Beaumont 13-year-old girl opts out of taking STAAR, and sparks online campaign against the state-required exam
BEAUMONT -
Alex Trevino has grown up in a creative environment. Her parents Mundo and Aubrey own a tattoo and piercing shop in Beaumont, but the 13-year-old Vincent Middle School student says that creativity is being stifled in the classroom.
Alex blames the state-required State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test, or STAAR.
Alex told 12News, "I feel that we are not learning anything that we can use in life, we're taught to a test, nothing comes out of it."
So the eighth grader has opted out of taking the test. Although the Texas Education Agency tells 12News refusing to take the STAAR is not an option. The state requires fifth and eighth graders to pass the STAAR test to be promoted to the next grade. High school seniors who sit it out won't graduate.
Alex's parents fully support their daughter, saying the test is not a true assessment of a student's knowledge. Her mom, Aubrey, fears that the STAAR actually limits learning. She said, "We are having our kids do standardized testing, learn to a test all year long. All to memorize something, basically if they can't bark it back, they fail."
About her daughter's actions, Aubrey said, "I'm very proud of her for what she's doing, absolutely will face consequences for whatever comes."
Aubrey claims the STAAR test is not about education, it's all about money, and she believes ti contributed to the recent corruption allegations at Beaumont Independent School District.
Aubrey told us, "Salaries are connected to the STAAR testing, if children do better, they get a raise, if they do not, they don't"
Alex is not backing down. She has started a Facebook page called STAAR SOS to encourage others to take a stand. To her surprise in the first four hours that the page was up, it gained more than 9,000 followers.
12News has learned that at the next BISD board of managers meeting, some parents will express their concerns about the STAAR exam.Beaumont 13-year-old girl opts out of taking STAAR, and sparks o - 12 News: