Florida mother has to prove her dying son can't take a standardized test [View all]

[eridani]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/02/07/1275853/-Florida-mother-has-to-prove-her-dying-son-can-t-take-a-standardized-test

There can be not a shred of doubt that the mania for standardized testing has gone too far: As her son lies dying, a Florida mother is being forced to prove that he shouldn't have to take the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. Ethan Rediske had to take a version of the test last year, despite being blind and having cerebral palsy and brain damage. This year, his mother Andrea writes:

Ethan is dying. He has been in hospice care for the past month. We are in the last days of his life. His loving and dedicated teacher, Jennifer Rose has been visiting him every day, bringing some love, peace, and light into these last days. How do we know that he knows that she is there? Because he opens his eyes and gives her a little smile. He is content and comforted after she leaves.

Jennifer is the greatest example of what a dedicated teacher should be. About a week ago, Jennifer hesitantly told me that the district required a medical update for continuation of the med waiver for the adapted FCAT. Apparently, my communication through her that he was in hospice wasn’t enough: they required a letter from the hospice company to say that he was dying. Every day that she comes to visit, she is required to do paperwork to document his “progress.” Seriously? Why is Ethan Rediske not meeting his 6th-grade hospital homebound curriculum requirements? BECAUSE HE IS IN A MORPHINE COMA. We expect him to go any day. He is tenaciously clinging to life.

Seriously. This is a thing. And Andrea Rediske isn't fighting to keep Ethan from having to take a test he can't take, she's fighting to keep his teacher from being penalized for him not taking it. This is not just an isolated case, either. Florida also made a boy born without a full brain, just a brain stem, take a standardized test. New York sent someone to a hospital to administer a test to a boy in for screening for brain surgery.