The previous post included the letter that Dr. Michael J. Hynes of the Patchogue-Medford school district sent to teachers.
Parents in the district on Long Island in Néw York received this letter from Dr. Hynes.
The letter is straightforward. It says parents have the right to opt out without penalty.
Did your superintendent say that to parents in your district? If not, why not?
Thank you, Dr. Hynes, for leveling with parents and siding with students. I hope other superintendents follow your example.
Critics of opt out have likened the state tests to taking a vaccination. If the state tells you to do it, you must. The importance of a vaccination is based on science, not whim or politics. Children should be vaccinated whether their parents approve or not, because public health is at risk if they don’t.
But in light of the fact that the standardized tests now used are social constructs that arbitrarily label children as failures, parents should feel no obligation to subject their children to the tests. There is no risk to public health if children don’t take the tests. Opting out is the only way that parents can send a strong message to their elected representatives, who mandated the tests.
Diane Ravitch's blog 