Articles labeled: Carl Chew

We’ve grown rather resentful of the whole “teaching towards the test” mentality ourselves in recent years, so we certainly understand a Seattle teacher’s frustration when he refused to administer the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) to his students, and he made an admirable stand. But unfortunately, rules are rules and now he’s suffering the consequences.

[Science teacher Carl Chew] said he spent some of the first few days of WASL testing working at district’s Science Materials Center, preparing student science kits.

He then was suspended without pay from today through May 2.

“He failed to follow his duties as teacher,” said Seattle Public Schools Spokeswoman Patti Spencer.

The district, she said, expects its teachers to fulfill all their responsibilities, which include giving state-mandated exams such as the WASL.

The district, she added, understands that there are debates over standardized tests such as the WASL, but sees value in the WASL as one way to reflect on what students are learning, and how instruction might need to change for an individual, a school or the district as a whole.