English teacher Jennifer Rickert has been a teacher in New York for 22 years, and has mentored hundreds of students. But now she says she’d rather be reassigned than be forced to set her students up for failure with Common Core.
In a tearful speech, Rickert requested reassignment during a school board meeting at the Ichabod Crane School District in Valatie, N.Y.
“I must go on record as strongly objecting to this test,” Rickert said. “I will be respectfully requesting reassignment on the dates of the 2015 Common Core ELA (editor: that stands for English/Language Arts) assessment.”
“This is not developmentally appropriate for my students and I find it cruel and hurtful to suggest that it is,” she said to the school board.
“I do not believe in knowingly setting my students up for failure. I cannot remain silent for one more day,” she said.
As she finished her remarks, Rickert received a standing ovation from teachers and parents in attendance.