Monday, March 23, 2015

Sydney Smoot for President!

We need her courage and conviction

Part 2
Read Part 1: SYDNEY FOR PRESIDENT! Out of the mouth of babes!
Watch Sydney's riveting short speech and tell everyone you know to watch it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogBuz4dU5Ew
(Source)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogBuz4dU5Ew
Below is the text of Sydney Smoot's speech to her local school board, which she still has the Constitutional right to do -- for now. The full text was posted online HERE. Sydney, a 4th grader from Florida (ground zero for Jeb Bush's Common Core), courageously and boldly delivered her speech detailing her anger about the injustice of the assessment testing she is being subjected to:
"Hello fellow members of the school board. Today I will express my concerns about the FSA testing. I consider myself a well educated young lady. However, with FSA tests, my 5 years of school all on honor roll do not matter.

This testing looks at me as a number. One test defines me as either a failure or a success through a numbered rubric. One test at the end of the year that the teacher or myself will not even see the grade until after the school year is already over.  I do not feel that all this FSA testing is accurate to tell how successful I am. It doesn’t take in account all of my knowledge and abilities, just a small percentage.

Here are my concerns. First of all, I do not feel good about a form in the FSA that you have to sign ensuring that you can’t even discuss the test with your parents. I am not comfortable signing something like this. I have the right to talk to my parents about any and everything related to school and my education.

Second, why am I being forced to take a test that hasn’t even been tested on students here in Florida, so how can it be valid and accurate on what I know?

Why are we taking up most of the year stressing and prepping for one test at the end of the year when we should be taking tests throughout the year that really measure our abilities?

My opinion is that we should take a test at the beginning of the year, middle, and at the end of the school year to accurately measure what we know.

Third, the stress and pressure that this testing puts on me and I’m sure most students is not healthy. Why should we have so much stress about one test when we should be learning and having fun in school?

With all of this testing in school, more fun things in school such as recess are being eliminated because of all of the training for the tests.

So ladies and gentlemen of the school board, I urge you to put a stop to high stakes testing today. It is not good for the schools, teachers, and students.

Parents and students, contact your governor to put a stop to all this standardized testing. Thank you very much for your time." (Source)
(Source)


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