Sunday, May 25, 2008

state policy?

As we drove around our state this Memorial Day weekend we saw many school marques which all said the same thing:

SOL Testing...
and then listed the dates. Some added comments like, "We are ready!" (Our school's states this month's character trait: Patience. Very appropriate as one reading teacher pointed out.)

All across the state we're in the exact same boat. Testing, testing, testing. It made me wonder if the state is giving these important tests in school if it has the right to apply mandatory curfews during the SOL weeks for children in SOL grades?

Or, maybe statewide law that during SOL weeks there will be announcements at malls at 8:00 to remind parents they need to take their child home because of the important test? Or tell the carnival which has arrived at Kmart that it will have to wait until testing is over until it can stay open past 8, at least for kids under 18? Movie theaters closing their 7pm and later shows to elementary school students in SOL grades?

I'm not usually a fan of limiting our constitutional rights, but if parents across the state are going to complain about low test scores, yet refuse to follow our bed-time advice, I'm beginning to think I see some possible solutions.

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