John,
On Monday, the Biden administration and the US Department of Education submitted guidance to states across the country that refuses to grant a national waiver for standardized testing, essentially subjecting states and schools to test their students. All during a global pandemic.
Their reasoning? Doing so will allow us to see where the "gaps" are and "where kids are struggling" — even though we've been implementing the same standardized tests for the last 20 years and fully know where the gaps and pain points are.
This is the worst pandemic we've had in over 100 years. More than 500,000 are dead. 26 million have been infected with COVID-19. Our students have faced unfathomable amounts of trauma and anxiety due to the pandemic, losing teachers, family members, and their entire way of life as they knew it. They should not have to deal with the pressures of standardized tests on top of it all.
I'm disappointed in the Biden administration's refusal to grant a national waiver for standardized testing. It's wrong, it's a complete misplacement of priorities, and it's what happens when non-educators are allowed to make big decisions around education in our country. We can't force students into standardized testing during a global pandemic.
Peace and love, John. Hope you and your loved ones are staying safe.
In solidarity,
Jamaal Bowman
