Connected Mathematics

in

Plano Independent School District

Plano Independent School District has embarked on a three-year pilot project (now in its third year) on Connected Mathematics Program (CMP) for middle schools. Despite overwhelming parental opposition, the school board unanimously voted for this new curriculum to be implemented in all schools beginning Fall1999. As parents, we need to be informed concerning the pros and cons of this program and be allowed to choose an alternative because this is the law. This website is to serve that purpose.

Please visit What's New, Favorite Sites and Other Links for regular updates.

Updated on 12/12/99

Please sign petition on this page. Click Here

Visit Plano Parental Rights Council's Website

Latest Additions for December 1999

The much eagerly awaited data from Just for the Kids (JFTK) Foundation is now available at their website http://www.just4kids.org 

These are some of my analysis drawn from the JFTK data.

Top Texas Elementary Schools in Reading 1999

Top Texas Elementary Schools in Mathematics 1999

Plano Middle Schools' Performance 1999

 

How The East Was Won

CMP rejected in DC suburb and Singapore Math Textbooks Piloted

 

Mathematicians and Scientists Join The Battle

Education Dept. Rated CMP as "Exemplary"...

only to be soundly condemned by 200 mathematicians and scientists

Read their open letter the Secretary of Education Richard Riley

Read nationwide newspaper coverage at Mathematically Correct website

 

Connected Math: What’s it all about??

The answers from a parent’s perspective

 

Contradictions from PISD!

Spending More and Proud of It

 

Author of this webpage was interrogated and fingerprinted

Read the account and be the judge.

 

Table of Contents for Website

Connected Mathematics in Plano ISD

Petition for Alternative Math Class
Top Texas Schools in Reading 1999
Top Texas Schools in Mathematics
Plano Middle School Performance in 1999
Armstrong Middle School
Bowman Middle School
Carpenter Middle School
Haggard Middle School
Hendrick Middle School
Renner Middle School
Robinson Middle School
Schimelpfenig Middle School
Wilson Middle School
Connected Math - What Is It All About?
Contradictions from PISD On Spending
The Silence of the Lamb
Report to School Board
Proposition of CMP
CMP - What Difference Does It Make
Analysis of CMP
Before CMP
Michigan's CMP Program
Review of Sixth Grade Text
Review of 7th Grade Text
Recommendations
Clarify Common Grounds
News & Favorites
National Science Foundation's Money Web
Best of Both Worlds
Buyer's Beware
Inquiries Yield Clueless Response
CMP Data Tainted By NSF Grants, Conflicts of Interests
Parents Must Demand To Be Treated As Partners
Trustee Receive Threats - Author Fingered as Suspect
PISD Mulls Tax Increase
Parents' Demand Should Carry Weight
Math Proficiency in Plano 1998
Math Proficiency in Plano
Math Proficiency in Richardson
Math Proficiency in Lewisville
Math Proficiency in Garland
Math Proficiency In Carrollton-Farmers Branch
Comparison of Math Proficiency Rating
Top Schools in Math (1996-98)
Spending Analysis of Plano
Comparative Study of Elementary Schools in 10 Districts
Value for Money 1998

 

 

Join New MathChoiceDiscussion Forum

 

New Web Site for Parental Involvement

P.I.E. of Plano

 

Choice is the Law

The Texas Education Code Chapter 26.003 (a) (3) (A) states:
       
A parent is entitled to request, with the expectation that the request will not be unreasonably denied, the addition of a specific academic class in the course of study of the parent's child in keeping with the required curriculum if sufficient interest is shown in the addition of the class to make it economically practical to offer the class.

However, PISD still says NO to the law. The Deputy Superintendet reneged on his commitment to abide by the law during his testimonty before the House Education Committee on March 30. Read the explanation in the deputy superintendent's statement.

 

Home | Latest News Stories

Publication date - Wednesday, August 25, 1999

 

Parents to file lawsuit today against PISD

Organizers claim the district ignored their right to offer input into their children's education

By JONATHAN M. BELL
Staff writer

Parents of Plano students will file a class action lawsuit today claiming the Plano Independent School District ignored their fundamental right to have direct input in the education of their children.

The lawsuit stems from a year-long struggle over connected math, a new middle school math curriculum.

Concerned parents formed the organization Math Choice initially to oppose the adoption of connected math as the standard PISD middle school math curriculum and to preserve the traditional math teaching methods.

Once connected math was adopted by PISD trustees, Math Choice shifted its focus to trying to convince the district to provide traditional math courses as an alternative for their children. The lawsuit is the latest attempt to force the district to provide such classes.

The Texas Justice Foundation will file the lawsuit in federal district court in Sherman on behalf of six parents. The foundation expects 500 or more parents to join the lawsuit after it is filed.

The initial six parents are Celia J. Chiu, Denise Brown, Veronica Jenkins, Denise Kirke, Alfred Kirke and Kenneth Johnson.

Foundation lawyer Thomas Stack said the lawsuit will demonstrate that PISD has an obligation to recognize the educational desires of the parents of its students.

"The debate is no longer solely the curriculum -- should we have it or not," Stack said. "The debate now is parental rights. It's over the right of parents to request with reasonable expectation that it's not going to be denied the addition of a specific class."

A "request with reasonable expectation that it is not going to be denied" is a reference to the language in the Texas Education Code, Section 26.003(a)(3)(A), which states parents can request classes be offered if they are in keeping with the required curriculum, if sufficient interest is shown and if it is economically practical.

Former Texas Education Agency commissioner Mike Moses ruled that section did not apply in the specific case of connected math in Plano.

Stack insists that it does apply.

"We have a very different opinion as to the effect and validity of that statute in this situation," he said. "The district violated the fundamental right of parents to direct the education of their children."

In addition to issues of educational choice for parents, the lawsuit will allege that individual parents' rights were abridged by the district during the ongoing conflict over connected math.

"We've sued the district, and we've sued all the individual board members as well for violations of free speech," Stack said. "Mr. Kirke and Mr. Johnson were specifically forbidden from distributing literature at public meetings, and that is a violation of free speech. Veronica Jenkins was told she could not have a position on a parents' committee simply because of her perceived agenda on the math program."

A lesser claim in the lawsuit concerns the experimental nature of the connected math curriculum.

"There are some in the math profession who believe that this connected math program is what's called an experimental program and that basically these children have been human subjects in an experimental program without parental consent," Stack said. "That's not a big claim, but it's still part of the lawsuit."

PISD officials would not comment on the lawsuit Tuesday because it had not yet been filed and they had no chance to review it.

Johnson, one of the initial plaintiffs, is upset both because he feels parents are not being given the right to choose their children's education and because his own freedom of speech was impinged upon during the process of choosing the curriculum.

"At one of the parents' math nights, I handed out to parents the TEA evaluation of the (connected math) textbook," Johnson said. "As I was handing it out, one of the principals got in my face and ordered me off the property. It was the closest I feel I've come to being hit."

Johnson did not leave the meeting but did stop handing out the information, he said.

"Parents needed to know the public information about the curriculum," he said. "I have a huge problem with that."

Johnson stressed that the lawsuit is not focused on discontinuing connected math in Plano.

"One of the things we're all believers in is local control," he said. However, "local control in Plano does not include parents."

The Texas Justice Foundation will have a news conference at 1 p.m. today in front of Haggard Middle School to announce the lawsuit.

Parents in PISD who want to join the lawsuit may contact the foundation at 210-614-7157.

 

Contact staff writer Jonathan M. Bell at 972-424-4585, Ext. 1265, or by e-mail at jonathan_m_bell@hotmail.com.

 


You Are Not Alone

Since school started in early August, more parents are beginning to see how ridiculous and pathetic Connected Math is. PISD has reportedly hired a new administrator to soothe upset parents.

Parents interested in an alternative math program in Plano schools are uniting to petition the district. The petition drive is still on.

Please sign petition on this page. Click Here.

 

 

 

More about website author
Timothy Soh, Plano resident and father of two

tim_soh@hotmail.com

 

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