SEEN/HEARD
And The Children Shall Lead Them...

This post is dedicated to the memory
of
Maurice McIver

Almost the entire 8th grade class at Intermediate School 318 in the South Bronx recently refused to take a 180 minute practice test. The diagnostic social studies exam, issued in six different classes, is in preparation for another test next month. This specific test does not, in any way, have an affect on grades.

The students' protest was mostly peaceful; all quietly handed in blank exams. There was a small skirmish involving a teacher who was angry over the protest, but nothing worth going into detail (BTW: none of the kids are going to ask this uptight bonehead to sign their yearbook).

The students even submitted signed petitions with a list of grievances to the principal and the Board of Education. They advise that they are sick of being used as "test dummies."

There are a couple of editorials on this incident. Most concur with something that I have been saying since I graduated high school back in the late '80's. Children in America aren't being taught to "think." They are being "taught to test." The NYC Board of Ed is doing its best to suppress the real issue here and get back to business as usual. That business being paying companies who do not have any stake at all in the community millions of dollars to test our kids on shit they may never, ever use in life.

Last weekend proved deadly in the Big Apple; quite a few teenagers were shot--one even lost his life. Ironically, one of the accused in the deadly incident was on a conditional release stemming from a gun charge last year. Why is it the powers that be are okay with children having illegal weapons but get all igged out about them staging a quiet protest? I'd rather see picket signs and petitions than pistols in our children's hands.

The 8th graders at 318 have taken a stand and I say, "more power to them!"

Axe.

Currently Reading: The Message: 100 Life Lessons from Hip-Hop's Greatest Songs by Felicia Pride
Currently Listening To: (what else) Fight The Power by Public Enemy, and Jesus Children of America by Sir Stevie Wonder

Links for stories on IS 318:

Bronx 8th Graders Boycott Exam
Civil Disobedience: Bronx 8th Graders Refuse The Test
Apathy Doesn't Live In The Bronx