Portland public schools teacher's ouster sparks uproar over state tests | OregonLive.com:
by Special to The Oregonian
The recent midyear dismissal of a much-loved Japanese language immersion teacher at
Richmond Elementary School in Southeast Portland is fueling a long-simmering debate about teacher licensing tests.
Upset parents say the third-grade teacher was one of the school's best but was tripped up by a standardized teacher-certification test given statewide that they suspect has cultural and linguistic biases.
"This was the best teacher we ever encountered," said parent Amy Hall, a graphic designer who lives in Northeast Portland and has had two children in the Richmond program, including one taught by the teacher. "Our children made the best progress in her class under her guidance and individual attention. It broke my heart to hear that someone whom we consider the best teacher we have ever seen was let go on a technicality."
