President Obama has said he opposes teaching to the test. Test preparation interrupting the curriculum has no value beyond the test. Disadvantaged children are especially vulnerable to such test prep; these children are disproportionately affected by teaching to the test. The President should affirm the following:
1) Diversion of resources for short-term test score increases can materially violate students’ civil rights.
2) Student and personnel assignments for short-term score increases can violate students’ civil rights.
3) School employees are protected from retaliation when they complain about test prep’s disproportionate impact on students.
4) The Office of Civil Rights has the President’s support to address complaints of disproportionate test prep as civil rights violations.
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