Beyond Just Testing

The issues with our education system go beyond just testing. The real issue is that our government officials are using political power to influence educational laws that benefit corporations fiscally, rather than influencing laws that benefit children educationally and emotionally. Of course, in return our government officials receive funding for their political campaigns. It’s one of those “I’ll scratch your back if you’ll scratch mine,” but instead it’s, “You make me rich at the expense of public school children and I’ll endorse your political campaign.”  

Our education system is more than broken, its shattered. It’s impossible to repair a system that started off inoperative to begin with and that’s why reforming our education system will never work. In order to have a strong education system we need to rid the old one and develop a whole new education system; an education system designed by educators who have spent years in a classroom, instead of our current system that has been designed by lawyers, politicians and corporations.

 The media coverage this week on refusing the NYS assessments has been disappointing. Parents who just learned about refusing the state tests need to be aware of why they should have their children refuse. Parents shouldn't use the excuse of harder tests this year as their reason to refuse. There is a much bigger picture that surrounds these tests. I ask parents to please do the research, ask questions and educate themselves. Knowledge is power!