{"id":22982,"date":"2014-11-17T02:00:24","date_gmt":"2014-11-17T07:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/?p=22982"},"modified":"2014-11-18T08:13:42","modified_gmt":"2014-11-18T13:13:42","slug":"florida-teachers-consider-civil-disobedience-to-say-no-to-testing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/2014\/11\/17\/florida-teachers-consider-civil-disobedience-to-say-no-to-testing\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida Teachers Consider ‘Civil Disobedience’ To Say No To Testing"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Miramar<\/a>

John O'Connor \/ StateImpact Florida<\/p>

Miramar High School teacher David Ross says testing has taken more and more time away from teaching. He refused to administer an FCAT make-up exam in protest.<\/p><\/div>\n

In September, Alachua County kindergarten teacher Susan Bowles refused to give a state reading test.<\/p>\n

She told the parents of her students it was an act of civil disobedience<\/a>. The Florida Department of Education later suspended the exam for this year<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Florida requires that most students are tested every year. Those results help determine which students graduate, ratings for public schools and teacher pay.<\/p>\n

Supporters say Florida schools have improved since pioneering the use of tests<\/a>. Testing forces schools to pay attention to every student\u2019s progress.<\/p>\n

Some teachers say they believe too many tests are bad for students. Around the state, students, parents, teachers, superintendents and school boards are discussing how to voice their opposition to testing.<\/p>\n

But is the classroom the right place to raise those questions? Educators disagree about the best way for teachers to speak up.<\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n

TESTING DAYS INCREASING<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Each year, Miramar High School American government and economics teacher David Ross counts the number of days students have to take a standardized test.<\/p>\n

Two years ago he counted 67 days. Last year, it was 77 days. This year is on pace to be even more days, he says.<\/p>\n

Ross has taught for more than three decades and is close to retiring. So when he was asked to administer an FCAT retake earlier this year, Ross decided he had enough.<\/p>\n

He wrote an open letter and said no<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy vehement opposition to the contemporary testing and accountability fixation,” he wrote, “consequently, precludes me from administering this shameful and ignominious assault upon a bona fide and progressive education.”<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m in the fortunate position that I\u2019m nearing the end of my teaching career,” Ross says, “and I felt this was my one opportunity to actually demonstrate my opposition to standardized testing.<\/p>\n

“I would be so happy if others could follow suit.\u201d<\/p>\n