Intimidation?

If the allegations are true as reported by the Chicago Sun Times then anyone involved in education ought to be outraged by the actions of CPS. Apparently CPS sent an attorney to Drummond School to interview students concerning not taking the recent ISAT test.

Can you imagine your 3rd grader being pulled out of class and then grilled about the ISAT test? Do you think any of the children were scared even if the person, not known to the students, was a kind individual. Of course, parents weren't notified ahead of time of this interview. Of course a CPS official said the kids were asked if they would talk. What 7 or 8 year-old is going to say no?

What was the purpose of this action...the real purpose? If they wanted to know why the kids didn't take the ISAT then the officials at CPS should have checked with the parents. The students didn't opt out of the exam.

No, what is really at work here is the ploy to indict teachers and others at Drummond Elementary as being behind the students not taking the test or somehow having an undue influence on the children. No, this is using the students as a means of letting others know that CPS didn't approve of an alleged action taken by the Drummond staff.

Pure intimidation, plain and simple.

Dick