Part of Slice of Life by Two Writing Teachers. Head over there for information and links to more Slicing! It’s also April… So poetry it is!

I’m angry.

I'm angry.
So I’m choosing rhyme 
and a little bit of meter
to tell you about some
of the testing today, dear reader. 

I’m angry. 
So, I need to write
and hope that somebody is starting a fight. . . 
That people will stand up for 
what 
is 
right.

I’m angry.
So, I don’t quite trust
myself to write
something real, but not mean
before I head to bed tonight.

I’m angry. 
This testing day wasn’t 
so hard 
for me
It was not
overly 
stressful
I handled it fine
My students didn’t cry
Nobody had a fit
They sat where I 
told them to sit

Kids sucked on mints
behind privacy screens
and the testing cop 
wasn’t too mean.
He pointed to a hood on someone’s head
and handed me a piece of paper.
Nothing was said.

We had it easy in my room. 
Maybe because 
most of the kids I proctor
had breakfast and lunch
and will have supper.
Most are white
and middle class.
Most of them read pretty well, pretty fast.

I taught them to breathe
whenever they felt stress.
I told them they are worth 
so much more
than this test.

I assured them that whatever happened
our school wouldn’t close down
that I’d still be around
that they would be fine
even if they messed up 
a few times. 

I decided some things
while everything was silent
while I walked and I walked (and I walked) 
the aisles of this new classroom climate

I decided you should 
opt 
your 
kids 
out.
I decided it’s something we all need to shout.
I decided I’m angry 
at all the rules
and all this wasted time in our schools. 

I decided It’s about civil rights
and so much more.
It’s about standing up for others --
even if your own kids are fine 
not stressed
have a high score.

It’s about taking back assessment
so that it can mean something real.
It’s about caring more about 
how the actual children feel.