Tuesday, March 10, 2009

FCAT

As MiniMe trotted off to school this morning on the first of two days of FCAT testing, something occurred to me. What if parents, like myself, who have had it with our state shortchanging education, did something to protest. Something that would really send a message. Not just a rally. Not just letter writing. Something that would muck things up in a way that would put flegislators in a pickle. I say next year, parents keep their kids home during FCAT testing to let the flegislators know we're serious. I mean if they're not going to fund education properly and start making good on their constitutional responsibility to provide a quality public education, why should our kids take their stupid test.

Last week I got two notes sent home from school with MiniMe that I was asked to initial and send back to school with her. Both were reminders about the FCAT testing and were letters urging me to make sure she got a good night's sleep, a nutritious breakfast, etc.  Beloved jokingly said last night as I ushered her to bed a half hour earlier than usual, "Maybe we should keep her up til midnight and feed her cookies for breakfast with the way education's going. What would it matter?"

Which got me thinking, yea, why should we keep doing our part? Why keep taking this FCAT thing seriously when flegislators aren't taking my kid's education very seriously and haven't been for years.

I know, I'm a rebel. And this idea falls under the category of "cutting off your nose to spite your face," but what if . . . 

2 comments:

Island Rider said...

One of my staff had to rush over to her daughter's school today to get her. She was having chest pains. Turned out to be anxiety over FCAT. Think the state will pay for the EKG?

Anonymous said...

Island Rider . . .hope the wee one is ok. Too much stress for kids!

I think the state is too busy hiring temporary workers to 1. process the backlog of concealed weapons permits and 2. start grading FCAT tests to afford any health care reimbursement.