Students across New York City began high-stakes testing today - or at least most of them did. Parents from three Brooklyn schools announced that 80% of students at the schools had opted out of the tests. Opposition to the testing regime is visible and rising in the city.
At a press conference Brooklyn parent Kemala Karmen said:
"In recent years, our borough has earned a reputation as a trendsetter in everything from Indie music to urban farming to participatory budgeting." Now we can add one more way in which Brooklyn is blazing a trail: the parents of Brooklyn, outraged by the hijacking of our childrens' educations, outraged by the assault on our public schools and on our public school teachers, we parents of Brooklyn are taking a stand. Whether we live in Brownsville or Cobble Hill, Ft. Greene or Greenpoint, we are saying ENOUGH! Stop using the blunt instrument of the state ELA and math tests to rank and sort our children, our teachers, and our schools.