Evidently, Mr. Gordon Dewey of Granite Falls thinks we are doing a disservice to our children by opting them out of taking a flawed test (Letters, April 29: “Kudos to those who are opting out”), that somehow missing one test is going to negate their years of education. Can he really believe that one test will make or break a child’s education? Wow, he must think the WASL is the answer we have all been searching for to help our kids learn how to be successful in the world. It isn’t.
I know that the teachers and students in Granite Falls (and elsewhere) are working hard to pass this test. Kids wouldn’t be stressed out over it if they weren’t taking it seriously. Teachers are trying their best to prepare them for passing. Graduation will soon depend upon a student’s ability to pass. When Mr. Dewey’s child needs workers, there shouldn’t be any problem gathering a workforce – last year’s passing rate for Granite Falls High School 10th graders was 36.7 percent. There will be plenty of kids without diplomas to work for his child after 2008.
Having a non-compliant “zero” on a transcript is better than “failure to meet standards” on it, in my opinion. There is no such thing as a standard child.
Standards and accountability? We’re all for them. An unproven, wasteful, flawed, one-size-fits-all test? No.
Rachel DeBellis
Marysville
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