Last week, Jeannie Georges with The VIP, published an article stating that the EVSC was partnering with Google and Facebook-linked ‘Panorama’ to survey our local children with Social Emotional Learning (SEL) questionnaires which do not seem to represent ‘learning’ at all but rather; psychological, emotional and social data collection.
First it was Google and Facebook, but now Gallup wants your child to take a survey too.
Yesterday evening, the EVSC sent out yet another email stating that unless parents call the schools to opt their children out of such surveys, that your kids will automatically be participating in them.
Concerned parents are starting to reach out to The VIP to let their Voice be heard. The following are comments made by local parents:
Parent #1 – “The Facebook and Google connection is disturbing. Great article thank you for this information. The school psychologists were not in the school system when I went to school. Now, it seems they have one at every school in the area. They also seem to want practically every child on SELT, IEP’s. My kids tell me they take students out during class instruction for “interventions.” No wonder the school system disallows parents to come into the classroom and observe. Keeping parents out of the loop as much as possible is disturbing and I wonder if it is lawful. The students spend as much as 80% or more time getting taught by a tablet computer instead of real live teachers. I’ve talked with teachers that say they spend out of their own wallets for books because the money isn’t coming from the school system. But they operate a radio station? As a parent, I am frequently asked for money for some school-related expense. There’s some reason EVSC wants this Panorama Survey citywide.”
Parent #2 – “EVSC school board meeting on 9/24/18 was full of SEL references; mentioned SEL curriculum frequently and even played a clip from the Yale University visitor glowing about how Neuroeducation “just works” and how great EVSC is on SEL. One public comment said they didn’t understand these acronyms.
EVSC is all about getting the data. Parents get less than 2 days notice about the following:
‘Students in the EVSC will be participating in the National Gallup Student Survey starting Wednesday, September 26. This survey will be used to collect data dealing with student success, both in the present and in the future. The survey is brief, and should last approximately 10 minutes. If you have any questions or do not wish for your child to participate, please contact child’s school. ‘“
Parent #3 – “The comments about SEL, the glowing comments about the EVSC Neuroeducator, Yale, and Panorama Survey occurred last school board meeting 9/10/2018, sometime near 6:30 pm. If the parents were informed that Zuckerberg was behind this they wouldn’t allow it. Parents need to tell the school NO, my child isn’t taking this survey and they need to also ask WHERE IS THIS DATA GOING? Is it getting to Facebook and Google somehow? (Expect misdirected and general answers)
Parents need to complain at the next school board meeting that they weren’t informed that Google and Facebook are behind this. The School Board Meeting is public and they “usually” allow 3 minutes for people to stand up at the end. When you walk in, get a card and put it in the basket that you want to speak. The school board meeting is also played live on the school owned radio station WPSR 90.7 FM.”
One concern is that if parents do not pay close attention to their emails, these and other surveys are happening without parental consent.
Another concern is… where is the data going, and what is it being used for?
Parents are asking left and right, “What does this have to do with my child’s education?”
And what financial benefits are the EVSC receiving due to their involving our children with these surveys?
If you have concerns over the motives and intents of the EVSC with these student surveys, pay attention to your emails, call your child’s school and opt them out of each and every survey individually. Then, show up to EVSC School Board meetings and ask questions. If you disagree with the way our children are being used for data collection, let your voice be heard. Let The Voice of the People be heard for the sake of our children. And know that our silence is our consent.
And finally, vote wisely in November, not for candidates with well-known names who have been in the system for decades… but vote for the candidates who will reject arcane political agendas through cryptic psychological surveys solicited upon our children… and vote for those who will actually represent you and your kids wisely and accurately.
During the School Board Meeting 9/24/18 they admitted the Panorama Survey was about getting data from the kids and through them getting info on the parents.
The School Board meeting was 9/24/18, as mentioned in the article. I don’t know about you but I usually politely refuse night and weekend callers wanting me to answer questions for their survey. Parents should do the same with school survey’s or this will become worse. The survey is rarely if never to your benefit or for your kid’s benefit. Go read up on what the IN.GOV code says about school survey’s in the schools. Hint: If your kids have taken them you have unlimited access to the information so make them provide it, get creative in your requests.