Conn. Man Brings Walk Against Standardized School Tests Through Delaware Valley
By Mike DeNardo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Connecticut college professor who is using his feet to demonstrate his opposition to standardized testing made a stop today in Philadelphia.
Jesse Turner (wearing lime-green shirt in photo) is walking from Connecticut to Washington, DC to gain support for his fight against high-stakes standardized tests in public schools.
Turner, a language professor at Central Connecticut State University, was in the Philadelphia area on this day, crossing the Benjamin Franklin Bridge with supporters and then speaking on Independence Mall.
He says too much instructional time is lost to testing.
"It's a campaign to end the abusive, high-stakes testing system that's crushing and demoralizing our teachers and crushing our children," he said.
Turner is meeting with students who are lobbying for a bill to end the Keystone Exam graduation requirement in Pennsylvania. A bill that would delay the requirement for two years is awaiting state Senate action.
Turner plans to walk to Washington, to deliver his message to Capitol Hill on July 24th.
