I looked it up; it's called the
MET Project. Teachers get small stipends for participating. If the school didn't notify the parents, they've probably messed up, and pretty badly, especially if they're giving surveys to the students or videotaping them for the project.
You could raise a legitimate stink about this. Basically, if the school is saying that your child can't be accelerated because of this project, and especially if the school would have considered acceleration otherwise (e.g. if there's a policy in writing or a law that's being ignored), the school is forcing him to participate in research without your consent. This is a pretty blatant violation of informed consent laws.
Are they making videotapes or any other records for this project, without consent? Again, another violation of informed consent.
See
this article. Scroll down to section 5 (Research). Informed consent applies to social research as well as medical research.
I suspect that the school is the problem here, rather than the Gates Foundation. But they all have an obligation to ensure that they get informed consent.
I advise writing an extremely pointed letter to the school board (
NOT the principal) pointing out that they've ignored your previous requests and asking them why they're forcing your son to participate in research without your consent. Use the term "in violation of informed consent laws." It will get their attention. You need to write a letter or send an email; don't let this go through verbal communication.
If the response you got from the principal was in writing, photocopy it or scan it and send it. If he gave a written response saying the study was the reason for refusing the request, the school could be on the hook, regardless.
I work in research, and people just can't do this kind of stuff without your permission.
From what you've written, the principal seems to have made up his mind and you'll get nowhere with him, which is why you might want to consider going over his head. From the school board's perspective, looking bad in public and causing a possible uproar over informed consent is worse than letting some kid do appropriate math.
Val
