Wisconsin teacher boycotts standardized test

[George Sheridan <learn@jps.net>]

Wisconsin teacher boycotts standardized test.

The Associated Press (11/2) reports that "Wisconsin eighth-grade teacher David
Wasserman "sat in the teachers' lounge Tuesday, leaving his colleagues to oversee
the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam," which is used to determine whether
schools are making adequate yearly progress under the No Child Left Behind Act.
Wasserman, "Like many teachers...said he believes the test is a poor way to
measure student progress, takes up too much class time and is used unfairly to
punish schools." He had planned to refuse to participate in all five days of
testing, but relented on Thursday when warned that he would be fired if his
protest continued. On Thursday, he sat at his desk during testing but was allowed
to ask other teachers to "oversee the test for his 30 eighth-grade students."
Wasserman claims that he has been "bombarded with phone calls and e-mail
messages," and that "some critics have falsely accused him of not caring about
his students but that the vast majority of messages have been supportive."

Wasserman "learned Thursday he will be disciplined for his actions," according to
the AP. Wasserman "said district officials told him he will get a letter of
reprimand in his personnel file for insubordination. And they warned he would be
fired if he carried out another protest." Wasserman says that he has agreed to
end his protest primarily because he cannot jeopardize his family's health
insurance coverage.

George Sheridan