Seattle Teachers Speak Truth To Power, Refuse Over-Testing Subjugation for Selves, Students

*See* Anthony Cody's reportage of four Seattle-area teachers who recently stood before the Renton (WA) Board of Education and read “statements of professional conscience.” In such statements, they refuse to  administer standardized tests to their students. 

Julianna Krueger Dauble, Judy Dotson, Susan DuFresne and Becca Ritchie took the brave actions, and kudos to them for standing up for their students, their profession, and, really, for all American school children. 

Cody's recounting is good enough that I don't need to recap his recap here. Just trust me that this is a story with video footage you don't want to miss.

Washington. I've lived here for almost two years now. I have a love-hate relationship with its education systems. I taught as a visiting professor of English Education at WSU, Pullman from 2013-2014 and talked about many of these education reform issue but ran into loggerheads with students and faculty who just didn't want to hear it. But, as teachers in school systems get organized, I see the word is getting out, if not always from me.

I guess when you're twenty and used to a country club mentality at college and previous professors in your major were often described as "grandmotherly" or "like a high school teacher," seeing a new fellow come in and try to convince you teaching is about to get harder and force you to make difficult moral choices just doesn't seem sexy. My students and colleagues certainly killed this messenger. But thank God practicing teachers are speaking out.

I just wish Washington educators thought I was good enough to contribute as one of them, not as an outsider. I'll keep striking that iron, though, until I don't or another locale is smart enough to beckon. In the meantime, I'll celebrate the best of teaching in the Evergreen state and honor teachers' efforts like the ones Cody details.