Fourth Grader Suspended After Refusing to Answer Exam Question [zero tolerance alert]

zerointelligence ^ | Nov. 3 | zerointelligence

[Antioch]

Nine year-old Tyler Stoken, a student in the Aberdeen Public School District, didn't know how to answer an essay question on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning test. As punishment for leaving the question blank his principal suspended him for five days.

Tyler paraphrases the question saying, "You look out one day at school and see your principal flying by a window. In several paragraphs write what happens next." He's asked, "So why didn't you answer that question?" He says, "I couldn't think of what to write the essay without making fun of the principal."

He refused to answer the question even after his mother was called to the school. Tyler's mother Amy Wolfe says, "And he said he didn't know the answer. He just didn't know what to write. And they were telling me to make him answer the question."

He still didn't, so Tyler was given a 5-day suspension. In the letter that went home to mother, the principal writes, "The fact that Tyler chose to simply refuse to work on the WASL after many reasonable requests is none other than blatant defiance and insubordination." Shortly after receiving the suspension letter they received a phone call from Superintendent Marty Kay apologizing for the suspension.

"Because I think a mistake was made and over reacting to Tyler's refusal to complete the test," said Aberdeen school superintendent Marty Kay. ... The superintendent wants Tyler immediately re-instated at school. But Tyler’s mother says the damage has been done. Mom tells son, "Well, nobody will scream at you again. I promise you that." Tyler doesn't want to go to that school any more and you can't blame him. He was manipulated and then punished because he couldn't answer a test question.

WASL opponents also believe the principal and teachers broke the law by interfering with the WASL test. It had better have been a violation of the testing rules. If a teacher and principal browbeating a test taker into answering a question in any particular manner is not against the rules then the test is worse than useless.

[Mrs.Nooseman]

You are welcome.:)

[luckystarmom]

In third grade, my son did poorly on the writing portion of a standardized test because he was supposed to write about this:

"Who is your favorite teacher and why?"

He told me that he didn't have a favorite teacher, so he didn't know what to write. His grade got knocked down because his reasons weren't very detailed.

I thought it was a stupid thing to write about.

[dforest]

I agree. I hate it when they put them in that position. What are they supposed to say? My teacher is a witch and all the others were stupid babysitters. Funny though, I have a kid in my family that was given a similar assignment and asked to draw a picture of his teacher of the previous year. He drew a picture of the devil. This thing was put up on the wall for family night. Actually it drew a lot of laughs!

[luckystarmom]

I agree with what you are saying. However, my only complaint is that I have a special needs child, and I need help in teaching her.

I have done all the standard stuff when it comes to teaching her to read, but she is still having troubles.

When I told the school district (and even got an independent evaluation saying she needed help), they did nothing.

We are lucky in that I am very computer saavy, and I have done tons of research on reading problems. We are also very fortunate that my husband has a great job.

We have put both of our daughters in a private school, and one of them is now getting a reading program that is supposed to help her.

However, there is another program that I would really like to get her into, and we cannot afford that one (Lindamood-Bell Lips). It costs about $20,000. It is supposed to be wonderful, but we just cannot swing another $20K on a reading program. We are already spending $15K on private school, and $8K on speech therapy. That's a lot of money.

Sometimes, it really sucks having a special needs kid. (However, she is a real sweetheart!)

[luckystarmom]

What's interesting is how my son's creative writing ability has changed in the past few years. He used to be horrible at writing, and it wasn't a smart thing (he's gifted). He was especially bad at creative writing.

I think it must be a developmental thing because now he is in 7th grade, and he loves creative writing.

I personally think that in 3-5th grade, the writing assessment should be about something concrete like "How do you make a peanut butter sandwich?" or "Describe what you look like." It's concrete and shows if a child can write or not.

[dforest]

You know, not everyone is good at putting thoughts into words. If that were the case, everyone would be a writer. Your idea is a good one.

[GoLightly]

From the letter sent to the mother, she told him to make something up. That was part of the evidence used against him. The more pressure put on him, the story he made up in his mind probably got less & less "acceptable" to any adult who would read it.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Thanks. I am very proud of him. And his younger brother who is graduating this term from an excellent college also with a Computer Science degree.

He was totally different than his brother and never gave us half the trouble but is just as smart. His mom often said "I am so glad I had Keegan" since he was so much more amenable. I love 'em both to pieces.

[Mrs.Nooseman]

You did good raising your kids.

You are welcome.:)

[B-Chan]

Dear Ms. Wolfe:

After much thought and after carefully weighing several factors, I have reached the following decision: Tyler is suspended from attendance at Central park school for a period of five (5) days beginning Monday, May 9, 2005 through Friday, May 13, 2005. This decision has been reached for the following reasons: Tyler refused, on six separate occasions, to comply with a reasonable request made by his teachers, myself, and even you, his parent. In schools, when a teacher or other staff member gives a direction or a request to perform, a student is expected to do so. In other instances where students have simply refused, consequences have been imposed. The fact that Tyler chose to simply refuse to work on the WASL after many reasonable requests is none other than blatant defiance and insubordination. Therefore, a reasonable consequence is a short-term suspension. Unfortunately, the consequences of Tyler’s decision do not end with this disciplinary action. Not only will his achievement be misrepresented on the highest stakes measure of academic performance he has met to date, but the scores of his classmates will also be invalid. As he chose NOT to perform, he will get a zero on that section, which will be averaged with the scores of all of the other students in his class: in this case, 10 other children. Obviously, a 0, when averaged with only 10 other scores, can drastically impact the average. Thus, he has compromised the representation of what his peers know and are able to do. Their scores will be reported as a group, not as individuals. Additionally, this extends to the whole fourth grade, as our school score, the one that is reported to the state and the media, is an average of all fourth grade students. Thus, his choice impacts Tyler, his classmates, his grade mates, and his school. As we have worked so hard this year to improve our writing skills, this is a particularly egregious wound. You have the right to an informal conference with me concerning this suspension, pursuant to WAC 180-40-280.

If you have questions, feel free to contact me at XXX-XXXX.

Sincerely,
Olivia McCarthy
Principal

The principal’s letter (above) amounts to 361 words and is rife with errors — including misspelled words, incorrect punctuation, fragmentary sentences, capitalization mistakes, syntactical errors, incorrect tone, and other mistakes. It is also padded with fancy words intended to create an impression in the mind of the recipient that the writer is a competent professional educator.

I have rewritten the letter (see below). My version contains only 141 words and conveys the same message without the padding or mistakes. Please correct me if I made any errors therein.

***

Dear Ms. Wolfe:

Students attending Central Park School are expected to obey all instructions issued by teachers or other staff members. Your son Tyler’s refusal to complete the WASL as assigned is a clear case of insubordination. I have therefore decided that Tyler is to be suspended from attendance at Central Park School for a period of five (5) days, beginning Monday, May 9, 2005 through Friday, May 13, 2005. In addition, he will receive a grade of zero for that assignment.

Pursuant to WAC 180-40-280, you have the right to an informal conference with me concerning this suspension. If you have questions, feel free to contact me at XXX-XXXX.

Sincerely,
Olivia McCarthy
Principal

[Mrs.Nooseman]

Your version is much better then the original,because it goes straight to the point.

[luckystarmom]

"As he chose NOT to perform, he will get a zero on that section, which will be averaged with the scores of all of the other students in his class: in this case, 10 other children. Obviously, a 0, when averaged with only 10 other scores, can drastically impact the average. Thus, he has compromised the representation of what his peers know and are able to do. Their scores will be reported as a group, not as individuals. Additionally, this extends to the whole fourth grade, as our school score, the one that is reported to the state and the media, is an average of all fourth grade students. Thus, his choice impacts Tyler, his classmates, his grade mates, and his school. "

I think this section of the letter is the most telling.

It really wasn't about Tyler it was about his refusal bringing down the school's test scores.

I would probably write the parents something like this:

"Tyler refused to take a portion of the WASL. His refusal will result in him not passing the test. We are concerned that he cannot write, and we are requesting that we give him writing assessments to see if he has a learning disability. If the assessments show that Tyler does not have a learning disability, then Tyler will either need to go to summer school or repeat 4th grade in order to learn how to write."

Who cares about how his test scores affect the rest of the school. It should be about what is best for this child.

[Mrs.Nooseman]

Bingo.

Here in Oregon it isn't the Teachers or principals that grade the State tests,but some outside institute.

So I am wondering how they even knew that he didn't answer the so called question.

[son of the south]

Your opinion is noted.
I too agree that the teachers unions need to go or be reformed, preferably GO.
Home schooling worked for the founding fathers, as I recall.

I have just had my property taxes raised again, primarily to feed the school industry. I would be less hostile to Public Schooling if: they taught real subjects. They really cared about the kids, which most don't. And if it didn't cost SO much, due to waste and give-aways to "the underprivilaged" i.e. illegal immigrants.

The South lost the foolish war of 1861-1865. However so did the North. We are all stuck with an out of control, stuck on stupid gov. in DC.

It's just time for a change. We cannot continue with the madness.


Teach em the 3 R's and throw out 95% of all the other CRAP.

That's all I've got to say about that.

Let Freedom Ring........................................

[Bonaparte]

Your links worked fine.

Thanks!

[Mrs.Nooseman]

You are welcome.

[GoLightly]

Dealt with a conflict similar to this with my sons' grade school administrator, though suspension wasn't part of the situation. Son was the same age as the child in the article when it happened.

My son told me he wasn't going to turn in an assignment. He'd forgotten it in his locker & kids weren't allowed to go to their lockers after class had begun. The teacher didn't believe he had completed the assignment & told him to go get it, to prove he had, though he would still be marked down a grade on it for turning it in late. Son refused, which is when the administrator was called in.

Son was already doing alternative assignments in math that entire year. Anyone acing the chapter's pretest already understood the concepts in the chapter, so they were given a long range project, while the rest of the class did the chapter. Rather than turning in daily assignments, they had to turn in their project the day the chapter was completed by the class & the grade on it was weighted as though it had been a bunch of daily assignments. With six week grading periods, this project was half of the daily grade.

I told the administrator than in a battle of wills with this particular child, the child will bite off his nose despite his face. He would take a zero, rather than prove he hadn't been lying. I had helped son with that assignment, so I knew he had completed it. I told the administrator that I believed natural consequences work better than getting into a battle of wills, cuz sometimes battles of wills set up no win positions.

The administrator straightened out the misunderstanding, the assignment wasn't a test of son's honesty. I told son to turn in the paper & accept the lowered grade. Coming to class prepared is also part of the assignment & the consequence for failure in this area is well known, up front.

[The SISU kid]

WA State ping....

[The SISU kid]

So what's WASL?

Washington Assessment of Student Learning