National Standards - my worries

I don't think I have ever felt so disillusioned with my job in the 15 Years I have spent as a Principal. The disillusionment stems from feeling totally disregarded and dis-empowered when trying to effect change with the present bulldozing through of National standards in their current state. Principals, teachers and Board members all over the country having been asking for things to slow down, for the Ministry to take another look at the contents and also the implementation process and in particular the appalling training that has been provided around the standards.
Let me put the record straight as I believe the public are being deliberately confused - there are two main components mostly associated with the National standards debate; one is being used to wash over the professionals real concerns, that is reporting to parents - all professional acknowledge we want parents to be well informed about their child's achievement, their next steps and what parent scan do to assist, we can get better at communicating this and are very keen to work together on this. BUT parents positive response to this is being used as an argument that parents want the present National Standards. I believe this is not the case because to date we have been naively focusing on trying to affect change with the Minister when we are clearly never going to be heard. We have tried to remain professional and to minimise any impact on children and teachers. But now we need our parents to understand our concerns and for them to consider whether this is what they want for their children and their learning.
So what are my worries about National Standards;
- National Standards are being implemented without any input from teachers or principals - the people who teach and assess children on daily basis, those who know what works and doesn't work for children's learning.
- The content of the actual standards had no input from teachers and principals, in fact no one has actually admitted who devised the standards - it was apparently done behind closed doors and rumour has it those involved had to sign confidentiality agreements. Very Transparent and open - NOT!!
- Overseas research indicates that National Standards have not raised student acheivement
but can in fact have the opposite effect.
- In 2008 the minsiter was advised, at a Symposium on Assessemnt held in Queenstown, by overseas experts that National Standards shoudl not be pursued as the impact would be negative.
- The current National Standards are being implemented in an untried manner, with such speed and haste those delivering the training do not know the answers to the questions teachers and principals are asking.
- There is a huge mismatch between the Assessment tools and the results these give and the National Standards. Students who have until now been achieving well may well be seen as failing the National Standards.
- There are additional requirements with this new system which are taking time away from teaching and learning and also requiring teachers to spend more time away from planning and preparation. This has a negative impact on the programmes students receive.
- We have a newly implemented, widely consulted, world class curriculum which has taken 7 years to develop. It is exciting and relevant. There are huge risks that this will now be narrowed as time is taken and focused on National Standards.
I have a number of other concerns also but will this will do for now.

I fear for the direction of our highly acclaimed and recognised education system, but my largest fear is the damage it may well do to our children, there has been no trial and it is against all research and follows a pattern of others that they have now abandoned - so why the rush?...