Beth Dimino, an eighth grade science teacher in the Comsewogue district on Long Island in Néw York, will not administer the Common Core tests this spring. Her superintendent, Dr. Joseph Rella, supports her. For their act of courage, I name both to the honor roll.
The Long Island Press reports:
“More than 20,000 LI school children refused to take the state tests last April. No teacher, however, has gone so far as Dimino to publicly voice his/her intention to refuse to even proctor the exams. She tells the Press her unprecedented decision is simply a matter of conscience, and spelled out as much in a recent letter to Comsewogue Superintendent Dr. Joe Rella, who’s also gone on record as a staunch Common Core dissident.
“I find myself at a point in the progress of education reform in which clear acts of conscience will be necessary to preserve the integrity of public education,” she writes. “I can no longer implement policies that seek to transform the broad promises of public education into a narrow obsession with the ranking and sorting of children.
“I will not distort curriculum in order to encourage students to comply with bubble test thinking,” continues her letter. “I can no longer, in good conscience, push aside months of instruction to compete in a state-wide ritual of meaningless and academically bankrupt test preparation. I have seen clearly how these reforms undermine teachers’ love for their profession and undermine students’ intrinsic love of learning.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Time for teachers to fire off a thousand letters to Superintendent Rella confirming that he will also support their decisions not to give the tests this spring.
LikeLike
So she refuses to give it. Does that mean her kids won’t take it? Otherwise her act, while courageous, requires other teachers to cover.
To have real meaning in a school, enough teachers have to refuse so the test can’t be given to at least some students.will the superintendent buy that?
LikeLike
Other teachers have to take responsibility for themselves. They all have the choice to do what she’s doing and risk what she’s risking.
LikeLike
It will be hard for any teacher to administer the 6th grade ELA test this spring after this revelation by a teacher who read the instructions and can’t justify giving it to her students.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV6HoDLsnH8&app=desktop
LikeLike
Thank you, Dawn for posting this video. This teacher’s courage is extraordinary. I, too, struggle with my propensity for obeisance and my incredible angst concerning these tests.
LikeLike
Pass it on. Make it go viral.
LikeLike
Dawn: a heartfelt “thank you” for posting this video.
😎
LikeLike
“. . . requires other teachers to cover.”
Spoken like a true GAGAer!
Then they can decide to refuse to cover.
“To have real meaning. . . ”
Please explain what “real meaning” means.
LikeLike
To stop the tests, we have to stop the kids from taking it, by enough teachers making it impossible to give it or parents opting out.
Feel good protests are not enough if the tests are still given. The war against testing is too important.
LikeLike
Congresswoman Barbara Lee was the only member of either house of Congress to vote against the authorization of use of force after September 11. I guess since it passed anyway, her action was just a “feel good protest”.
LikeLike
Dianne, no one thinks less of an action like this. We shoul celebrate it. But it’s not enough. We need acts that get the attention of the decision-makers. How about a teacher who can bring a faculty together to refuse the test?
LikeLike
Way to go Beth!
LikeLike
A super brave women!!!! We need more like her. I hope her fellow colleagues support her as the teachers in Seattle who refuse to give standardized test at Seattle high schools.
LikeLike
Te admiro, Beth.
LikeLike
Duane Swacker: I second that emotion.
😊
She is in a tradition that embodies the best of America—
Mario Savio, December 3, 1964, near the end of his speech to the UCBerkeley Free Speech Movement:
“There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can’t take part; you can’t even passively take part, and you’ve got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you’ve got to make it stop. And you’ve got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it, that unless you’re free, the machine will be prevented from working at all!”
😎
LikeLike
Courage, integrity and leadership! Bravo to Beth Dimino and Dr. Rellla!
LikeLike
Bravo, Beth!
LikeLike
“In Good Company”
Rosa Parks refused
To give her seat to white
Refused to be abused
And stood her ground to fight
Beth Dimino refused
To teach to Common Core
A tactic that’s been used
Successfully before
LikeLike
Congrats and thanks to this teacher and her superintendent. The Long Island Press article is worth a look. Some interesting links, including this one: https://teachersofconscience.wordpress.com/
LikeLike
Randal Hendee: I strongly second your suggestion that all readers of this posting click on the link and read the LongIslandPress article in its entirety.
Puts the LATIMES to shame.
😎
LikeLike
Jaime Franchi, the author of this article, is a journalist of integrity and character. Her work is always worth reading.
LikeLike
“This is not a war he’s going to win. A recent Siena poll on the subject, which reflects other polls taken in New York and across the country, show unequivocally that the public trusts educators, teachers, more than politician when it comes to educating our children.”
It’s interesting how resilient that is, despite what is amounts to really concerted effort to discredit teachers and the unending parade of experts and CEO’s and lobbyists and all the rest. That trust apparently runs pretty deep. It’s a huge advantage.
It’s like there’s a “credibility bank” on public schools and politicians made withdrawal after withdrawal and never made any deposits 🙂
http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Opportunity-agenda-but-for-whom-6031631.php
LikeLike
It would be a privilege to personally know Ms. Dimino and Dr. Rella. Thanks to them, for showing the rest of us, what professionals will do to protect those children, for whom, they have responsibility.
LikeLike
Ah, more courageous folks!
LikeLike
LikeLike
Let’s not forget Garfield H.S. in Seattle–when teachers refused to test, over 80% (if memory serves me correctly) of parents opted out, so there was no data to mine.
Last year, in Chicago, teachers at 3 schools (& 2/3 were entire faculty refusals) did not give the state tests–& no repercussions from what I’ve been told.
(However, I bet that those 3 schools are among the 60% that will not be giving the PARCC, as per instruction of CPS Supt. Barbara Byrd Bennett.)
LikeLike
As a former school social worker and someone who currently works with youth, I am very interested in this topic. I see these high-stakes tests as hightly detrimental and want them to end. I like this idea of teachers taking a stand but what are the potential pitfalls of this? Can teachers lose their jobs? As many have said, seems like you need the support of peers. Is there union support for teachers refusing to give the tests (namely NYSUT)? If districts do organize and teachers refuse, can they lose common core funding? What is at stake for not giving the high-stakes tests? Lots of questions but would appreciate any links to or answers to wrap my head around this, thanks all,
Sean 🙂
LikeLike
There comes a point, Sean, where conscience dictates what you will do regardless of the consequences.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV6HoDLsnH8&app=desktop
LikeLike
watched this earlier from your previous response, powerful stuff. this is a great rallying cry. Will spread the word where I can.
LikeLike