more of our nightmare

Nov. 14, 2005

Dear Ms. Director of Science Curriculum:

Below you will find a copy of the letter I sent to our HS principal. I have not yet heard back from him. We would like to get to the school today to find a reasonable manner to resolve the horror that has been my child's experience in this class. If you would like to be a part of a cooperative effort to examine the effects of this curriculum and its demands on the students, and teachers, and plan to join us in a dedicated plan focussed on action to stop the suffering, please contact us immediately.




RE: XXXX
Nov. 13, 2005

Dear Dr. Principal:

I have been in regular contact with my daughter XXXX's honors biology teacher Ms. Biology teacher this year. I am extremely concerned about the amount of work, especially homework, that this class demands. I realize that these demands are a function of the county determined science curriculum, the pacing guide, the testing mandates of the county, and state, and the county mastered course. I understand also that under this control neither the teachers nor the students are allowed any leeway for professional input nor individual needs.

I am writing to you now to request your assistance. My daughter is a bright and ambitious student who maintains a determined and regular dedication to her schoolwork, her homework and her studies. I am appealing to you to take seriously and stand up for her and her teacher's need for some adjustment to the pace and demands of this class.

I am asking you to understand that the volume of work has my child pushed beyond her limits to cope. It is not that she has one difficult class at all or that she is not interested or willing to do her best. It is rather that on top of the demands of this class, my daughter has 3 other honors classes, band, art and other activities that she wants and needs to do well in. Last week, my daughter went on the freshman field trip. She also went on a required band trip. Missing the classes has her workload crushing. This is a regularly occurring event. Several weeks ago, asked to go on a field trip because of her exceptional dedication, she declined. She was fearful of the extraordinary load that would result if she missed another day. Her situation was a catch 22. The teacher left piles of work for the students who did not attend the field trip.

My daughter worked hours on end to meet the demands of this class and also continued her efforts toward her other classes. As a result, she has been hours every single night on her homework and there is no chance that this pace will lessen. My daughter begins her day at 5:30 a.m. and is consistently up until midnight doing her school work. This situation is stressful and is having a negative effect my daughter's health. She is also very sad.

My daughter was asked to join the Orchestra this year, an honor and certainly something she wanted to consider. She cannot fathom adding yet another 2 hour rehearsal to her week because of homework. She hardly has time to practice her instrument as it is. My child, Dr. Principal, is not unique in her sense that her time and her life and the demands of her school work are impossible and endless. We are aware that the stress and demands have several of her friends pushed beyond their tolerance as well. The children are choosing to miss school now because of the stress and impossible grind and then struggle as additional work piles up.This has to stop.

Today, my daughter worked the entire morning on her Science Fair project. With the exception of meals, she has worked on nothing else but the required homework, completion of schoolwork, and additional demands of Biology. It is now 12 hours since this child began her day. I estimate that if she worked 12 more hours, she might be prepared to begin her week, having all of her work completed. This, again, is too much.

Please consider this request for you to investigate the value of this kind of stress on a 13 year old child. My child who is extremely healthy and sound has already experienced the impact of this amount of stress on her health. We are asking you to talk with the teachers and investigate for yourself the exact conditions of this course and it's toll on these students. This is not by any means personal to our daughter alone, it is a condition of every student in this class and the teachers as well.

With the standardization of curriculum, the county pacing guides, their test schedule, and the state testing demands, the nature and process of the teacher's position has changed dramatically. I am aware that this has been a source of frustration and stress for the teachers. I hope that with the changes in administration at the county level, you will soon have an opportunity to advocate for changes where policy has interfered with quality. And I hope that when you consider the impact of these dramatic changes in our school over several short years, you will think about my daughter, her friends, her teachers, and calculate whether what they gained statistically was really worth what they lost in reality.

This situation is urgent. I am asking you to provide us with a plan to resolve the impossible amount of work and resulting stress for our child. She is not willing, neither is it appropriate for this child to move into the Matter and Energy science class and there is no alternate Biology class for her this year. This student, I remind you, is ambitious and capable; the problem is the curriculum, and the teachers, should you consult with them, surely can support that analysis.

I would like to meet with you as soon as is possible so that these concerns can be discussed and a plan implemented to deal with them. I am available Monday and Friday this week before, during, or after school, and Tuesday, before or during school. I am also prepared to address these issues with the county department of science curriculum staff.

I would like to hear from you today.

Sincerely,
Ms. XXXX