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Refusing to Kiss the Chimp—Professionals, Crazy Stunts, and High-Stakes Testing
Years ago, back before test motivation had anything to do with calculated stunts, a friend of mine, who did some nice things for our school, brought in an adorable chimpanzee. It was a real hit with the students.
At one point I was put on the spot to kiss it. Despite student begging—they drastically wanted to see me kiss that chimp—I declined. Even when my friend held it up to my face and it looked at me adoringly, I still passed.
Later—after a lot of other people kissed the chimp making me look like I lacked something—I don’t exactly know what—I wondered whether I had been too squeamish. Was I not fun enough? Was I prudish with primates?
I must be honest, it doesn’t haunt me in the least that I never kissed that chimp. I have visited many zoos since then and watched a lot of smart-alecky chimps, and as much as I admire them and feel sorry they are in zoos instead of out in the wild, I continue to have no regrets that I never kissed one.
I am also a great admirer of Jane Goodall and if she wants to kiss a chimp that’s her business. I suppose if I lived with them as long as she has, I would maybe reconsider kissing them too. I’d know them a little better.
Why am I bringing all this up now? Stick with me.
Recently, teachers in Minnesota prepared a video called “Let it Go” cheering students on for the upcoming test. While it may have given these teachers something fun to do, or a way to semi-vent, I think it wasted their time when it came to testing. I liked that the teachers Refusing to Kiss the Chimp—Professionals, Crazy Stunts, and High-Stakes Testing:
