Disabled, Dying Child MUST Take Standardized Test

[DamianTV]

Florida says mom must prove her dying son can't take standardized test
http://rt.com/usa/dying-son-standardized-test-florida-756/

Update: The boy has Passed Away (thanks AF for update)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/02/04/parent-of-dying-boy-has-to-prove-her-son-cant-take-standardized-test/


Standardized testing has become something of an obsession in the United States, but Florida’s mandate is under heavy fire while the state attempts to force a disabled, dying boy to complete an exam he is simply incapable of doing.

Ethan Rediske, an 11-year-old Florida boy, is expected to pass away any day now. He was born with numerous ailments, including severe brain damage and cerebral palsy. He’s also blind.

On top of these health issues, the Orlando Sentinel reports that his lungs are constantly filled with fluid these days, he’s in a morphine coma and all he can do is utter a sound every once in a while.

Despite his current condition, Florida insisted that his mother Andrea provide even more evidence that her son is incapable of taking the standardized test that's adapted for disabled children and required by the state – as well as the US Department of Education.

In a letter obtained by the Washington Post, Andrea Rediske reached out to the school board and to a journalist at the Sentinel hoping to spread the word about her son’s situation.

“Apparently, my communication through [the teacher] that he was in hospice wasn’t enough [for the school district]: they required a letter from the hospice company to say that he was dying,” the letter reads. “Every day that she comes to visit, she is required to do paperwork to document his ‘progress.’ Seriously? Why is Ethan Rediske not meeting his 6th-grade hospital homebound curriculum requirements? BECAUSE HE IS IN A MORPHINE COMA. We expect him to go any day. He is tenaciously clinging to life.

“This madness has got to stop. Please help us.”

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time Florida’s behavior regarding standardized testing has raised eyebrows. Last year, the state made Ethan take the test over the course of a two-week period, despite his family’s claim that simply getting the young boy to answer “yes” or “no” was a significant accomplishment. During the examination, he was asked about eating a peach – something he cannot physically do since he receives all his food through a tube.

"He doesn't know what a peach tastes like," she told the Sentinel last year. "He will never know what a peach tastes like. Or an apple. Or bananas. It's completely irrelevant to his life."

Another child, a 9-year-old named Michael, was also forced to take the same test in Florida last year, despite the fact that he was born only with a brain stem, not a brain. Orange County School Board member Rick Roach, who watched the examination, couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

"He's blind. And they're showing him pictures of a giraffe, a monkey and an elephant — and asking him which one is the monkey," Roach said to the newspaper. "I'm watching all this and just about to lose my mind."

The Rediske family’s current predicament has renewed calls for Florida and other states to change the way in which they handle standardized testing and determine a disabled child’s ability to take an exam. Oftentimes the only way to get a testing waiver in Florida, even for the profoundly disabled, is to get it personally from the state’s Secretary of Education, a process Rediske believes is outrageous. Despite pledges by lawmakers to reform the system last year, the end result did little to change to situation.

[Henry Rogue]

Wow, that's sad.
Addendum: maybe the real test is to see how stupid the state is.

[Christian Liberty]

Screw standardized tests and the public indoctrination centers. I don't understand how these thugs can look themselves in the mirror. Absolutely disgusting.

[erowe1]

“Apparently, my communication through [the teacher] that he was in hospice wasn’t enough [for the school district]: they required a letter from the hospice company to say that he was dying,” the letter reads. “Every day that she comes to visit, she is required to do paperwork to document his ‘progress.’

Or else what?

I'm guessing that it's or else nothing. This family can just ignore this without it affecting them in any way.

I could be wrong. And I still hate public education. But that "or else what" question is a major hole in this article. They talk about Florida "forcing" these kids to take these tests, but unless I missed it, it doesn't say anything about how they're forcing them to do it. Is it just sending them a letter?

[Christian Liberty]

erowe, you realize most people are either quoting Romans 13 to justify obeyiing every mandate of the government, or else simply worship "the law" as such. Most people don't even get to the "or else" part. Their minds just don't go there. I mean, imagining "disobeying authority." Most people can't even fathom it. Which is sad.

[MelissaWV]

Or else what?

I'm guessing that it's or else nothing. This family can just ignore this without it affecting them in any way.

I could be wrong. And I still hate public education. But that "or else what" question is a major hole in this article. They talk about Florida "forcing" these kids to take these tests, but unless I missed it, it doesn't say anything about how they're forcing them to do it. Is it just sending them a letter?

I agree with you that, if they don't want this to happen, they can just ignore the "mandate." I would still be pretty upset to keep receiving letters telling me that my child, that I am watching die moment by moment, is some kind of faker or is well enough to take some test that the State thinks is super duper important. How many of those letters before you give in to the urge to shove them back at the Department of Education?

[erowe1]

I agree with you that, if they don't want this to happen, they can just ignore the "mandate." I would still be pretty upset to keep receiving letters telling me that my child, that I am watching die moment by moment, is some kind of faker or is well enough to take some test that the State thinks is super duper important. How many of those letters before you give in to the urge to shove them back at the Department of Education?

I agree with all of that.

[SewrRatt]

Or else the state takes away custody of their child and any of their other children, dumbasses.

[Anti Federalist]

Or else what?

I'm guessing that it's or else nothing. This family can just ignore this without it affecting them in any way.

I could be wrong. And I still hate public education. But that "or else what" question is a major hole in this article. They talk about Florida "forcing" these kids to take these tests, but unless I missed it, it doesn't say anything about how they're forcing them to do it. Is it just sending them a letter?

Really...c'mon...really???

Or else they get SWATTED with extreme prejudice and this poor boy dies alone while mom and dad rot in the rape cage for non compliance.

What, am I on ignore? :rolleyes:

[DamianTV]

Maybe instead of being given a retarded standardized test, the kid should have received a visit from the Make a Wish Foundation? Grant the dying child is last wish.

But we cant do that. Policy is Law. Too bad that no one gets a say so in what becomes policy, until it is overridden by Law. You arent represented, you have no voice, you have no recourse. Policy and Procedure are obviously more important to Authority than the very people whose lives they rule. It will soon probably become policy to handcuff, beat the shit out of, and taze genitals for disobeying the lawful direct order of a Police Officer, even if the subject is a child in a coma already fighting for their very lives and the order given is to "Take the Child to School".

These atrocities are going to continue. The situations are, by design, provoking a response from the people. The system is designed around causing Conflict everywhere. Eventually, people will snap and violent conflict will arise and spread like wildfire. And the Status Quo will have their wish: Martial Law.

[Spikender]

And emotional Government-lovers honestly think that helping the poor and ailing can be best accomplished through the State.

What fools these mortals be.

[Christian Liberty]

Really...c'mon...really???

Or else they get SWATTED with extreme prejudice and this poor boy dies alone while mom and dad rot in the rape cage for non compliance.

What, am I on ignore? :rolleyes:
I know that sometimes happens. But is it guaranteed? I doubt it. Is it likely? I don't know. Haven't checked the stats on this one. The mundane cases don't get nearly as much attention. And rightfully so, but still...

[erowe1]

Or else the state takes away custody of their child and any of their other children, dumbasses.

I doubt that.

Source?

[erowe1]

Really...c'mon...really???

Or else they get SWATTED with extreme prejudice and this poor boy dies alone while mom and dad rot in the rape cage for non compliance.

What, am I on ignore? :rolleyes:

I doubt that too.

[tod evans]

I doubt that.

Source?

This behavior is common knowledge.

Once a government agency becomes involved in a families life the chances of them loosing custody of their children increases exponentially with the amount of government involvement.

[erowe1]

This behavior is common knowledge.

Once a government agency becomes involved in a families life the chances of them loosing custody of their children increases exponentially with the amount of government involvement.

Source?

If there was any threat of anything like this at all, then the writer of that article in the OP was pretty negligent not to mention it.

[tod evans]

Source?

Not playing..:)

[Anti Federalist]

I doubt that too.

Then you are not paying full attention.

Tighten up.

[Mani]

FLORIDA is usually about last amongst the 50 states in a bunch of categories like school size, test taking, etc.


They are crazy insane over the standardized tests. at least in south florida, the kids in public schools spend months studying for the test. The school actually stops teaching kids, and spends forever just prepping kids to take this useless test. I don't remember how long but it seemed like 3-8 weeks just spent practicing and prepping for a state standardized test. How fucking useless is that? So out of a 10 month school year lets waste 1-2 months just teaching how to take some gov't test that has no benefit for the child whatsoever.

The benefit was for the school. If the study body didn't get certain scores, they would lose some funding, and those that scored better, got better funding. Something like that.


No Child left Behind was real big with this concept of SCORES on a test equal gov't funding, which led to...SCHOOLS spend significant portion of their time preparing children for a test, not for actual education.

[Anti Federalist]

The boy has now died.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/02/04/parent-of-dying-boy-has-to-prove-her-son-cant-take-standardized-test/

God fuck and damn the petty tyrants that added to this family's grief and stress in this boy's last days.

[heavenlyboy34]

Maybe instead of being given a retarded standardized test, the kid should have received a visit from the Make a Wish Foundation? Grant the dying child is last wish.

But we cant do that. Policy is Law. Too bad that no one gets a say so in what becomes policy, until it is overridden by Law. You arent represented, you have no voice, you have no recourse. Policy and Procedure are obviously more important to Authority than the very people whose lives they rule. It will soon probably become policy to handcuff, beat the shit out of, and taze genitals for disobeying the lawful direct order of a Police Officer, even if the subject is a child in a coma already fighting for their very lives and the order given is to "Take the Child to School".

These atrocities are going to continue. The situations are, by design, provoking a response from the people. The system is designed around causing Conflict everywhere. Eventually, people will snap and violent conflict will arise and spread like wildfire. And the Status Quo will have their wish: Martial Law.
I imagined that they would prefer a very docile population of worker/consumers that is too busy with bread and circuses to complain about the boot on their necks.

[DamianTV]

I imagined that they would prefer a very docile population of worker/consumers that is too busy with bread and circuses to complain about the boot on their necks.

It should become more and more clear that the State care more about themselves than even maintaining the Illusion that they have any sympathy for the Mundanes what so ever. When ALL of the Illusions of Compassion fall away, we realize we are now in a Hot Tyranny, and Genocide of those who still cling to Liberty is just around the corner. People have lost touch with their Humanity on a massive scale and too many will allow the murder of innocents.

[heavenlyboy34]

It should become more and more clear that the State care more about themselves than even maintaining the Illusion that they have any sympathy for the Mundanes what so ever. When ALL of the Illusions of Compassion fall away, we realize we are now in a Hot Tyranny, and Genocide of those who still cling to Liberty is just around the corner. People have lost touch with their Humanity on a massive scale and too many will allow the murder of innocents.

Clearly you are an Extremist with Dangerous and Radical Views. Reported.

[DamianTV]

Clearly you are an Extremist with Dangerous and Radical Views. Reported.

Its definitely how they think. For them to commit the murder, even Mass Murder, nothing extreme about it, but for one to warn of their murders of innocents, thats Extreme! Please excuse me while I take part in some Extreme Dog Walking.

[Anti Federalist]

It should become more and more clear that the State care more about themselves than even maintaining the Illusion that they have any sympathy for the Mundanes what so ever. When ALL of the Illusions of Compassion fall away, we realize we are now in a Hot Tyranny, and Genocide of those who still cling to Liberty is just around the corner. People have lost touch with their Humanity on a massive scale and too many will allow the murder of innocents.

And there, is the abyss.

[DamianTV]

And there, is the abyss.

But but but I was "just following Orders", comrade!

[Cleaner44]

Here is the simple answer... when stupid shit like that comes in the mail, THROW IT IN THE TRASH.

People's fear of pieces of paper are amazing to me. It seems that if there are symbols and seals the fear factor is multipled.

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

FLORIDA is usually about last amongst the 50 states in a bunch of categories like school size, test taking, etc.


They are crazy insane over the standardized tests. at least in south florida, the kids in public schools spend months studying for the test. The school actually stops teaching kids, and spends forever just prepping kids to take this useless test. I don't remember how long but it seemed like 3-8 weeks just spent practicing and prepping for a state standardized test. How fucking useless is that? So out of a 10 month school year lets waste 1-2 months just teaching how to take some gov't test that has no benefit for the child whatsoever.

The benefit was for the school. If the study body didn't get certain scores, they would lose some funding, and those that scored better, got better funding. Something like that.


No Child left Behind was real big with this concept of SCORES on a test equal gov't funding, which led to...SCHOOLS spend significant portion of their time preparing children for a test, not for actual education.

Florida schools are a laughingstock. We spent months 'prepping' for the FCAT and having it drilled how 'important' it was. This was over a decade ago now, and I can't imagine how much worse it is. I moved back to Florida from Maryland in my Junior year and as bad as Maryland is on a long-list of issues, at least the school I went to there wasn't completely incompetent. I guess it was because it was in the boonies far-away from the State-capital and hours outside of Baltimore nestled in the Amish and Mennonite-laden border of PA and DE. /shrug

Government-schools are a joke. Churning out the obedient sycophants one-by-one.

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

Here is the simple answer... when stupid shit like that comes in the mail, THROW IT IN THE TRASH.

People's fear of pieces of paper are amazing to me. It seems that if there are symbols and seals the fear factor is multipled.

It's all apart of the indoctrination from early-age. Government-schools are propaganda arms of the finest-order. Even the Politburo and Heimmler would be made proud.

[Anti Federalist]

Here is the simple answer... when stupid shit like that comes in the mail, THROW IT IN THE TRASH.

People's fear of pieces of paper are amazing to me. It seems that if there are symbols and seals the fear factor is multipled.
I agree, to an extent.

More and more, however, ignoring an "official proclamation" will get you an Oh Dark Thirty military raid on your home.

Comply...or die.