Mayor Bloomberg seems intent on continuing to use strong arm tactics to silence parents from expressing any point of view in opposition to his. When – in 2003 – members of his own Advisory Board opposed the use of a high stakes test to determine the promotion of 8 year old children, he simply fired them and replaced them with his yes-people. Today, he labels parents who object to the heavy use of testing and test scores as the basis of Chancellor Klein’s reorganization plan “a special interest group” and likens us to the National Rifle Association.

What is he thinking?

The overemphasis on testing – on the number of tests – and the importance attached to the test scores -- is having a devastating effect on our schools and classrooms. Months of our kids’ valuable childhood are spent on test prep, test-taking and test review. Teaching to standardized tests now overshadows other critically important activities such as science, art, social studies, reading real books, taking field trips, learning to get along with others, and developing one’s curiosity.

Our children are more than test scores --- more than numbers that label them 1’s, 2’s, 3’s and 4’s.

The use of high stakes and excessive testing must end. If learning is complex, assessment should be too.

Thank you.