A Parent Asks Questions About the WASL
A Washington
parent, Arthur Hu, has been one of the most vocal critics of the Washington
Assessment of Student Learning (WASL). Recently, Arthur requested a meeting
with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (WASL) to discuss the WASL. Following is the response he received
from Greg Hall. Note that Greg Hall
is the individual who sent the letter threatening action against Citizens
United for Responsible Education (CURE) concerning CURE putting an article on
their website discussing WASL questions.
From: Greg Hall [mailto:GHall@ospi.wednet.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, September 18, 2002
12:27 PM
To: 'Arthur Hu'
Cc: Jocelyn McCabe; Mary Alice Heuschel; 'Stolier, Dave (ATG)'; Debra Brown
Subject: Our Meeting
Hello Arthur!
Just thought I'd send you a note so we can set up a meeting to discuss
your concerns about the 4th grade WASL. As you may know, most of the items on
the 2002 4th grade WASL remain secure and have been
placed back into our item pool.
However, we have released some of the 2002 4th grade math test items to
the public and these are posted on our website. Arthur, the
only items that I can discuss in detail with you, will be the released items. I will, however, be pleased to talk
about the additional general issues you have about the test. Lastly, because I sent you a letter
asking you to refrain from sharing specific information about secured test
items, it will be necessary for you to sign a confidentiality agreement and
depending on his availability, our attorney may be present for our meeting. To book a time for us to meet here at OSPI, please contact Debra Brown at 360,725,6334.
Greg Hall
Assistant Superintendent
Assessment and Research
OSPI
(emphasis added)
To begin, this e-mail is, at the least,
an attempt to intimidate; at most, a veiled threat. Notice all to whom
Greg Hall cc'd his e-mail. This signifies what parents have come to
know as a gang-up which goes like this: the unsuspecting parent shows up, at the
appointed time, for a meeting with an individual to walk into a room
with multiple persons present. It
is quickly explained to the unsuspecting parent that all these people are
present to assist the individual with whom the meeting was to occur. The true purpose of the other people
present is two-fold: 1) to gang up
on the unsuspecting parent, and 2) to provide witnesses in case the parent
sues, witnesses who will testify that what the parent claims didn't happen.
Recommendation: Do not agree to a
meeting under the conditions outlined in Greg Hall's communiqué. If you, as a parent, walk into a meeting
with an individual to find other people also present, ask them to leave. If they refuse, then state that you did
not agree to their presence, that the meeting was set up between
.. [the individual by name] .. and you, not any of the others present. Then explain that the meeting will have
to be rescheduled at a time when the individual with whom you want to meet can
meet with you alone. Then walk out. Usually, a comment will be forthcoming
to the effect of, "why are you afraid to meet with us?" Don't fall for this attempt to humiliate
you into doing what they want, and to side track the main issue. Just state that you aren't, but that's
beside the point, which is that you requested the meeting with
.. [the individual by name], not with the others present; that you
consider the inclusion of the others without your knowledge or consent to be a
bad-faith act on the part of the individual with whom you were to meet.
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