS about the money. Hence, why everything is corrupt, messed up and run inefficiently over there. This is unfortunately the EXACT same route our country is heading to. Hell, we’re basically already there. It’s absolutely sad and despicable. We so need to take our country back and oust out these Communist bastards, especially the Obamanation in the White House.
Wow! After seeing what the teachers have told WND, I can’t believe I’m living on the same planet as these so-called educators. 9th graders who don’t even know what capitalization is?
Well, I can say that at Buffalo, NY inner city schools where my father taught 15 years ago, there were plenty of 4th graders who didn’t know how to capitalize and do much of anything. 15 years later and now 9th graders don’t even know what capitalization is? WTF!!! What are people paying these schools for? Actually, I think I know the answer to that one. The parents these days don’t care about their children’s education. All they care about is that their kids have a place to stay and have a teacher to babysit them for 8 hours, while they (the father and mother) are both at work. And if you don’t hit them in class or discipline them, then you are ok. Education takes a back door. Permanently.
http://www.corestandards.org Once you get to the page click on the standards, many pdf documents are available for download. I’m assuming cscope and corestandards are one in the same.