The purpose of this letter is to respond to your coverage of the CRT controversy in your paper in the Friday, April 25 issue.
I would also like to provide you with the official position of the FPA as it relates to the CRT.
First, I want to respond to the article in your paper entitled: “Voices were heard and a compromise was reached.”
Contrary to your article, I advise you that no compromise has been reached in the CRT controversy.
On April 21, 2008, the ad-hoc group (the forerunner to the FPA) met in Fairfield County at the Recreation Center, and the members unanimously agreed that the re-testing option was not an adequate resolution of the CRT controversy because re-testing would not
eliminate the defects associated with the implementation of the CRT.
Additionally, the members voted to adopt the following official position on the re-testing option: The FPA will not oppose any student opting to take the CRT re-test.
However, it is the official position of the FPA that re-testing will not resolve the controversy because it fails to address implementation flaws associated with the CRT. (The wording of this position may not be the exact verbiage of the motion passed, but it contains the essence of the motion voted upon and it represents an accurate position taken by the organization.)
A designated person of the organization was authorized to talk with legal counsel about the possibility of representing the organization.
Subsequent to the April 21, 2008 meeting, Attorney Glenn Walters of Orangeburg, SC has been consulted, and he is planning to meet with the organization’s members on April 28, 2008, in order to render the organization appropriate legal advice.
In that a political solution does not seem possible to the CRT controversy, the FPA is seeking appropriate legal counsel in order to determine the next steps to be taken in this matter.
Further, I advise you of the following:
1. The FPA does not oppose using the CRT. However, it should not be implemented this school year because of the implementation flaws.
2. The FPA is an inclusive organization whose primary mission is to advocate for the total education of our children;
3. We welcome the help from our religious leaders and all concerned citizens from our county;
4. The FPA is not a political organization. However, we will interact with the elected officials in order to accomplish our objectives;
5. Failure for our children is not option;
Finally, as the Public Relations Consultant (non-compensated) for the FPA, you can contact me at the address above. In that the FPA is newly formed, I am using my office address until the organization choses a permanent address. The president of our organization is Mr. Thomas Armstrong.
Ernest E. Yarborough, J.D.
Columbia
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