Shael in the Eye of the Storm in Debate with Parents on Testing

In many ways this was the most remarkable part of Monday night's CEC 15 High Stakes Testing event -- a real debate between a chief Tweedie (Gotham lists him as one of 5 potential Chancellor candidates) and parents and teachers. (You can see MORE's Lisa North and Michelle Hamilton making comments. You won't see anyone from Unity or New Action.) But I will give Shael credit for being the only Tweedie to even engage in these debates and not hide like Walcott and the rest. This should get him a good Superintendent job -- somewhere.

I had more material but edited some of it out since some of the comments were about their own kids and somewhat too sensitive to be public -- but so sad about the impact of high stakes testing on their kids. And let me say to those who comment that we need tests, blah, blah, blah. Yes we need tests -- tests created by teachers. And to those who say we need high stakes tests -- one D. 15 parent whispered to me-- What about getting into Stuy? I said if kids want to go through that fine, but why make millions do that? And why make kids in lower grades who can be so vulnerable educationally have to deal with high stakes tests that can brand them at such an early age?