Medically Fragile Kids forced to take NCLB tests, even though they are dying.

[Snoutport]

I was visiting my mentor teacher yesterday. A great class with a great teacher...but, one of the most difficult jobs I have ever seen. The students are very ill. Two have passed away this year.

What have they been doing all month? Testing for No Child Left Behind. Day after day of the teacher reading questions they can't comprehend and then sitting in a quiet room with a timer until they have timed out. They get a 0 and then on to the next question. All day long...one when student becomes so uncomfortable or tired then the next student takes their place.

There is no valid information from these tests. There is nothing but costs to the state and the robbery of time from children who have very little time.

How dare No Child Left Behind supporters think that these children deserve to spend some of their few days left on earth taking a fu$*&#* test that does nothing for the kid. Does nothing for the class except take the teacher away for a couple of weeks as she reads questions in a quiet room over and over and over and over. Does nothing for the school except pull down the scores of every hard-working kid who strives to do better at school, does nothing except make the regular ed teachers dislike special ed because no matter how good they are the special ed kids will cause their school to fail, does nothing except make the district look like it isn't teaching and finally does nothing but undermine public education across the country so that charter school and voucher supporters have an excuse to gut the school system.

NCLB is cruel and inhumane and only hurts our society. When do we as a people demand it stop? WE OWN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. It is time we support it!

[msongs]

1. handicapped kids who cannot read, hear, or speak are also required to take these tests. huge $$

goes to the test manufacturers and the paper pushers who create, distribute, retrieve, score, and data base the results.

total waste

[Snoutport]

5. and is makes the schools look like they are failing.

how do we get this message out?

[CrispyQ]

2. Someday, America will be the example of what happens

when a society pursues profit at the expense of everything else. We're damned near a hollowed out shell right now.

[Snoutport]

6. I sadly agree with you :o( nt

[struggle4progress]

3. Call the US Capitol switchboard [phone] three times

Ask to be connected to (1) your representative and (2&3) your senator

You'll get somebody in the office. Find out which aide in each office handles NCLB-related stuff. Find out when the aide will be in. Keep calling back til you get the aide. Be polite and rational, but give the aide an earful about what you saw and what you think about it

You might also start working your way up from the bottom. Call the school district offices and express concern. Then start going up the ladder. Be polite and listen to get info; expect some buck-passing

http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/general/one_item_and_teasers/contacting.htm
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

[Snoutport]

4. Thank you struggle! I 'll be calling tomorrow!

I appreciate your words! I sent the President a letter but I am ready to follow it up and start hounding them. It is so wrong what is happening.

Have a great day.