Fourth Grader Suspended For Not Answering A test Question

[fish_doc]

A fourth grader has been suspended for a week because he refused to answer a question on the statewide test known as the WASL. Opponents of the test say it is proof the WASL has gone too far.

Tyler Stoken is 9 years old and his mother says he's good at taking tests. But when it came to the recent Washington Assessment of Student Learning, one question stumped him. He was asked to write a short essay about a make-believe situation and his principal.

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."

Amy and her son were shocked. Just then the phone rang. It was the superintendent calling to apologize.

"Because I think a mistake was made and over reacting to Tyler's refusal to complete the test," said Aberdeen school superintendent Marty Kay.

He says it points to the bigger issue of how much pressure is placed on students and staff to do well in the WASL.

"The situation highlights the stress that both students and staff are put under in a high stakes testing environment and I think under those situations mistakes are more likely to be made both by students and by staff members," Kay said.

The fact that Tyler didn't answer that question lowered his score and the overall score of the school.

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 wants to go to another school. And after being a supporter of the WASL, Tyler’s mother has joined the “anti-WASL” movement.

WASL opponents also believe the principal and teachers broke the law by interfering with the WASL test.

[fishfreaks]

Poor kid

[Celeste]

i had to take the WASL years and years ago back when it was brand new before they made it mandatory for all the different grades to take it, etc. they tell you that if you don't know an answer, skip it and come back. i think standerdized tests can be good, they challenge schools to train their staff better and to teach students better to get higher scores. BUT that's going way too far. if a student can't answer the question, it's not the students fault.

[Osiris]

man that is nuts but lol i can definetaly come up with something for my old principal but not sure if i could whemn i was that young

[ALFA WOLF]

i can tell u atory of my principle right off the top of my head.

[fishboy]

man we didn't have nearly as much presure in 5th grade with the PSSA here in Pa a few years ago when i took it. For us if you didn't know an answer your choices were make something up or guess

[fish_doc]

We were just told dont mark the dont know circle. DK they jokingly called it the dumb kluck circle. Because if you marked it you always got it wrong but if you guessed another at least you had a chance of getting it right.