Teacher suspended for disagreeing with standardized testing

This is what BushAmerica has stooped to now? Punishing longtime teachers for thoughtcrimes?

People have told me that if you challenge an idiotic rule (even one they disagree with themselves), you should be prepared to face the consequences. But I don't buy that. I think it's a cop-out.

I've said before that standardized testing in America's schools has in effect become the national government-sponsored religion. Schools no longer teach to the student's needs but to the tests - no matter how irrelevant the material on the test is. The state of Washington has the Washington Assessment of Student Learning, administered at many grade levels. In high school, passing the WASL is mandatory for graduation: If you're a straight 'A' student who fails the WASL, you can't graduate. About half of students fail the WASL in high school.

How's that for hero worship of standardized tests?

Now a middle school teacher in Seattle is refusing to administer the WASL. The instructor says the test disrupts learning, hurts students, and doesn't even make schools do a better job. The test itself wastes 2 whole weeks.

Just for opposing this test, he's been suspended from his teaching job for 2 weeks without pay. But he remains undeterred by this thought policing, and parents and teachers all over the state have sent him messages of support.

The school bosses really hurt their cause by suspending the teacher, didn't they? I guess it doesn't pay to punish thoughts. Maybe the educrats should have read '1984'.

(Source: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420ap_wa_wasl_refuser.html)