[DB]

You're making a lot of assumptions based on little information.

Just because a 9 year old boy doesn't answer a test question doesn't mean he's being insubordinate or that he should be suspended for five days.

His test score should simply reflect the unanswered question and whatever consequences that normally entails.

[Pacothecat]

Again I'm with you I've said twice he should just get a bad grade. Calling the Mom, suspension crazy over reaction. But I think a stupid creative writing questing "write a few paragraphs about your principal taking flight" is not political. He didn't even have to make it about the princlple. How about what the birds flying next to this guy would think? It was just supposed to be a story... Geez

[petitfour]

Unfortunately, the consequences are that the school looks bad if the child fails that portion of the test. That is the krux of the matter. The principal is in a panic about the school having low scores on the writing portion of this mandated test. The state and feds don't give exceptions for students who refuse to answer questions.

[ziggy_dlo]

you are most correct. If you skip an answer in a test it gets counted off. Teachers should not interfere with a child that is testing. By state standards, the only thing that a teacher can do is help you understand a question not answer it for you or re-word the question or give you any subtle hints of any type or fashion.

[Dasaji]

His test score should simply reflect the unanswered question and whatever consequences that normally entails.

...could be the "consequences" are less funding for the school (if failing scores are demonstrated), hence the gant/sledgehammer response from the principal...