Chicago Test Boycott - Second School Joins In
Guest post by Michelle Gunderson.
An 8 year old child sits at a desk separated and isolated from peers. There is a paper and pencil test placed in front with a bubble-in answer sheet. The teacher reads the scripted instructions in a robotic voice, writes the time and the board and says, "Begin."
Only this isn't the end of it. This child will experience this same scenario over the next 8 days while taking the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT).
As a parent, would you sign your child up for this?
Educators and parents in Chicago joined forces this week to boycott the ISAT at two schools, Maria Saucedo Elementary School and Drummond Montessori. There are also over 1,000 parents at 37 other Chicago schools who requested to opt their child out of ISAT. They are supported in their decision by the Chicago Teachers Union and the Caucus of Rank and File Educators (CORE).
The photo above shows a teacher Sarah Chambers addressing a press conference held on the afternoon of Tuesday, Feb. 25, at Saucedo Elementary. Chambers is Saucedo's union delegate, and a co-chair of CORE. This afternoon, roughly 200 people rallied in the street in front of Saucedo,