More news from the NEA National Convention - President Bush, look out! Singing teachers!
[Utah teacher Lily Eskelsen] performed the song (with the unforgettable hook "If we have to test their butts off, there'll be no child's behind left") this week at the National Education Association's annual meeting.
The aim was partly to get the crowd of nearly 9,000 teachers pumped up, partly to promote her new CD. It's part of a small, homespun protest movement emerging as frustrated teachers, parents and activists strap on guitars to decry the burden of standardized tests under the second year of President Bush's far-reaching No Child Left Behind education reform law.
"It shows how much opposition to No Child Left Behind has permeated the popular culture, at least with educators," says Bob Schaeffer of the Center for Fair & Open Testing, which has criticized Bush's education policies.
Yeah, so much opposition that they're strapping on guitars and writing rhymes, which is what I'd expect of a teenager's protest, not that of an educated person. They're basically letting off steam and having fun, and there's nothing wrong with that, but it's ludicrous to represent this as serious protest.
(And, just for the record, I'd consider someone who wrote a song in support of testing to be equally goofy.)
Posted by kswygert at July 7, 2004 10:53 AM