Letter: Tough school tests are what's needed
School testing based on the Common Core curriculum is causing controversy. Credit: Newsday
Tough school tests are what's needed
Some parents on Long Island say they plan to opt out of having their children take the Common Core standardized tests for many reasons, including that the test results harm student self-esteem ["Defending the exams," News, Aug. 17].
Real self-esteem is based on real achievement. For too many years, dumbed-down tests have created the illusion that our highly paid Long Island teachers and administrators successfully prepared students to compete in the global workforce. When students finally discover the worth of dumbed-down tests, their self-esteem will surely plummet.
Rather than condemn tests that accurately expose the readiness of students, those teachers and administrators who yearn for the good old days should welcome the opportunity to step up and implement higher standards. Teach at the highest level. It actually may improve not only student self-esteem, but the esteem in which we hold our educators.
Laurann Pandelakis, Manhasset
Editor's note: The writer is a member of Long Islanders for Educational Reform, which advocates for lower taxes.
Recently, Long Island school administrators have been critical of the more rigorous state tests. They are wrong to criticize. I work with young adults entering the workforce daily, and the quality of their education is often abysmal.
We pay some of the highest school and property taxes in the country; is it wrong to expect our children to perform well on all standardized tests? In what other business would leaders not be held accountable? Where else could you blame others for your failure to perform?
Administrators owe us more, and we taxpayers deserve better performance by our children and not whining that the tests were too hard. If they don't like it or lack ideas about how to improve student performance, they should get out of the way.
Louis Cook, Woodbury
