We were asked by a citizen from Covington, LA to verify the following information and, if accurate, to share the following open letter which was drafted in response to St. Tammany Parish School Board member, Mary Kay Bellisario's emails and community meetings which have announced and promoted upcoming "tweaks" to the strongest student data privacy law in the nation, Act 837:
"To all,
I have sincerely appreciated the many e-mails provided by STPSB member, Mary K Bellisario, over the last several years. She has never hidden her negative feelings toward John White's involvement with issues such as InBloom, PARCC, and other shady data sharing initiatives.......
However, her desire to 'tweak' the strongest student data privacy law in the nation (Act 837) has made me question her sincerity.
I do not want children's private information 'tweaked'. I value all children's safety and do not appreciate anyone advocating to 'tweak' private and personal information out of children.
I find it interesting that, in all of her emails bashing Mr. White for his disregard for our children's personal and private information, Mrs. Bellisario has never mentioned her son's position in the LDOE, his relationship with State Supts. John White and Paul Pastorek, or his connection to the workforce & technology initiatives of BESE.
Her son:
1) Served as co-chair for the Communications Committee with another U of VA alum, John White, as part of 'The Louisiana Believes Initiative' in 2012-2013:
"I was a member of Louisiana’s ‘Louisiana Believes’ initiative. I served as co-chair for the Communications committee and got to work with another U.Va. alumnus, State Superintendent John White, in an effort to improve communication between the state and local educators."
2) Won the CHS Teacher of the Year Award (2012)
3) Won Parish Teacher of the Year (2012)
4) Won Region 2 Teacher of the Year Award (2012)
[Teacher of the Year awards are sponsored by BESE, LDOE, the business lobby and the Council of Chief State School Officers.]
5) Appointed by State Supt. Paul Pastorek to the 2009 LA Textbook Adoption Committee for Career/Technical Textbooks
6) Appointed by State Supt. Paul Pastorek and served as Chair of the 2010 LA Textbook Adoption Committee for Computer Textbooks
7) Named in 2012 by Supt. John White to serve on The Louisiana Believes Teacher Advisory Committee because of his commitment to work in implementing the Louisiana Believes Plan
8) Is Covington H.S.'s teacher for The Cisco Program which certifies students to fill workforce quotas in CISCO CCNA & CISCO IT
It has been during Mary K. Bellisario's tenure as a St. Tammany Parish School Board member that the Cisco Program for which her son teaches was adopted. During this same time, the School Board joined with Cisco's partner, The Schlectly Center for School Reform to follow Cisco's lead in Global Engagement for its 21st Century Schools. St. Tammany Parish Schools recently even held a seminar on their behalf.
I have always been curious as to why Mrs. Bellisario seemed to get a pass where her son's employment in the LDOE is concerned given her consistent and blatant criticism of State Supt. John White.
Looks like she's one parent who has nothing to worry about.
Can't say the same for the rest of us....
Mary K. Bellisario, I, and many others, take great offense to ANYONE 'tweaking' ACT 837."
"To all,
I have sincerely appreciated the many e-mails provided by STPSB member, Mary K Bellisario, over the last several years. She has never hidden her negative feelings toward John White's involvement with issues such as InBloom, PARCC, and other shady data sharing initiatives.......
However, her desire to 'tweak' the strongest student data privacy law in the nation (Act 837) has made me question her sincerity.
I do not want children's private information 'tweaked'. I value all children's safety and do not appreciate anyone advocating to 'tweak' private and personal information out of children.
I find it interesting that, in all of her emails bashing Mr. White for his disregard for our children's personal and private information, Mrs. Bellisario has never mentioned her son's position in the LDOE, his relationship with State Supts. John White and Paul Pastorek, or his connection to the workforce & technology initiatives of BESE.
Her son:
1) Served as co-chair for the Communications Committee with another U of VA alum, John White, as part of 'The Louisiana Believes Initiative' in 2012-2013:
"I was a member of Louisiana’s ‘Louisiana Believes’ initiative. I served as co-chair for the Communications committee and got to work with another U.Va. alumnus, State Superintendent John White, in an effort to improve communication between the state and local educators."
2) Won the CHS Teacher of the Year Award (2012)
3) Won Parish Teacher of the Year (2012)
4) Won Region 2 Teacher of the Year Award (2012)
[Teacher of the Year awards are sponsored by BESE, LDOE, the business lobby and the Council of Chief State School Officers.]
5) Appointed by State Supt. Paul Pastorek to the 2009 LA Textbook Adoption Committee for Career/Technical Textbooks
6) Appointed by State Supt. Paul Pastorek and served as Chair of the 2010 LA Textbook Adoption Committee for Computer Textbooks
7) Named in 2012 by Supt. John White to serve on The Louisiana Believes Teacher Advisory Committee because of his commitment to work in implementing the Louisiana Believes Plan
8) Is Covington H.S.'s teacher for The Cisco Program which certifies students to fill workforce quotas in CISCO CCNA & CISCO IT
It has been during Mary K. Bellisario's tenure as a St. Tammany Parish School Board member that the Cisco Program for which her son teaches was adopted. During this same time, the School Board joined with Cisco's partner, The Schlectly Center for School Reform to follow Cisco's lead in Global Engagement for its 21st Century Schools. St. Tammany Parish Schools recently even held a seminar on their behalf.
I have always been curious as to why Mrs. Bellisario seemed to get a pass where her son's employment in the LDOE is concerned given her consistent and blatant criticism of State Supt. John White.
Looks like she's one parent who has nothing to worry about.
Can't say the same for the rest of us....
Mary K. Bellisario, I, and many others, take great offense to ANYONE 'tweaking' ACT 837."