Jackson County teacher who fought test faces dismissal

[Sequoia]

CULLOWHEE – The Cullowhee Valley School teacher who refused to administer N.C. end-of-grade tests to his students with severe disabilities has been suspended for the rest of the school year and likely will be fired.

In a meeting with school and district administrators Thursday morning, Doug Ward, 36, was told his contract would not be recommended for renewal by the Jackson County school board, Ward said.

Superintendent Sue Nations also told him that he would remain suspended with pay through the end of the school year because his presence would cause too much of a disruption, Ward said.

"I still feel I shouldn't have to give a test that isn't a valid test," said Ward, who has been an exceptional-children teacher for three years. "Someone needs to use a little common sense and say, 'I am just not going to do it.' But I understand where the school district is coming from."

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008805230306

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. I've worked with exceptional needs children

kids that will never be able to use the bathroom by themselves, will never be able to speak or walk. I can understand why this teacher did what he did.

[bean fidhleir]

2. Anyone with the credentials of that superintendent should be backing the teacher

Progress by people at the far left end of the distribution can only be evaluated by those who know them best - typically their parents and teacher(s) in concert. This is standard psychology. There's nothing controversial about this at all.

Standardized tests can be okay for sorting people within 2 sigmas of the hump *IF* they're members of the sociocultural group on which the test was normed. But anyone else? The further from the center of the space they are, the less meaningful the result.