Late last week the National School Boards Association apologized for asking President Joe Biden and the Department of Justice to classify concerned parents as domestic terrorists worthy of invasive Patriot Act scrutiny.
“There was no justification for some of the language included in the letter. We should have had a better process in place to allow for consultation on a communication of this significance,” the NSBA wrote in a follow up letter. “The voices of parents should and must continue to be heard when it comes to decisions about their children’s education, health and safety.”
But despite the gross classification of parents the President of NSBA, Viola Garcia, will still play a role in shaping federal education policy.
“It is my pleasure to appoint this distinguished group of leaders to the National Assessment Governing Board,” U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona announced on October 13. “As we address students’ educational needs during this challenging time, I'm confident these leaders will bring the perspectives necessary to ensure the National Assessment of Educational Progress remains the gold standard in measuring student academic outcomes. The pandemic has disrupted our students’ educational opportunities and their learning, with impacts on students’ academic and social and emotional development, as well as their mental health. As we work to address students’ academic needs, we need the Nation’s Report Card now more than ever to help us understand students’ academic progress and where additional supports can be targeted, ensuring all students reach their full potential.”
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Garcia is listed on the Education Department's official website, where she will be "responsible for deciding which subjects NAEP assesses, determining the assessments’ content, setting achievement levels that describe student performance, and pursuing new ways to make NAEP results useful and meaningful to the public." Her term is up in 2025.
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