Should parents take their kids out of the education testing race?

September 5, 2011

Bunch of opposite-editorial page articles say states ought to get off the testing treadmill, do some real walking instead.  Is it a national movement?

One of these pieces explained:

For example, Tim Slekar, a professor of education in Pennsylvania, opted his son Luke out of his state’s tests last school year to “make my community aware and to try and enlighten them of the real issues.” This parent and professor’s plea is simple and forceful: “Stop treating my child as data! He’s a great kid who loves to learn. He is not a politician’s pawn in a chess game designed to prove the inadequacy of his teachers and school.”

If it’s not a national movement, should it be?

List of Op-Eds which support opting out of the state test in order to save the public schools:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-school-testing-20110825,0,7660909.story

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/timothy-d-slekar/public-schools-are-not-ne_b_943803.html

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/28/1011377/-Empty-Test-Chair-by-Empty-Test-Chair

http://www.examiner.com/education-reform-in-baltimore/opt-out-or-give-up-resistance-shades-of-grey

http://pegwithpen.blogspot.com/2011/09/why-opt-out-of-state-test-better.html

http://www.realhartford.org/2011/08/31/back-to-school-guide-reclaiming-your-childs-education-22/

http://liukarama.typepad.com/empowermagazine/2011/08/back-to-school-advice-opt-out-of-standardized-tests.html

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/03/20/pennsylvania.school.testing/index.html

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teacher_in_a_strange_land/2011/09/opting_out.html

http://www.marionbrady.com/articles/Orlando_Sentinel_Column/arts.html

http://www.newdemocracyworld.org/old/shove.htm

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/28/1011377/-Empty-Test-Chair-by-Empty-Test-Chair

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/timothy-d-slekar/i-am-more-than-a-test-sco_b_921279.html

http://www.edubiquity.org/?p=110

When parents choose to get their kids out of the test, do the kids know why, and do they develop any greater love for learning?  If so, I’m for it.

But, parents, don’t take your kid out, so your kid can sit in my class wasting his time, my time, and other students’ time, saying “I don’t have to learn this stuff.”

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Much more detail on the issue and events at Real Hartford.

1 Comment | Education, Parents, Testing | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell