What would Gandhi Do? - 1 views

• 
  #1 Bonnie Sutton on 18 Apr 12

   

  http://educationontheplate.com/2012/04/17/what-would-gandhi-do/
  
  In its infinite wisdom, the New York State Education Department has increased the length of the state ELA and math tests by 50% this year. Now three days each instead of two.
  
  They say that the increase is due to a need to field test questions for future exams based on the Common Core standards.
  
  In other words, they are using our students, our children, as guinea pigs.
  
  Any other field of science requires informed consent before experimenting on human subjects. I've never been asked if I consent to the state experimenting on my son. The state is either arrogantly flouting standard scientific procedure or they're saying my son, and all the other students attending public schools in the state are not human.
  
  Either way, they're wrong.
  
  I suspect that if asked, they'll say that sending our children to public schools implies consent.
  
  That's nonsense.
  
  It is the same as saying that by taking our children to doctors we're implying consent for them to be used in chemotherapy studies.
  
  I've spent part of the past week, and part of a week in February, working in the library of the Ethical Culture School in Manhattan as part of the state-required internship for the MLS degree I am almost done with.
  
  The students at the Ethical Culture School don't take state tests. Their parents spend $38,000 a year to buy out of them. Yes, somehow, their children get educated and everyone connected with their education knows precisely what each child is learning.
  
  Not many of us can afford to spend $38,000 a year per child for an education that exempts them from state testing that has nothing to do with improving student learning and that also conducts experiments on those students. We have to find a different way to get our sons and daughters out of the grip of the edu-business of standardized exams.
  
  I propose education civil disobedience. We should just keep our children home on testing days. Or if we must send them to school so we can work, teach them to refuse to take the exams.
  
  Yes, it can have a disastrous effect on a school's AYP if not enough students take the exam. If it happens in one school no one will notice.
  
  If it happens in all the schools in a district people will begin to notice.
  
  And if it happens in a lot of districts our educational leaders will have a decision to make.
  
  They can try to enforce the laws and punish parents, students and schools for the boycott.
  
  Or they can take their ball of data and go away.
  
  At least for a while.

   

  <div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner"><a href="http://educationontheplate.com/2012/04/17/what-would-gandhi-do/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://educationontheplate.com/2012/04/17/what-would-gandhi-do/</a> <br /> <br /> In its infinite wisdom, the New York State Education Department has increased the length of the state ELA and math tests by 50% this year. Now three days each instead of two. <br /> <br /> They say that the increase is due to a need to field test questions for future exams based on the Common Core standards. <br /> <br /> In other words, they are using our students, our children, as guinea pigs. <br /> <br /> Any other field of science requires informed consent before experimenting on human subjects. I've never been asked if I consent to the state experimenting on my son. The state is either arrogantly flouting standard scientific procedure or they're saying my son, and all the other students attending public schools in the state are not human. <br /> <br /> Either way, they're wrong. <br /> <br /> I suspect that if asked, they'll say that sending our children to public schools implies consent. <br /> <br /> That's nonsense. <br /> <br /> It is the same as saying that by taking our children to doctors we're implying consent for them to be used in chemotherapy studies. <br /> <br /> I've spent part of the past week, and part of a week in February, working in the library of the Ethical Culture School in Manhattan as part of the state-required internship for the MLS degree I am almost done with. <br /> <br /> The students at the Ethical Culture School don't take state tests. Their parents spend $38,000 a year to buy out of them. Yes, somehow, their children get educated and everyone connected with their education knows precisely what each child is learning. <br /> <br /> Not many of us can afford to spend $38,000 a year per child for an education that exempts them from state testing that has nothing to do with improving student learning and that also conducts experiments on those students. We have to find a different way to get our sons and daughters out of the grip of the edu-business of standardized exams. <br /> <br /> I propose education civil disobedience. We should just keep our children home on testing days. Or if we must send them to school so we can work, teach them to refuse to take the exams. <br /> <br /> Yes, it can have a disastrous effect on a school's AYP if not enough students take the exam. If it happens in one school no one will notice. <br /> <br /> If it happens in all the schools in a district people will begin to notice. <br /> <br /> And if it happens in a lot of districts our educational leaders will have a decision to make. <br /> <br /> They can try to enforce the laws and punish parents, students and schools for the boycott. <br /> <br /> Or they can take their ball of data and go away. <br /> <br /> At least for a while.</div>

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