Support Don Perl’s Billboard Campaign in Colorado
15 years ago, Don Perl refused to administer Colorado’s first high-stakes test. Since then thousands of parents nationwide have begun to Opt Out of the test. Let’s keep the dominoes falling as we move toward implementing more humane educational policies that include all of our children. Please consider making adonation to his billboard campaign.
From the “Jan. 27, 2001 Denver Post article “Teacher won’t administer CSAP tests”
A middle-school teacher in Greeley said Friday that he refuses to administer the Colorado Student Assessment Program tests to his students because they clash with his beliefs as an educator.
This is the first time a teacher has refused to administer the tests, officials believe. State law requires teachers to give the exams, a fact that hasn’t escaped Donald Perl, 58.
“I’ve anguished over this for a long time, and I cannot administer these tests, knowing the population here and seeing how discriminatory the test is,” said Perl, a Greeley resident who teaches eighth-grade Spanish, reading and language arts at John Evans Middle School.”
Perl said he is prepared to face the consequences of his refusal.”
“You know what? I have to look at myself in the mirror, and I know these tests are wrong,” he said. “Frankly, I’m not a teacher when I teach to a test like this, when I administer a test like this.”
“If I have gotten some people to think about this, then I have done my job as a teacher.”
This is the first time a teacher has refused to administer the tests, officials believe. State law requires teachers to give the exams, a fact that hasn’t escaped Donald Perl, 58.
“I’ve anguished over this for a long time, and I cannot administer these tests, knowing the population here and seeing how discriminatory the test is,” said Perl, a Greeley resident who teaches eighth-grade Spanish, reading and language arts at John Evans Middle School.”
Perl said he is prepared to face the consequences of his refusal.”
“You know what? I have to look at myself in the mirror, and I know these tests are wrong,” he said. “Frankly, I’m not a teacher when I teach to a test like this, when I administer a test like this.”
“If I have gotten some people to think about this, then I have done my job as a teacher.”
See more on Don’s story here and please donate – thank you!
