May 22, 2006
Attorney General Rob McKenna
1125 Washington Street SE
P.O. Box 40100
Olympia, WA 98504-0100
Governor Christine Gregoire
Legislative Building
P.O. Box 40002
Olympia, WA 98504-0002
Dear Attorney General Rob McKenna and Governor Christine Gregoire:
I am writing this letter to request, again, a meeting with both of you so we can discuss my concerns as they relate to OSPI implementing the conceptual framework of Robert Carkhuff through the current design of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) and its related education reform (teaching and learning transformations, and curricula adoptions).
I have not received a letter accepting or denying my previous requests to meet, or a letter addressing the very serious concerns and supporting documents presented, from neither of you. As I stated in my April 20, 2006, letter, I would like to resolve the OSPI religious promotion and contractual issues through the administrative process.
I am sure that you have reviewed some of the evidence to see that the focus of Robert Carkhuff’s conceptual framework is the communion with God or as Bergeson et al. claim, the phenomenon. This being a fact, I suggest that you review the enclosed training assessment provided by a certificated teacher, Jimmie W. Williams, from Point Defiance Elementary. OSPI paid the teacher $350.00 to participate in the training of the New Science of Possibilities and its New 3R’s. I do believe it is important to quote the following from the teacher’s assessment:
"I want to express my appreciation to Dr. Griffin, Dr. Carkhuff, Dr. Banks, Dr. Linder, Lee Crosby, and the entire staff of the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction….I was challenged and introduced to the New Possibilities of learning through the processes of 'The New 3-R’s'."
"R1 'What Up' The first thing I told the children was 'what up', by relating information by various images. Audio and visual delivered the information.
R2 'What It Is' Representing to the children by giving them the contents of the song, asking them to think, and to think of a song as a story being told in the form of singing in a church choir.
R3 'What Else?' The Children (learners) were ask to recall and related what the (sic) had learned. By using the 5-W-2H, they will learn the first phase of reasoning. This is learned by 'Getting, Giving, and Merging' by expanding on what we learn, we get more powerful images of information."
Another important piece of evidence that supports the fact that OSPI intentionally funded and implemented the Carkhuff conceptual framework to influence the educational programs of all students in Washington State is the cover sheet, signed by Terry Bergeson, of the “Possibilities Schools” grant. The abstract stated, “The focus of this proposal is to develop, or extend statewide professional development systems with Web based enhancements that can build classroom and school capacity to implement reform efforts and achieve possibilities schools.” OSPI also noted on the cover sheet that the student population benefiting from the project is 2 million, and the teacher population is 100,000 (see attached document). I have demonstrated through pages and pages of documents that the conceptual framework of Robert Carkhuff is the current design of the WASL and its related education reform. Even though, you both remain silent on the issue. Clearly, we have a very serious problem. Because of the criminal and civil rights violations influenced by OSPI’s implementation of the Carkhuff conceptual framework throughout the K-12 educational system the immediate legal action of the Governor, Attorney General and the courts is required.
Your immediate written response that references the numerous concerns and requests presented in this letter, the December 23, 2005 letter, April 20, 2006 letter and all supporting documents and letters associated is requested.
Sincerely,
Nancy Vernon
