Let's not give up on "the dream"

As you've probably heard, this afternoon a hearing is scheduled in Olympia on a bill that would delay the reading and writing components of the WASL as high school graduation requirements. Read today’s editorial from the Everett Herald for a summary that's right on the money.

“That this is also the day when our nation pays tribute to the principles of human equality and progress espoused by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. suggests the bill is being positioned as some sort of civil rights measure. It’s anything but,” wrote the Herald. “To do less is to return to a culture of low expectations that keeps students from reaching their potential—the opposite of what Dr. King preached.”

85 percent of Washington students have already passed the reading and writing WASL. Lowering the bar and saying, “Nevermind,” hurts all students.

On this important day, we can't stress enough our belief that letting kids graduate from high school without adequately being able to read and write IS the injustice.