Things have reached a new level of insanity here in New York. I feel powerless to protect my students. So I wrote another letter...
Dear Chancellor Rosa,
I have high hopes that you will bring sanity to the scary situation classroom teachers are finding themselves in during this current testing season. After all the promises Commissioner Elia made, (I spoke to her in person when she visited White Plains High School a few weeks ago,) she has failed to demonstrate an honest and believable response to the serious concerns she claims she heard while on her "listening tour."
This has to be the worst testing season to date. Students in New York State have been "choosing" to sit with a test for 3, 4, 5 hours and more. No normal, healthy child would make this decision.
We are preying on the weaknesses of children with anxiety issues, OCD, a heightened need to please teachers and parents, or a host of other possible reasons to "choose" to take a test for so long.
When I asked at school if we had an obligation to tell parents how long their children had been testing for, I was looked at like I was crazy.
This has to be the worst testing season to date. Students in New York State have been "choosing" to sit with a test for 3, 4, 5 hours and more. No normal, healthy child would make this decision.
We are preying on the weaknesses of children with anxiety issues, OCD, a heightened need to please teachers and parents, or a host of other possible reasons to "choose" to take a test for so long.
When I asked at school if we had an obligation to tell parents how long their children had been testing for, I was looked at like I was crazy.
I continue to be stunned by our complicity as a profession. How did we allow ourselves to be co-opted into becoming foot soldiers in a war on children?
This whole situation has created chaos, confusion, and a lot of crazy thinking. We are further today from returning sanity to public education than we were last year with John King.
I am tired of being forced into being complicit in the State Ed Department's illogical decisions and directives.
Have policy makers heard of the Milgram or Stanford Prison Experiments? They were both wildly successful studies of exactly what human adults are capable of doing in the name of blind obedience.
Have policy makers heard of the Milgram or Stanford Prison Experiments? They were both wildly successful studies of exactly what human adults are capable of doing in the name of blind obedience.
There is much that is wrong this year. This is not a reboot. This is a nightmare.
Un-timed tests are abusive to children. Improperly printed test booklets invalidate the scores.
Please, we need your help to stop this madness.
Sincerely,
a veteran elementary teacher
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