PLANO PRODUCES DISTRICT RESPONSE TO MATH PROTESTS
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For those of you following our effort to rid our school district of 
Connected Math, here is an update.  We direct mailed a petition to about 
5000 families of future 6th, 7th and 8th graders and have managed to 
collect 500, so far, asking for an alternative math class.  Unfortunately, 
PISD got the Texas Education Agency to weigh in on their side and state 
their interpretation of section 26.003 as follows: "This law applies to the 
addition of a specific class, and does not address an instructional 
methodology used in the classroom."  Because of this, PISD finds "no 
evidence to change our previous position with regard to Connected Math."  
They are basically ignoring all 500 families that have signed the petition 
so far.




The good news is that in response to our petition mailing, the district 
sent out 10,500 letters from the Superintendent about Connected Math, our 
TEA grievance and TEA's response.  This was a lot more people than we were 
able to reach!!!  We have already had some phone calls for petitions from 
people that read the district's letter and hadn't ever received our 
petition.  Thanks for the publicity!!  I ought to send the Superintendent a 
thank you note.


We are determined not to give up.  A lot of people are paying more 
attention to their child's math education and once the program is 
implemented district-wide in the fall, it can do nothing but help our 
cause.


Susan Sarhady

A Parent Member of MathChoice