Conejo Valley Unified School District Superintendent intimidating parents who submitted Opt Out form – Fight back!

By Tony Dolz

Jeff Barstaad, the Superintendent of the CVUSD is playing us.  The school establishment is rewarded financially for snooping on our children and our families and for gathering information from “voluntary” surveys, tests and assessments which provides information about our families to federal and state government bureaucracy and private company partner$ who develop the tests, publish the books and do the data analysis for their self-gain.

Many of you opted out of the data mining inherent in surveys, tests and assessment by submitting to the schools the Opt Out form created by the attorneys of the Concerned Parents of Conejo Valley, the Pacific Justice Institute (PJI).  PJI has 500 affiliate attorneys in California and we have an agreement with them for representing Conejo Valley parents Pro Bono (free) if they use the Opt Out form it created and the parents’ rights are then violated.

Going into the first “voluntary” assessment test (week of March 24 – April 4) the CVUSD is in a panic.  The reason is that they must reach a high participation rate from our children.  So many parents have submitted their Opt Out form that the CVUSD fear they will fail to reach the required number.  Remember: The Smarter Balanced assessment test is a VOLUNTARY market study that will provide information to the book publishers and test and analysis private companies that are partnering with the education establishment.  Our children are being used as UNPAID guinea pigs in this and other voluntary surveys, tests and assessments.

In panic mode, Superintendent Baarstad sent to the principals a last minute and just minted “policy”.  He tells the parents and the principals that the district will not “AUTHORIZE” the parents’ Opt Out form.

DO NOT FALL for this deception and misinformation.

We parents are NOT asking for the school district or school’s authorization.  No authorization is necessary.  The suggestion that authorization is required is a SCAM from Superintendent Baarstad to spread disinformation and to cheat the parents out of their legal right to opt out of any and all voluntary tests, surveys and assessments that we are legally entitled to opt out of under California law.

The Opt Out form is NOT an agreement where the school is a partner.  INSTEAD it is a notification to the school of the California Education Codes and California statutes that allows parents to OPT OUT of certain VOLUNTARY test, survey and assessments.  The law is very clear on what those tests, surveys and assessments are and so is the school district.  We do not need agreement from the school, we just need them to obey the law.

You DO NOT NEED THEIR SIGNATURE or AGREEMENT to have and enjoy YOUR LEGAL RIGHT to OPT OUT of VOLUNTARY tests, surveys and assessment that the law clearly defines (see the legal citations on the face of the Opt Out form.)

You as a parent are asking instead for a SIGNATURE as evidence that they RECEIVED your notification.  If the school refuses to sign the receipt, IT DOES NOT MATTER.  There are other ways to get a proof of service.

Since Baarstad has by now misinformed the principals, the principals are refusing to acknowledge receipt of the form.  As of now send in your Opt Out form by U.S. Postal Service with a SIGNATURE REQUEST (instead) and as a second or back up proof of service, send the opt out form by email and if you wish even more proof of service, send them a third copy of the opt out form by FAX.  Two proofs of service is already very good.

REPEAT.  You don’t need approval, you don’t need authorization . . . WHAT YOU NEED is proof of service.      U.S. Postal Service signature request, 2^nd copy by Email.

Those of you who have already submitted your opt out form – you will be contacted soon by the principals.  The principals will try to coerce you to INSTEAD give them a limited opt out of one test at a time . . . .  don’t fall for that.  Do not agree to weaken the Opt Out form created by the Pacific Justice Institute because that would make it difficult or impossible for PJI to represent you if your rights are violate.

IF YOU HAVE NOT YET SUBMITTED AN OPT OUT FORM . . .  DO IT NOW.   And If you have submitted one, ignore all the intimidation and coercion from Superintendent Baarstad.  Ignore their call, ignore their request for a meeting to get you to back off.  If you hold your position, your rights will be protected and if the school VIOLATES your rights, by forcing your child to take the “voluntary” tests, surveys and assessment, the Pacific Justice Institute will represent you Pro Bono.

These tests, surveys and assessments are VOLUNTARY.  They cannot force your child to participate in something that is voluntary.  The law also PROHIBITS the schools from punishing your child or you for not participating.  Not participating WILL NOT and CANNOT affect the student’s grade or passing to the next school year.  It is a crime punishable by law for the school to take retribution against the child or the parents for not participating in these voluntary tests, surveys and assessments.

Don’t stand for your child being used as an unpaid guinea pig and for data mining of your child and the family.

WHAT IF YOU BACKED OFF AND AGREED TO A TEST BY TEST OPT OUT BEFORE READING THESE INSTRUCTIONS?   No problem.  The Opt Out form says that that form (going by the date) supersedes all previous forms.  SOLUTION.  RESUBMIT a new opt out form using the U.S. Postal Service, signature requested.  The new opt out form will INVALIDATE any previous opt out form.  Easy!

DOWNLOAD the Opt Out form and submit it.  Send it by U.S. Postal Service with signature requested.  Send a second copy by email to the principal or to Superintendent Baarstad.

DOWNLOAD HERE:   www.ConcernedParentsOfConejoValley.com

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Editor’s note: This is from “Concerned Parents of Conejo Valley,” an education rights group.

Tony Dolz is a Thousand Oaks business man running for the Conejo Valley School Board

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