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Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Seattle Schools Community Forum: News Round-Up (And Look Who's Boycotting State Tests)

Seattle Schools Community Forum: News Round-Up (And Look Who's Boycotting State Tests):


News Round-Up (And Look Who's Boycotting State Tests)

From the Times' Danny Westneat, his take on some parents in Mill Creek and Snohomish who have decided  their children will not be taking the state test.  About 70 parents are participating and for one school, that includes 25% of students.

From his column:

They'll be in another room, doing art or science projects.
  
Parents have the right to opt their kids out of the tests. There's no punishment, though the kids get a zero. Handfuls have opted out over the years, often at alternative schools. A few years back a Seattle science teacher refused to give the test, saying it was harmful to students.
  
But state officials say parents have never pulled their kids on this large a scale.

"We're kind of shocked at the size of it," said Nathan Olson, spokesman for the state superintendent of public