State education officials are directing public school districts to ignore the fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing of their children. Yet a grass-roots movement to allow parents to opt their children out of high-stakes testing is spreading across the nation, including here in New York.
Parents have strong feelings regarding the overuse and misuse of such testing, and the fact is teaching is too complex an activity ever to be properly assessed by numerical models, which is why expensive evaluation systems based on test scores keep failing. Teachers know how to assess children's progress, and principals, fellow teachers and parents know how to evaluate teachers, by observing their work directly.
Federal law states parents possess the "fundamental right" to "direct the upbringing and education of their children." Furthermore, the Supreme Court has declared: "The child is not the mere creature of the state; those who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right coupled with the high duty to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations." Further, it stated: "It is cardinal with us that the custody, care and nurture of the child reside first in the parents, whose primary function and freedom include preparation for the obligations the state can neither supply nor hinder."
Parents, speak up and encourage your children to refuse to take these assessments that will be administered this month. Let's tell our political and school leaders: We want valuable educational experiences that promote critical thinking, problem solving, communication, collaboration, creativity and innovation.
Barbara Cardone
South Colonie
School District parent Albany