The Issue: Whether the city’s Department of Education relies too heavily on standardized testing.
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Why not show how parents, teachers, students and administrators in New York City are all fed up with high-stakes testing (“Ed. Big Is a Class Clown,” Jan. 20)?
New York is only steps behind Seattle, Los Angeles and Texas. Why not give a voice to those who understand the destructive nature of high-stakes testing?
Isn’t it possible that Lisa Neilsen’s alternative vision for our children might be a better one, especially in light of the current education-reform backlash?
The NYC Department of Education, under Chancellor Dennis Walcott, should appreciate a position that supports learning, creativity, critical thinking, independence and ingenuity, and that ultimately supports children, especially after almost 10 years of contentious school closures and lackluster education policies.
As millions are diverted from classrooms into the hands of testing companies, and high-stakes tests are misused against our children, teachers and schools, we are grateful for someone like Nielsen who advocates for change, because she understands these tests are not helping our children but hurting them. Janine Sopp
Brooklyn
“Ed. Big Is a Class Clown” got my attention and outrage. Why is the DOE paying a six-figure salary for a director of digital literacy and citizenship? What does that job entail?
Nielsen opposes standardized tests, but advocates using cellphones, Facebook and Twitter to educate kids. These digital distractions are turning our students into illiterate morons who can’t read at grade level, write a simple paragraph or do college-level work when they graduate.
For the same amount as her salary, the DOE could hire three or four teachers who can really help students learn. We don’t need digital directors or consultants in our schools. Stop wasting our money.Richard Reif
Flushing
The Post’s article about the official who has unorthodox views on standardized tests is disappointing. With so many problems in the current education system, isn’t it time to begin looking at other ways of doing things with a bit of humility?Trudy Klassen
Prince George, Canada
Nielsen is far from a clown; the edu-crats who have been dumbing down the system since the ’60s are the real clowns.
Do-or-die tests, such as the DOE’s elementary-school promotion tests, should not be necessary. They were instituted to eliminate social promotion and to check grade inflation.
The SAT I should be the only necessary test administered throughout the K-12 process. It assesses a solid 10th-grade education with the ability to reason. Elio Valenti
Brooklyn