'Opt out' of Florida's mandated standardized school tests sends student wrong message

Regarding the article in the Bradenton Herald on March 6 by Meghin Delany titled "Parents have students skip state testing."

Thank you for bringing this issue to my attention as my wife and I are the proud parents of a 13-year-old in the Manatee County school system and have lived in this county for 25 years. I find it very disturbing that parents are allowed to circumvent the educational process while their children are at such an impressionable age.

Let's face it, backing your kid to "opt out" of a school test is just teaching them how to take the easy way out, which will be an easy habit to adopt for the remainder of their life. Thus proliferating the "I'm entitled" generation attitude and weakening the fabric of this great country.

Hey, here's an idea, how about all you kids in America today start a movement for opting out of school test taking. Yeah, we'll call it something cool like "Dum it don." That way my kid will be a sure winner in life as she tells you what and how and when to live your life.

OK, thanks for allowing me to get this off my chest. You've just reinforced my belief in how important it is to be a positive influence in your child's life so that they can live a full life of their own and positively contribute to society.

Oh, by the way, my wife and I are both immigrants to this great country that we are proud to call our home. Let's try to keep the dream alive for generations to come. Hey kids, get in the game of life, or watch it pass you by! God bless America! We need all the help we can get.

Doug Spolarich

Parrish

This story was originally published March 18, 2016 at 2:49 PM with the headline "'Opt out' of Florida's mandated standardized school tests sends student wrong message ."